In my first issue, I wanted to discuss the humble Swiss Army Knife (SAK), in particular the Classic SD keychain.  I know this is a ubiquitous tool, but I think it’s important to start with the smallest – most often used – tool that I own.  I think it embodies my ethos of starting small and building — across all facets of life — whether it’s acquiring a new skill, strength training, or packing for an adventure.

I always had a soft-spot for SAK’s and modifications, ever since I epoxied two together to create a “super tool,” as a teen. As a middle-aged man today, my carry has evolved a bit. These days, I value minimalism with maximum impact — getting the most out of the least amount of shit.

Small is (sometimes) better

People always say that “the best knife is the one with you,” this couldn’t be more true than the highly pocketable Classic SD.  This particular Classic was from my wife’s company Christmas party a decade ago and has been on my keys ever since.  I’ve updated it with titanium scales from eBay that gives it more girth and grip for executing tasks.  

I’ve also attached a peanut-LED light from County Comm / Maratac (discontinued) and a brass quick disconnect. Together, the combination of small multi-tool linked to a light, covers the majority of life inconveniences.

With the light and the SAK I’m able to take on most light duty tasks – trimming nose hairs/loose threads/tags, prying apart my kids’ Lego bricks, scraping gunk, and cutting open packages.  The light of course comes in handy as a back up light, if my trifecta (main knife, light, and pry) isn’t near by. The light has two-stage brightness that adjusts with a turn of the tail cap; moonlight mode comes in handy if you want to conserve batteries while providing a soft flood.

Flashlights are superior to phone-lights, since you can better position them on a surface or hold it in your mouth when hands-free is required. In a lot of ways, the bundle is a scaled down version of the trifecta that’s always on your person, due to its nano form factor.

What’s in my pants?

I sometimes refer to this as my “sweatpants” carry – I found myself wearing sweatpants frequently during Covid – and this was my main EDC during those trying times. I would disconnect the bundle from my keys and keep it in my sweatpants for quick tasks around the house (if you haven’t used quick releases in the past, I highly recommend it).  Quick-releases make the toolset easier to hold and manipulate a workpiece, since you’re not jumbling a bundle of keys. One addition I also recommend adding is some type of ball-chain to put distance between the light and tool — I used the titanium version from County Comm, because c’mon, titanium! One annoying feature about SAK’s, is the placement of the key loop by the base of the knife/pry, which can make whatever you’re attaching to the SAK, cumbersome to handle if there’s zero-clearance. I found it easier to fully grip the tool when the light can be moved out of the way with a bit of slack.

This foundational toolset is what I carry on my person most days and is the core of which I build my carry around. Even if I’m running out of the house for light errands, I’d at least have this attached to my keys for situations that may arise. Since my carry is modular and day-specific, I will scale my carry depending on my daily requirements — backpack, tool roll, sling, belt holster, or just pocket carry — but this nano-carry is always the first thing in, because sometimes that’s all you really need, and you know it.

Tip of the Week:  Here’s a Youtube clip I found that shows 10 functions for the Classic SD – which showcases how mighty this small tool is.

Carry News

MagCoin Light

Staying on-topic with small tools/lights, I thought this MagCoin light on Kickstarter is pretty neat. I’m not sure if it’s gimmicky, but they were definitely thinking outside of the box, which I appreciate. The small coin-sized form factor is highly pocketable, but the real party trick is the magnetic base/clip. You can have the clip mounted to your watch strap / cap bill and the light can rotate 360^o around the base. Being magnetic, the light can also attach to any metal surface for hands-free operation. Check it!

Leatherman Micra - New Colorways

This has been floating around the interwebz over the last couple weeks, but thought it was appropriate for this week’s topic. In terms of micro tools with the best scissors, many would argue that the Leatherman Micra reigns supreme. I’d definitely pocket one of these in the future. If you’re more scissor-focused with your needs, this is something worth checking out — now in hella fresh colors.

Dump of the Week

I’m really digging this focused carry by TractorNinja on Reddit

• North American Arms .22 w/ folding handle

• Pichi Crowbar/wrench

• Knipex Pliers

• Olitans folding scalpel

• Oknife Otacle screwdriver

"The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail." - Charles R. Swindoll