MULTI-TOOLS ARE PERFECT STOCKING STUFFERS.Byline: Steve Regenold Special to the Daily News There are fabled stories and epic survival tales built completely on the transpiration transpiration, in botany, the loss of water by evaporation in terrestrial plants. Some evaporation occurs directly through the exposed walls of surface cells, but the greatest amount takes place through the stomates, or intercellular spaces (see leaf). of a multi-tool in a time of dire need. Whether it's the climber high on a mountain who repaired his stove just before freezing or skiers who needed to jigger jigger: see chigoe. a binding back to life 14 miles from the car, the multi-tool has saved a legion of outdoor athletes from great misery or much worse. Here's a quick look at three new multi-tool models in case you're planning to upgrade or add a multi-tool to your gear arsenal. If you want the Cadillac of multi-tools, Leatherman's Charge Ti ($124, www.leathermancharge.com) might just be it - both from a price and performance standpoint. Admittedly vying to design the top-end product in the entire multi-tool category, Leatherman used premium materials like titanium, bronze and high-grade steel to create this half-pound beast of a tool. The Charge Ti includes two knife blades, a screwdriver with interchangeable bits, a saw, a diamond-coated file, needle-nose pliers Needle-nose pliers (also known as Long-nose pliers and Pinch Nose Pliers) are both cutting and gripping pliers used by electricians and other tradesmen to bend, re-position and cut wire. , wire cutters, wire strippers, scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends , can opener and an 8-inch ruler. The tool measures 4 inches when closed and feels absolutely solid in the hand. A step down in price, the stainless steel stainless steel: see steel. stainless steel Any of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10–30% chromium. The presence of chromium, together with low carbon content, gives remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit ($70, www.swissarmy.com) is still a fancy piece of equipment for the average camper. Manufactured by the makers of the original Swiss Army Knife, it has the requisite pliers pliers, n a tool of pincer design with jaws of varying shapes; used for holding, bending, stretching, contouring, and cutting. pliers, contouring, n , knife, screwdriver and bottle opener plus some extras like a scissors and a separate bit-socket wrench that fits alongside the tool in its nylon case. The SwissTool Spirit weighs about 7 ounces and is just over 4 inches long when closed. Victorinox includes a lifetime guarantee against defects in material and workmanship. Gerber took a separate path with its latest multi-tool. The Nautilus nautilus, in zoology nautilus, cephalopod mollusk belonging to the sole surviving genus (Nautilus) of a subclass that flourished 200 million years ago, known as the nautiloids. model ($60, www.gerbergear.com) eschews pliers for an integrated L.E.D. flashlight. The tiny, one-bulb light snaps open at the push of a button and has enough power to illuminate a dark trail at night. Other points of differentiation include soft, rubbery handles for a comfortable grip and a high-quality scissors. It's 4.4 inches long when shut, weighs 3.8 ounces and also includes more standard features like a stainless-steel blade, two screwdrivers and a bottle opener. |
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