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Confession: I’m not a big fan of multi-tools
I appreciate their utility and the options they provide, but I never end up carrying them.
By: Tim Stetzer
I have one in my car, in my range bag, and in my patrol bag at work, but you’ll probably never find me carrying one. I generally prefer a dedicated pocketknife to the blade on a multi-tool, so I end up just carrying a knife.
Other Options
If you have something like the James Brand Ellis (see Knives Illustrated Sept/Oct 2019 issue), you get your knife and some extra tools too, which works out. But, if you’re carrying a basic single blade folder or a fixed blade, you’re out of luck. Sure, you can use your knife as a screwdriver or pry bar in a pinch. But it’s going to end up being the most expensive screwdriver you ever used, especially when it breaks doing a job for which it wasn’t intended. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have something affordable, and designed for the job, but that was still easy to carry?
Enter the Griffin Pocket Tool
The Griffin Pocket Tool packs 11 different tools into a simple, rugged design. The standard and large models are seen here in stainless steel.
The Griffin comes in 3 sizes and packs a lot of function into a trim, lightweight package. It will stand up to abuse and be easy on your wallet. Need to pry, screw, scrape, open, or turn? The Griffin has you covered, and you don’t need to worry about screwing up your knife doing things you shouldn’t be doing. It may not have pliers, but short of that, it’ll do all the dirty jobs that a multi-tool can, and in a much trimmer package.
What’s in the Package?
It’s a one-piece stainless steel design, so it’s extremely rugged. It also has a limited lifetime warranty. If you want other options, the Griffin is also available in titanium, brass, and copper. Aside from the unique look of those materials, they have the added advantage of being nonferrous, in case you work in an environment where sparks might be an issue.
Incredibly handy, and easy to carry.
Despite its small size, the Pocket Tool incorporates 11 tools, including a pocket clip, a bottle opener, a non-bladed box opener, a flat head screwdriver, a scoring tool, a bit holder and a prying tool. I also has 4 wrenches scaled from 4-7 millimeters.
The Griffin Pocket Tool is TSA-compliant and ranges from $30-70 dollars depending on the size of the tool and the material used. Griffin offers military and EMS discounts and has custom printing options, too, if you want something more unique. Check them out if you don’t want to beat your knife up on grubby chores, but still want to keep your EDC loadout trim and light.