Multitool is an irreplaceable human companion
In the previous articles, we considered evolution of knife steelsand design features of modern folding knives.
Despite the fact that the knife is one of the most versatile tools used by humans, its capabilities are often insufficient. Therefore, almost simultaneously (by historical standards) with the advent of the folding knife, people began to create some "combines", which in our time began to be called "multifunctional knife", "multifunctional tool" or simply "multitool".
In the previous article, an image of a Roman folding multifunctional knife was published - perhaps this is one of the first "multitools" created by people.
At first glance, multitools could well replace conventional folding knives - it is logical, why carry separate tools and a knife if they can be combined into one multifunctional tool?
In reality, this is not entirely true.
Any multifunctionality leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of the elements that make up this “multifunctionality”, in comparison with highly specialized solutions - it is more convenient to cut products with a separate knife, to remove the skin, a screwdriver built into a multitool will almost always yield to a separate high-quality tool.
However, in life it is not always possible to carry a full-size knife and a toolbox with you. And in this case, suddenly arising problems are promptly solved by a multitool, which can be carried with you almost constantly.
Multitools can be conditionally divided into two categories - a multifunctional knife, in which the knife blade is the main tool, supplemented by auxiliary ones, and a multifunctional tool, the design of which can be based on any tool, for example, pliers, and the knife blade is auxiliary, along with others tools.
The border between multifunctional knives and multifunctional tools is rather arbitrary, therefore, in what follows we will use the name “multitool”.
Multitools of the USSR and the Russian Federation
Most of the folding knives used by the citizens of the USSR can be confidently attributed to multitool.
Of course, housewives in the kitchen used ordinary, non-folding kitchen knives, hunters more often used strong fixed knives, but everyone else who wanted to take a knife "for mushrooms", on a picnic, on a business trip or to the country, most often preferred multifunctional knives. In the childhood of the author, it was generally believed that the "toughness" of a knife is largely determined by the number of tools that complement it.
The quality of most of the Soviet multitool was poor.
Often they say in the comments - excellent knives were produced in the USSR, I still use them, and so on. What can be said here? Until you try really high-quality products yourself, you won’t understand this. Soviet knives used to seem cool to me and were the subject of dreams at a young age, but now those crooked, creaking designs made of simple stainless steel no longer attract the eye, causing only nostalgia.
On the other hand, it cannot be said that Soviet knives / multitools were useless - both their designs and the materials used in them were of much better quality than in inexpensive Chinese knives with which they are often compared. The Soviet industry produced a huge number of models and modifications that could satisfy all categories of users - tourists, mushroom pickers, hunters, and so on.
Composite folding tourist soviet multitool with knife, fork, spoon and corkscrew
The modern Chinese counterpart, by the way, is very inexpensive
And this is a German prototype - the HIMMEL multifunctional knife from the Second World War - is very expensive.
Multifunctional knives are also produced in Russia.
The quality has grown since the days of the USSR, but the range has decreased significantly, and it is hardly possible to say that they are very popular. And the point here is not in the quality, design or primitiveness of the design, rather, for Russian manufacturers, multitools are something secondary, they are not particularly visible on the shelves of knife stores, bloggers do not write or tell about them, they are not heard even by amateurs knives, what can we say about ordinary citizens.
The last surge of interest in domestic multitool arose after the Russian military equipment of the "Ratnik" serviceman was equipped with the 6E6 multitool of the "Saro" company. However, this is a specific model, it is not interesting to most ordinary people.
Speaking of multitools, there are two mastodons: companies that have become a household name in many ways when it comes to multifunction knives and multifunctional tools are Victorinox and Leatherman.
Victorinox and Leatherman
It makes no sense to go into the history of these companies. It is enough that they both control most of the world's multitool market.
Perhaps Victorinox is an even more recognizable brand in this respect. Previously, they had a competitor - Wenger, but in 2005 it was acquired by Victorinox, which became almost a monopoly in the market for simple, high-quality multifunctional knives.
The Victorinox brand can be somewhat associated with the Zippo lighter brand - they can be found in a huge number of stores in all parts of the world, their design is largely archaic, but reliable, convenient and practical.
Victorinox produces a great variety of multifunctional folding knives - all sizes, colors and shapes, with a varying number of auxiliary tools.
