I know, I know - this isn't anything "electronic", but it is a cool piece of tech. As some of you know I occasionally work as a Learning Technologies Specialist for an area school board. As a "technician" I am constantly taking things apart. Now for years, I used to carry a Victorinox Swiss Army knife.
At first, it was just a plain Swiss Army knife with some basic functions (knife, file, can opener, bottle opener, etc). As I got more into computers and electronics, in general, I replaced that knife with the Victorinox Swiss Army Cybertool ($165 CDN). It was a great tool to carry around and in fact, I still have one. I went through a couple of these Cybertools. The main issue I was having with them was the bulk of carrying one in my pocket was wearing holes in the pocket. The secondary issue was the plastic outside shroud on the Cybertool would crack and break after extensive use. The broken shrouds didn't affect the performance of the tool, but the tool away from its looks and the new rough edges accelerated the wearing holes in my pockets.
Features
I began to look into alternatives and settled on the Leatherman Skeletool. I started by looking at how I used the Cybertool the most. That was an easy analysis - bit driver, knife, pliers. The rest of the Cybertool options were great to have, but not necessarily something I used daily. The Skeletool was a great choice. It was light, had a small footprint to help with the pocketing issue and its main features include a bit driver, knife and pliers. it was a perfect fit for my needs.
I carried around my Skeletool daily for the past 8 years. In contrast to my 32 option Cybertool the Skeletool only has 7 features:
- Needle nose pliers
- Regular pliers
- Hardwire cutters
- Wire cutters
- 420HC combo knife
- Carabineer/bottle opener
- Large bit driver with 2 bits with Square Drive #1 & #2 & Phillips #1 & #2 bits
I looked at several "competitors" to Leatherman products in the past. Those tools were always cheaply made, loose feeling and heavy. My experience with imitation Leatherman's always made Swiss Army products look much more attractive due to their quality. Once I got a hold of a real Leatherman tool I knew I had a winner. The tools are quality made. They feel good in your hand. My 8 year Leatherman is still tight and strong. Even the flat grey finish is relatively intact.
Specifications
- Weight: 5 oz (142 g)
- Length: (Closed) 4 inches (10 cm)
- Blade Length: 2.6 inches (6.60 cm)
- Material: 420HC Stainless Steel
- Price: $60 USD
Bottom Line
What sparked this short review was that I misplaced my 8-year-old Skeletool. I looked and looked for it and I couldn't find it. I went on to amazon and purchased a new one ($82.50 CDN shipped), knowing full well that I would find my original one as soon as I get the new one. I received my new Skeletool and the next day I found my original Skeletool shoved in my camera bag...Murphy's law.
My missing Skeletool prompted me to notice how much I used the tool and how much I missed it when I didn't have it with me. If you need a lightweight multitool I can't recommend the Leatherman Skeletool enough.
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Disclaimer: I am not a teacher. I just really into educational technology. All the opinions are my own and are not the views of any suppliers or manufacturers.