The Pliers

It's widely known that humans aren't the only species that use tools (Joshua Klein's TED talk about crows using tools, and there's always cute sea otters breaking shells open with rocks, amongst a slew of others). However, we certainly have the coolest ones. And with that said, this is my first of many entries showcasing a tool.

While searching for some pliers for electrical work, I came across a few companies out there - Wiha, Knipex, Klein, and Channellock, to name a few. These all are great products, however I ended up picking up a set of Knipex precision electrical pliers. But you can't go wrong with any of the above.



They're made in Germany, and are as fine of a hand tool as you can purchase. Although they're a little on the pricey side, my mentality when buying tools (especially hand tools) is that, unless I lose it, this is the LAST one I'll ever need to buy. And, heck, I like things that are made in Germany.

I also went with the ESD version, which means you're protected against electrostatic buildup which electrical components can have... although I wouldn't recommend futzing with electrical components unless you know what you're doing!

I purchased mine from ChadsToolBox.com - they seemed to have the best prices and an a good selection too. They had to ship from Germany first, but considering these should last me a lifetime, I was ok with the wait.

Good luck, and happy... pinching?

The pocket knife.

There are two things that I EDC (which stands for Every Day Carry) besides my keys, wallet and phone: a flashlight and a pocket knife.

The flashlight writeup will come sometime down the road, but here's my pocket knife. (I felt a little weird taking a picture of a knife, so I just took a picture of it clipped to my pocket):



It's a Benchmade Mini Griptilian - an incredibly sturdy and tough knife. It's big enough to get a good grip on it, but small enough to fit in your pocket and not really feel it. It stays clipped inside my pocket, as shown, every single day of the year. The clip has takin' a beating, but that's what I like to call "character marks".

I admit that I mostly use it to open and break-down boxes at work, but it also comes in handy surprisingly often, in a variety of situations - mostly other people asking to borrow it! (same goes with a flashlight - they think it's goofy I carry one, but the same person usually will ask to borrow it to look under their desk the very next day).

Benchmade knives are mostly Made in USA, although some are imported. They have several product classes (coded by color), which correspond to price, materials, build quality, and country of origin. The Mini Griptilian belongs to the Blue Class, which are Made in USA. Their website says if a knife is made in the US or not, so check there before buying! (although go elsewhere to purchase it for much less!)

The Mini-Grip can be had for $56 from New Graham Knives - I recommend getting the ComboEdge version, which has a serrated portion of the blade, for cutting rope, twine, and other materials that benefit from such a cut. New Graham is a great company - awesome customer service, follow-up, and will most certainly help you find a knife to your likings.

Good luck, be safe, and check your state and city's knife laws before you start EDC'ing a pocket knife.