Before I started carrying certain tools with me every day, I often found myself struggling to open a firmly sealed plastic box, a beer bottle without breaking the glass, unscrewing bolts and screws or even opening bottles of wine. I often ended up having to use less than ideal solutions such as pushing the cork into the bottle or tightening and loosening screws with keys, which would often damage both the keys and the screws.

Then, I discovered multitools and pocket knives, penknives or small folders with extra tools added. Turns out there is quite a few of those available. Some are truly pocket sized things with a selection of useful tools that you can choose from selecting different models. Others are a bit too much for me as they weigh more than a full-size knife and take up even more space.

And if you live in a country such as England, there is the legal issue as well. Many countries will have specific restrictions which will force you to choose tools with blades up to certain length (less than 3 inches in the case of the UK) or/and without a locking mechanism. Unless, of course, you have a valid explanation for having a different blade, and time to explain it in case you were stopped and searched.

I’m not gonna express my opinion on that. I’ll just say that this will definitely narrow your search when looking for an EDC in the UK or Hungary. Out of the ones I’ve come across so far, I like the Swiss Army Knife type tools such as my Victorinox Camper. I have other knives from Victorinox, but this one is just what I need most often. It’s not too big, not too heavy, UK legal carry, and has most things I tend to use at work, on a walk or even when shopping or having dinner with friends.

The good thing about those knives is that there are plenty of them with different tool combinations so you can get the one you find most useful. They may not be the cheapest on the market, but I’ve already tried cheaper brands with very similar tools. The quality just wasn’t there for me. Of course, you’ll still have to be sensible when using a tool of this size. Something this small will have its limitations, which I mention in the video.