Last year, the K-Smart Keychain multi-tool blasted past its fundraising goal of US$5,000 on Kickstarter to bring in a haul of $76,715. Now, the makers are back with an improved version of the tool, which looks set to rocket to success again.
While the new titanium multi-tool keeps the original's trademark quick-release keyring, it builds in a few improvements that the makers say were requested by the first round of users.
For starters, it's a little lighter, coming in at 26 g (0.9 oz) versus the 29.5 g (1 oz) of its predecessor. It also adds an additional hole for screwdriver bits and brings magnets onboard to hold those bits in place. As with the first round, bits need to be purchased separately. Finally, the curved end of the tool gets a small pointed nub that is meant to make it a more effective window breaker.
The rest of the multi-tool stays pretty much the same as before, holding on to its wrench slot, bottle opener, ruler, and nail puller. The business end of the tool holds a pry bar that can not only wedge open tricky cans, but it can double as a box cutter and can be used with a separately-purchased ferrocerium rod to produce sparks that can help light a fire.
The new tool also keeps what is perhaps its most novel feature: a slot for a vial of tritium, a radioactive compound that can glow for about 15 years, unless you break it and have to worry about what that could mean for your future. Like last time, tritium vials need to be purchased separately.
While you'd be forgiven for thinking that the improvements here might be nothing more than a maker trying to capitalize on a previously successful concept, if you don't already own the original K-Smart tool (previous campaign backers seemed truly happy with it) then jumping on this latest funding effort could lead you to multi-tool joy.
If, however, you have the original tool, the small changes may not really be enough to warrant shelling out any additional cash, especially considering that a pledge for this new tool will run you $55 versus last year's $45. Still, enough people seem interested that the campaign has already brought in over $13,500 with 30 days left to go – and that's on an ask of just $5,000.
If you do decide to pledge and all goes according to plan, the tools are estimated to ship in September 2023. While you should always be cautious when pledging your cash to a product that doesn't yet exist, backing makers who've already brought a product to market through Kickstarter – as is the case here – should be a safer bet.
Source: Kickstarter