The Leatherman Raptor Rescue Is A Fun New Take On The Multi-Tool. It Has All The Quality You Expect From Leatherman.
Not every multi-tool needs to look like a Swiss Army knife or be based around a set of pliers. The new Raptor Rescue from Leatherman is an exciting new take on the multi-tool.
The whole thing folds up and fits into an included holster. When open, it takes the shape of of a set of shears made from 420HC stainless. On one of the blades is a five centimeter ruler.
The rest of the six tools of the Raptor Rescue aren’t necessarily what you might expect. Instead of a screwdriver and knife blade there is a strap cutter and ring cutter. There’s also an oxygen tank wrench and a carbide glass breaker.
This tool was designed with input from EMTs and fire fighters and other rescue workers. The tool is meant to be used in high-intensity rescue situations rather than being an EDC type of piece. And in that vein, it is more than up to the task. Leatherman made a video you can see below that shows off everything the Raptor Rescue can do.
Smith & Wesson Makes More Than Just Firearms, And The Company’s New Multi-Tool Is Compact, Fun To Use, And Perfectly Utilitarian.
Sometimes smaller is better, and this new multi-tool from Smith & Wesson is a compact gem. At just over an ounce in total weight, the multi-tool is full of features.
For starters, there’s a full folding drop point blade in here. Yes, there’s a proper EDC-style blade tucked into this tiny tool, and it’s two inches in length. The butt features a bottle opener with a lanyard hole, perfect to put on a keychain or on a chain to turn it into a neck knife. In the middle of the construction there’s a trio of holes designed for hex screws of varying sizes.
Sure, there’s no showcase pair of pliers or wrench here but there doesn’t need to be. This tool is elegant in its simplicity. The folding blade and bottle opener combination alone makes this a must-have for most anyone, and the hex screw holes are just icing on the cake.
Tool Specs
Overall Length: 5.5 inches
Blade Length: 2 inches
Blade Material: Stainless Steel
Weight: 1.28 inches
Handle Material: Stainless Steel
Features: Drop Point Blade, Bottle Opener, Lanyard Hole, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm Hex Screw Holes
The Center-Drive Rescue Is An Exciting, New Multi-Tool From Gerber. With 14 Tools, the CDR Is As Feature-Packed As It Gets.
Fun new toys should truly be fun, and the new Center-Drive Rescue from Gerber is as exciting as it gets for a multi-tool today. The CDR is packed tight with 14 tools ranging from a set of spring-loaded needlenose pliers to a file. One of the showpiece tools is the screwdriver with more than a dozen magnetic bits included when you buy the CDR.
There’s an included sheath as part of the package, and you can choose which one is best for you. You have the choice of a MOLLE-compatible sheath or a Berry-compliant sheath so you’ll be able to customize the CDR to fit your needs.
If there is a knock on the CDR it’s that it has been designed solely for the jobsite or campground. While many other multi-tools feature tools meant for the home like a nail file, tweezers, or toothpick, the CDR has been packed with tools to help you get your job done faster.
Overall, this is a well-constructed multi-tool that can take a beating and be your trusty sidekick for decades to come.
Other Tools: Awl, File, Spring-Loaded Needlenose Pliers With X-Channel Rail System, Magnetic 3.2-inch Center-Axis Bit Driver, Pry Bar With Nail Puller & Bottle Opener, Magnetic Flathead & Phillips Bits, Bit Set
New Limited Edition Swiss Army Knife Comes As A Result Of A Collaboration Between Off-White And Victorinox.
The Italian-based premium lifestyle brand Off-White has collaborated with venerable Swiss knifemaker Victorinox to make a Swiss Army knife for the brand’s Equipment project done with Korean brand Post Archive Faction.
The knife is gorgeous thanks to the white Corian scales with black silhouettes of the tools included in the knife. The Corian material is a composite of acrylic and a mix of natural materials, the majority of which are derived from bauxite. The piece is modeled after the story of Adam and Eve, and the silhouettes of the tools can be positioned to look like the collaboration’s design motif which is a fig leaf.
The knife itself is a gem, and only 3,000 are being made. There are both small and large blades, two sizes of screwdriver, and a bottle opener among many other tools you’d expect to see on a SAK of this size.
The whole construction is just 2.9 ounces in weight, and it is packed with features big and small. However, get ready to pay big for this knife due to its small production run.
Off-White ℅ Victorinox Knife Specs
Length: 3.7 inches
Height: .7 inches
Width: 1.6 inches
Weight: 2.9 ounces
Tools: Reamer, punch, and sewing awl, corkscrew, bottle opener, wood saw, large blade, 6mm screwdriver, can opener, wire stripper, 3mm screwdriver, small blade, key ring
Is The Versa Rescue Knife As Good As Advertised Or Does It Come Up Short Even With All The Extra Features?
When he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, Jason Hanson came across tool needs the average knife did not fulfill. Enter the Versa rescue knife.
Besides the blade having two distinct edges—one short and flat, the other recurved and serrated—the tip is flattened for a screwdriver. When you close the knife, a glass breaker sticks out the front of the handle.
On the butt is a mini pry bar and a webbing/line cutter. Yes sir, there are lots of things going on with this rescue tool. However, I’m mostly concerned with testing the Versa’s cutting capabilities, so here goes.
Testing The Versa Rescue Knife
Via a push cut, the flat edge zipped through the paper smooth and clean, though it was somewhat challenging to use the flat front edge of the blade to start the cut.
Slicing 20-pound bond copy paper was first on the list. Via a push cut, the flat edge zipped through the paper smooth and clean. It was somewhat challenging to use the flat front edge of the blade to start the cut.
Onto the serrated edge, the paper tore sometimes depending on whether I started with the tips of the serrations or the bottoms during push cuts. The serrations did better used in a slight forward motion, giving cleaner cuts.
From there, the knife easily dispatched double-walled cardboard. With only a slight twisting of the blade, the serrated portion cut aggressively through the medium. Likewise, the flat edge sliced effortlessly and was very controllable, providing nice, even cuts.
The flat edge cut smooth through six-ounce leather, producing a bit of a crunching sound. It was very easy to control the cuts. The aggressiveness of the serrations really went to work on the leather, emitting loud crunching noises as it bit deep—and without need of a sawing motion at that.
To test the webbing/cord cutter, I used 550 cord. With one end of the cord locked in a vise, I held the loose end and pulled the cutter through the material. The cutter worked great with no resistance, severing the ends of the cord clean.
Carrying The Versa
Even though the glass breaker works, the author didn’t like it poking him in the hand each time he grabbed the knife.
I carried the Versa for a week to see how it rode in my pocket. It’s a bit on the heavy side for my taste. The pocket clip held the knife secure with no side-to-side movement while I climbed a tree.
Even though the glass breaker works—I’ve used the type before—I didn’t like it poking me in the hand each time I grabbed the closed knife. Clipped in your pocket, it will also poke your hip when you’re wearing shorts and sit down. The concept behind the glass breaker is sound and useful, but it suffers from the same poking problem as on all the similarly equipped knives I’ve tested.
On the other hand, the pry bar rode great without sticking me in the leg. The handle design is very comfortable and the rubber inserts are perfect for a non-slip grip—a great using design.
Versa Rescue Knife: Final Thoughts
I would reduce the Versa’s weight for pocket carry and design a glass breaker that doesn’t poke the user. (Editor’s note: Also, the flipper/blade action is sluggish and needs work to make the knife open easier and smoother).
I would carry the Versa in a pouch or stashed in my vehicle. It works/functions great.
