You probably have a bottle opener at home, one in your multi-tool, and maybe even a one on your keychain. But can your bottle opener tear the cap off your beer like an animal? The Yeti Tarpon Beverage Entry Tool features a twist-off wrench, church key opener, and a can tab pryer.

The Yeti BET is made from forged stainless steel and is priced at $6.99 plus $0.50 shipping.

Buy Now(via Yeti)

Due to its size, the Yeti bottle opener is probably better suited for stashing in a cooler than your pocket.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Casio G-Shock watches, and if not, you have probably at least seen them in person or in movies. These watches are claimed to be nearly indestructible and are often considered to be the toughest and most resilient watches on the market.

G-Shock watches are shock-resistant, waterproof, and there’s an almost dizzying variety of  features. Prices range from $40 to you spent how much?! on a digital watch.

A lot of people consider G-Shocks to be the best sports and EDC watches available at affordable prices, but are they as well suited for jobsite use as well? What are your thoughts?

Browse or Buy Now via Amazon
More Info via G-Shock

I bought my first G-Shock almost 12 years ago, but misplaced it when its battery died maybe 4-5 years later. I’m set to purchase a Mudman in a couple of days, but if anyone can suggest something better for the $$, I’m all ears!

New Becker Knives (USA-Made)

• Becker Machax
• Becker BK15 Short Trailing Point Knife
• Becker BK16 Short Drop Point Knife
• Becker BK 17 Short Clip Point Knife

The Machax measures 14-11/16″ overall with a 9-3/8″ blade, and looks to be quite appropriately named. It is roughly shaped like a machete, but with a handy axe-like-profile at the tip of the blade. MSRP is $135.67, although street pricing is expected to be considerably less.

The short knives, which might sometimes be described as tweener knives, are slightly scaled-down versions of larger Becker knifes. The BK15 resembles the BK5 Magnum Camp Knife, the BK16 the BK2 Companion Knife, and the BK17 the BK7 Combat Utility Knife. These new short versions look to save on size and weight, making them even more appealing for outdoors utility and tactical carrying.

Each Becker Short knife features a 1095 Cro-Van steel blade and is bundled with a MOLLE compatible sheath and extra set of brown Zytel handle scales. ETA is April 1st, 2012, and MSRP is $107.49. Again, expect for street pricing to be substantially lower.

I for one am a bit excited about the Becker BK16 Short drop-point knife. I purchased a BK2 Becker Companion knife a couple of weeks ago, and while I am greatly impressed with its quality, it’s a bit too much for my needs.

New Ka-Bar Zombie Knives

• Zombie Chop Stick Machete
• Zombie Mule Folder

The new Zombie Chop Stick Machete is 14-5/8″ overall with a 8″ blade, and comes with a black nylon sheath and extra set of handle scales. It should be available now, with an MSRP of $79.41.

The Mule folder is a carryover from the Ka-Bar line and is now offered with the Zombie-green handle. Straight and serrated edge versions will be available March 1st, 2012, and MSRP is $69.96.

Ka-Bar Combat Kukri

The USA-made Kukri is 13-3/8″ overall and has an 8-1/2″ blade. ETA is April 1st, 2012, and MSRP is $113.36.

Additional Ka-Bar and Zombie additions and upgrades are planned for 2012. Thus far upgrades of the Ka-Bar K2 folding knives have also been announced.

Expect to see these knives via your favorite Becker and Ka-Bar dealers.

Ka-Bar and Becker Knives via Amazon

Cardstick stickers are 3-inches long and can turn an ordinary credit card into a small ruler. They’re waterproof, weatherproof, durable and made from very thin vinyl material so that they don’t affect card readers. Each sticker has both inch and centimeter markings.

A set of 3 rulers in clear, yellow and white, are available for about $3.50.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Do you know what would be even easier? Printed or etched measurement cards, which probably already exist in the form of a home improvement center gift card or similar. Still, these stickers attach to any card already in your wallet, avoiding the need to slip an extra card in there.

We received word that Craftsman is coming out with a new C3 cordless 3/8″ impact wrench. The impact is powered by Craftsman’s C3 19.2V battery platform, and its compact size allows it to fit into tighter spaces than a standard 1/2″ impact wrench.

The new Craftsman impact wrench features a 3/8″ square drive with anvil retention ring, variable speed 0-2500 no-load RPM gearbox, 130 ft-lbs torque rating and it can deliver 0-2500 IPM. There is also a new mid-handle design with over-molded grip for improved comfort, and an LED work light helps illuminate dim work areas.

