Portable, versatile toolkit

This is prompted by an incident yesterday. I was approached by a woman seeking assistance for a broken bicycle chain. I immediately offered my Wave. "What kind of a guy carries pliers around all the time?" she uttered in disbelief. Answer: those who are equipped to survive...

I currently carry a Wave, bit kit, bit extender, and 4" adjustable wrench in a hip pouch. This is supplemented when on duty, with a Leatherman Z-Rex strap cutter with a 1/4" hex drive. In my vehicle I have an el cheapo socket set with a hex drive, 1/4" drive adapter.

This seems like a good beginning, but I am interested in what the assembled expertise of this group could propose for nifty improvements.

The goal would be compact, not too heavy, and quite versatile, suited for the occasional odd job - not continuous use. The core would be EDC, with supplements readily available.....

Thoughts and suggestions, anyone?

What you carry is good in general, but did they suffice in fixing her bicycle chain? I carry tools for bicycle specific issues in a small kit under the seat of my bike. For chains, there are tools and spare links.

I keep an emergency kit in a backpack in my car. Among other things it contains a Leatherman Surge, a Leatherman bit kit and extender, duct tape, cable ties and a pry bar.

The car-specific kit (not in the backpack) contains Rescue Tape (http://www.rescuetape.com/), radiator leak stopper, a tire patch kit, an assortment of automotive fuses, and some heavy gauge wire. There's also a battery jumpstarter with a compressor. The spare tire compartment contains a jack, tire iron, spare tire and jumper cables.

My bike kit contains a Leatherman Sidekick, a set of Fix It Sticks (http://www.fixitsticks.com/), a spare tube, a tube patch kit, tire levers, an emergency tire boot, and a chain repair link. All of that fits in a small under-seat bike bag. Other than the spare tube it's a very small and light kit. I had three "saves" of members of my bike group last summer with this kit.

My laptop bag contains a (pre-2004) Wave, a silent ratcheting screwdriver with a large assortment of bits, a precision screwdriver with an assortment of bits, and some cable ties.

I have a separate Surge, bit kit and extender in a belt sheath with a flashlight that I'll throw in a bag or on my belt depending on where I'm going and what I'm up to. If I'm carrying lighter it will be a Wave with no sheath and no bit kit. I always have a PS4 (or a Style PS if I'm flying) on my keyring.

A pocket knife and a bit of duct tape?

I would have countered with, "How do you expect me to assist you with repairing your chain without tools?"
But I'm known around the department and life in general as a smart aleck.

A general all purpose keep in my car kit

Glove box:
*Headlamp
*Automatic punch
*Tire pressure gauge
*List of tow companies that work with my insurance
*Owners manual

16" toolbox in trunk:
*Scissors
*Gorilla Glue duct tape
*Rubber mallet
*Fire extinguisher
*Spare bulbs (headlight, tail/brake lights, turn signals)
*Spare fuses
*Extra Motor oil
*Fire extinguisher
*10 ft precut lengths of 1/4" utility rope
*Paper towels
*Ice scraper

In spare tire well
*Gloves
*Jumper cables
*Pouch with the following tools:
**Channel lock pliers
**Vise grip/Adjustable crescent wrench
**Needle nose pliers
**Combination wrench set (metric to fit car)
**6 in 1 screwdriver/bit driver
**18mm Olfa knife
**Feeler gauge

For on person/bag I'd add a flashlight, cord/shoelace, and reusable zip ties.

Well, I was on the job, so I had to be nice. Besides, she came back quite enthusiastic, handing me back my Wave, saying, "There are all kinds of tools in here." So I expounded on the many virtues of multitools and dragged out my PS4, which is probably better suited for demure ladies. She was off immediately for the nearest REI.....

Actually, ounce for ounce and dollar for dollar, the PS4 is probably the better deal.

Huh? You EDC BOTH a Wave and a Squirt PS4? Why?

I know you weren't asking me, but since I do at work I'll tell you.

The PS4 is on my keyring and always available. The Wave is usually in my laptop bag which may not be in reach.

Every so often, having both is awesome, like in a datacenter environment when I need two pairs of pliers to make something come apart or go back together.

Chaos speak with straight tongue, Kemosabe. The PS4 is on the key ring, and is always there, except when flying commercially. The Wave is almost always on my belt, but there are situations where it is inappropriate. It is surprising how often I reach for the PS4 when I have a choice.

I am not planning to pack a Surge on my other hip...Now that would be excessive!

I have been finding use for 4" vise grips that fit a pocket pretty well and go up to almost an inch. They seem more durable than two old leathermans I had. One I twisted the jaws of the pliers and the other dented the wire cutters. Plus the vise grips were cheaper at $5 on sale at Ace Hardware.

