Classics

Many of our posts are about the latest mousetrap. We review them, find problems or new features, run out to buy with the subconscious belief it will give us an edge ( like the latest knife.)

I'm going through my kit, once again finding a few unpleasant suprises like rusted needles and my Earl Grey smells like the water purification tablets the tea is supposed to make more palatable.

There are though, always a few welcome givens, stuff that still works. I thought it would be fun to start a thread
about these dependable items. So, one item per post.

Mine is the ESBIT stove. My unit is old, as in stamped Made in W-Germany. I have a nieghbor, WW2 collector who uses one made in that war.

I've had sheepherder stoves burn out right on the one 'sweet spot' that actually made coffee just as the snow came in on the north canyon rim.

But the ESBIT just keeps working. The fuel tabs are expensive, a little tough to ignite and you go on an almost Holy Grail search for a compatable cooking vessel.

But I've easilly steamed up rice, stew AND the new container of Earl Grey in mine.

OK I am going to choose the little Craftsman 4Way screwdriver.
It hides in a wallet, PSK or on a key chain. It works on both slotted and most Phillips heads. It works really well as a scraper on a firesteel. It has been around for a very long time and in unchanged.
Not as glamorous as some other items but comes in handy very often and never fails.

First I would have to say my wife, who has always been there for me . Otherwise, I would have to say my SAK.

Pete

Coleman stoves and lanterns (white gas). Too heavy for hiking but fine for car or boat camping.

Almost all my stuff is old stuff.

I've never had any real luck with my Esbit stove - found a pot that fits "perfectly", but it doesn't get hot enough to boil water - or heat it enough to even make instant coffee

If you can find a aluminum soda can before another out of work

guy grabs it, cut two squares to fit the open sides of the Esbit.

Make a small base fold @ 90 degrees. These windscreens will increase cooking efficiency and stow easilly inside.

You can also simply dig a small cathole and set the stove inside with the pot resting level with the ground.

Couldn't agree more. My pick would be the classic USMC Kabar knife. I have dozens of knives, some very high tech and some, let's say more practical for outdoor utility chores. It's just a chunk of strong, sharp, plain "primitive" carbon steel, not INFI or whatever the latest wonder alloy. But when it comes to real hardcore survival there's no knife I'd rather have in my hand than my good old Kabar because I know it will do the job.

BTW, another common mistake is that a lot of people assume all the older technology somehow gets useless once new, "improved" products enter the market. Well, the new high-tech stuff may offer a lot of benefits but it doesn't make the low-tech alternatives any less effective per se. For instance, you might not consider a black powder muzzleloading rifle a viable choice for hunting but our ancestors used them with great effect not that long ago. With all the Goretex and synthetic materials out there lots of folks still swear by traditional wool clothing, caribou hide and whatnot. If it worked a hundred years ago it will still work today - and in some cases better than the latest technology.

Mine is also the SAK. It's one of the few things that has stayed for me for years without being replaced. The plastic scales are getting a bit beaten though...

Leatherman 'old' wave. Used for anything&everything, never failed!

Yeah, I'd have to list my Coleman lantern as my #1 classic.

I bought it while still in college many many years ago.

No LED battery-driven gizmo comes remotely close to the eye-searing light that the Coleman lantern can produce.

That's a good thing ... right?

Mine has never failed me yet.

I find that the simplest tools that can do multiple things are the best. Sometimes it is just good, old fashioned technology that is the best.

My note book, fountain pen and a wooden pencil. Never runs out of batteries, never fails to boot. I keep a few post-it notes stuck to the inside of the cover if I need to give someone a note. The old ones sit on a shelf if I ever need to go back and find something. Eventually, I'll buy a fire safe just for my notebooks. My fountain pen is made out of hard plastic and carries its own resupply of ink if I run out at an inopportune time. A threaded cap seals it shut to keep it from leaking. The pencil is a pencil. I can sharpen it with my pocket knife or a piece of sand paper if I need to. Its relatively water proof and it will write much longer then any pen. They also come in any length I want (for a while at least). The graphite pencil was invented in the Tudor period and sparked a revolution in natural art because people could now take their art outside. They've also been to space.

My wool "watch cap". I do most of my camping during the Texas winters and this thing is perfect as a oven mitt, dehydrated food bag insulator, and head warmer. When the moon is exceptionally bright I unroll it down over my eyes. It has a permanent wood-smoke smell which just makes it all the better.

