I picked up the Victorinox Cybertool off the web the other day... I have to say I was pleasantly suprised by its durability. I had expected it to be a geek symbol more than a usable tool. Make sure to search around if you like it... I paid around $40 and I saw it listed for upwards of $100. Also there are three different sizes of the knife. Notice that the tools different to the large are completely non-cyber related.

I've had one of these for the last three years, wonderfully useful thing to have around. It is the only pen knife I have ever seen with a tool for tightening the hex bolts that hold serial and parellel ports secure ;-)

I used to have one until my bag got stolen

Okay. What's the swirly thing in the bottom right?

Small screwdriver that fits into the corkscrew bit

Weird.

I carry one of these on my keychain. I love it. Not as versatile as something like a swiss army, but it's the perfect size so i don't have yet ANOTHER thing on my belt or in my pocket. I find myself using it WAY more than i ever thought i would. I carry one of these for bigger cut jobs. =]

Yeah. The Cybertool is quite chunky still. It's not as bad as the really massive Swissarmy knives but I wouldn't really want it on my keychain.
The Leatherman looks interesting. I'll have to go see how much it costs in the UK...

Benchmade's are nice, I have a Spyderco Delica that I love, though.

I carry one 'em, too. I call it my "daily use tool." I know, not very catchy, but it's true. I'd be lost without it and it's not so big that it weighs down my pocket.

POP Quiz

What is the one just above the corkscrew?

What is the one just above the corkscrew?

That's the one for getting boy scouts out of horses' hooves.

It's for carrying parcels wrapped in string. It comes 90 degrees out of the main body, so you just hold the knife and hook the attachment around the string. Cool, eh?

Can't remember who told me that, but I'd wondered for ages... I suppose you could use it for very small zip lines too if you were sufficiently brave

Hugo

User groups suggest and argue parcel hook vs. crochet hook... Victorinox doesn't take a side.

The place that I bought mine say it's a "universal hook (also parcel carrier)"

There was some story awhile back about some guy that temporarily fixed a helicopter by using it to pull on one of the rotor linkages. The actual part had some how come loose and the hook on the knife was just the right length and size for him to manually tug it.

I'd always heard the story that it was to assist in tightening up your laces on your boots...

Hook where the laces cross, tighten, repeat.

In reply to:

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There was some story awhile back about some guy that temporarily fixed a helicopter by using it to pull on one of the rotor linkages.

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Unless he was stuck on the North Pole, I'm afraid it's urban legend. The fact that helis fly at all is a miracle - of all the heli pilots I know, none woud take off in one that wasn't signed off by a qualified machanic. And some of the heli pilots I know are pretty reckless...

I agree that it does sound very much like an urban legend. I've had a look for it and I can't find it.

which reminds me that "Mythbusters" is starting here on Discovery next week.
Complete with the 'Rocket on a Chevelle' etc etc.
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/about/about.html

User groups

User groups? User groups? USER GROUPS

There are user groups for pocket knives?

And people here think I'm nuts because I participate in a user group for my car stereo...

It truly is a strange, strange world.

BTW, my pocket knife has a single 2" blade, I got it at Sears, and I haven't yet found the need for a user group in order to maximize its usefulness.

tanstaafl.

Good thing empeg didn't make one or Tom would have to add another forum

Yeah, it would have retractable ethernet/usb cable, foldable remote control, beer opener, a hex tool to remove the face and a tracking device for the remote and the empeg in case of theft. Of course a knife in case you catch the thief...

Ahh the Emknife...

Sean in NC

I haven't yet found the need for a user group in order to maximize its usefulness.

Well then you are probably missing out on a lot of features and tricks... I wonder how extensive their FAQ is...