Thanks to ITS tactical I was able to get a crash course on basic lock picking and Sparrows was nice enough to get a starter set my way to play with. This "Tuxedo" set includes 6 tools and 6 tension wrenches with a bonus little case. I still have plenty to learn, but from what I know so far, lock picking is quite the interesting skill set combining technical knowledge with hand finesse dexterity. Although most pickers will have favored tools, the benefit of having a some sort of set becomes very apparent when working with lock variety. Lock sizes from smaller padlocks to common house locks can vary greatly so having the right size tool speeds up the process quite a bit and in tough cases it makes picking possible at all.
Here is a lil something for the EDC crowd. There are a lot of cool guy bottle openers out there, but Screwpop found a good way to integrate further functionality. The end holds a custom double sided screwdriver bit (Phillips #2/Flat Head #2) which in daily urban life is one of the most common used tools. I haven't had a chance to confirm, but the bit holding area is supposed to work as a 1/4” Hex Nut Driver as well. Chances are slim you'll use that part, however it is better than having some other crazy connection system that won't work for anything else. The bit is held in place by a spring loaded ball, which is sufficient for a hold. The bit grip will feel low to some, but it won't shake out and the bit can be manually pulled out without much hassle. Perhaps a magnet could be added for extra piece of mind, but appears it would be unnecessary at the end of the day and add to cost. The bit sizing is a little off compared to traditional 1/4" hex bits so the ones I tried from separate bit sets were too big and would only insert slightly in.
Those on the hunt to find a compact AR tool package may find interest in this tool from M34 Tactical. The ARMT (Assault Rifle Multi-tool) finds a balance of adding quite a few tool functionalities while still offering a nice grip that is uncommon in similar type tools. Offhand my favorite ability is being able to adjust the castle nut (that wacky ring securing the buffer tube) without it being a large tool. It won't be as easy as a armor's tool made just to rock castle nuts all day long, however the ARMT is a lot smaller.
I'm no survival master so it was nice to be able to check out this kit to expand my experiences. Survival Metrics offers several kits and survival type supplies, however this kit was specifically made with the intent for military operations in a E&E (Escape and Evade) type situation. With this concept the main idea is to make the kit as small and lightweight as possible so it takes a very careful balance of what all is included.
SOG has a lot of variants on their PowerLock series so it is a little hard to narrow down this model, but I believe it is the PowerLock w/V-Cutter S62. I haven't tried a lot of multitools so thought I would mix things up with this guy. First impressions are that it is heavy duty and made from good materials. Kinda has a steampunk look to it. Unfolding from the closed to open / plier position is unexpectedly smooth. It takes some getting used to, but with some practice one can whip the SOG with one hand from closed to open position. The "gear driven compound leverage system" the plier functionality is built on works fantastic. The pliers have the usual wire cutting features, yet also have crimpers good for civie and MIL uses.
