the.com/multitool
a Swiss army knife's American cousin, built to fix everything except your need to own one
means a compact handheld device combining several tools — pliers, blades, screwdrivers, and more — folded into a single pocket-sized gadget.
from A transparent English compound of "multi-" (from Latin multus, "many") and "tool" (from Old English tōl, an implement for working). The concept long predates the word — folding combination tools date back centuries — but "multitool" as a name rose with the modern foldable-pliers gadgets of the late 20th century, when brands like Leatherman turned the idea into a category.
- origin
- Leatherman founder spent years prototyping before 1983 launch
- rejection
- early makers called it 'a tool or a gadget?'
- core trick
- pliers fold from the handle, the genius pivot
- tool count
- some pack over 20 functions into one frame
- airport fate
- the most commonly confiscated forgotten item
leatherman wave — most popular multipurpose tool sold since 1992, carried by military and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide
victorinox swiss army knife — iconic 16-tool pocket knife made in switzerland since 1884, standard issue for various armies
gerber multi-plier 600 — tactical multitool with 13 tools, used by us military and law enforcement since 1997