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Why not a file edge on small one-piece keychain tools?

Discussion in 'Keychain Tools' started by sotto2, Dec 6, 2012.

    sotto2 Loaded Pockets

    After receiving a new small one-piece keychain tool in the mail yesterday (a gen 3 skull tool from PockeTTools), I realized I needed a nailfile. It occurred to me that it would make keychain tools so much more useful if they incorporated a short file somewhere on one edge. To the best of my recollection, none of my little keychain tools (like the Skull tool for example) have this feature. The gen 3 Skull tool has a half-inch long flat edge right above the skull's eye that would be a perfect spot for this. Mine already has some striations in this area that have been roughly smoothed, and if they hadn't been smoothed, it looks like it would work almost perfectly as a fine file edge.

    I hope some of the tool producers will implement this additional feature in their future designs.
    • Moderator

    jag-engr Liberal Hall Monitor

    It may not be possible - most files have a harder temper than you would want for a tool. I also suspect that machining a file surface is hard work.

    sotto2 Loaded Pockets

    Perhaps. I'm pretty sure, though, that the metal on any of these tools is harder than my fingernail. And, as I mentioned above, it appears some work was done to remove the striations from manufacture on the edge of the Skull tool, and if they hadn't done that, it appears it would have made a perfectly adequate file-like surface (for fingernails, striking matches on, deburring, using as a steel with a piece of flint, ad infinitum). It would be worth a few bucks (to me) to have this additional feature on the tool if it turned out to be a somewhat costly addition. I suspect it could actually reduce the cost of some tools, because they wouldn't necessarily have to smooth and polish a small area on one edge.

    Now that I think about the cost issue, the cost of the gen 3 Skull tool (just as an example) is exactly the same whether the tool has the extra box-opening feature machined in or not.
    • +2 Supporter
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    kertap75 Uber Prepared

    The inside of the hole on my boker vox tool it's rough and I've used it as a file before. I've found myself wishing that there was a spot easier to get at. The grip cut outs on the sides would be perfect. I'm not sure if the roughness is deliberate. I think it's just a hard to polish spot

    hiljentaa Loaded Pockets

    I believe the True Utility Key Tool has this feature.

    I agree, more one piece tools should incoorporate it. The nail file is one of my most used tools on my Cadet.
    • +1 Supporter

    parnass Uber Prepared

    For $.99, you can buy a replacement file for SOG multitools from Smoky Mountain Knife Works and put a split ring through the hole. The SMKW item number is CP38TL.

    http://www.smkw.com
    • +2 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    kertap75 Uber Prepared

    Only $1? That seems like a great deal

    OreoGaborio Uber Prepared

    take the nail file of your choice & epoxy it to the side.

    nw1911guy Uber Prepared

    One could give it a coarse sandblast I suppose


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