Most folks think of multitools as plier based tools that have an assortment of functions. In fact the company Leatherman has become synonymous with the word multitool; similar to how Kleenex is being used to define tissues. Leatherman had a big inspiration back in 2015 and released a multitool which was very different than the standard modeling. Current CEO Ben Rivera had a run in with the security at Disneyland and told him he couldn't bring in his Wave multitool. This got the gears turning and this helped develop a new type of multitool; wearable.

Most of the multitools we see on the market are from the big three; Leatherman, SOG and Gerber. There are other companies that produce tools as well but are not what I consider key players. Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) is one of those companies and they seem to wow us with innovative designs but never stay in the limelight long enough. CRKT produces a lot of in house designs but I consider them more of a publisher. They collaborate with a lot of knife designers and as a result they able to give us innovative designs at affordable prices.

 

Multitools have changed over the decades, constantly improving functionality and design. What doesn't change however is the sheaths and holsters we use to hold our beloved tools. We have the traditional leather and the old standby of ballistic nylon but no major multitool company offers anything other than those two options. There are some tools that have the option to add a pocket clip but not everyone likes the weight of a Surge hanging from their pocket. People looking for alternative sources for sheaths will likely see the plethora of folks offering kydex sheaths. Kydex is extremely popular with law enforcement and military because of durability the material offers as well as the attachment options like the molle system.

I'm a huge fan of budget blades; you show me a good deal on a knife and I'm there. Budget blades are often sought  after because they have good form, function and are very affordable. When looking at budget blades one company that caught my attention is Sport Manufacturing Group. SMG is  an American based company that produces pneumatic guns as well as a pocket knife line by the name of Steel Will.

SMG is quite passionate about their pocket knives and it shows. They have a huge range of knives that cover many different categories and use premium materials. Being a budget guy I wanted to check out a knife I had been hearing a lot about and that's the Cutjack. The Cutjack is  a sub $50 knife that is aimed at the everyday carry crowd and hits home on so many levels.

Around the world various countries and cities have different laws regarding what is legal to carry when it comes to pocket knives. Places such as the UK and Australia for instance have very strict laws in regards to blade length and locking mechanisms. Such laws have allowed many knife styles to flourish like Swiss Army Knives and other modern traditionals.

Knives and multitools have been our EDC staple for a quite a while. Up until the last decade we used what we had; often in ways they were not intended for. People saw a need to carry a pocket or keychain pry bar and things haven't been the same since.

Gerber entered the pry bar market with the Artifact; it was an easy to carry pocket pry that had several features that made it an instant success. Gerber has since released many pry bars in a variety of configurations with the Lockdown Pry series being the most recent.

Camillus knives is one of the oldest knife  companies in United States and has been around since 1876. They unfortunately filed for bankruptcy is 2007 and was purchased by Acme United. They no longer make their knives domestically with the exception of a few fixed blades. Since the Acme relaunch of the brand, they have produced quite an array of mostly budget offerings. That's not a bad thing as long as materials and quality are decent.

One of those budget offerings that we are looking at today is the Inject Folding Knife. The Inject caught my eye because it includes two pocket sized tools included in the handle. The company does have a full sized multitool available but it's simply a rebrand from another manufacturer and not unique to Camillus.

There's always a certain amount of excitement that comes when folks get wind that there may be a new Leatherman tool in development. What makes it difficult is when there's no official word from Leatherman themselves. There have been some leaks from websites that give us a possible glimpse into what they are cooking up.

I am a member of various forums, knife sites and Facebook groups. I am part of the community not only because I am a knife knut but I like to see what's trending. I've seen many different blades take center stage, many of them budget blades. One blade that I see over and over again is the Gerber Pocket Square.

I've been a blade junkie ever since my first pocket knife about 20 years ago. I didn't get into knives before that because I was a city boy and my dad never carried one. Since my first one I've been hooked, didn't know how I got along before I had one. Using your rudimentary claws and teeth are far less effective than a sharp blade. I'm always on the hunt to the perfect edc blade. I want something light, easy to deploy and holds an edge well.