The Super Tool 300 (top) is...
The Super Tool 300 (top) is a fullsize multi-tool from Leatherman. Also shown is the new Crunch.
I don't know what it is about tools. I get absolutely dangerous in a Home Depot, brushing aside the guy in the orange apron to spend some quality time alone, ogling the latest wrenches, sockets, power equipment, and accessories. I think it's a disorder. I buy something then immediately see something else and bingo, I get that too.
I never want to be without the right tools for the job. I've always worked with my hands, and every tool I have ever owned is as important as the next one, except for this orbital sander that exploded after an 80,000-rpm refinishing marathon. I threw that one away. That's why when I shop for tools I look for reputable factory warranties. I'm not exactly gentle on things that cut, pinch, or rip open your knuckles.
I have a Craftsmen Roll-Away, a five-drawer workbench, and wall-to-wall cabinets all crammed full of stuff that I've owned for years, but they aren't very portable. So when I travel, I usually find the lightest tools and hope they work in most roadside emergencies. Even then, my small toolbox balloons to about 50 pounds, and that's not easy to lug around. So I carry several multi-tools for quick fixes.
You need all these tools to...
You need all these tools to do what the Crunch or Super Tool 300 can do. For travel, which would you rather have?
Technically, a multi-tool is not a tool at all-it's a combination of many tools from screwdrivers and files to pliers and more. As many of you know, a good multi-tool is worth its weight in gold. The better ones are lightweight, can be strapped to your belt or put in your pocket, are resilient to weather and dirt, and are easy to use. There are several manufacturers on the market; however, the multi-tool that took over where the Swiss Army knife left off is from Leatherman.
Believe it or not, there's actually a real guy named Leatherman who started the company in 1983 after his car broke down on the side of the road, leaving him stranded. His name is Timothy S. Leatherman, and he's still semi-active with the company that bears his name.
The two Leatherman multi-tools I've selected are based on affordability and convenience: the Crunch and Super Tool 300. Each of these multi-tools has a number of features that make them desirable for light-duty fix-it situations.
The Crunch
With 13 different tools engineered into a palm-sized stainless-steel body, the Crunch is perfect for the traveler. Features like lockable pliers, wire cutters, wire strippers, several screwdriver heads, bottle opener, ruler, 1/4-inch bit driver, metal/wood file, and a serrated knife make roadside repairs easy.
If there is a drawback, the...
If there is a drawback, the blades to cut wire in the Crunch are not removable like the Super Tool 300.
The Crunch has locking jaws...
The Crunch has locking jaws that open up to 1 inch in diameter.
Here's the coolest thing:...
Here's the coolest thing: You can actually use 1/4-inch hex head bits by removing the adjusting nut on the Crunch pliers.