Review: Credit Card Tools

I was thinking about my upcoming fact-finding trip to New Zealand for work next week, and the ever present risk of my EDC setting off the metal detectors, potential porno-scanner, eagle-eyed Customs Officers, and PsyCorps Kirlian Photography(just kidding) that we are likely to see at airports these days. I usually have to go through my bags and harness pretty well before visiting airports, better safe than sore-assed, I say. It does bug me that the times when I might just need a bunch of my kit, say, waking up on the side of a smoking mountain after an unscheduled stop.

Two of those items are these little pretties. These credit-card sized metal tools have a lot of analogues, as my fellow blogger Ninja Space Monkey has commented on and I thought I would cover the two that I have in my EDC. The first I've had in my wallet for many years. It features a can-opener, and circular cutting edge, a wide flat-head driver, and a narrow, flathead which can also drive Phillips head screws. On two edges are metric and imperial rulers, and a set of nut drivers, listed as 7-13 and 9/32-1/2 as well as a nail file. I've probably used the file more than anything, although, the occasional loose nut has been tightened.



This one came in a goodie-bag at a festival that someone who loves me went to, and brought back for me. It appears to be a knock-off of a Best Glide ASE tool but could just be re-badged for promotional purposes. Either way, its jam-packed with features, including a knife, a rather wicked saw blade, a can opener, a bottle top opener, a flathead driver, slot for various size wrenches, a butterfly screw driver, a bearing plate for a button compass as well as a ruler and lanyard hole. It's a thicker tool than the wallet-one, and smaller overall. It came with a protective case, which given how bitey the saw is, is warranted. It lives in my messenger bag and hasn't actually been put to use, but was impressive and petite enough to lug around every day.

For the urban prepared, this kind of gadget can be quite a force multiplier and problem solver. Perhaps not life-saving or horde defeating, but there are times when they can be very very useful, especially when no one else has tools on hand. If this kind of thing appeals, and you'd like to add some mass to your wallet, have a look at Touch Of Ginger, who I found via Ninja Space Monkeys' page as well. Fun wallet-toys.