As Co Founder of Multitool.org David has been a multitool enthusaist since the 90's. David has always been fascinated with the design inginuity and uselfulness of multitools.
David is always looking forward to what's new in the industry and how the humble multitool continues to evolve as it radically changes and improves the lives of users.
Multitools have changed over the decades, constantly improving functionality and design. What doesn't change however is the sheaths and holsters we use to hold our beloved tools. We have the traditional leather and the old standby of ballistic nylon but no major multitool company offers anything other than those two options. There are some tools that have the option to add a pocket clip but not everyone likes the weight of a Surge hanging from their pocket. People looking for alternative sources for sheaths will likely see the plethora of folks offering kydex sheaths. Kydex is extremely popular with law enforcement and military because of durability the material offers as well as the attachment options like the molle system.
I'm a huge fan of budget blades; you show me a good deal on a knife and I'm there. Budget blades are often sought after because they have good form, function and are very affordable. When looking at budget blades one company that caught my attention is Sport Manufacturing Group. SMG is an American based company that produces pneumatic guns as well as a pocket knife line by the name of Steel Will.
Around the world various countries and cities have different laws regarding what is legal to carry when it comes to pocket knives. Places such as the UK and Australia for instance have very strict laws in regards to blade length and locking mechanisms. Such laws have allowed many knife styles to flourish like Swiss Army Knives and other modern traditionals.
Knives and multitools have been our EDC staple for a quite a while. Up until the last decade we used what we had; often in ways they were not intended for. People saw a need to carry a pocket or keychain pry bar and things haven't been the same since.
Camillus knives is one of the oldest knife companies in United States and has been around since 1876. They unfortunately filed for bankruptcy is 2007 and was purchased by Acme United. They no longer make their knives domestically with the exception of a few fixed blades. Since the Acme relaunch of the brand, they have produced quite an array of mostly budget offerings. That's not a bad thing as long as materials and quality are decent.
There's always a certain amount of excitement that comes when folks get wind that there may be a new Leatherman tool in development. What makes it difficult is when there's no official word from Leatherman themselves. There have been some leaks from websites that give us a possible glimpse into what they are cooking up.
I am a member of various forums, knife sites and Facebook groups. I am part of the community not only because I am a knife knut but I like to see what's trending. I've seen many different blades take center stage, many of them budget blades. One blade that I see over and over again is the Gerber Pocket Square.
I've been a blade junkie ever since my first pocket knife about 20 years ago. I didn't get into knives before that because I was a city boy and my dad never carried one. Since my first one I've been hooked, didn't know how I got along before I had one. Using your rudimentary claws and teeth are far less effective than a sharp blade. I'm always on the hunt to the perfect edc blade. I want something light, easy to deploy and holds an edge well.
Multitools have been around long before the Swiss Army or even Leatherman started making them a household name. The Swiss Variant is among the most popular and copied design in the world today. There are a lot of newcomers to the multitool world; some are making waves and trying to get noticed. Ruike Knives (pronounced Rake) is one of those companies out there making a name for themselves. Producing amazing knives and tools with quality that will turn heads.
SOG Specialty tools and knives has been a multitool industry leader for decades. They may not have come up with the original multitool; but they have pushed the limits in temps of design and originality. 2017 was a good year for the company with several tools hitting the market. SOG went with some highly original designs like the Baton and Sync series but stayed true to their heritage with the Power Grab.
What kind of people would write collect and review multitools? Quite simple really- we are designers and do-ers, outdoors types and indoor types, mechanics, doctors, problem solvers and problem makers. As such, we have, as a world spanning community, put every type, size and version of multitool, multifunction knife, pocket knife and all related products to every test we could manage in as many places and environments as there are.