The impact wrench will be available as a separate add-on tool (32742) or as a kit (32741) that comes with a Ni-Cd battery and charger. MSRP is $80 for the add-on, $130 for the kit. ETA is said to be Q2 2012.

The CRKT Tool 9200 is a new compact multi-tool for everyday carrying (EDC). While it lacks pliers and scissors, the Tool has a fairly strong feature set that makes it a nice almost minimalist tool. Designed by knifemakers Ed Van and Tom Stokes, the CRKT Tool has a clean and stylish appearance and is probably better described as a bonus-featured pocket knife than a multi-tool.

CRKT Tool Features

• 2.25-inch liner-lock straight-edge knife blade
• saw-tooth blade
• multi-fit box wrench
• wire stripper
• Phillips and slotted screwdrivers
• bit driver with additional screwdriver bits
• bottle opener
• belt clip and sheath

From the looks of it, the bit driver probably fits over the Phillips or slotted screwdrivers and accepts standard 1/4″ hex bits. The bits store away in a black plastic sleeve, which pops into the back pocket of the included sheath.

The CRKT Tool weighs 5.1 ounces by itself, and is a very pocketable 4-inches long when closed. MSRP is $50. No release date has been announced, but we see that the Tool is coming soon.

More Info via CRKT

Gerber recently announced its new Groundbreaker multi-tool (31-001440), a robust model designed for electricians. The Groundbreaker features industrial-grade wire cutters, wire strippers, locking utility knife, locking drywall saw blade and driver with 6 interchangeable screwdriver bits. It comes with a heavy-duty belt sheath and 5 knife blades.

The Groundbreaker is about 9″ long when open and 2.85″ wide. It is mostly composed of 420J stainless steel, and appears to have a black oxide finish. Are you wondering where the utility knife, drywall saw and bit driver are? The Groundbreaker’s handles are detachable!

MSRP has not yet been announced, but according to preorder details, street price should be about $105. The same preorder pages mention that the Groundbreaker is made in China.

More Info via Gerber

Craftsman has announced new pliers and cutters that will feature built-in LED lights. The sealed and waterproof LED modules are built into the pliers’ pivot hubs and direct a precise (i.e. narrow) beam of light towards whatever you’re working on.

The LEDs are powered by 3x 392 watch batteries and are user-replaceable, with an auto on-off circuit helping to extend battery life.

There will be 3 styles available – needle nose pliers, diagonal cutters and linemans pliers. The tools will be available separately at $20 each, and the needle nose and diagonal cutter combo pack will be $30. ETA is June 2012.

Do you guys think that these new pliers and cutters are neat and potentially convenient, or would you rather use a headlamp or other separate light source to illuminate your work?

Victorinox has just announced a new line of USB 3.0 SSD Swiss Army Knives. Their flash USB thumb drives have been on the market for some time now, and must have been selling well for Victorinox to take things a step further.

These new SSDs are USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and eSATA compatible. The new drives will be available in 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 1TB capacity sizes, with read speeds up to 220MB/s and write speeds up to 150MB/s.

Each SSD module features a bi-stable LCD graphic display, 96x48px monochrome, that displays drive contents and available capacity. The display remains on even when the SSD drive is unplugged from a computer.

The SSD modules will be bundled with two knife bodies – one features a blade, scissors, nail file and key ring, the other is bladeless. A Victorinox security and utility suite is pre-installed to the drives.

Price estimates are not yet available, but there are rumors of $450 for the smallest 64GB model and greater than $2000 for the 1TB model.

More Info via Victorinox (PDF)

It’s been a couple of months since we first talked about Dewalt’s new adjustable wrenches. Introduced last Fall, these wrenches are now widely available, at least online. They may not be pretty, but Dewalt’s adjustable wrenches are downright tough.

The new heavy duty wrenches are designed to provide maximum strength and durability, and to endure rough jobsite handling. I had the chance to preview these new wrenches on two occasions, and found them to be quite impressive. They are a bit crude-looking, but they feel incredibly strong and solid.

Look at the size of this handle!!

The Dewalt wrenches adjusted smoothly and were a joy to test out. But not everyone will love them. Although a scale wasn’t available, these wrenches felt a bit heavier than other same-size wrenches. Other brands’ wrenches often have I-beam-profiled handles, which saves a bit of weight. But on the bright side, the thicker handles on these wrenches give off a sense of greater strength and toughness that almost welcomes abuse.

