It's a struggle to choose between a multitool, a folder, both, etc, and want to carry around tools to get tasks done without carrying too much weight around.
I think a good number of people, especially on these forums, will always choose to carry a dedicated folder; unfortunately, multitools tend to compromise the knife for other tools.
There are two basic designs for multitools, the SAK and Leatherman.
The SAK is knife-centric but has not evolved, and as such features usually a small, difficult to open, non-locking blade of inferior steel. While some custom jobs and knives like the Victorinox rescue tool have changed that, the majority still use the traditional designs which are simply not that great of knives. Further, the handle is not ergonomic, lacking any sort of finger guard, grip texture on the top of the blade/handle intersection, and grip texture along the main body of the knife.
The Leatherman is a pliers-centric multitool of which there are many clones. The Letherman knives have evolved significantly and many are now locking blades with good steels and one-handed opening. However, due to the pliers-centric design most are only about half of the tool in height, and the handle ergonomics tend to be straight and the handle is either half-above or half-below the blade making for odd cutting at times. Some of the tool handles like the Charge are textured, but many are not.
Leatherman also makes knives more similar to the SAK design that suffer from the same problem the more evolved SAK designs like the rescue tool have-- the handle. Though the Leatherman's is more textured and has a bit of ergonomics to it, it still falls short of a traditional folder with something like G10 scales and a proper finger guard. Further, the design is unnecessarily thick, perhaps due to parts interchangeability to reduce manufacturing costs between the various models.
At some level I think any multitool is a compromise, yet I think it should be possible to produce a good knife-centric multitool. The latest models by Leatherman of their knife line are good, but simply do not compare to a proper Benchmade or Kershaw offering even on models without the tools. The Leatherman models without the tools are basically heavy, bulky lower-end folding knives.
The potential is there, and I think the design is there, but the implementation has so far been disappointing. It seems many choose to carry both a folder and multitool and I don't blame them. But I think with better offerings that don't compromise a modern quality folding knife as badly multitools could be more popular with some of the dedicated folder faithful than they are.
As for you guys who only carry a SAK with an oldschool blade as your only knife, well, I salute you, just watch your fingers
I think a good number of people, especially on these forums, will always choose to carry a dedicated folder; unfortunately, multitools tend to compromise the knife for other tools.
There are two basic designs for multitools, the SAK and Leatherman.
The SAK is knife-centric but has not evolved, and as such features usually a small, difficult to open, non-locking blade of inferior steel. While some custom jobs and knives like the Victorinox rescue tool have changed that, the majority still use the traditional designs which are simply not that great of knives. Further, the handle is not ergonomic, lacking any sort of finger guard, grip texture on the top of the blade/handle intersection, and grip texture along the main body of the knife.
The Leatherman is a pliers-centric multitool of which there are many clones. The Letherman knives have evolved significantly and many are now locking blades with good steels and one-handed opening. However, due to the pliers-centric design most are only about half of the tool in height, and the handle ergonomics tend to be straight and the handle is either half-above or half-below the blade making for odd cutting at times. Some of the tool handles like the Charge are textured, but many are not.
Leatherman also makes knives more similar to the SAK design that suffer from the same problem the more evolved SAK designs like the rescue tool have-- the handle. Though the Leatherman's is more textured and has a bit of ergonomics to it, it still falls short of a traditional folder with something like G10 scales and a proper finger guard. Further, the design is unnecessarily thick, perhaps due to parts interchangeability to reduce manufacturing costs between the various models.
At some level I think any multitool is a compromise, yet I think it should be possible to produce a good knife-centric multitool. The latest models by Leatherman of their knife line are good, but simply do not compare to a proper Benchmade or Kershaw offering even on models without the tools. The Leatherman models without the tools are basically heavy, bulky lower-end folding knives.
The potential is there, and I think the design is there, but the implementation has so far been disappointing. It seems many choose to carry both a folder and multitool and I don't blame them. But I think with better offerings that don't compromise a modern quality folding knife as badly multitools could be more popular with some of the dedicated folder faithful than they are.
As for you guys who only carry a SAK with an oldschool blade as your only knife, well, I salute you, just watch your fingers
. I think the wave has enough quality to be a worker.
