Tools you love, cant live without!

this has got me thinking about what the "ultimate" tool might be...
I searched the internet tirelessly and finally came across this. seemed a bit odd, but then I got to thinking...when something is acting up or glitching, what is the first thing we always do? yeah...hit it. so the hammer part of this tool makes perfect sense...

years back when I had my construction company, I had an employee named claude. claude used a hammer for everything...a 800# beam wasnt lining up with the flange holes...get a hammer. pull start was locked up on the generator...get the hammer. forklift wont start because of dead battery...get the hammer. oddly enough, he had about a 90% success rate.
so Claude...whatever unemployment line you are in right now...this is for you! :grinning:

hammertime.jpeg
 
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The issue with tools like this, it does it all but... kinda sucks at everything. Ill catch some grief for this but think Leatherman multi-tool. All around as something in your pocket or in a pinch, sure thing. Ultimately though they ride shotgun as a show off tool. Honestly, whoever uses those scissors, tweezers and especially the toothpick on the swiss army... I know where that things been. 51PP8hQnQRL.jpg
This would be awesome though
 
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Grantnr said:
The issue with tools like this, it does it all but... kinda sucks at everything. Ill catch some grief for this but think Leatherman multi-tool. All around as something in your pocket or in a pinch, sure thing. Ultimately though they ride shotgun as a show off tool. Honestly, whoever uses those scissors, tweezers and especially the toothpick on the swiss army... I know where that things been. View attachment 297042
This would be awesome though
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Naw. Use my Leatherman all the time. If I am home or have the dedicated tool, of course, that's first choice. If I'm out and about on a trail or camping, or by the side of the road, the Leatherman is better than being caught flat-footed. And makes a good second plyers as needed
 
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ThundahBeagle said:
Naw. Use my Leatherman all the time. If I am home or have the dedicated tool, of course, that's first choice. If I'm out and about on a trail or camping, or by the side of the road, the Leatherman is better than being caught flat-footed. And makes a good second plyers as needed
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Same. I carry the skeletool when I'm out camping or on the trail. Having a pocket screwdriver and pocket pliers ended up becoming more useful than I ever thought it would.
Find a lose screw? No problem.
Hose or exhaust clamp on the diesel heater? The solution is in my pocket.
Tangled and bound fishing reel? Grab the pocket pliers/pocket knife.

It also has a built in bottle opener for my beer.

Definitely doesn't beat having a real tool but for basic stuff, it's faster and easier than getting out a tool bag.
 
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My tools live right under my first aid kit lol. I know the Leatherman has its uses, just never found them myself. And im very truck mobile with day hikes potentially. Thats just a day pack and snacks, no tools required. I have a Leatherman wave.... somewhere... should put that in my ditch bag if it isn't already. Not knocking them, just not my go-to.
 
I carry a 1/2” breaker bar, an extension, and a handful of deep sockets in common lug nut sizes - ever since running across a Jeep in Canyonlands who had lost half its lug nuts and the others were on their way off.

I was able to jerry rig things to work for him, but having the right tools would’ve really helped.
 
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ive been using my different driver bits kit more and more lately. I even bought a set of the security bits, which are essentially torx bits with a special dimple in the center. seems that RV manufacturers are using a lot of different fasteners and a Phillips bit is no longer the primary type of fastener drive. I took apart a dehumidifier I had in the camper and it used different fasteners, so luckily I had my kit handy. The exterior trim on our camper uses torx and the security bits, so when the fasteners back out, I need the special bits to tighten them up. I went to repair something else the other day and it had the square drive fasteners. I made repairs on a fan motor and it used the security bits...looks like manufacturers don't want us to be able to repair things on our own. Probably some safety reasons involved, but some things are just obviously done to thwart our attempts at self repair. This kit has saved me a lot of money


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Grantnr said:
My tools live right under my first aid kit lol. I know the Leatherman has its uses, just never found them myself. And im very truck mobile with day hikes potentially. Thats just a day pack and snacks, no tools required. I have a Leatherman wave.... somewhere... should put that in my ditch bag if it isn't already. Not knocking them, just not my go-to.
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Well, I do know an address where you can send any and all unwanted Leathermans...get them out of your hair, you see
 
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Not to sound cliché but FLEXTAPE is an amazing invention. Popped coolant lines, radiators, brake lines, vacuum lines, it holds stuff that shouldnt move...You name it. Its a great semi-permanent fix to get back to civilization.

-Tom
 
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I miss the old days before microchips invaded the automobile. couple of wrenches, a multimeter, duct tape and bailing wire took care of most things. Now is seems a code reader, specialty sockets and a bag of random sensors is the new kit. And yes I do belong to the carry a letterman everyday club, the Wave with a ballistic sheath for every day and the old original one with the leather pouch I got back in 1985.
 
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OTH Overland said:
I miss the old days before microchips invaded the automobile. couple of wrenches, a multimeter, duct tape and bailing wire took care of most things. Now is seems a code reader, specialty sockets and a bag of random sensors is the new kit. And yes I do belong to the carry a letterman everyday club, the Wave with a ballistic sheath for every day and the old original one with the leather pouch I got back in 1985.
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Sure. My '77 z28 was much easier to work on. Even my GMT400 trucks. Those seem to be a sweet spot for me with some tech and still old school in many ways. Introduction of the serpentine belt, yet, most things solved with a socket set and a #2 Philips.

I do have to say, though, that shifting in and out of 4x4 on the fly with the clutch packs is kind of nice.

Hand onto that 1985 Leatherman and sheath. Those first few years, they didn't put a date code on em. The 90's I think is when they stamped manufacturing dates on the inside of the tool tub. If yours had no dates, it's a keeper.
 
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Doing some maintenance on my 2014 GMC L83 (v8, 5.3 liter) yesterday. Just over 243 thousand miles on her. I have to stand on the front tire, or get a step ladder and strain my back to get to the spark plugs...or I can jack up the truck, take the wheels and the fender skirts off and go in sideways. Even still, the "tops" of the plug wires attach underneath a plastic shroud that sits stop the valve covers and heads...at some point my wife - Lady Beagle - came out and told me to come inside because it was getting dark. I kept at it because, well, I had to do most of it by feel and not sight anyway.

I started on a headlamp and kept calm and wrenched on
 
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