Multi-Tools
Multi-tools have been a part of Scouting since the start of Scouting. The first Official Scout Knife came with several tools, allowing Scouts to do so many tasks with this single tool. Over the years, multi-tools have become ever more popular and there are many quality options to choose from.
BSA Official Knife
Image: 1930s Remington Ad
Similar toolset as original Scout Knife plus:
Philips Screwdriver, second blade, tweezers and toothpick
Multi-Tool Examples
Here are a few popular designs to give you an idea of the different types of multi-tools out there. These examples are included because they include:
Blade
Saw
Awl
Can opener
Good reputation for quality
"Reasonably" priced
There are several really nice High-End or excessive options that were not included.
Note: as excellent as multi-tools can be, they tend to be expensive. Consider the cost of a tool and the likelihood it will be lost or left behind on a campout.
Victorinox Farmer Alox
The Swiss made Victorinox Pioneer Alox is set up with the same tools that came with the original Official Scouts Knives. This tool configuration was so utilitarian, it was used on the United States’ first manned mission to space on May 5, 1961. If you add a saw to the Pioneer, you have the Vicorinox Farmer Alox, an excellent tool for a Scout.
Spear Point Stainless Steel Blade
1000 uses
Saw
Notching and cutting for many Pioneering/Woodcraft tasks
Awl
Punching/sewing leather and thick canvas
Drilling holes in wood
Can Opener (with mini screwdriver)
Opening cans of food
Bottle Opener (with screwdriver and wire stripper)
Opens the rare glass bottle
When considering quality, compactness and utility, it is hard to beat this tool. The only really downside is that Victorinox knives such as this one tend to be pricy.
Victorinox Ranger
The Ranger has the same toolset as the Victorinox Master Craftsman used by NASA on the Space Shuttle plus has corkscrew and hook. With 21 tools, this high density toolset has just about any tool a Scout will ever need and more.
This knife is good for a Scout who loves to tinker and loves gadgets.
For outdoor use, this is a little excessive to have in your pocket but can still come in handy.
Victorinox RangerGrip 79
This has is similar to the Swiss Soldier's Knife 08, which is used by the military in many countries, including the US. Victorinox made many variants with different tool configurations.
The RangerGrip 79 shown here has a smooth, locking blade and a corkscrew instead of a Philips screwdriver. The smooth blade is easier to sharpen and better for carving and whittling. The corkscrew is useful for loosening knots, which makes it more useful to a Scout than another screwdriver. The Saw is an excellent tool for woodworking and has so many uses in the backcountry and for survival situations.
These knives are large for a Swiss Army Knife and and mane knife blade is a locking blade. The locking blade is beefy for a Swiss Army knife and is safer to use since it won't collapse on your fingers while using the knife.
Large Victorinox knives are an excellent choice if you want the utility of a Swiss Army Knife but also want the safety and durability of a longer, locking blade.
Leatherman Rebar
Leatherman Rebar has a toolset that covers most outdoors needs. The pliers have many uses and come in handy when working with snares, bending metal and loosening bolts.
Pliers - many uses
Non-serrated knife - easy to sharpen and good for carving/whittling
Serrated knife - good backup knife, good for fiber rope, difficult to sharpen
Saw - many woodcraft tasks
File - sharpening
Awl
Can opener
Scissors - used for trimming moleskin and ducttape
Total of 17 tools
Leatherman has several other great options
The Free P4 is excellent, but costs more than twice as much
The Surge and Super Tool 300 are also excellent, but are also very large and heavy
The Leatherman Wave is very popular but lacks an awl
Leatherman Signal
The Leatherman Signal is marketed as a survival tool. The has a few extra bells and whistles, well at least a built in whistle. The only thing not perfect about this tool is the partially serrated combo-knife blade. This blade is still an excellent tool, but will make wavy cuts when carving and is more difficult to sharpen than a straight edge blade. That said, it does come with a sharpener designed to be use on the serrations. Tools include:
Pliers - many uses
Combo straight-serrated knife - best/worst of both
Saw - many woodcraft tasks
Awl
Can opener
Whistle
Ferrorod
Knife sharpener
Total of 19 tools
Gerber Truss
Affordable for a pliers type multitool. Tools include:
Pliers - many uses
Non-serrated knife - easy to sharpen and good for carving/whittling
Serrated knife - good backup knife, good for fiber rope, difficult to sharpen
Saw - many woodcraft tasks
Awl
Can opener
Small file
Scissors - used for trimming moleskin and ducttape
SOG Poweraccess Deluxe
Great toolset. Also comes in black if that's important to you.
Pliers - many uses
Non-serrated knife - easy to sharpen and good for carving/whittling
Serrated knife - good backup knife, good for fiber rope, difficult to sharpen
Saw - many woodcraft tasks
File - sharpening
Awl
Can opener
21 tools total plus 12 piece hex bit set
Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X
Premium Multi-Tool with Pliers. This tool is also very heavy for a multi-tool.
Pliers - many uses
Non-serrated knife - easy to sharpen and good for carving/whittling
Saw - many woodcraft tasks
File - sharpening
Awl
Can opener
Scissors
24 tools
Tools
So which tools does a Scout need? Well, it depends. A single knife blade will cover 90% of the tasks a multitool may be used for, but the other tools will make other jobs possible or at least much easier. Here are the most useful tools for Bushcraft:
Straight edge knife
1000 uses
Easy to sharpen
Great for smooth cutting and carving
If this multitool is your main knife, you must have a good straight edge knife
Serrated edge knife
Stays sharp longer
Great for cutting fiber ropes
Great for cutting bread, especially croissants (straight edge will crush these)
Difficulty to sharpen
Great secondary knife (if multi-tool has other knife or you are carrying another knife)
Saw
Many woodcraft tasks
Cut wood
Notch wood for snares and camp gadgets
Cutting for carving
Pliers
So many uses
Snares
Random repairs
Pulling fishhooks
Wire cutters - particularly beefy ones - are needed for wire snares
Can opener
If you need one, you need one
Awl
Drilling holes in wood
Also good for leatherwork
File
Use to sharpen tools
Scissors
Not really needed for Bushcraft, but has many uses
Great for smooth and complex cuts on leather, moleskin, birch bark, duct-tape
Needed for leather-craft work.
More
For more information on Multi-Tools, see nwscouter.com