Awesome Tools

Wherever your travels might take you, it’s good to know that you won’t need to buy batteries for your flashlight. There are lots of great flashlights you can juice up with the same USB charger you use for your phone. Everyday Carry shares 13 great rechargeable flashlights in a variety of sizes and styles for you to choose from.

Paul Jackman often makes things from reclaimed pallet wood. This time, he used the wood to craft 100 screwdrivers for his sponsor ISOTunes. He first milled the pieces down into sticks, cut and milled them into hexagons, then shaped them into their final form on a lathe. He also put a hidden compartment into each handle.

Given how soft copper is, it seems like an unlikely material for a sledgehammer. But it sure looks pretty, so that’s probably why Robinson Foundry decided to make one out of the eye-catching metal. To fabricate it, he first created a 3D-printed form for a sand mold, then filled it with molten copper and machined its final shape.

This 14-in-1 tool makes a great campsite and backpack companion. Its main feature is a solid stainless steel hatchet for chopping firewood. It’s also got a saw, a knife, a file, a fire starter, screwdrivers, wrenches, an emergency whistle, a can opener, and a fish scaler. And when you’re ready for a break, it pops bottle caps.

Woodworkers and carpenters, here’s a great addition to your toolbox. These multi-purpose tools include gauges for 8:1 and 6:1 dovetail joints, a saddle square, and a sliding and locking T-bevel blade for transferring and marking angles. The rear of its blade has a notch for marking with a pencil or an awl. Available in two sizes.

The one indispensable tool in every pocket, backpack, or gear kit is a quality folding knife. Everyday Carry put together an excellent buying guide with 21 great pocket knives, from traditional wood-handled models to modern, carbon fiber designs. There’s a knife for everyone, with prices ranging from $10 to $310.

Pit Command’s carbon steel fire tools are designed to help keep outdoor fires going. The three-in-one axes combine a chopping head for splitting burning wood, a serrated hook for rolling logs, and a poker for moving wood around. The 26″ long Ranger is for medium fire pits, while the 30″ long Commander helps with larger fires.

This 10-in-1 utility tool is a great gift for boaters. Its functions include a square drain plug wrench, survival whistle, gas cap key, flip-top gas cap crank, flat-top drain plug tool, canvas snap opener, a fishing line cutter, deck plate tool, and more. It also works as a bottle opener and wine corkscrew.

Keter’s workbench folds up small enough to hide behind your couch, but is incredibly useful. Its work surface has built-in slots for holding its removable clamps, and is made from heavy duty resin. When opened, its lower section offers shelves for small tools and accessories. Includes two 12″ clamps.

Despite its minimal looks, this flat bar of machined grade-5 titanium can be very useful. Its tip can be used as a pry bar, while its side functions as a sharp cutting tool. Its handle comes wrapped with paracord, which can be unwound and used in an emergency. Measures appx. 7.9″ long.

Keep your grill grates clean with this pocket-size scraper tool from Kunifu. Skip the sharp and potentially dangerous wire bristles, and use this instead. The tool has V-shaped, square, and rounded grooves, spaced to fit a wide variety of grills. It’s made from stainless steel and washes off easily with dish soap or in the dishwasher.

This 16-in-1 tool is a great addition to any bike bag, and is good for quick repairs on the go. It packs hex-head wrenches, a spoke wrench, rulers, and more. It’s also got a bit driver and comes with hex, flat, and Phillips driver bits. It’s made from chromium vanadium steel for durability and strength.

Measuring just 3.24″ long, Nitecore’s T4K flashlight is small enough to put in the palm of your hand, but it can blast out a blinding 4000-lumen beam in short bursts. It has four CREE XP-L2 V6 LEDs, and can cast a beam up to 685 feet. Its 1000mAh Li-on battery can power a 200-lumen beam for 2 hr 45 min or a 65-lumen beam for 7 hr.

The cute-as-a-bug Mini Bugout is an everyday carry pocket knife small enough to pack inside an Altoids tin. Scaled down to a closed length of 3.7” and weighing in at just 1.5 ounces, Benchmade’s baby is made of CPM-S30V blade steel with a Grivory handle, making it tough enough for adventures big and small.

The 30° Ruler now comes in solid brass. Like its aluminum brother, it offers a sloped shape for easy reading and laser-accurate tick marks. Each one comes with inch and centimeter marks on opposite sides. Available in three sizes: 6 in/15 cm, 8 in/20 cm, and 12 in/30 cm.

While the primary purpose of KeySmart’s pocket tool is to open doors and push buttons without touching them with your hands, it also doubles as a touchscreen stylus and a bottle opener. It’s made from brass and stainless steel and has a spring-loaded retractable tip.

This miniscule titanium knife from EDCFORYOU makes a great addition to a keychain or pendant. The pinky-sized knife offers a scalpel-style stainless steel blade that folds safely inside its skeletonized titanium frame. It measures 2.4″ long when open and just 1.4″ long when closed.

You’ll never have to worry about breaking the teeth on this sturdy, compact comb made from TC4 titanium alloy. It works for head or beard hair, has rounded, polished teeth to prevent snags, and has a keyring attachment.

Always be prepared (to eat) with this durable lightweight camping utensil, which combines a fork, spook, and knife in one. The fork has a serrated edge, while the spoon on back has a flat tip, making it perfect for digging out melons, ice cream, or other scoopy stuff.

This elegant drawing tool deserves a place on your desktop, not hidden away in a drawer. The brass and steel tool adjusts to create and measure circles from 3 to 70 mm in diameter and includes a walnut insert for centering. We also love their brass Stria folding ruler. (Thanks Richard!)

Grypmat’s strong, yet flexible trays are made from a material that won’t slip, keeping hand tools and hardware in reach while working on projects. Their high-contrast colors make it easy to spot items too. Their Professional series also resists chemicals, has built-in measurements, and a hook-and-loop storage system.

This miniature screwdriver is small enough to fit into cramped spaces, and comes with seven precision-machined bits to handle a variety of assembly and disassembly tasks. It includes P00, P0, 2mm slot, 3mm slot, T5, T6, and T8 bits. Picquic also sells a 3-tool set with two larger multi-drivers.

This unique folding knife might be called the Grouper, but it looks like a chameleon sitting on a branch to us. It opens and closes using ball-bearing pivots, and its titanium frame has smooth, chamfered edges. In addition to its replaceable utility blade, it has a built-in carabiner clip and a glass breaker point.