TOOL BOX & Multitools

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Peter Atwood Pocket Tools

3 7 Peter Atwood of Turners Falls, Mass. makes his living as a - and toolmaker. He produces limited runs of unique items every few days, which he then posts on his blog, Planet Pocket Tool. His focus is small, wrench-like tools. However, Atwood creates a wide variety of metal items like rulers, steel shot glasses, whistles, pry- bars, ring tools, and so on. Recently I interviewed him via email:

JB: When working in your shop, what metalworking tool do you find yourself turning to most often? 1. Swiss Army a blade-swapping mechanism the same strokes. $20–$60 to sharpen as possible. The Juice CS4 Cybertool Victorinox was that’s flimsy or fussy. online retailers —SMR locking mechanism is effec- (aka “Make: Can Open ’er”) This full-size multi- PA: My favorite tool is definitely my belt grinder. The 2×72 KMG making multitools when Tim Gerber’s solution? Shrink tive, foolproof, and beautifully tool is smaller and more lightweight than the is a wonderful machine and it is the workhorse of the shop. I have Leatherman’s great-grand- the blade! Their Artifact 5. Case minimal, being integrated into other “full-size” lines that Leatherman carries both vertical and horizontal units. parents were in diapers. mounts a folding #11 hobby There’s one tool I carry all the single bolster, which also (Skeletool, Surge, Wave, Crunch), while offering Their Cybertool line packs blade. These are common, day, every day: my W.R. Case features a removable clip. The a decent-size 2.6" knife blade, scissors that are the usual Swiss Army blades cheap, and small enough and Sons Peanut pocket- PECK (Precision Engineered actually bigger than on the Wave, bottle/can open- JB: What is the most difficult alloy to work with? like knives, saw, scissors, and to be safely retained in a knife. They’ve been around Compact Knife) model 5520 er, corkscrew, awl, and flat/Phillips drivers. This PA: They all have their quirks, but titanium is generally more file, but it also adds ‘puter- compact folding frame by since 1889, and are still is a later, lighter model with all is a great kitchen-drawer-and-tackle-box kind of difficult to work than steel. I haven’t done any Damascus steel centric tools: DIP switch set- a mechanism that doesn’t handcrafted in Bradford, Pa. the same advantages, plus a tool. $75 makershed.com Product Code MKOSCS4 work in a while but that’s another one that is very involved, ter, mini-hex driver with four requires tools. The ingredients list is refresh- sheepsfoot blade that’s even double-ended bits, a wrench, Besides this cleverness, the ingly familiar — surgical steel easier to sharpen because it Leatherman Squirt ES4 especially with the finishing. even a light. $82–$139 Artifact incorporates seven blades, brass bolsters, bone has only one sharp edge. (aka “Make: Bomb Defuser”) An admirable swissarmy.com —JB other handy implements, or wood handles — and the $40 crkt.com —SMR keychain multitool, this Squirt has wire cutters and JB: Titanium has a mystique about it in popular culture. Tell me including some, like a pry bar, knives have a satisfying heft strippers (gauges 12–20) as the plier tool, with a what it’s like to work with the stuff. 2. SOG PowerLock EOD rarely seen in multitools, all and always-sharp blades. 7. Sebenza Integral Lock needlenose tip, plus built-in scissors. You wouldn’t Multitool My new baby is a in a package about the size Case makes dozens of Folding Knife I was sent want it to be your only multitool, but it’s come in PA: The mystique that surrounds it is overblown IMO. It’s just SOG Specialty Knives B61-N. of a pack of gum — and only styles, from tiny to titanic. this amazing knife to review handy more than once, and it’s a great tool for another material. Titanium cuts easily on a metal cutting band- It’s tough as nails, uses com- slightly more expensive. $15 With mine I sharpen pencils, for National Geographic the dressed-up geek or gearhead. (You can’t very saw with a bi-metal blade. However, it’s a pain to grind because pound leverage for stronger gerbergear.com slice salami, cut zip ties, and Adventure and I cherish it. well wear a Wave on your belt with your wedding the sparks and dust are very flammable even when using very pliers, and packs a Colonel —Sean Michael Ragan open boxes. Yes, these are It’s gorgeous, Zen-like, very ’n’ funeral duds, but you can carry a Squirt in your Kurtz-esque black oxide finish beautiful pieces of American simply constructed with pocket or purse, or on a garter holster for you slow speeds. Milling is a mixed bag because it tends to be very that makes Leatherman tools 4. Colt Cobra II Tactical workmanship, but first and impeccable craftsmanship Lady Derringer types.) The Maker Shed version gummy. It’s funny stuff to work with but I do love it, not only for tremble. $120 sogknives.com Folding Knife Here’s an foremost they’re damn fine and high-quality materials. has “Make: Bomb Defuser” laser-etched on the its strength but because of the wonderful varied finishes that are —JB interesting innovation: a tools. $35 and up wrcase.com And it has a titanium body, so body. Also available in stealthy black “Make: Circuit possible with it. laser-cut serrated edge. It —Jeremy Jackson it feels like air in your hand. Breaker” version. $36 makershed.com 3. Gerber Artifact When provides the advantages of A friend once said to me: Product Code MKLTM2 —John Baichtal folding utility knives first traditional serrations (easier 6. KISS 5500 Folding Knife “A good blade — it wants appeared, I enthusiastically cutting of fibers and ropes) The KISS (Keep It Super to cut you.” I was bleeding Leatherman Squirt PS4 » TIP: Subscribe to Atwood’s blog RSS feed because his sales signed on. Now, instead of without their main disadvan- Simple) from Columbia moments after taking it out of (aka “Make: Warranty Voider”) This Squirt has resharpening my blade, I can tage, that they’re difficult to River Knife & Tool has a the box (getting the feel of its the same toolset as the ES4, but with needlenose are over in a matter of minutes! atwoodknives.blogspot.com just replace it when it gets sharpen. The serrated and chisel-ground blade with an one-handed opening). $330 pliers. Our version has “Make: Warranty Voider” dull. But these knives are usu- non-serrated portions of this angular, uncurved profile, and up chrisreeve.com etched on the body. $36 makershed.com More of our interview: makezine.com/go/atwood ally big and clunky, enclosing blade can be sharpened using which makes it about as easy —Gareth Branwyn Product Code MKLTM1 —GB

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