A wilderness survival multi-tool question

A

allenC

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Jun 18, 2000
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If you were in the wilderness, and one of your hands were injured so badly that you couldn't use it at all, which multi-tool would you be wishing you had brought with you?
 
I faced something like this recently. After a car whacked my motorcycle and ran off, I have a broken shoulder and hand. I no longer can open my SAKs and am carrying only Spydercos. Buck used to make a fully one hand opening multi tool, but no longer. I know of no other.
 
Granted I’ve had it a few years so it’s broke in real nice, but my LM wave+ is totally one handed. Knife blades,file scissors and screwdrivers are all usable one handed if needed.
 
The sog powerassist is actually easier to open the tools one-handed than I expected. Not hard to unlock either. The pliers are very easy one handed, as are the assisted open blades, though the locks on the blades are complete shit, or at least mine is. They fail very easily simply by over-powering them. Using the secondary lock fixes that.

Getting the LM surge and wave open one handed wasn't bad but how the pliers' arms kind of stick open with friction made them a little more annoying to close.

My SAK's are a butt unless you want to hold the thing in your teeth.

Interesting concept, I never would've thought about this but after spending 10 min playing the group, I see a limitation to the SAK's even though I love them for their portability. I'm thinking the pliers based MT's would be the better option in a survival kit, or get home back.
 
I've busted both thumbs in the past and more recent smashed my left thumb making it virtually useless. That said as much criticism the LM Free has rec'd (some justified) it is a breeze to use (for me). I'm in the minority when it comes to the Free but I'm very happy to own and use it:thumbsup: (Ha! thumbs up);)
 
I can operate my Leatherman Wave one handed pretty easily ... you may have to use your leg or something to put it against to get some tools opened but the ones that I would NEED in that situation are easy to operate one handed.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
I can operate my Leatherman Wave one handed pretty easily ... you may have to use your leg or something to put it against to get some tools opened but the ones that I would NEED in that situation are easy to operate one handed.
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You beat me to it. Most of the tools on the Leatherman Wave can be opened one handed. Or at least the ones I think would be useful in a wilderness survival type situation (both the blades, the saw, file, pliers)

That or a Skeletool CX. Very easy to use one handed
 
allenC said:
If you were in the wilderness, and one of your hands were injured so badly that you couldn't use it at all, which multi-tool would you be wishing you had brought with you?
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The Buck X-Tract is the one I was thinking of. It came in 3versions as I recall. It can still be found and is not expensive.
 
The only belt sized multitool for me is my Leatherman fuse which I can operate it one handed just fine if need be, so I suppose I'd definitely wish it was with me.

I bet any multitool of quality make that's well broken in like my fuse is could be opened one handed if you really had to, but In a wilderness survival situation i'd probably like something with an awl saw and file like the ST300.
 
I would tend to believe that in an emergency with a little effort, one could use their teeth, legs, ledges, finger manipulation, etc. in a jam to hold the handle while openning the bits or blades with the good hand on most multitools. It would probably take 5-10 seconds instead of a quick flick though. For those that have temporarily or permanently lost use of an arm or hand I could see where something convenient would have one-handedness in the design.
 
Find out what brand Aron Ralston used. He didn't have much problem opening his multitool one handed.
 
A no name tool according to wikipedia
The manufacturer of the multi-tool was never named, but Ralston said "it was not a Leatherman but what you'd get if you bought a $15 flashlight and got a free multi-use tool."
Mans a shining example of why you tell people where you're going or take a friend along
 
Yes, I agree that most pliers based multi-tools can be made functional with just one hand.
But this specific scenario does demonstrate the one major weakness to the traditional SAK, which I dearly love.

It just made me reconsider what survival tools to pack in my various "oh crap" bags.
 
allenC said:
Yes, I agree that most pliers based multi-tools can be made functional with just one hand.
But this specific scenario does demonstrate the one major weakness to the traditional SAK, which I dearly love.

It just made me reconsider what survival tools to pack in my various "oh crap" bags.
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Allen, you have just stumbled onto the ugly truth of the thing; if you are in a true survival situation, and you only have one hand/arm functional due to injury, then a multitool/SAK is totally the wrong item to have. If you are really off in the boonies, and injured, then a good fixed blade and a folding saw will be invaluable to you. The fixed blade for cutting, as it needs no opening or closing, and absolute will not fold on you unlike many so called 'lock blades", and the folding saw will process wood for fires/shelter with one hand. With a folding saw, you can actually split wood into quarters if you saw it right. SAK's and multitools are suburban and campground tools. A good folding Fiskars or Silky saw is lightweight, yet more effective than any hatchet on wood processing. Less calories used and less hazard to your one remaining hand.

Off in the boonies, there won't be much use for screw drivers, bottle openers, and the other stuff multitools have. A small fishing kit, spare ammo for the firearm you carry for small game, and two reliable fire starters needing only one hand. Bic lighters are a great lighter. They can stay in their plastic wrapper for 5 years and still light on the first flick. I know because I had one for 5 years in an emergency kit in my truck and my old Zippo ran out of gas when I wanted to light my pipe. I tore open the Bic and it was a done deal. It had been sitting out in my truck for years with no problem. I ditched the Zippo and now only carry Bic's. I keep a few stashed around with emergency candles in the packs.

My SAK's are my 'in town' pocket knives, but in the woods I have my old Buck 102 woodsman on my hip, and a sliding blade Fiskars/Gerber saw in my pack. That will take care of shelter and fire if something unplanned happened.
 
jackknife said:
Allen, you have just stumbled onto the ugly truth of the thing; if you are in a true survival situation, and you only have one hand/arm functional due to injury, then a multitool/SAK is totally the wrong item to have. If you are really off in the boonies, and injured, then a good fixed blade and a folding saw will be invaluable to you. The fixed blade for cutting, as it needs no opening or closing, and absolute will not fold on you unlike many so called 'lock blades", and the folding saw will process wood for fires/shelter with one hand. With a folding saw, you can actually split wood into quarters if you saw it right. SAK's and multitools are suburban and campground tools. A good folding Fiskars or Silky saw is lightweight, yet more effective than any hatchet on wood processing. Less calories used and less hazard to your one remaining hand.

Off in the boonies, there won't be much use for screw drivers, bottle openers, and the other stuff multitools have. A small fishing kit, spare ammo for the firearm you carry for small game, and two reliable fire starters needing only one hand. Bic lighters are a great lighter. They can stay in their plastic wrapper for 5 years and still light on the first flick. I know because I had one for 5 years in an emergency kit in my truck and my old Zippo ran out of gas when I wanted to light my pipe. I tore open the Bic and it was a done deal. It had been sitting out in my truck for years with no problem. I ditched the Zippo and now only carry Bic's. I keep a few stashed around with emergency candles in the packs.

My SAK's are my 'in town' pocket knives, but in the woods I have my old Buck 102 woodsman on my hip, and a sliding blade Fiskars/Gerber saw in my pack. That will take care of shelter and fire if something unplanned happened.
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Very true. My backpack always has a Laplander folding saw and a Mora fixed blade inside of it. These are the tools I trust when I'm cold and wet, my adrenaline is running, it's getting dark out, and the weather is looking dicey.

My SAK is carried more as a matter of convenience and a bit of fun. I don't think I'd trust my grip on it as my hands begin to get numb from a chill, or as they get shaky, due to stress.
 
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