-Blast

Another vote for the SAK. I guess I will continue to use it for quite a long time. Maybe I will upgrade to one hand opening SAK in the near future though. But for now my Victorinox Atlas has its place secured as one of my important survival gear as well as EDC.

Svea-123 gas stove. It just keeps on cooking. The jet-like roar tells me hot coffee and food are on the way.

Tinker SAK. Solid and adaptable but not overly huge.

Old style Leatherman Wave. It won't replace my tool kit but if you take it a bit at a time you can get lot done with it. I think they made a mistake adding the 'universal bit holder' on the newer Wave.

Discount store poly fleece. $10 top and $15 pants, Target, make great around camp or at home lounge wear. Wear them under rain jacket and pants and I'm good for the cold.

USGI poncho. It isn't perfect in any role. But it is quite versatile and does a lot pretty well. Rain wear, shelter, sleeping bag, ground cloth, body bag, stretcher, float.

USGI tri-fold shovel. A little heavy for hiking but if your digging you can get a lot done with these solid units.

Flat bar 16" to 21". A pry bar made of spring steel. If your situation might involve rescue or escape from a wrecked house; or extracting someone from a car; or digging through rubble; one of these is mighty handy to have. Light, cheap and compact enough to fit unto a pack they are a bargain.

http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=HT+BARS&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=55-526&SDesc=21%26%2334%3B+Wonder+Bar%26%23174%3B+X21+Pry+Bar

My P38 can opener!I use it as a screw driver,box opener,nail cleaner,ferro scraper,etc.etc.
It has a thousand and one uses(whole web sites are dedicated to this)and so small there is no reason not to carry one.

Boatman
John

Yep. Another vote for the old Leatherman. Best father's day gift I ever received. Funny how the same people who wonder why I always have mine on my belt are the first one's to ask to use it.

My ancient Camp Trails 60/40 shell. Windproof, water resistant, tough fabric, and extremely soft and comfortable.

Kelty Trekker external frame backpack. I have a half-dozen packs, but this is the one I use from May to September to keep from drowning in sweat.

Campmor has them right now on clearance: $80 instead of the usual $140.

My Photon II on my keyring. I use it at least twice a day. If I forget my glasses, it allows me to read fine print. I've given one (or it's equal) to a bunch of family members - they all love 'em even though they don't even realize they're now better equipped to survive.

My Berghaus Alto Attak boots now getting on for about 15 years old

Hehehehe - Actually, every time I've tried to use it was at an event in NYC - kinda hard to dig a cat hole in concrete. First time, I can still remember - I was helping at a walk-a-ton in March/April, and it was about 32 degrees, with light mixed rain/sleet. It was around 7:00am on a Sunday, and there was no open delis in my "Operations area" - I was FREEZING cold. Shal we say "fail"

I rapidly decided to keep my Coleman Peak One (1st Generation) in the truck, with a nice, real stainless pot, a jar of instant coffee, sugar, no calorie sweetner, non dairy creamer, and a sleave of paper cups. That, along with the case of water (and a hydrant wrench) has made me a hero at more than one event...

Looking back over more than two decades, it's the Bic lighter that's a constant for me.

Maybe that's a cheat, because of course it's not the same actual lighter. I've gone through dozens and dozens. But it's the same design, the same concept.

I have one in my pocket right now, and one in each pack and each jacket. A constant companion, and I've never had cause to regret it.

I have lots of "old favourites" like my SAK, Leatherman, custom hunting knife and whiskey travel bottle. But I think I am going to say my "classic", is a 20 foot length of 1/4" green cord. I found this piece of rope about 20 years ago and my work partner at the time called it "Bomber Cord", I suspect it is actually from the edge of a commercial gill net. It is very strong and just stiff enough that it does not tangle. I use it as the haul rope for lifting/lowering my firearm when I am hunting from a treestand. It is also the rope that I use to drag big-game out of the bush and tie them onto a vehicle. Evey time I lend it to someone I am careful to tell them not to cut it and that I want it back. After so many years and memourable trips I actually do maintenance on this length of rope, I clean it when it gets dirty/bloody and hang it up to dry, before I stow it away in my hunting pack.

