NEWS – It seems like the vast majority of multi-tools include a knife as almost an afterthought. The Kershaw Select Fire flips that and makes the blade the main highlight of this EDC tool while including some extra functionality. The Kershaw Select Fire features a heat-hardened stainless steel blade, black glass-filled nylon scales, a fold-out 1/4 inch hex driver, 2 flathead bits, and 2 crosshead bits. And the best part is that you can add this useful multi-tool to your EDC collection for only $32.83 when you order one from Amazon.
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Cool and a good price point
I did really like that knife until with minimal use the bit mount twisted off. Your milage may vary. Still like Kershaw lots of good there.
Tim, that’s a real bummer. I wonder if there was a defect because I’ve heard that Kershaw is a very good brand. I wonder if they would replace it for you.
Very well could be.
Disappointing as Kershaw is a really good brand. I’ve had 3 of these fall apart on me.
Buy a Leatherman; you won’t look back!
No, buy a real functional multi-tool that doesn’t have 50 different types because Leatherman can’t make up their mind what strange combination of tools to combine. Buy a multi-tool that made up their mind, is guaranteed for life and is great looking. I refer, of course, to the original Swisstool by Victorinox. Mine is 31 years old and still works perfect.
The Victorinox Swisstool is nicely made, but a little fragile if you need it for agricultural or installation work. Agreed that Leatherman makes a multitude of different tools, but l select the one best suited for the day’s work.
I beg to disagree as I have used the Swisstool for 31 years for exactly the purposes you mention. It has never failed. I can open it one-handed, the locks work easily. It will cut heavy fence wire AND will cut spring steel. Try that with those flimsy Leathermans. 2 stories. I found a Leatherman at Goodwill but one of the plier tips was snapped off halfway down. I have used some pretty cheap pliers in my time but have never snapped a tip off. Also Leatherman locks are notoriously flimsy and overcomplicated. I used to work in returns at LL BEAN and the ratio of Leatherman to Swisstool returns was 50 to 1.
Plus the Swisstool has a tool even Victorinox didn’t realize because it would only work here in US. I refer to the “pry bar”. Unknown to Victorinox, (until I told them) it is the exact width of an Arrow T-50 staple- THE staple gun that every American handyperson alive has at least one of but you know how hard it is to remove the staple. Not with a Swisstool. It will even pull them unbroken from hardwood. When Victorinox came out with the new model, they took off the pry bar and replaced it with a totally useless pair of scissors. You have 7 cutting tools (and teeth )and you need tiny weak scissors- come on!! So I wrote Victorinox explaining this and now you can get the original with the pry bar and the “Spirit” with the useless scissors.
I have owned this knife for several years. My biggest complaint is the weight as it is heavy. Other than that it is a knife i keep in my EDC collections. At least when i am wearing belted pants.
Is there any that is just a knife and bit driver like this one?
I don’t need a bajillion other things.
Bill W.,
You put forth a compelling argument for the Vitrinox Swisstool over my favourites (the Leathermen). Perhaps l shall have to dig out the Vitrinox Swisstool someone gave me as a gift about 25 years ago that has sat in a desk drawer since. I’ll put aside my Leatherman Wave, strap on the Swisstool and do some farming with it.
Huzzah!!!!
Rational thinking returns. You won’t be sorry. If for nothing else, the Swisstool is so much better looking and feels good to the hand – a nicely finished precision tool vs a bag of ill assembled gimmicks AND Swisstool is guaranteed for life, L-man only 25 years.
Bill W, Are there other day to day gadgets you use and find extremely useful ?
Yes actually. I garden professionally for several customers so am always looking for efficient no-nonsense tools. The best trowels ever are Sneboer. These are made in the Netherlands, absolutely unbreakable and used to dig 90% of the flower bulbs raised there. Also, I took to carrying one of those folding utility blade knives. I thought they were silly at first but carry one at all times now and use it dozens of times a day. Cheap, has a replaceable blade available every where, super sharp and easy to re- sharpen. About 8 bucks for a great one at Walmart. Fiskars tools are mostly hype and junk but they make a pair of loppers with handles that extend about 18″. Absolute genius. Now you can cut brambles, burdock , poison oak and other unpleasant things without injury and at my height of 6’4″, I can prune fairly high without a pole saw. I saved the best til last. I have a pair of hand pruners (how do I add a picture?) . Made in China, they have 2″ long narrow pointy tips and look delicate but are incredibly sharp and easy to resharpen and will cut up to a 1/2″ branch. I paid $16 for them and have used them about a million times. You can recognize them as they have one white and one red handgrip and are held closed by a big attached re rubber band.
The only gardening related tools that l consider outstanding are:-
1. A 270mm long pruning saw by “JAWS” with exceptionally sharp teeth. I used to carry a bowsaw in my 4×4 vehicle in case a tree had fallen in front of the track, but this pruning saw is so much quicker.
2. A pair of “DualKut 2WP Australia” secatuers. They have an in-built ratchet system that cuts through very thick branches that the average Felcos baulk at.
Other unrelated gadgets worth mentioning are:-
3. An all-aluminium “FANTOM” wallet that doesn’t mind getting wet, is rugged, holds a dozen cards plus bank notes and receipts.
4. Samsung “Z Flip” mobile phone. It folds to half size of most other phones, which means it will slip into a button-down top shirt pocket; so can’t be lost or broken from sitting on.
5. Leatherman “Tread” wristband which l’ve added a “Zeppelin” watch to with custom-made brass connectors (wish we could add images to the Gadgeteer site).