Editor’s Note: Just a heads up, Huckberry is offering the brand-new The Warrick multitool for a sizable discount this memorial day weekend.
When most people think of a multi-tool today – not the OG Roman-made version, you nerd – the image that pops into their mind is a device offering some combination of a knife blade and usually a screwdriver, at a minimum. And that’s not just coincidence.
The original “Swiss Army knife,” a term that now serves as shorthand in our vernacular for flexibility and adaptability, is part of why we think this way. That’s because, in the late 1800s, the Swiss Army needed folding knives for its soldiers, which included at least one other essential tool – a screwdriver – to assist with maintaining their service rifles.
Much later, Tim Leatherman (uh-huh, the tool name comes from his actual last name) wormed the notion deeper into our collective psyche with his creation of the Pocket Survival Tool in 1983. Though it was conceived originally as a “Boy Scout knife with pliers“, the “Boy Scout knife” portion of the tool naturally included, you guessed it – a screwdriver, among a handful of other functions.
This is all to say that it’s more than somewhat ironic now that everyday carry has reached a tipping point in its evolution where the screwdriver and pocket knife are now going their separate ways.
But from another perspective, it also makes total sense. Using the screwdrivers found on most multi-tools is often a great way to trigger a personal meltdown. Just consider this piece of damning evidence; Leatherman sells four different compatible attachments for its line multi-tool to help make the act of screwing and unscrewing stuff somewhat more manageable.
The Warrick from The James Brand takes a different route to solve this issue. It’s a keychain-sized dedicated screwdriver measuring 3.6″ L x 0.875″ W x 0.5″ D made from anodized aluminum that includes storage for up to four WIHA bits. Its so-called “Torque Drawer” design promises to create more torque for turning than other multi-tools.
The James Brand includes what it believes to be the four most common and useful WIHA bit heads with every purchase, including two Phillips Heads and slotted 6.5 and 4.5mm bits, but you can technically store any bits you want. It also ships with a lanyard.
