Pocket Tools

Background

Current Pocket Tools (2024)

Fenix has just come out with their second version of the E12.

Three connected tools: 1.  Fenix E12 Version 2 Single AA flashlight on keychain (compared to the Teralux LightStar 100) at top. 2. Rambler Swiss Army Knife 2. Tritium (Wiki) key chain light - not glow in the dark, but rather on 24/7.

Current Pocket Tools (2013)

Three connected tools: 1.  Teralux LightStar100 Single AA flashlight 2. Rambler Swiss Army Knife 2. Tritium (Wiki) key chain light - not glow in the dark, but rather on 24/7.

Current Pocket Tools (2010)

At this time there were no single AA LED flashlights.  The mag lite started out as a 2 cell AA with a filament lamp.

Three connected tools. 1. AA Mini Mag with very efficient Teralux conversion to LED 2. Swiss Army Knife 2. Tritium (Wiki) key chain light - not glow in the dark, but rather on 24/7.

Leatherman

Classic

I learned of these at a Harley-Davidson dealership in Oakland.
Great tool to keep in the glove compartment of your car.
I have used for numerous repairs both automotive and at home or visiting.

Pictured in the teeth is a Thumb Nut which was part of the terminals on a No. 6 Dry Cell.  They were used for telephones, alarms, toys, flashlights, Western Union Clocks and many other applications.  Probably the most common battery of the first 50 years of dry batteries.

	4238862 Pocket multiple tool, Timothy S. Leatherman, 1980-12-16, 7/128; 81/424; 81/427.5 -
	5697114  Folding multi-tool, Herman J. McIntosh, Ken E. Griffey, Greg Cook, Larry Hinchman, Leatherman Tool Group, 1997-12-16, -

Leatherman  Free T4

The key feature is that you can open and close all the tools using only one hand.  Leatherman tools with "FREE" in the name can be operated with one hand.  A big part of this is the use of magnets.

Fig 1	Fig 2	Fig 3
Fig 4

Leatherman patents with magnets
20160176035 Multipurpose tool, Zach Heise, Leatherman Tool Group, 2017-06-20, - magnet option for classic tool
20170348830 Multipurpose tool having accessible tool members, Adam Lazenby, Benjamin C. Rivera, Jeffrey B. Castro, Leatherman Tool Group, 2022-04-05, -
20190381647 Tool having one or more rotatable tool members, Adam Lazenby, Matthew Brown, Leatherman Tool Group, 2021-02-23, -
20210127799 Watch Band
20230249321 ARC

Victorinox - Swiss Army Knife

Although I own a number of multipurpose tools, I carry the Classic Rambler Swiss army knife.  It is very versatile and has been used for all kinds of  useful tasks.  Although many of the tools on this page will fit into your pants pocket they are much too heavy to carry all the time.  The Classic Ramblerc Swiss army knife has an attachment point for a key ring and is light enough to actually carry.

The Rambler is the same length as the Classic but has an additional blade with a Philips screwdriver tip, a bottle opener and a notch for stripping wires.

Gransfors Burks

Wilderness Hand Hatchet 413

Gabriel Branby (video) CEO of Gränsfors Bruks AB Gränsfors make one the finest forged axes in the world. It has become more than just an axe. It is an icon for quality and a belief that there is another way of making things.

Woodman's Pal

Ridgid No. 205 Pipe Cutter

I've had this for some time and used it for cutting copper pipe, but then got the optional plastic cutting wheel E5272 (Ridgid chart) to make cutting PVC pipe much easier.  I tried to grind down the metal cutting wheel but that did not work.

Fig 1	Fig 2	Fig 3
		2630029 Combination tube working tool and reamer, George E Franck, Imperial Brass Manufacturing Co, 1953-03-03, - Included this patent that explains why the rollers have a notch.  Prior patents for pipe cutters show solid rollers. "These rollers have grooves or notches 3' for receiving an external flange frequently formed on the end of a tube."
		2871733 Reaming tool, William A Lauck, Ridge Tool Co, 1959-02-03, - Note this pipe cutter does not have the fast open close ratchet mechanism.
		3022575 Tubing cutter, Clyde E Wright, Ridge Tool Co, 1962-02-27, -

Hand Held Guillotine Plastic Pipe Cutter

This example is marked Super VK-30 Japan.
The guillotine is faster than the pinch wheel pipe cutter above, but it can easily make an angle cut if the operator is not careful.  Pipes that have thick walls and/or larger diameters require more hand strength.

	Cap 38mm (1-1/2") Blade marked VKS-30.
	5129158 Plastic pipe cutter, John A. Campagna, Rex International, 1992-07-14, -

TL-29 Telephone Lineman's Pocket Knife

I've had this pocket knife for many decades.  It's big and heavy so not practical to carry in your pocket on a daily basis. The bail (like on a one gallon paint can) has fallen off (black hole in wood grip). The brass oval name plate says "Case". On the knife blade "Case XX, U.S.A." and on the other side "12031L" 3317996 Knife bolster assembly, Paolantonio Antonio, Colonial Knife Co, 1967-05-09, - bolster covers the pin that holds the knife together without showing pin

Sheffield 12113 Lockback Utility Knife

This is a well used & abused utility knife that has a number of useful features.  Contemporary Utility Knives (Wiki)

Fig 1	Fig 2	Fig 3
Fig 4	Fig 5	Fig 6
Fig 7 Stanley Utility Blades 11-921L 50 blade wall mount dispenser.