It has got to the point now that my hunting partners do not even carry rope any more as they know I will have mine. They call it the "Gang Troll Rope" because in a certain steep gully where we are often successful, it takes the entire gang pulling on that rope to get a deer up the hill to the ATV at the top.

Odd but true "Classic".

Mike

I agree with the USMC Kabar. Not the best or the fanciest but good for doing what needs done. Throw in a decent SAK and a Bic lighter and you can handle a pretty wide assortment of what if type of stuff.

Of course getting the Kabar into the office can be a bit of a challenge , I guess that is why I end up carrying the SAK more these days.

- Eric

It seems to me the most obvious - which just about everyone carries today - a cellphone.

#2, a headlamp flashlight.

I have a flathead screwdriver on my keychain that my father gave me when I was 10. It is flat, the size of a key, and has been used more times than I can remember. Even though I normally have a multitool with me now, 35 years later, I still enjoy using this if for nothing more than the nostalgia. I suppose it is also my first and longest lasting piece of EDC.

Not sure how this fits. I've gone through lots of stoves and still have most of them, Coleman Peak 1, Svea 123 & 123R, Optimus 111, et al. . . latest stove is an MSR Pocket Rocket which is in the Get-Home-Bag.

The one item that I've had and used since the late 70's and is now in my truck kit is an old Revere Ware all copper kettle. It saves a lot of fuel when heat transfer is efficient and the vessel in enclosed. Unfortunately it's too big for the GHB which has a small Ti kettle stuffed with an assortment of goodies (not a classic).

#1 for me is the survival tool between my ears.
#2 would be a sharpened object (stick, rock, RSK, your choice)
#3 Mr. John Browning's finest creation, the M1911A1 in the variation/clone of your choice.

All three items have saved my posterior at least once, and are generally with me all the time.

Another vote for the Leatherman Wave. It's the one and only tool in my kit that I've used to make a living with, and it is my security blanket abroad and at home. If there was one thing I would want with me to get by in tough situations, my LW is it.

Leatherman ought to bring back the original wave as the wave classic. I'd probably buy another one.

The oldest piece of gera in my pack has to be my trusty Coleman Peak 1. Bought it just out of high school. Never had a problem with it.

I wish I could find my old Svea 123R. But alas, I'm afraid it's lost forever. My years-old Coleman Peak One is a good replacement though. Of course much bigger and heavier than the Svea, but more convenient and certainly less finicky at startup. 100% reliable too.

I'm surprised so many like the Leatherman Wave. I have one of the originals. While it's good enough for a multi-tool, I still find all multi-tools cumbersome and awkward to use and much prefer single task dedicated tools if they are readily available. The Wave is good for emergencies when you have nothing better, but that's about all IMHO. I would not choose one as my primary tool to accomplish a task unless it was the only thing at hand.

i was going to launch into a big story about my canoe--will take me anywhere there is a couple inches of water-if not i can carry it--makes a shelter with a hard roof..so on--but the real world answer is my 30 year old basic SAK..if i'm going for a walk or need to pick my teeth or open a box that is what i reach for out of the heap of stuff i have.

I've found the pliers and file on the wave to be at least as good as anything from sears or lessor tools. Sure the screwdrivers are not the greatest, but its too handy to have around. Simple tasks like when you get home from work and the cable doesn't work you can either flip out the wave screwdriver and open the cable jack or walk to the garage tripping over the biks and toys and dig through the drawer in the tolbox and look for the proper sized screwdriver out of the 40 or so that are in there and then have ti put it back when I'm done. its much easier to just use the wave.

What kind of canoe? Just curious.

Ken--for 20 some years a Oldtown Pathfinder then for the last three a Bell Prospector in Kevlar so my old knees can make the carry..in Scouts late 50's early 60's we had Oldtowns but i don't know what kind except they were made without seats.clever idea as it kept us low, kneeling on the wood ribs was a hassle but we were kids and made do.--by the way i took your advice and will get a poncho from Campmor--

+1 on Svea 123, SAK, Marine K-Bar and Zippo; all mine are 20-30 years old and still going strong. All have limitations, but if you know the limitations and account for them, they will serve you well.

Water bottle, various designs. Daypack, ditto. SAK. Fleece hat.
Granola bars.

I know there's a lot of improved flashlights out there, especially with the switchover to LED technology, but I've taken my AA mini Maglite all over the globe for about 17 years and have only needed to replace the bulb once.

