I bought my first leatherman a few months ago and I use it nearly everyday, great tool. Does anyone else have quality tools that they use?
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We just had a couple of posts about Wiha tools at a discount. They are great tools!
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Is there a multitool with good scissors? Every Leatherman(r) and leatherman I’ve ever had, the scissors were crap. My Wave’s scissors won’t even cut paper, and I’ve hardly used them.
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Oh man this is going to be a rabbit hole of a thread; I can sense it. This is just a quickie of the most heavily used items of mine…
Drivers:
- Wiha previsions for most bench stuff
- Wiha insulated for my wiring
- Wiha rainbow L keys for my general Hex needs, and T handles for when I need the torque (though if I were to buy the T handles again I might go with the Bondhus, they’re more compact for about the same quality in how they sit on the bench)
- Pro’s Kit ceramic-blade drivers for when turning pots / adjusting items on live low-voltage circuitry
Wrenches / pliers:
- Tongue and groove: Knipex
- Adjustable arm: Crescent
- Crescent wrench set: Crescent
Measurement:
- Mitutoyo calipers (Brazilian factory. Almost as good as their units from the Japanese factory and plenty good for makers, but at half the cost and the same calibration data / brand reliability)
- Any good set of tape measures; mine I inherited an old made-in-the-USA Stanley from my grandfather. He had even replaced the nub before it came to me.
Cutting / Drilling Implements:
- Crescent sheet metal sheers
- General cutting implement: milwaukee box cutter, using the Carbide DeWalt blades (they worked out as the cheapest carbide options whilst being worth a damn. I can cut aluminum with the stuff)
- Cle-Line HSS drill bit sets
- Stepper bits
- assortment of driver / socket adapters for impact drills
Misc:
- Brass punches and a brass/delrin double ended hammer
- dead-on hammer for home work and heavier loads
- wagner heat gun with a body-molded vertical stand (versus a fold-out clip)
- a deep-hole pencil
EDC Items:
- Leatherman Mut EOD version (which I custom hollow-ground the primary blade on)
- same milwaukee box cutter that I keep in my tool bag
- mini milwaukee 2m tape measure keyring
- Tritium light source for preserving night vision / marking
- Pelican intrinsically safe flashlight
EDIT: Forgot this part.
The Taboo Tools:
- Precision Pry Bar from Wiha (marked with tape to not confuse it with the non-pry bar screwdrivers; I use it for lock work with tiny springs and clips that need to be pried)
- one of those “As Seen on TV” electric screwdrivers with several joints for weird angles. The thing actually works well.
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Good flashlights are worth every penny. My current favorite is the Nitecore MH20.
I tend to have one with me almost always since they’re so tiny and can be recharged via USB.
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I’ve got a couple. I greatly enjoy the UI and formfactor, but that tailswitch is not the most reliable thing. I may procure a Noctigon KR4 to better scratch that itch.
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The Milwaukee double edged 8-in duct knife. The best knife that I have ever owned. I use this thing for just about everything: whittling, digging up roots, sheetrock, metal cutting, prybar, etc. I have never needed to sharpen it, and while it can’t quite shave hair, it still sharp enough to slice dangling paper with minimal effort. Also, for some reason, it’s balanced for throwing
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Don’t forget a good set of center locators. I love mine.
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