Prices and Availability

DWHT70289 6 inch: $10.99
DWHT70290 8 inch: $12.99
DWHT70291 10 inch: $14.99
DWHT70292 12 inch: $18.99
DWHT70293 15 inch: $34.99
DWHT70294 6 inch and 10 inch combo pack: $19.99

Buy Now(via Amazon)

I haven’t seen these wrenches in stores yet, only online. If you’re on the fence, the 8″ model looks to be a reasonably good buy at about $15 with shipping. Channellock’s adjustable wrenches are still top-dog in my book, but the Dewalt ones look to be great workhorses.

If you’re looking for a lightweight or low-profile adjustable wrench, or one with thin jaws for use in tight clearance areas, look elsewhere.

A couple of years ago Craftsman reintroduced the dog bone wrench. Late last year they introduced the universal dog bone wrench. And then there was the ratcheting rotary wrench. Now, Craftsman is introducing the Figure Eight Wrench.

The Craftsman Figure Eight Wrench is available in two versions – metric and inch, with each tool having four box-end sockets. Each end of the tool has two sockets, with each socket covering two sizes via a stepped-box end wrench design. The sockets fold in and swivel out for use.

These box end wrenches feature a universal tooth design, making them compatible with 6pt, 12pt, partially rounded, external Torx, square and spline fasteners.

(UPDATE!) Inch sizes include 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4-in, and metric sizes include 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 13mm, 15mm, 17mm, 18mm.

MSRP is $25, model numbers are 32761 (inch) and 32762 (metric), and ETA is Q2 2012.

To be honest, I am not particularly fond of all-in-one wrench designs. But, some homeowners and DIYers seem to like them, and I believe that even some pros like using them for oil changes. To each their own.

Right now there are a couple of one-handed multi-tools on the market, such as the Gerber Diesel Multi-Plier, but they’re all kind of ho-hum. That’s soon to change - Leatherman has formally announced its new OHT one-hand-tool, and it looks totally bad-ass.

The Leatherman OHT will feature spring-loaded pliers that can be opened and closed with one hand, a feature many will find extremely appealing. Certain Leatherman sheaths allow you to carry the pliers in an open position, but I’ve always found this to be awkward.

It also looks like the One Hand Multi-Tool’s blades and tools are all accessible from the outside of the tool, another big plus. Many of Leatherman’s other multi-tools, such as the Sidekick, Wave and Charge already feature one-hand-opening for the primary knife blades and tools.

Leatherman OHT One Hand Tool Features:

• spring-action combination needlenose and regular pliers
• replaceable 154CM soft and hard-wire cutters (pliers)
• 420HC straight edge knife blade (2.37″)
• 420HC serrated knife blade
• aggressive-toothed wood saw
• strap cutter (v-notch)
• oxygen wrench
• can & bottle opener
• small, medium and large slotted screwdrivers
• Phillips screwdriver
• integrated lanyard attachment
• stainless steel body
• gloved-hand accessibility
• #8-32 cleaning rod attachment
• closed length of 4.5″ and 9.9oz weight
• MOLLE sheath

The OHT will be available in black and coyote tan/brown. Leatherman points out that these will have Cerakote finishes, not black oxide. The primary blades and tools feature liner-locks, and all tools are lockable for safety and ease of use.

One more thing – look at the handles of the tool. Do you see how there are imprints at all four corners? Those markings help you visually identify which tool is where so you can deploy the tool you need on the first try.

Leatherman OHT Release Date & Pricing

Early ETA is Aug/Sept 2012, and MSRP is currently set at $82.

It’s a fact of life – accidents happen. A slip-up here, mistake there, and you’re off to the first aid kit. (You do have a first aid kit in your shop, right?!) Following are 5 hand tools, well 4 hand tools plus 1 kitchen tool, that liberated unexpected levels of blood from my fingers and hands over the years.

Everyone is careful about utility knives, general purpose cutters and scissors, or at least they should be – it’s the small tools, not just the sharp or point ones, that one has to be especially mindful of.

1. X-Acto Hobby Knife

While all of my X-Acto pricks and cuts healed years ago, the experiences left me with a respect and slight fear of sharp hobby knives, no matter how small. Pssht, that little thing, I used to say, how much damage can such a small blade actually do?

X-Acto blades will usually cause more pain and bloodspill than severe damage, unless you’re careless or unlucky. But then you’ll try to explain to others how such a small blade almost brought you to tears, and they’ll just laugh, making things worse.

