How many people out there feel odd carrying their multitool because they work in a stuffy urban white collar office environment? I'm in that situation right now. I see maintenance men, plumbers, electricians, gardeners etc all happily carrying their multitools and knowone even gives them a second look. However when I strap on my Leatherman Wave with a pair of kakis and lightly starched button-down shirt, I get lots of strange looks and even a few comments from coworkers and the like. As a result my Wave spends most of its time out in the center console of my truck rather than on my belt. Anyone else experience this? How do you deal with it? I'm already displaying a large folding knife that I refuse to go without regardless of what anyone thinks but with the Wave I tend to give in to the expectations of the PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. around me.

My advice is to suck it up and wear it anyway <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Like I mentioned in a very recent post, I don't carry a large knife on my belt for that very reason, plus I hate the feel of a large knife in my pocket. Even a small Buck folding pocketknife - I don't think they're made anymore - seemed too big to be comfortable. I started carrying a tiny Gerber Micro LST (1.5" blade) as a keychain fob.

A few years back I started taking the train from my suburb to another suburb closer to Chicago. I got tired of carrying my full-size briefcase, so instead I started carrying a black Eagle Creek Guide Bag (I think that's the right model).

It was just big enough to carry my cell phone, pda, a medium-sized note pad & pen, and misc stuff. I started carrying it just about everywhere I went since one of my goals was to keep my pda with me (much like a knife - its no good if you don't have it when you need it). People pretty much got used to me carrying it around. There were a few purse jokes, but Sienfeld took care of that issue for me - "its Europian!" Most of the people around here call it my "manbag". <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

After I got the survival bug, I started loading more and more selected gear into ziplock bags in one of the bag's secondary large pockets - trying to keep it as light and bulk-free as possible. Nobody even knows the gear is there, but its within arm's reach most of the time (except restroom trips and lunches in our cafetria downstairs).

Today I no longer can take the train, and I'm forced to haul around my laptop home at night, but the manbag - or its contents - still comes along where ever I go.

How about a cellphone case with some extra storage, enough to enclose a knife or multitool?

Maybe it'd look better if you had more crap hanging off your belt.

Take the IT help desk people here:

• Blackberry
• Nextel phone (for helpdesk)
• Cell phone (for business, personal)
• PDA (iPAQ or similar)
• Pager (until recently, replaced by blackberry)

Looks like a utility belt. What's one or two more little black kydex thingies (flashlight, knife, etc).

Seriously... urban camoflage.

Love 'em or hate 'em I guess, but pocket clips can really help here. I EDC a
large Sebenza, and never notice it. And the way the clip is located on the
knife, almost none of it sticks out.

I carry my multitool (Swisstool Spirit) in my back pocket along side my wallet.

S.

I tend to agree with Burncycle. If all we ever do is give in to what PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. THINK, aren't we just like them???
Now, I am not saying "break the rules" just to do it or if your work has a clear policy on the subject, but if all you get is an occasional snide comment, so what?

Small fanny packs are generally well tolerated, generally worn in front of to the side (where I work). Hold lots more than a multitool too! Maybe not if you're wearing a suit, but with jeans/khakis/cords nobody where I work gives you a second glance.

I feel your pain. I too work in an stuffy environment where it is
inappropriate to wear "tools" on my belt. I have resorted to a couple
of things in my quest to be slightly prepared. I have a leatherman
Squirt P4 on my key chain (along with the Photon, Whistle, etc, etc).
I also carry a "man bag/purse" whatever (Maxpedition Fatboy S)
with my PSK, very small FAK, Gridbook for taking notes during
meetings, blah blah blah. It looks like a typical courier bag
the young folks carry now a days, so I haven't had any sideways looks or
comments. Last but not least I would like to point out the fabulous wonders of an
ankle sheath. A multitool would probably fit well without being too uncomfortable
if it wasn't one of the big boys. I must say my hero Schwert has inspired me to find a
way to be prepared despite office convention. Good Luck!