Along with assorted Leathermans I like my little CountyComm 3" Widgy prybar.
http://www.countycomm.com/barfamily.html
-Blast

I like multitools but often a $4 hardware store pliers is preferable to the pliers on a $100 multitool.

in the 50's when I was a Scout, I had a neighbor that was a retired machinist (merchant seaman)...at the time there was a pair of pliers available that had a straight blade screwdriver bit on one handle end and a blunt tapered shank on the other.. he would re profile the blunt end, and cut a Phillips style point with a triangular file...a multi tool ahead of it's time... I used it for many years on campouts.. unfortunately it disappeared over time

OK, you've sold me. I already EDC a pocketknife and a Leatherman Core. A knife is too useful a tool to relegate to the multitool so I have little use for yet another knife.

I would prefer that my kids have something as well and current school regulations prohibit anything that is pointy.

Is there something on the market whose size is on the order of a PS4 but does NOT have a knife? I purchased a knifeless FUSE (which is no longer on the market) but it is a bit bigger. My son is OK with it but my daughters would prefer something smaller and cuter.

Cuter... My niece was into anything pink so she received one of DR's pink mini-RSK's. It's a nice sharp despite its pinkness.

The only toolkit I have that qualifies as pocket carry is a Mission Wallet with an SAK Farmer and one of the older LM Squirt E4's (replaced by the Squirt ES4). The wire strippers are real and very functional. If you are into wires or prefer needle-nose pliers (I raise my hand here), the ES4 is a very good option. I watched my (at the time) boss struggling trying to clean up a multi-pin connector (while away from his toolbox) using ad hoc tools (pocketknife) and in a rare moment lent him the E4 from the Mission Wallet. What a difference a real wire stripper makes.

Maybe it's just me, but I the pliers on the PS4 don't do anything for me. They're just very small blunt pliers. The ES4 is a better option IMO. But that's just me...

The other kit that would qualify is the toolkit under the seat of my bike, but that's normally hanging from the rafters in the garage. It's very mission focused and not exactly available.

The LM Style PS doesn't have a knife. I've taken it through TSA checkpoints many dozens of times. It's a bit longer than the PS4 though.

On my person I have a Leatherman Wingman. There's hardly a day that goes by that I don't use it for something.

I also carry a SOG Flash II Tanto, but to be honest, I hardly use it. I love the knife, but the first thing I always end up grabbing is that Leatherman.

I also carry a WaterProof Butane Lighter. I just like the idea of being able to create a little flame anytime I need to.

My car kit is much more extensive. I don't keep a jump starter in the truck. You'll destroy them if you let them discharge, which they naturally do over time. I was told to top it off every 30 days. I know I just wouldn't remember anyway.

I have a 12v Portable inflator, a 12v Impact Wrench, Duct Tape, some Datrex Water, some Energy Bars, some of those LED Road Flares, some Chemical Light Sticks, flashlight, Jumper Cables, First Aid kit etc...

I have more gear in my EDC Backpack that I take to work and pretty much everywhere else. Flashlight, Multi-Bit Screwdriver (which gets borrowed at least once a week at work), a small LED flashlight, First Aid Kit, Sanitizing spray and some other goodies..

Absolutely right. I have a Monthly Battery Charge Day for the jumpstarters, the ham radio HTs, the USB batteries, and rechargeable cells. If you don't have a routine for it they will be destroyed.

In Alaska you are almost in a minority if you don't carry a Leatherman.

I see a lot of references on ETS forums about these mini pry bars. I'm curious what the expected use would be in a survival situation?

A larger pry bar I can understand. I'm just not sure what is the utility of the really small ones? I seem to be missing something here.

I once again thank the boys & girls of the forum for gear advice. I own a Leatherman tti which lives on my belt or in my bag. I also carry the bit kit with it. The bits & pliers get used all the time. I didn't realize there was a bit extender until this post. I just picked one up on ebay. Thanks for the info.

I don't edc it without my bike but a topeak alien 2 is mounted to my bike frame. I've used it to get myself and strangers out of trouble on numerous occasions.

Chaosmagnet, how do you like the style ps? I've looked at it at rei a couple of times. Considering the small size how useful are the pliers? Thanks for your input.

Per the op, tool-wise in addition to the edc items listed above is a gator grip socket. I've used it a number of times instead of pulling out my large socket set. It stays in my car edc though.

having a pry bar removes the temptation of using your knife for something that it was not intended for ...

The pliers work well, as well as any pliers that small could and better than some dedicated pliers I've used. The scissors and bottle opener both work quite well -- the bottle opener in particular is very easy to use. I like it. I gave my wife one.

I strongly prefer the PS4 when I'm not flying. It has more tools and the small blade is often quite useful.

Thank you very much. I had a number of squirts I've left at the airport so I was thinking of the style. I'll definitely take your recommendations into account and decide if I can remember 2 remove a squirt or if I should get a style.
Thanks again.

I'm sure they are useful for many small day to day tasks. There is no question that a large pry bar (or better yet a full on crow bar or a Halligan) would be usefull as a rescue tool in a disaster.

