Multi Tools

We all know that in the UK that we cannot carry a locking folding knife and any blade cannot be longer than 76.2mm. What many people do not know is that it also applies to multi tools with knife blades as one of the tools they have. If it locks or is over 76.2mm then it is NOT legal to carry everyday in the UK. Heinnie Haynes has it covered, I still like to carry a multi tool and they have a wide range of UK legal carry multi tools. Here are just six from HH that cover all pockets and are all very useful indeed.

First off for all you walkers, ramblers, gamekeeper’s, beaters and indeed farmers is the Baladeo Barrow multi-function Tick. This multi tool is the size of a Swiss Army knife. The black body is rubberised to the touch. As the name suggest it has a tool for removing Ticks, the end is bright, bright red so you can’t miss it. The Barrow also has useful other tools, a nonlocking 66mm long stainless steel knife blade, an awl, bottle opener, can opener, large/ small screw drivers and even a corkscrew. There’s also a handy loop to fit it to a lanyard.

Micro Toolclip

Next up is one of three SOG UK legal multi tools featured. The Micro Toolclip, this is a clever design in a small package, it has pliers a 50mm non-locking knife blade, three screwdrivers’, bottle opener and a file. Carry options are either a pocket clip or a hole for a lanyard or key ring. One of the plier arms has a Philips screwdriver and the end and is locked down so the pliers are closed for normal carry, a small button on either side of the body can be pulled down to release it and use the pliers.

The next SOG is the Snippet, if you need strong scissors on your legal carry multi tool then this pocket tool may just be the thing you are looking for. The scissor blades are quite long for a small multi tool. They are 26mm long and that’s in a pocket tool that folds down to 68mm long. It also comes with a non-locking knife blade of 45mm long. As well as a nail file, large flat head screwdriver, tweezers, toothpick, bottle opener and a tiny flat head screwdriver, oh and a hole for a lanyard. There is another carry option, a pocket clip, all bases covered then.

Tough times

A Schrade tool is next, it’s a wellestablished brand but one I have not had much exposer to. The Tough Tool as it is called has the fold out pliers you would expect from its outward appearance BUT it also has large fold out powerful scissors as well. It also has a knife blade, Philips and flat bladed screwdrivers, not to mention a nylon belt pouch.

The last SOG tool is a clever design that can act as a belt buckle, so as long as you have trousers on, with a belt, you will have a useful multi-tool. This is the knifeless version of the Sync II Traveller, making it UK legal. The tool itself sits on the belt buckle backer, although this is also capable of being clipped to backpack straps or a belt via a large spring clip, this has to be removed if it is fitted to a belt. The pivot for the pliers is a spring loaded push button system, that lets the tool slide from the backing plate. Pliers aside it has four screwdrivers, scissors, file, bottle opener and a ruler. Lastly is the most expensive, the Leatherman Rebar, as with the Sync II it is the bladeless version. It comes with a quality leather belt pouch and is built around Leatherman’s now standard pliers with replacement cutting elements. Scissors are in the place of a blade and you also get, three screwdrivers, an awl, bottle opener, can opener, wood saw, file, rulers on the plier handles and a swing out lanyard hole.

What do I think of them?

Starting with the Baladeo Tick tool, it feels like a SAK but the rubberised coating is better that a SAK. As I said earlier, I can see it being very popular with walkers if they know about it. It’s a really useful outdoor companion for them. The SOG Micro Toolclip was a bit of a revelation. In the packaging I didn’t really think much of it, but handling it changed my mind completely. It feels well-made and the pliers come to use easily just by pulling down the small catch. It has all of the tools I generally use and allows me to fit a lanyard. The first day I carried the Micro Toolclip it came in useful opening boxes at work and examining a geotextile on a job. The SOG Snippet is very compact, light but well made. For those needing scissors on a regular basis they are fantastic, the added finger guards give a massive amount of control for precise cuts. The Snippet is NOT a one trick pony, knife, nail file, and tweezers are all needed in everyday life. With two different carry options all bases are covered. The only Schrade tool here has a few features I liked a lot. The Phillips screwdriver is one of the most ergonomic I have found on a pocket multi tool. The big scissors are superb and for £45 it’s very good value for money. The SOG SyncII Traveller, despite its very long name I don’t even think the belt buckle idea is a gimmick, it seems eminently practical to me if you are travelling light. They are thin and light enough to chuck in a back pocket of your jeans as well.

Finally, the Leatherman Rebar, I carry Leatherman’s a lot but the big ones I cannot carry on “Muggle” days due to the locking longer blades and our U.K carry laws. I found having the option to carry the Rebar a bit liberating to be honest and I’ll add them to my regular EDC rotation. heinnie.com