{"id":41683,"date":"2023-12-04T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=41683"},"modified":"2023-11-28T16:16:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T23:16:56","slug":"everyday-carry-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/everyday-carry-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyday Carry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once a week we\u2019ll send out a page from Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities. The tools might be outdated or obsolete, and the links to them may or may not work. We present these vintage recommendations as is because\u00a0the possibilities they inspire are new.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>\u00a0to get Tools for Possibilities a week early in your inbox.<\/em><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A knife that will get through security<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Utili-Key<\/a> (Similar)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several nerdy friends of mine who feel naked without their pocket knife have independently discovered that this handy mini-knife disguised as a key will both work in a pinch and \u2014 shhhhhh! \u2013pass through airport security checks unnoticed. Here is a way to travel with a knife at the ready. Just bury them with your keys in your bag when you go through the machine!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve had one, and when I bring my keys I have no trouble getting through security on international and domestic flights. I was surprised to find the other little gizmos incorporated into this miniature thing \u2014 particularly the Philips screwdriver \u2014 are just as useful. The edge of the knife is only an inch long but it is very sharp. (In theory, this blade is now legal on flights in the US.) \u2014 KK<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Key-ring multi-tool<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Swiss Tech Micro-Plus 8-In-1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This 1.6 oz. tool, manufactured by the makers of the Utili-Key, can fit on a key chain or in a coin purse, which is where I keep mine. I most often use it for tightening cutter\/stripper, sheet shear and rule markings (bonus!) are all unbelievably useful at the frequent odd moments you need the right tool which is anywhere but near (particularly the pliers). I have yet to try to go through airport security with it, but the TSA says pliers\/screwdrivers and “tools” less than 7 inches can be carried on. \u2014 Dale Simpson<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bargain pocket knife<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Snap Blade Knife<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve gotten more recommendations for a particular pocket knife than any other tool. Knives are the original tool; everyone has one, and after 10,000 years there\u2019s endless variety. They are intensely personal, too. I\u2019ve seen and tried many of the suggested knives I\u2019ve received, and I\u2019ve published a few of the more well-proven ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, after many trials, here is the one I actually carry: it\u2019s a dollar plastic box cutter. There is no knife lighter weight, none cheaper, few as sharp, and not very many as quick. I can open it one handed in less than a second from the moment I reach for it. It is as fast as a sheath knife. Keeping its edge a razor is as easy as nicking off the tip. This plastic snap blade is as thin as a pen and so light that I carry in my pants pocket without even knowing it is there; no special holster needed, and it won\u2019t wear the pocket out. It\u2019s cheap enough that I hide one in all the clothes I ordinarily wear. I\u2019m not afraid to lose it, and yes, I keep it away from airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cheaper the version of the box cutter the better. You don\u2019t want rugged metal ones, like those offered by respectable tool companies; they are bigger, heavier, costlier and no better. What you want is a cheap all-plastic made-in-China throw-away that should cost about a buck. Mine are day-glo orange for easy retrieval if I lay one down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other than it being butt-ugly I can\u2019t think of why I would want one fancier. I use this one at least 5 times a day, and its quick handiness gives me pleasure each time. \u2014 KK<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wallet-size multi-tool<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Credit Card Survival Tool<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have two friends who\u2019ve been carrying these slim, multi-tools for a few years now and swear by them. I\u2019ve only used the mini-screwdriver and bottle opener, but those functions alone seem worth it. It\u2019s stainless steel and will add some weight to your load, but no more than the average metal beverage pop-top. Why junk up your keychain when you can slip another \u201ccard\u201d into your wallet? Added bonus: can opener, straight edge, knife edge, et al. \u2014 Steven Leckart<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cheap, disposable blades<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Derma-Safe Folding Utility Knife<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A modern replacement for the classic pen knife, this pocketknife has a thin, 1.5-inch, razor-sharp blade that cuts boxes, cord, tape and tough plastic wrap without effort. Half the charm is its disposability: It costs about as much as a can of soda, so if you get to the airport and have forgotten it\u2019s in your pocket, ditching it is trauma-free. I\u2019ve found the handle grip to be excellent. The slipjoint blade stays in position open or closed. The slim, short design packs a lot of cutting power into a package with about half the volume of a pack of gum. A functional design with aesthetics worthy of MOMA. Derma-Safe also produce a hacksaw version they say will cut through metal as well as wood, which I\u2019ve not tried. \u2014 Jonathan Coupe<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Keychain cash stash<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cash Can<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cash Can is a small brass tube just big enough for a rolled-up bill. The tube can\u2019t be opened unless you remove it from your key ring. It\u2019s as easy to remove from the keyring as your keys are. It\u2019s also unobtrusive \u2014 the whole thing is shorter than most of my keys. Even though I live in a city with an ATM on every block, I\u2019m big on always having a spare $20 bill at hand. I\u2019ve usually got one stashed in my car and another in my gear bag, and a third tucked into my wallet. The advantages of the Cash Can are its workmanship and stealthiness \u2014 unless they read this review, few people are going to know what\u2019s inside the brass tube. It just looks like a key fob. Plus, if I lose my wallet, at least I\u2019ve got the cash attached to my keys. \u2014 Mike Everett-Lane<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tools for Possibilities: issue no. 63<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13684,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[2387],"tags":[2388],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41683"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13684"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41683"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41685,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41683\/revisions\/41685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}