For most people, the capabilities of Victorinox multifunctional knives are enough "for the eyes" in all life situations. In my opinion, Victorinox multitool is still better to use as a second tool, and as the main one it is more convenient to carry knives with one blade and a clip for carrying on a pocket.
The combination of fame and relatively low cost, a large selection of models and a fairly high quality of workmanship, provided Victorinox multitool with an almost monopoly position in the market, even the Chinese could not knock them out of it.
Victorinox also has a multifunctional tool, but it is much less in demand than their main products.
Victorinox Multifunction Tool
If Victorinox is still mostly associated with multi-functional knives designed for household use, Leatherman is rather a multi-functional tool designed for professional / semi-professional use or for doing some kind of work - it is not a picnic toy.
The design of Leatherman multi-tools is much more advanced than that of Victorinox knives, modern powder steel can be used on the blades of some models, handle covers can be made of titanium or colored G-10 fiberglass, many tools are fixed in the unfolded state and can be opened with one hand.
Leatherman multitools are effective when performing various minor repairs; in the same trip, you can use them to repair equipment and equipment.
There are both supporters and opponents of multitools.
Some, including the author, appreciate multitools very much and use them all the time, others can't stand multitools, preferring a full-sized tool. It is clear that you can’t take a box with tools on a hike, but a multi-tool is easy. But even somewhere in the country, when you just need to tighten the screw, there is a choice: just pull the multitool out of your pocket and tighten the screw, or go to the shed, take a screwdriver, tighten the screw, take the screwdriver - it's easy to see which option is more energy efficient.
In general, Victorinox and Leatherman have developed a kind of "division of labor", in which Victorinox is more often used in everyday life, and Leatherman is used for work or hobby, although in general their areas of application often overlap.
Together Victorinox and Leatherman occupy a significant, if not most, part of the market, and Victorinox is the undisputed leader here.
Who else is there in the multitool market?
Various "Chinese" - thousands of them.
There are both very high-quality products and primitive crafts, capable only of snatching off the owner's finger. In general, China is developing rapidly, the quality of their products is growing, but they cannot yet fight the market leaders.
There are other well-known knife brands that produce multitools, most often in the United States, Taiwan or China.
Finale
Multitools are an extremely interesting and useful category of pocket human assistants. It is easy to see that people are often afraid of knives or afraid of the reaction of others to the fact that they will walk with a knife (according to the author, these phobias are one of the serious signs of the degradation of society). One way or another, but in this case, instead of a folding knife with one blade, you can carry a multitool with you, at least the simplest Victorinox, which has models even for children.
Multitools look much less aggressive and attract less attention from both others and law enforcement agencies. For example, in the same Israel, in which the super-tough legislation on knives, is quite loyal to the "Lazerman" and "Victorinox".
A quality folding knife is always more difficult than a non-folding knife, and a multitool is much more difficult to design and manufacture than a regular folding knife. Therefore, there are always fewer manufacturers of high-quality multi-tools than manufacturers of simple folding and non-folding knives.
And Victorinox and no one at all manages to move from the pedestal, despite the fact that the knives / multitool of this company lack modern technical solutions that have become widespread on single-bladed folding knives, for example:
- washers on the blade axis, which improve the smoothness of opening / closing the blade and tools;
- screws allowing for disassembly and maintenance;
- titanium / aluminum / steel / carbon handles - the subject of tuning Victorinox knives;
- high-quality knife steels, including powder ones, for blade and tools;
- one-handed opening - not available on most Victorinox models;
- reliable holders of blades and tools - almost always either absent or not too reliable;
- a clip for carrying on a pocket.
In general, there is something to work on, especially since there is a request for the use of the latest technologies in multitools.
It would be great if a knife company appeared in Russia that could compete with Victorinox at a higher technological level.
Unfortunately, this is unlikely, and the point is not only in technological capabilities - it will take building a global sales network, popularizing the brand, and this is extremely difficult, takes time and huge investments.
On the other hand, things like Victorinox knives, Zippo lighters or Maglite lanterns not only bring profit to owners and taxes in the country of production, but are also a kind of soft power, promoting the culture of the producing country or at least reminding of its existence. those who have never heard of it before.
Information