2870537 Pocket safety knife, Ortner Samuel, 1959-01-27, - this is the general idea, but this one uses a blade with many holes and notches.
3316635 Scoring knife, George W Merrow, Robert F Mckee, Robert F West, Stanley, 1967-05-02, - "...knife handle which cooperates with an adjustable blade to break off the dull used sections thereof..."
3448518 Knife, Harry Sklar, 1969-06-10, - blades come all attached to each other, you break off the old blade - Segmented blade or "snap-off blade" - I remember using one of these.
3518758 Utility knife with movable and rotatable blade, Robert A Bennett, 1970-07-07, - almost the modern blade.  Trapezoid shape with 3 notches.
3577637 Retractable blade knife, Paul A Braginetz, Philip Morris, 1971-05-04, - trapezoid blade with 2 notches.  Handel stores spare blade.
3593417 Hand tool having a holder for spare blades and the like, Robert F West, Robert S Hyde, Stanley, 1971-07-20, - trapezoid blade with 2 notches, handle stores a number of blades. Classic thumb slide to expose blade.

Chain Saw, Electric, One Hand

While not really a pocket tool this is the closest web page.  After seeing a review by BigCliveDotCom on YouTube: eBay finger-chopping pocket chainsaw, 24:10, I shopped around to see what the options are. I think the one he reviewed has a 4" bar.  But I wanted to get a model that will accept Makita 18V batteries since they are part of a drill-driver set, and it seems all of those have a 6" bar.  This is a genetic saw that came without an oil bottle.

Fig 1 parts as received	Fig 2 Install the bar position screw	Fig 3 The overall bar length is 7-1/4" (18.4cm). The cutting length is 5-1/2" (14 cm). The bar is marked: 18.5 cm/4";  38 x 1/4" P
Fig 4

Some major brands are offering these one hand electric chain saws & classical battery electric chain saws.
Bosch EasyCut 12 with nanoBlade (AvE video)
Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet - 5-1/2" cutting length, but you can install the Milwaukee pole saw bar 48-09-5001 which gives 10" cutting length. (YouTube)
Stihl GTA 26 Pruner - (YouTube) - MSA-120, 12", (YouTube)
Makita XCU06 18V 10" - (YouTube) - built-in oiler and chain brake but not as powerful as other electric chainsaws like the EGO 18" Cordless (YouTube).

Torque Electric motors are capable of a lot of torque but to do that they need a lot of current.  For an example where the battery, with plenty of Amp Hours, would not perform because it had limited current output see the Tamiya Grasshopper and the video "Duratrax Sprint 2 ESC Problem when Starting". Milwaukee now has some of their batteries rated for High Output for just this reason. It may be the case that a "high output" battery would allow the Makita XCU06 to be stronger. YouTube: Best Cordless Chainsaw - Head-2-Head Test -

Echo CS330-T

Fig 1

I made a cardboard box to store the saw, it's manuals, tools and oil for the chain (gallon jug) and gas (small bottles).

Ward Screw Drivers

Hollow Ground Ward Screw Drivers made by Hand Tool Rescue Large, Medium & Small sizes.

Noticed that these were hollow ground in the YouTube: Bird Cannon [Restoration], 34:28 - B. M. Lawrence & Co - so found them.
Note most flat blade screwdrivers and not "hollow ground" (Wiki) and so are a poor choice for removing stubborn screws, like in this video.

The "Perfect Handle" (Wiki) was patented by William Ward for H D Smith & Co.

Available from Hand Tool Rescue (YouTube).
They also make the Charles E. Billings D26111 Adjustable Wrench.

	737179 Screw-driver, William S Ward, H D Smith & Co, 1903-08-25, -
	D37214 screw-driver, William S Ward, H D Smith & Co, 1904-11-08, -

From their web page: "The blade on the screwdriver is now a consistent width, unlike the tapered design of most modern screwdrivers, to assist in removal of countersunk screws.  The blade tip also has a hollow-ground design ensuring 1/10in/2.5mm of the tip is parallel, allowing for maximum engagement with the fastener.  The handle has been re-positioned so that it is perpendicular with the blade to allow for increased strength when using the screwdriver for prying.  The handle has also been designed to encapsulate the handle scales, so that even without brass pins, the wooden (solid cherry) scales will stay in place.  The square shaft allows you to use wrenches to increase the amount of torque you can apply to the fastener if they are really stuck!"
YouTube: Is this the greatest screwdriver of all time?, 2:46 - Making this screwdriver - and a description of the features.

Links