Happy Holidays from all of us at Multitool.org
Thanks for making this place amazing!
Art takes many forms. While paintings, sculptures, and music often come to mind, there is another medium that blends beauty with purpose: knives and multitools. These tools, crafted from steel and adorned with natural and man-made materials, are interactive works of art. Unlike a painting admired from a distance, these creations are meant to be held, used, and cherished. They prove that beauty and utility can coexist, and they transform everyday tools into expressions of creativity and craftsmanship.
The Early Days
Leatherman's story began in the mid-1970s when Tim Leatherman and his wife, Chau, embarked on a road trip across Europe and the Middle East. Faced with frequent car breakdowns and plumbing issues, Tim found himself repeatedly needing a versatile tool to make quick repairs. This inspired him to conceptualize a pocket-sized tool with pliers, a groundbreaking idea at the time.
When discussing multitools, the name Victorinox often comes to mind, conjuring images of the iconic Swiss Army Knife. This brand has not only become synonymous with quality and innovation but has also woven itself into the fabric of everyday life for millions around the globe. The history, heritage, quality, and community surrounding Victorinox are integral to understanding its long-standing impact on the industry and its cherished place in people’s lives.
When the Leatherman Signal was introduced nearly a decade ago, it was groundbreaking with its unique blend of traditional multitool functionality and survival-specific features. As I reflect on my prolonged use, it's clear that while the Signal has many strengths, several design issues have surfaced over time. This review will highlight both the positive attributes and the areas that need improvement.
What kind of people would write collect and review multitools? Quite simple really- we are designers and do-ers, outdoors types and indoor types, mechanics, doctors, problem solvers and problem makers. As such, we have, as a world spanning community, put every type, size and version of multitool, multifunction knife, pocket knife and all related products to every test we could manage in as many places and environments as there are.