However, I question that the little 3 inch one would be that crucial in most survival situations? I'm skeptical, but I'm willing to be convinced.

Like any tool, it's appropriateness depends on the specific survival situation. However, on an ordinary, day-to-day basis I find it a very useful tool at work for dealing with the many gremlins that bedevil my lab and life.
-Blast

Yee,

I am in a school and can't openly use a knife. The Style PS allows me to have a multi tool that I can use any time. I have a full size Leatherman in my briefcase if I really need it (as well as a tool kit in my lab) but the PS gets a lot of use.

If you don't need the bottle opener (the pliers work just fine for this if you only use it occasionally) you can remove the hook on a Style PS and shrink the size noticeably. The one I carry in my watch pocket is shortened this way. Does not affect the use appreciably and makes it easier to carry. If they don't make them in Pink yet, they should - my Daughter - in - Law would love it.

The PS pliers are as useful as they can be at this size and the scissors and file/screwdriver are fine.

I would like it if Leatherman would make a whole range of pliers without knives on them because I use a real one most of the time and don't like to carry the extra weight and deal with the security aspect.

AKSAR,

I carry a 3" or 4" Widgy prybar (depends on which keyring I am carrying) all the time. It is one of the 4 tools I EDC (LM Style PS, DR EGear light and knife). The rest of my toolkit is in some container (briefcase, ruck, car, etc.). I use the prybar so much that I wouldn't think about not having it. It saves broken knife blades all the time. I don't consider it a piece of gear for survival situations, but I expect I would use it just as often then.

Respectfully,

Jerry

On the prybar, I carry one of these:

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/tools-rep...ey1004385.bhtml

Tough, stiff, light, cheap enough to give away, many other uses.

I have used it to force locks, open boxes, open lift (elevator) doors once, align items, anything that needs levering in place of an expensive knife.

I have my daughters sold on the Style PS. Two are inbound. Surprisingly, they decided on black instead of the cuter red.

I like the idea of having a second leverage device for tightening bolts. Ideally the tool would have tools orthogonal to that which I already carry so I thought about something based on a pry bar with tools NOT found on the Leatherman.

http://www.banggood.com/Mini-Pocket-Wren...CFShnOgod_GMAXA

It appears to be a knockoff (or the actual manufacturer) of the Pocketwrench. Interesting that it says USA when I am purchasing it from Guangzhou, China. In any case, it makes for a good stocking stuffer for my nephews. I've got a few inbound.

yee,

There are lots of those types of wrenches (I have a pocketwrench that is often in my bag) that look interesting. Survival Resources shows six different ones ( http://www.survivalresources.com/Products/EDC_PTools.html )(no association). The Widgy prybar is much smaller and lighter than any of that type I have seen. I have 2 Ti and 2 Steel on various key rings. My house keys have a 3" Ti bar and it is the one I use most often. The pocketwrench would not fit in the coin slot of a candy machine (did this last night) to remove a stuck dollar coin that someone tried to use. My class was happy that they could all get their sugar fix. :-) Each tool has it's advantages and disadvantages.

I also have a Spyderco Spyderwrench which breaks apart to provide an adjustable wrench and a screwdriver. Similar in concept to the RanchHand shown on the SR site above. A great idea, but not the best pliers and a bit heavier than most multitools.

Respectfully,

Jerry

I abused my PS4 by twisting it, and broke the jaw... when I decided to upgrade to a more powerful cr123 LED light, a pouch was a suitable solution, so had room for the larger Juice S2.. I'm retired, so having the pouch can be passed off as an old guy thing...

I'll bet you almost anything that Leatherman will replace it under warranty. The last time I sent something in I had a new one back in my hands in a week.

Regarding mini pry bars, it seems folks like them more as a day to day tool, rather than thinking of them primarily as a survival item. That's totally cool. I may acquire a couple of minis prys for general use.

I can't recall the last time I've broken a knife blade. But then again I have lots of assorted screw drivers and other tools stashed at various places around the home and in our vehicles, so I don't usually use my knives to pry with. I did manage to break a Leatherman Juice C2 once, by trying to use small pliers for a big pliers job.

Regarding kits, I have a small repair kit I sometimes carry. It has an older Leatherman Kick, a very small crescent wrench, duct tape, a small roll of gorilla tape, electrical tape, zip ties, a Patagonia sewing kit, some wire, fabric repair tape, a small tube of Gear Aid Seam Sealer, and a few other odds and ends. It is too heavy for backpacking, but I carry it when sea kayaking and similar situations. With it I have repaired a tent pole, fixed a stove, fixed a rudder on a kayak, etc etc.

Living in EQ country, I have a variety of prybars - one about two feet long or so lives right beside the bed - longer one are stashed outside. They will see plenty of use if the Big One strikes.

I do have one of the County Comm mini bars and it has been useful - it is just a matter of scale....