Best boaty Leatherman/Gerber/Multitool?

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FinesseChris

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Hi

Anyone got any thoughts on the best boat-person's multi-tool? The range of devices on the ones I've seen make a Swiss Army knife look like a cracker prize -- and so do the prices...

Tentatively, I reckon I need:
* knife that will cut rope, preferably a blade that can be sharpened
* pliers that will cope with a grotty old shackle's seized pin
* sundry screwdrivers
* shackle key
* perhaps a spike?
All above must lock firmly into place
It must have a ring for a lanyard and it must be good enuf s/steel to survive being dropped in the harbour occasionally.
It does not need a bottle opener, can opener, corkscrew, thing for getting boy scouts out of horses' hooves, etc.
Any recommendations?
Thanks
 
I have a gerber multi tool that does all that and more, have had it nearly 10 years and it's still as good as new. Blades seem to stay sharp forever, pliers excellent, flat head and philips drivers, plus other bits; no shackle key though.
 
Leatherman Supertool has served me well for 3 years or so. I've since bought a couple on ebay for friends who have liked mine... around £30-£40 second hand.

The later models have a kind of lever which unlocks the blades, whereas the earlier ones require you to open another blade/tool to unlock.
 
IMO ge a Gerber as all the tools lock. I have a Leatherman as well and the tools don't lock. That caused me to severely gash my finger. The blade is extremely sharp, I never felt it when it sliced into my finger.
 
I use the Gerber MP600 Pro Scout - has lots of useful tools, including really good scissors, and an adaptor that takes any jigsaw blade you fancy.. Has a half serrated knife blade which cuts rope really well, and an adaptor to allow you to use ordinary screw driver bits. Cost less than thirty quid from an ebay seller in the States. There are lots of different variations, so shop carefully to get the features/blades you require.
 
I use a relatively simple leatherman (wave?) with a fairly pointy pair of pliers that also serve as a spike and shackle key. Good sharp knife plus decent x-head and slot screw-drivers. Personally, I don't like the very elaborate ones as they are heavy and bulky and bring a tear to your eye when they go overboard.

The one tool on mine that has failed is the bottle opener - but it has had a very hard life /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Berber for me, all the blades lock, good sharpenable knife blade and serated type blade, scissors (very handy)! lots of tools, including proper size jaws on the pliers, but no shackle key, I have a combined shackle key, spike tool seperate.
 
Prefer my gerber suspension to old leatherman because when you have to grip the pliers hard you are squeezing onto solid rounded edges rather than hollow fairly sharp edge. Also having to pull out another blade to put the previous one away was a pain.
I dont have the socket for screwdriver bits which sounds great. I tend not to use the scewdrivers for fear of breaking them.
 
I have a Leatherman Wave. I find that I can use the pointed end of the pliers as a crude sort of spike; it has a serrated and a normal blade. I've never used the "saw" or "file" bits, though, and the screwdriver blades fold up - they dont lock rigidly. I used to think it was an affected sort of toy, being a hard case Old Gaffer and used to carrying a sheath knife and a spike, but I found myself using it all the time.
 
I have an early Leatherman which doesn't lock which has been a nuisance, especially when using the screwdriver bits.
A couple of weeks ago one of the plier jaws broke... I was attempting to get a deck filler loose on a friend's boat. The broken tool was sent to the UK agents who returned a brand new one without quibble.
I told them I doubted if the tool was covered by any guarantee... they said the warranty on a Leatherman was "lifetime".
Which is good.
 
I have a relatively cheap and cheerful clone, supplied by a company in Cardiff. It has a socket that fits standard hex screwdriver etc bits which is extremely useful, given that it can act as a right angled screwdriver. Saw, blade that takes and edge and even scissors. The pliers will do impeller cover fixings done up by someone with stronger grip tham I have. Plus at £20 or so even I won't panic too much if it goes for an involuntary swim and cannot be recovered. At over £60 for a decent leatherman I'd be less sanguine.
 
My Leatherman wave got stolen at Cowes this year, so replaced it like for like and was supprised to find that on the newer edition ALL the tools now lock.
I'd never be afloat without it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It does not need a bottle opener, can opener,

[/ QUOTE ]

With a Gerber like mine the bottle opener is too small to open the average beer bottle so just as well if you go for one of these.

Overated tools IMHO especially given the expense of some of them.
 
Quote:

It does not need a bottle opener, can opener, corkscrew,

Reason:

I have dedicated tools for opening bottles, being able to draw upon a lifetime of experience (well, since 17....) and a specialist collection. As the shipwright his adze, me my corkscrew....

And you show me a multitool, Swiss knif or whatever with a decent corkscrew, not an ill-conceived auger that drills raggedy holes in the cork!

Chris
 
I'm getting ready to duck but I've got three different versions from early Leatherman Multitool to petrol station £2.99 jobbie.
All gifts.
And all only roll around in a locker below.
Surely if you want pliers it it not easier to go get em from the tool box - and not risk damaging the item that needs pulling?
Same same when attacking screw heads.
Indeed same same same with bottle corks.
Does anyone truly think these devices work as well as the real thing?
Plus leaving them below avoids anyone assuming I'm a Boy Scout.
(OK - now I am ducked).
JOHN
 
[ QUOTE ]
And all only roll around in a locker below

[/ QUOTE ]

My one, (also gift) has never made it as far as the boat. I keep it in the car just in case I ever have to extricate a boy scout from some compromising situation. (The knife is quite sharp!). But then, being a pessimist, I carry plenty of tools on the boat even if there is not really enough room for them. Hmm. When I think about it I have a small toolkit in the car too. Perhaps I'll find somewhere for the Gerber at home.
 
I use a £25 unbranded (Not a lot of help I know) set available from many shops. The counter top display case usually has lighters and torches in it as well. I have found it excellent and at that price not too serious if it goes in the water. Says it stainless steel but mine was recoverable using a magnet.

It has:

Decent pliers with wire cutters. closing grip on curved surface.
Sharpenable knife (does not hold its etch too long)
Small scissors.
Hexagonal socket to take readily available screwdriver bits which were supplied.
Usable bottle/tin opener
Sharp spike which I ground to use as v.small screwdriver for tweeking potentiometers.
Course and fine file
Metal cutting edge.
 
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