I second this...I still have my original issue one, from 1988. This is either worn during the winter, or stuffed in one of my packs. I take my watchcap hiking no matter WHAT time of the year...simply because of its versatility! The new issue ones are synthetic, I believe, and thinner...not sure of their effectiveness.

my Gerber multi-tool

How about the old cotton bandanna.

Emergency bandage, tourniquet (when used with a stick), snot rag, hat, sweatband, water filter, pot holder, small ground cloth to keep food and small part out of the sand, mop, blindfold, a handy way of carrying nuts or small parts, cleaning cloth, restraint, gag, sunshade for neck when tucked under hat, cut up as gun, cleaning patch field-expedient loincloth (light line around waist), marking flag, distress marker, fashion accessory.

Not too shabby at $3 for two.

A step up is the slightly larger and thicker triangular bandage for about $2 each.

I like the Optimus 8R stove better than the Svea 123. I've got both, more than one, and the 8R is more stable and will hold larger pots.
+1 on the SAK, I've had a Hiker for eons, still carry it.
My Suunto compass, don't know how old it is, but it works.
I also EDC my original Leatherman PSK tool, still works great, blades sharp.
I know we're supposed to stay with one item, but one more would be my magnesium bar with ferrocerium striker. Never fails to make fire.
Great thread, lots of good stuff that gets neglected by being overshadowed by newest tech stuff. The old stuff still works, though. It's time-proven, not just time tested.

My item is candles--any of 'em, except those tea candles. Most of the ones I seem to get have wicks that burn for a moment, then shrink to nothing without actually continuing to burn into the wax base. Worse than useless.

I still carry and use, daily, an original Leatherman.

I've been carrying it for 18 or 19 years now. It has loosened up a wee bit (broke in actually) and I was foolish enough to loan it to my DW once, and she prompty broke the tip off of the knife blade.

But I still Love Her!!!!!!

Ok this is not a tool but is a classic source of tinder.

Dryer lint. I just found a big wad that DW was collecting for disposal and went to the trouble to light it and got it going on the second flint strike.

yet another +1 for the venerable SAK. my first knife was my dad's old Spartan, from which i get my indoctrinating closed-on-the-finger scar. Haven't seen that knife in years; no idea where i lost it. then a few years ago i got a Climber from TJ-Maxx. last Christmas i got a Classic for my sister, and liked it so well that i went out and got one for myself. most recently i got a Minichamp to replace the Classic on my keychain.
whatever cool new toy i get, i find myself gravitating back to a Victorinox for EDC. great edge-retention, superb fit and finish, and friendly red color just scream "HOLD ME!"
Now i'm drooling over the Swisstool X for the full assortment of closed-accessible tools. love my Wave, but as i'm using the tools more often i'm wishing they were all accessible in the closed position.

Most of my gear is depressingly new. I'm going to offer: a deck of playing cards.

Survival has a psychological component, moral matters and boredom is an issue. A deck of cards provides endless entertainment. With a single deck you can play a wide variety of different games, from simple ones like Snap for children, to sophisticated games for adults like Bridge. You can keep score, if you want, or gamble (with tokens or money as you fancy). There are games for groups, or pairs, and many versions of solitaire. The deck takes a trivial amount of space and does not require batteries, and it only costs a few dollars.

This is a great thread.

-Blast

I've carried a deck of cards with me camping for many years. I actually bought a deck of plastic cards. They can be completely soaked and will not ruin them. I often see them around the summer time.

I also always carry my SAK and have added my Leatherman Wave. Just a great little tool.

The solid plastic cards are great and can last for years. The cheaper laminate ones don't last as long, a couple of seasons, but they are cheaper. The even cheaper paper ones with open edges sometimes don't last a week if they get soaked but if protected they can still be useful.

Cards are great to fill rain days when your stuck in a tent or during the inevitable bureaucratic delays and a few games after dark can be fun. An extra deck or two could be quite a hit as a gift, trade item, or for disaster situations where people are forced to shelter together.

In a small group we used to make sure we had cards, preferably two complete decks, a half-dozen standard dice, some graph paper (ideally weatherproof survey notebooks) a couple of stubby pencils, and an easy on the paper drafting eraser. We used to play chess and many other games on the graph paper.

