

The selling point on a lot of multitools is quantity.Heed that Boy Scout motto and “be prepared” … just remember, it’s possible to be overprepared. If you can’t use a tool, it’s just dead weight. Just remember the main asset of a multitool is portability. The total number of tools incorporated can be as few as two or three to 40 or more. Read through the list of included tools before assuming it’s the whole enchilada.” “Don’t assume that the manufacturer knows exactly what you need, though. Her award-winning show “On The Fly…DIY” has plenty of home tutorials for testing out your multitool. “If you’re involved in a specialty activity, there are multitools on the market that cater to those needs,” says our home improvement expert Vicki Liston. It’s a good bet that this tool is the one that will see the most actual use among weekend warriors. Most will also have a bottle opener or something you can use as one. What tools can you expect to find on a standard multitool? The list can vary widely, but it should include a screwdriver (with a Phillips and flat-head driver, at least), pliers, scissors and possibly a knife or two. Once they’re in use, most will have a mechanism that locks them in place for ease of use (and your safety). To get the various gadgets loose from their folded-in position, some multitools may have a release catch or just require you to pry them loose with a tab that protrudes from the central cavity.


With certain adjustments, the twin handles can be used as grips for pliers, scissors or any number of tools where a little extra torque is needed. For one thing, you can open it with a simple flick of the wrist. But more recently, if you go shopping for multitools, you’ll find most are modeled in the design of the balisong or butterfly knife. The pocketknife configuration may have worked fine for the Swiss Army, and it’s still the standard for some multitools. But though the design may differ, you’re essentially talking about something roughly the size of a pocketknife that instead flips out an assortment of screwdrivers and other useful tools (and possibly a knife or three as well). These days, the term multitool can encompass anything from a weighty gadget that requires a holster and incorporates 30 tools or more to a stealthy metal card that doubles as a wrench and bottle opener. If you’re not much of a handyman, you could be forgiven for thinking of the once-ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife when you hear the word “multitool.” And while that trusty red pocketknife is still around, the design of the multitool has come a long way since they were standard issue for your Boy Scout troop.
