EDC TOOLBOX

THE UP KNIFE UPK-M2 IS A FLAT, EASY-TO-CARRY MULTITOOL WITH LOTS OF HANDY USES

- STEVEN PAUL BARLOW

I reach into my pocket every day for a knife. Sometimes I need one to open a package, break down a box for recycling, cut a rope or slice off an annoying tag on a shirt.

But often, I need something more than a knife. I might have to open a can, saw some wood, pry a top or tighten a screw. If I’m away from home or too lazy to run to the toolbox in my garage, I do what every EDC enthusiast does: I look for a solution in what I’m carrying in my pockets.

I have several fine multitools, but I have to admit that I seldom carry them on my person. Sometimes they occupy some obscure pocket in a travel bag or pack. The reason is that so many truly useful tools are too bulky or heavy, especially when I have to take into account all of the other things I insist on carrying daily. And the so-called multitools that are light, flat and easy to carry usually offer little more than a small pry bar and a bottle opener. The UpKnife UPK-M2 is different. It’s a multitool with loads of useful tools in a flat, compact package that carries as easily as your favorite pocketknife.

OUT THE FRONT BLADE

The UpKnife UPK-M-2 is different from many multitools in that it’s not based on a folding pliers design. I love pliers on a multitool, but without them the UPK-M2 is able to be very thin—just 5/16-inch thick. This multitool features a knife blade sandwiched between to stainless steel handle panels. The blade makes use of out-the-front deployment by way of a bolt-action mechanism that you operate with your thumb that both opens the blade and locks it.