Another item that gets lots of use is a cheap plastic cutting board. These are made of recycled plastic are perhaps a quarter-inch thick. The most useful size has been around 9" by 12" and they are pretty light.

These units have a lot of uses. They are a cutting board, finding a flat place to cut stuff with a knife is often hard in the woods. Cleaning fish or game is a lot harder if you don't have a flat work surface to work on. These boards provide a flat place to sit the stove, and pots after cooking. They keep stuff your working on off the ground. Slipped in a pack between hard lumpy stuff and your back you get far fewer bruises. A small cutting board is a writing or work surface, handy for games and rolling dice.

My old Buck 102, my sliver grippers, and my swiss key, the version with a blade pre-TSA . They're also me EDC (the last two).

Anyone ponder where your kit came from?

My old Silva compass and Fallkniven are swedish ( o.k. it's a swedish design made in Japan)

Esbit stove and rucksack from Germany

BCB saw, Altoids tin, Lifeboat matches, future poncho, survival bag from the U.K.

Socks from Canada, Zebra cooking tin Thailand.

Lots of stuff from the US of A.

But the strangest oddessey of all must be my tins of Crown Prince

Sardines from Morocco.

I hope their fish consciousness never suffered, but it is something, to be pulled from a mediterranean afternoon swim to wind up with all this other stuff in California

I've got a few "classics" that tend to stay with my kits and gear piles over the years.

1. A stainless steel Flask.

Right now an 8oz, single walled stainless flask. I like it filled with an over-proof whisk(e)y. Right now, my favorite is Booker's Bourbon, which is ~126 proof or 63% alcohol. It easily lights on fire, it has a high enough alcohol content to be suitable for wound sterilization, and, unlike Bacardi 151, I find it to actually be borderline drinkable neat. Plus, it's made right here in America (the Bourbon, not the flask, unfortunately).

2. Simple white cotton bandanna

Not much to say about this one, other than they are about as simple and multi-purpose as an item can get.

3. 550 Paracute cord

Again, not much to say. It just works.

4. Bic lighters

I don't smoke, but I have Bics throughout my packs, jackets, vheicles, ect. They're cheap, they usually work reasonably well, and I can loan them out (or, more often, give them away) without breaking the bank.

5. Leather gloves (like suede cowhide gloves)

I've got plenty of pairs of modern polyester/neoprene/Kevlar/super fiber gloves. But, when it comes to general work gloves, I still keep finding my way back to good old leather gloves. They feel good, they don't melt with heat, they're reasonably cut/abrasion resistant, and they cost less than $10 a pair.

6. Spiderwire braided fishing line

While not really that old, I've been in love with this stuff since it came out. I use it for fishing line, sewing thread, thin string, whatever. From their current stuff I like the "Stealth 20lb moss green." It's a good combo between strength thickness, and ease of knot tying.

7. Moleskin padding

Blisters can very quickly turn a fun hike into a painful hike. Sometimes a little bit of moleskin is all I need to keep on trucking. It's simple, inexpensive, and I find it works great.

8. Fisher space pens

While not the best writing pens I've ever owned, they do tend to be very durable and they continue to write at times other pens fail.

9. Sharpie markers

Same as above, they're simple and they usually do what is intended of them. Can't really as for much for than that. On a side note, I prefer the Industrial version. The ink formula is a bit better.

10. Swiss Army Knives (preferably Victorinox)

I collect knives, in fact, at last count I was well over 200. However, even with such a large collection to choose from I've still got a few Swiss Army Knives that make their way into my pocket on occasion. I don't leave home without the Swisscard in my wallet either.

11. Other traditional American/German slipjoints/lockbacks.

Along the same line as the Swiss Knives, I've got a few other traditional slip joints and lockbacks that find their way into my pocket. These are made by companies such as the former Imperial Schrade cutlery company, Queen cutlery, Case, Buck, and Boker. I have a soft spot for these kind of knives, as they're what my father owned, my grandfather carried daily, my uncles carried daily, my great grandfather carried daily, ect. In my mind they represent the hard work and determination of bygone Americans. Their toil is what allowed me to live here today in reasonable comfort.

Leatherman Supertool.

Old (I do mean OLD) Mora knife.

Shemagh (keeps the sun of my neck, bugs out of my ears, and doubles as my security blankie (just like Linus), and my Douglas Adams hitchhiking towel....

There are just tons of classics. I love my wool and canvas creations by Filson....old time classics with history, that work.