2. Wood Chisel

A little over one year ago, I slipped while paring with a new wood chisel, and cut a gash in my thumb. Not a huge gash, but it was big enough that I probably needed stitches. If the chisel was sharpened properly and not an out-of-the-box Craftsman chisel, I probably would have hit bone. Maybe I did hit bone, as I noticed a chip in the blade when cleaning up the blood.

3. Pliers

While it takes skill to draw blood with pliers, it can be easy to pinch your skin, leading to a painful blood-filled blister. Blood blisters can range from small to oh goodness, what do I do now?!, and usually hurt a LOT. Some people drain their blisters with a sterilized X-Acto knife (see above), but I prefer to leave them alone.

In my experience, multi-tools and poorly designed pliers are a leading cause of tool-induced blood blisters.

I was going to include a link to a Google image-search for those who may not know what a blood blister is, but wanted to spare you the ickiness. Because everyone clicks even when you tell them not to. Oh well, here it is – Blood Blister Google Image Search - please don’t click before lunch, in the morning, evening, or anytime in between.

4. Hooks, Picks and Probes

I have a nice 3/16″-long scar on my left pinky finger reminding me to be careful with picks and probes. You know how they always say never cut towards yourself? Never pick or pry towards yourself either. And don’t hold the item being worked on if you could help it.

Here’s what happened – I was using a curved hook pick to remove an O-ring from a part. It was a water cooling hose fitting, if I remember correctly. I almost got it, and increased the pressure just a little bit to catch the O-ring. I slipped and caught my pinky instead. The pick pierced my finger and pulled down, tearing a bit of meat. Respect pointy tools.

5. Food Processor Blade

This isn’t a tool in a literal sense, but is responsible for one of the worst injuries I accidentally inflicted on myself. I don’t remember what happened exactly, but I think I was putting it away after leaving it overnight in the drying rack. We keep the blade assembly in a Ziploc bag to keep it dust-free for immediate use.

Sliiiiice. I still remember the feeling as the mishandled blade cut into my finger. I actually don’t think I physically felt a thing, due to the sharpness of the blade, but I have an intangible sensory memory that I just cannot shake.

I don’t remember which finger was cut , but I do remember that there was blood – LOTS of blood. And then more blood. And even more blood. The cut closed up a bit and the bleeding finally stopped. But only for a few minutes, after which there was more blood. I wasn’t gushing or spouting blood, but it was an experience I prefer not to repeat. Again, I probably needed stitches, but survived without.

Additional Tools

I imagine that every tool on the market has injured at least one DIYer or professional at one time or another. Some tools are more notorious than others for their propensity to inflict pain on their users – take hammers for example.

So which tools have you had less than friendly physical encounters with? In addition to edged and pointed tools, what other types of tools have you found to be the most painful to slip up with?

A few months ago we previewed the Mnpctech Modder Ruler, a handy multi-layout tool for PC case modding. It can be used for other types of projects as well, but is particularly handy for those modding, scratch-building or water cooling their computer chassis.

I have grown quite fond of the Modder Ruler, and although it’s not perfect, it is incredibly useful and saves time and frustration. You can check out my full review of the Modder Ruler over at Make. Head on over to Mnpctech if you’d like to buy one. The price is $35, but they’re sold out at the moment.

Leatherman has teased us with photos of the new Rebar multi-tool for some time, but it looks like concrete specs and details are now available. The Rebar closely resembles the heavy duty Leatherman Super Tool 300 but is a bit smaller and closer to the Wave and Charge multi-tools in size.

The new Leatherman Rebar multi-tool features:

• stainless steel body or stainless with black oxide coating
• full-size combination pliers (needlenose + regular)
• electrical crimper
• removable and replaceable 154CM stainless steel soft and hard-wire cutter
• tool locking system
• 420HC straight edge knife blade
• 420HC serrated knfie blade
• bottle and can opener with v-notch wire stripper
• full-size Phillips screwdriver
• medium and large slotted screwdrivers
• wood-cutting saw
• wood and metal file
• awl with thread loop

Blade length is 2.75″, and the multi-tool closes to 4″ in length. Total weight is 6.7 oz.

Leatherman Rebar Release Date:

The Rebar will be available starting in mid-April 2012. An MSRP has not been announced yet, but we imagine the Rebar will be priced lower than its big-brother Super Tool 300, which sells at $55.