Lightweight pocket tools
1 of 1Lightweight pocket tools
A tiny LED flashlight and a small knife are useful and lightweight pocket tools.
As the owner of a 100-year-old house and a decrepit cabin,
I’m constantly doing little repair jobs. So, like many other
DIYers, I find it handy to have at least a few basic tools on
my person at all times. Call them “pocket tools,” even though
some of them are better carried on a belt.
My
Swiss
Army “Tinker” (about $20) is
almost always with me:
It has a serious Phillips
screwdriver and two knife
blades. I keep the little one
razor-sharp and use the big
one for rough work. On my
keychain is an awesome
Fenix LED flashlight.
For camping or a day of DIY,
I add a multi-tool (below).
From Editor–in-Chief Ken Collier
A classic multi-tool
1 of 1Leatherman Wave multi-tool
You can do some serious repairs with this multi-tool on your belt.
These days, you can find an eye-glazing array of multi-tools, with different features
and prices. One, though, stands out: the Leatherman Wave. It’s the most popular
model from the company that invented the category, and many of our Field Editors
love it. The Wave has every tool a DIYer could ask for, and it’s enormously strong, all
stainless and made in the U.S.A. With the accessory bits, it will handle just about any fastener, from the
tiny screw on your glasses to a giant Torx-head bolt. The downside: It’s a belt tool, it’s heavy (with bits:
9.5 oz.) and it’s about $70. But talk about handy!
From Field Editor Matt Dillon,
Tinley Park, IL
The Classic Leatherman in its leather case
has been the go-to multi-tool since I was first introduced to it in the spring
of 1992 in Air Force Technical Training School. This “unofficial” tool was
great for my jobs then, and is great for the weekend handyman jobs I have
now. It also goes along on fishing trips.
Mark the knife with paint
Tip: Mark the Knife
Many multi-tools have a
knife, saw, file and whatnot,
and they all look alike when
the tool is folded. But for
most people, 99 percent of
the time it's the knife you
want. So mark it with nail
polish or paint so you
can find it in an
instant.
Keychain toolbox
1 of 4Keychain pocket toolbox
This collection of lightweight pocket tools fit on a single key ring.
2 of 4Close-up of the Pocketweez
This is the business end of a high-quality tweezer.
3 of 4Close-up of the Get-a-way driver
Screwdriver bit mounted in the normal position.
4 of 4Close-up of the Get-a-way driver
Screwdriver bit mounted in the right angle position.
Even if you hate carrying stuff around in your pockets or on your belt, a couple
of keychain tools can be mighty handy and hardly noticeable. Here are some
new ones that we like, and a couple of old reliables.
Gerber Shard
Phillips and slotted
screwdrivers, pry bar and bottle opener,
each no bigger than a house key. We filed an
edge on the bottle opener, making it great
for cutting tape. Only about $7 at gerbergear.com.
Pocketweez
This folding tweezer is stainless steel,
needle-sharp, indestructible and
absolutely the best sliver-taker-outer
you’ll find. Get it for about $28 at
pocketweez.com.
P-38 Can Opener
Developed by
the U.S. military in WWII for opening
K-rations, it’s the sentimental favorite
of thousands of GIs. Get one on
Amazon or eBay for a buck or two.
From Field Editor Jeb Albro, Fairport,
NY
I’ve used my P-38 for more purposes than opening
cans! With the cutting part unfolded,
I’ve found that it helps tear through tape
on boxes. The flat ends do pretty well as a
makeshift flat-blade screwdriver. The
corners even do reasonably well with
Phillips-head screws. It’s sturdy enough to serve as a mini
pry bar or scraper, if need be.
CRKT Get-a-Way Driver
A handle
that holds four
hex bits, has a
little LED light
and a bottle
opener. Brilliant!
You can mount
the driver on the
side of the handle,
too, to apply even
more torque.
About $20 at crkt.com.
Tip: Free Pocket Ruler
If you carry credit cards,
tape a piece of plastic ruler,
or a photocopy of a ruler,
to the back of one, and
you’ve got a handy tool.
Cost: Zilch.
Bandana as pocket tool
1 of 1Two handy bandanas
Hill-side Chambray bandana.
About $50 (gulp!) at
hickorees.com. Made in the
U.S.A. (Hmm…if you’d like to
sew your own, chambray is
$5 a yard!)
Classic Paisley bandana.
About $3.50 at
REI and other outdoor
stores.
Paint wiper. Hand cleaner. Dust mask. Hot pad. Sweat mop.
Napkin. Even coffee filter. Many DIYers swear by having a
handkerchief in their pocket, even if they never use it to blow
their nose. Here are two: one for every day, one more dressed-up
and pricey but still all-business.
The under-$10 pocketknife
1 of 1Under-$10 knife
This simple pocketknife locks open making it safer to handle.
My all-time
favorite
knife
is a
Stanley
10-049
pocket knife (about $8 through our affiliation with amazon.com). The
blade can be sharpened or
easily replaced, and it locks
open for safety. The knife
is thin (3/8 in.) but long
enough to get a good grip
on it.
From Field Editor Jim Pease,
Waterville, OH
A pocket knife that takes a beating
1 of 1Knife that takes a beating
This Husky knife stays sharp thanks to replaceable utility knife blades.
I work
construction
and
can’t
go a
day
without my Husky folding
box cutter. A nice knife
blade is going to get
ruined quickly if you use it
for grout cleanup, roofing
and other jobs. The cheap
Husky does the job and
you don’t have to worry
about keeping it clean.
From Field Editor Taylor Graham,
Centennial, CO.
Cases for whatever you carry
1 of 1Versatile belt cases
Skinth Sheaths (left) and Pock-its Plus Utility Holster (right) will hold most handy pocket tools.
Pockets are one thing, but if you want to
carry a multi-tool, a phone and a flashlight
(or whatever
your favorites
are), it’s handy
to have one
case for all of
them. We found
two very different
types that
we like.
Skinth
Sheaths.
Very slim designs
for multiple pocket tools and
handmade in Canada. All
sorts of options. You want
orange? Fine! These are
made to order, and somewhat
expensive ($35 to $55), but
very functional and well-liked
by their owners. Order from
skinthsolutions.com.
Pock-its Plus Utility Holster.
There’s a Pock-it for just about
any set of tools small enough
to carry on a belt. Our favorite
is the Pock-its Plus Utility
Holster (about $14), which holds a
phone, multi-tool, flashlight
and more. mypockits.com
Tip: Keep your sheath on your pants
A belt sheath with a heavy
multi-tool can easily slide off
your belt when you drop your trousers. An easy fix: find a
small “toy” carabiner and attach it to your belt loop.
