Tools

Some multitools come to market as finely-tuned Ferraris with premium materials and precisely engineered edges, and others are more like go-karts that simply get you where you need to go, like the newly introduced 12-in-1 Kakmom.

Two years ago Reekon Tools introduced its M1 Caliber tool, which added digital measurement functionality to existing power saws. The company is now offering that same tech in a stand-alone tape measure, called the T1 Tomahawk.

Based on a design that was patented in 1891, the German-made Weltrekord was a 1950's ratchet screwdriver that has since become a collector's item. British tool manufacturer MetMo has reimagined it, using today's materials and production techniques.

Portland-based gearmaker The James Brand has introduced an updated version of its simple and stylish Ellis multitool, equipping the implement with new cutting capabilities and new carry options.

The new Gerber Dual-Force multitool features a folding-plier construction redesigned to better mimic dedicated pliers and deliver twice the force. Meanwhile, the center-axis driver gives all the screw-loosening torque of a standalone screwdriver.

Looking to offer a pocket knife that offers supreme grip and comfort, toolmaker The James Brand has turned to the world of rock climbing for inspiration, modeling the handle on holds you might find in a climbing gym.

Each year the makers of multi-tools continue to impress us with their creativity and sheer determination to squeeze utmost functionality into easily carried packages and 2021 was no exception. Let's take a look at the best of the bunch.

A typical do-it-yourselfer may end up buying a reciprocating saw, a circular saw and a small electric chainsaw. The Photonix Multi-Tool is designed to simplify things and save money, with a modular system that combines all three devices.

The time-honored utility knife with its retractible blade is an indispensable tool for many, and has undergone many iterations over the years. Aerocrafted has now put forward a particularly minimalist one with style and simplicity at its heart.

A new study is presenting archeological evidence of the oldest known bone tools used for making clothes. The tools, found in a cave in Morocco, suggest humans were skinning animals for fur to wear as clothes up to 120,000 years ago.

Wild cockatoos have been seen making sets of tools, each with their own design and purpose, and using them in a specific order to crack into fruit. This behavior places them in an exclusive club that previously only included humans and some primates.

The tried and true form factor of a utility knife is one many will be familiar with, but toolmaker ToughBuilt has just introduced one with a very handy trick up its sleeve, able to instantaneously turn into a scraper at the push of a button.