Whats your favourite penknife or multi tool .

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TRITON

Established Member
UKW Supporter
Joined
5 Oct 2014
Messages
4,322
Reaction score
3,401
Location
Sunny Glasgow
Every day knife, something that only goes out occasionally or look to tool for the trickiest of jobs. What you using out there ?.
I've had a number over the years, a few swiss army knives, lockbacks, and even a crocodile handled original flick knife(the stiletto style)
I stupidly swopped that for something yonks ago and even those are really illegal here in the UK, I would have preferred to still have it, it was an iconic classic. Probably either 1960's American or Italian.

Currently it's just a victorinox signature i keep in my wallet. Small knife, nail file and scissors, with the toothpick and tweezers. Nothing fancy, but it does the little jobs like clearing up a hangnail or getting a splinter out.
I bought a leatherman sidekick but its sat in it's pouch for decade now pretty much unused.
 
I don’t have much use for a pocket knife these days but generally have an Opinel kicking about.

I too have a leatherman but like you rarely find a use for it. It’s a nice design though as it folds up into a pair of mole grips so is handy for pulling cotter pins, crimping things together and whatnot but in all honesty it just sits in the glovebox waiting for a job.

I used to use a Gerber Gator (non-serrated version) and really liked it as it was bomb proof, didn’t tend to get clogged up with muck inside and was easy to sharpen, no idea what steel it was mind. It’s too big to justify carrying about these days though so it sits in a drawer at home.

As an aside, the Opinel kitchen knives are really nice and fantastic value.
 
Used to have a Gerber (can't recall which one) loved it, lifetime warranty on the blade too. These days I don't have much use for a multitool as I'm quite heavy handed and break things, also not allowed to carry one around at school incase the children take it from the pouch on my belt, I do have and quite like the Coast LED155
Screenshot_20211223-212040_Samsung Internet.jpg

It's a pretty nice in the hand tool, a good bit of weight to it and the LED are very bright, when I bought in they were giving away a little torch not much bigger than an AA battery that is surprisingly bright for its size.
 
Opinel No. 8 always in the gardening trug, easy to sharpen holds a good edge and, after nearly 30 years, feels very natural in use. I have a leatherman multi-tool which I do use for some of the functions but not as a knife as the handle is too bulky and uncomfortable for accurate or prolonged use.
 
This one is my carry everywhere knife (y)it is donkey's years old and it used to belong to my Dad who also used it almost daily from new. The blade is worn down by around around a third but still has a razor sharp edge, opens and closes like new, maybe because it was my Dad's is why I don't feel dressed properly unless it is in my pocket :)

I do have a couple of the multi tool types that were stupidly expensive with leather case etc etc, as they were gifts I do not have the heart to sell them so they sit sad and unused in a drawer , also as one was from my wife, I don't have the ball's sell ito_O or perhaps that should read I wouldn't have them if I did:eek:
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20211223_211631.jpg
    IMG_20211223_211631.jpg
    94.3 KB
Last edited:
The leatherman Squirt with the pliers (they also do one with tiny scissors instead of pliers).
Goes on a keyring, has only useful stuff and is actually my favourite pliers for anything delicate or precise, sharp knife too.

Ollie
 
I’ve a buck 373 which is a lovely little knife and easy to keep sharp. Like many others I have a leather man multi tool somewhere that hasn’t seen the light of day for quite a while!
 
I have two:

The one I take to work: Victorinox Explorer Plus (black scale version).
The one I use for leisure: Victorinox Ranger.

Rob
 
Many years ago I had a company supplying all sorts of bits and bobs and food for the fishing boats, we used to sell these along with non-folding types as gutting knives for the fisherman, still got one of these in my toolbox – really good steel (Lowen Messer) just looked this up and can’t believe their £50 now!
DC08A70E-11D9-4AFB-8038-7D04CBD77054.png
 
The leatherman Squirt with the pliers (they also do one with tiny scissors instead of pliers).
Goes on a keyring, has only useful stuff and is actually my favourite pliers for anything delicate or precise, sharp knife too.

I was going to nominate the Squirt ES4 - has pliers with very good wire strippers built in, and a tiny but surprisingly useful pair of scissors as well as the knife and other bits. I used mine a lot when I still did on site work.

All the Squirts were good but this was (and is) my favourite.

1640334834076.png
 
I have a Leatherman Wave+ and love it.

Always carried a multitool since whenever... The last few years I was living in the Gulf and spending a lot of time in deserts or up mountains. I had a Leatherman that I'd bought out there and was wonderful, but after a while the springs broke and it wasn't the same... One of my sons (also an engineer) mentioned that Leatherman have a 25 year guarantee, so I sent it back to them in the UK.

As the model I had wasn't made any more, they sent me a brand new Wave+ which is considerably more expensive.

10/10 for customer service.

https://www.leatherman.co.uk/collections/multi-tools
It's beautifully made, strong as you could wish and every part is easily replaceable should it break. Very nice tool that feels good in the hand too.
 
I have a PITS Folder MK 3. I bought it from the designer/maker, Mike Read, on British Blades back in 2013. It is part of a limited production of 70. It is a very clever design which has no lock so it is legal carry but the act of holding the handle tightens the blade so it doesn't twist back in to your fingers. It is made of some very nice materials. RWL 34 60Rc blade, Grade 5 titanium scales, 316 stainless and 416 hardened stainless for the hardware and phosphor bronze washers. It is my favourite knife by a long way. It holds an incredible edge.
IMG_2526.jpeg
IMG_2525.jpeg

I also have a very nice Shing folder in a custom leather sheath. I find the folding action a little heavy so it tends not to get used very much but it is very pretty.
IMG_2521.jpeg
IMG_2522.jpeg
IMG_2523.jpeg

The one I have had the longest is a Puma Prospector 667 which i bought on my first trip to the IoM TT in 1977. It was in my pocket every day from then until I got the PITS in 2013. I replaced it as it was showing signs of significant wear and after so long I wanted to keep it for "special occasions"
IMG_2524.jpeg

I have several others including some made myself. I always have a pen knife in my pocket except when i am travelling internationaly.
 
I have/had a Leatherman and found it not particularly good. Rather like combination machines, they are not particulary good at any one thing. I haven't a clue where it is now.

I have a couple of Leatherman tools and two Gerbers, and I mostly agree. The teeny ones are the most useful; after that you get to the point where their bulk/utility ratio isn't great.

On a relatedish not, I had a former work colleague who believed there were only two useful sizes of portable toolkit; a Shure SM58 microphone pouch containing a decent multitool and about five other things, or a long wheelbase, high roof Transit, fully kitted out with Bott cabinets and containing pretty much the entire Teng/Beta/Strapon catalogue. Ideally with a similarly sized trailer equipped the same way. Something of an exaggeration, but I did see his point.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top