PocketToolX Piranha
Dec. 13th, 2010 06:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bquinlanI'm a big fan of multitools, but the conventional folding plier designs are too bulky for a lot of people to carry casually. There is another less common approach that is often referred to as the one-piece multitool. These are usually made from a single flat piece of metal with cutouts that perform various functions.
I carry a Piranha from PocketToolX.
The Piranha is just under 4" long, 1.5" wide, and weighs less than 2 oz. It will fit easily in any pocket or bag. There are no sharp edges to damage clothing, which also makes it TSA-compliant for carry onto planes.
The open end is a multi-size English (SAE) wrench for 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", and 9/16". The closed end is a multi-size metric wrench for 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm. There is also a separate 1/4" hex wrench for use with standard bits, including the double-ended one that comes attached to the tool. And medical personnel can use the rounded end of the slot where the bit rides to operate the valve on oxygen bottles.
The included bit is a slotted #8 and Phillips #2, but you can replace it with any standard bit that better suits your needs. Of course, you can carry additional bits elsewhere too. There are various clever designs for keeping a set of them handy and organized in a pocket.
The three ends of the tools are different sizes to provide different options. The largest is 1" across and is primarily intended as a scraper. The middle one is 3/8" and intended as a pry bar. The smallest is 1/8" wide for use like a marlin spike in untying knots. And the notch at the back of the closed end works as a nail puller.
The notch to one side of the wide end is intended for use in opening packages. It is not sharpened, but the narrow wedge works well for splitting open packing tape. The much larger notch on the opposite side is a bottle opener.
That's a lot of features for a tool this compact. I use the wrenches and pry bar features most often, but everything has come in handy at one time or another.
I carry a Piranha from PocketToolX.
The Piranha is just under 4" long, 1.5" wide, and weighs less than 2 oz. It will fit easily in any pocket or bag. There are no sharp edges to damage clothing, which also makes it TSA-compliant for carry onto planes.
The open end is a multi-size English (SAE) wrench for 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", and 9/16". The closed end is a multi-size metric wrench for 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm. There is also a separate 1/4" hex wrench for use with standard bits, including the double-ended one that comes attached to the tool. And medical personnel can use the rounded end of the slot where the bit rides to operate the valve on oxygen bottles.
The included bit is a slotted #8 and Phillips #2, but you can replace it with any standard bit that better suits your needs. Of course, you can carry additional bits elsewhere too. There are various clever designs for keeping a set of them handy and organized in a pocket.
The three ends of the tools are different sizes to provide different options. The largest is 1" across and is primarily intended as a scraper. The middle one is 3/8" and intended as a pry bar. The smallest is 1/8" wide for use like a marlin spike in untying knots. And the notch at the back of the closed end works as a nail puller.
The notch to one side of the wide end is intended for use in opening packages. It is not sharpened, but the narrow wedge works well for splitting open packing tape. The much larger notch on the opposite side is a bottle opener.
That's a lot of features for a tool this compact. I use the wrenches and pry bar features most often, but everything has come in handy at one time or another.