Here is a real new classic for me...

Paul Savage Forged Narrow Bladed Hunter




I had Paul make me a knife my Dad would instantly recognize....well almost instantly that is.

Do you have the one with the star charts in the design?...

Boatman
John

Cool!

No, didn't know about that one.

Just got a gray one from Brigade Quartermasters.

Where do you get the one with the star charts?

Schwert, that knife is absolutely gorgeous. I dont think I could acually put a knife like that to use...it is too pretty!

Schwert,

You make me feel unworthy to even hold a camera. Everything about your pictures is perfect. The lighting, the composition of elements, the colors... wow. Just wow!

-Blast, who bows down before you.

I am too old to use an ugly knife

I had Paul make this one for me especially as it reminded me of my Dad's old Case. He carried it on evey hunt and I was sad to not find it after he died. This one has about the same form but in a much nicer package. Classic lines with a bit more spice.


Thanks Blast, I got lucky on the light that day. Very overcast with light rain gave me a giant light box with low glare.

I just recently took a pic of my EDC for a post on here... harsh overhead light. I might redo them on a better day now. Your pic makes mine look pretty crap. LOL

Taking decent photos is one are where the old Classics have been supplanted with new tech.

Old Classic techniques of composition and light are still spot on, but new digital cameras make the job much easier.

I think many folks could easily bump up their photo skills with five simple tricks...

1) Tripod (or some camera support) used nearly 100% of the time.

2) Study the camera manual...especially for close up work. Most digital cameras have close focus abilites that are super....just have to use them.

3) Light...bright direct light is rarely your friend. Holding a coat, tarp or other screen over your layout to prevent direct glaring light can work wonders. And since your are using your tripod and self-timer you can modify the light.

4) Crop hard...get rid off all the wasted space around the focal point of an image. Support players are fine, but you don't need to see all of them.

5) Watch depth-of-field. Try and keep the stuff of interest sharp...other stuff can go out of sharp focus (even though most people dislike strong out-of-focus elements). This means you have to have a camera with the capability to set f-stops...and cannot shoot on "P" or Auto all the time.

Here is another Savage.....classic droppoint hunter.



Muted indoor side light. Cropped hard. Tripod of course. Closeup mode.




Closer even....cropped even harder, (with distracting waxpaper highlights), tripod and closeup mode.

Many great classics have been mentioned...I carry a cotton Handkerchief with me in addition to my Keys, a Flashlight (county comm LED), Cellular Phone, Small FAK, Wallet, Pen (Parker Jotter) and a small pocket knife.

Stargazer

Hey Izzy,

How well do the pliers work on the Swiss Champ, I have never used them?

Thanks,

Mike

Ooooh...it's a beaut, Schwert! I love the hamon on it.

My classics are a Victorinox Hunter and USGI steel canteen cup. They are about 30 years old and still in use. My Silva compass is only around 20 years old. I have new canteens, but the cover is original and needs to be tossed for an upgrade very soon.

Of those three, the most used is the cup. It's blackened, has a little ding in it and is old, but those are character marks to me. I still use it every camping trip. But since I don't use the cover, it usually resides in the camp cooking box.

I still have an original Sierra cup that gets regular use.

hi Chris..for my classic kit its my old large A.L.I.C.E. rucksack ,NO#4MK1 Enfield,German messtin,military field dressings,my Jeep(Daisey),aussie hoochie and lastly my Mora 2ooo..also most of those items in your kit list are my classics as well... vince g. 11b inf...

Thanks for the SAK info Izzy!

Mike

I've played around with various EDC items for years, but 3 things I have almost never been without (and regretted it when I was):
1. Leatherman Micra (carried this even while carrying "test" replacements.
2. Fisher SpacePen (Lost a few over the years, now carry the titanium version with a fine tip replacement). It doesn't write as nicely as a Pilot G-2 or other Gel inks, but it ALWAYS writes.
3. Leatherman Multi-tool. I carried my Wave until I lost it, carried my New Wave until I opted for the Titanium with S30V blade. Regardless of your feelings on the version (usually centered on the driver bits), it's effectively the same multi and not one version has ever let me down despite daily use and frequent abuse.

Jeez, Art, you must have an, um, interesting life!

I sent mine back, and they replaced the broken tool and did a very nice refurbishment on it, for free.