TRUE TI POCKET MULTI TOOL

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

The first “multi-tool” I ever owned was a Boy Scout Pocketknife I got to fulfill the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared.” Besides the knife blade that folded open, it included a flat screwdriver/bottle opener blade, both of which worked pretty well. I needed the bottle opener since twist-off caps were yet to be invented. It had a can opener which did a poor job of opening metal cans and a poker tool which was seldom used.

I carried it through high-school and college and the most memorable use I recall was when I was far away from a wilderness camp with a reluctant 9.9 Mercury outboard on the back of a 14-foot rowboat. I don’t remember exactly what was wrong with the Merc, but I do remember that without the Boy Scout knife, the repair would have been impossible.

It was years later before I saw the first non-pocketknife multi-tool. I bought a few, had a few mini-versions given to me as “bling” with some company’s name stenciled on the handle and was handed many others that unfolded to reveal a pair of pliers, wire cutters, flat and Phillips screwdrivers. Most had a knife blade, several had a tiny saw blade and a variety of can openers, poking tools, bottle openers all that would cleverly fold into a compact unit.

I’ve never had or used one that worked as well as a “real” screwdriver or pliers or any of the other included tools. I don’t fault that, the variety of tools does make the multi-tool handy in “emergency” use or for small jobs that would take less time to complete with the multi-tool than it would take to dig a screwdriver out of a tool box.

What I do fault is how many of them, marketed as stainless steel, end up being rusting to some extent. I fault the ones built so tight, I need to use a regular tool to open or close the blades. Almost as bad are the ones so flimsy the individual blades or tools open on their own or with screwdrivers that are so flimsy that they bend with moderate torque. I’m talking “name brand” models, not just cheap-China knock-offs of name brand models.

I’ve used several models of knives from True, one of AGC Brands product lines. All have proven to be well designed and well built so when they came out with the TI Pocket Multi-Tool, I got one to see if it was one worth having and relying on. I’ve had it on my boat for several months, purposely stowed in a convenient TackleWeb pocket where it is handy where the work is being done and is exposed to the weather, spray and road/dust when the boat is being trailers. I wanted to see how it “ages.” I’ve often purposely used it instead of the “single” use tools I keep on my boat, just to see how it measured up.

I’ve used it to unhook dozens of salmon, walleye and lake trout. The pliers work well and thought a lot of the pressure of hook removal is twisting, the pliers are still tight. I don’t fillet fish with the knife blade, but I’ve cut fishing line, dock ropes and cut several chunks of summer sausage. I’ve used the screwdrivers (both Phillips and flat blades to unscrew various screws including adjusting Dipsey Divers. I’ve yet to use or need the saw blade or open a tin can with the can opener.

Though I haven’t (and probably won’t) carry it in my pocket, it wouldn’t be cumbersome to carry in your jean pockets if your everyday duties occasionally require using small hand tools. I can easily see how having it as standard equipment on my boat and/or in my pick-up’s glove compartment.

Widely available in stores, both online and retail, at Amazon or check them out and other AGC brands at: https://acgbrands.com/.

INSHORE ESSENTIALS TOOL KIT BY TOADFISH

Reviews by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

What fisherman doesn’t like getting a fishing related gift for Christmas or other occasion? I do, but my wife and daughter know better than to just wander into a tackle shop or click around the interweb and buy something that they think I would like, need or enjoy. (I probably already have it or don’t need it.) So, I make not-so-subtle “hints” about the “Tackle and Toys” that would brighten my Christmas, birthday or anniversary to help them out. One of the hints I made for my birthday a few months ago, paid off both for me and for my wife – the Inshore Essentials Tool Kit from Toadfish.

The kit includes a “boca grip” style fish gripper, a pair of braid scissors and a pair of long-nose pliers (along with a retractable cord and a lanyard.) “Whoopie do,” you might think, but one feature stands out from the “gifter’s” point of view- they come packed in a stylish case, virtually useless on the boat, but handsome to behold – that scores points for both my wife and daughter. Inside the case, the tools look terrific, as well; sort of like the sausage sticks and foil wrapped cheese in a gift box from Hickory Farms look better than similar items at a food store. The contrasting blackened steel or aluminum frames set off with contrasting stainless steel rivets and hinge-pins give them a “cultured” appearance and the signature, “Toadfish-teal” grips on the pliers and scissor makes them look even better.

More important to me is: “Do they work?” I don’t give a whit if the pliers, cutters or other tools on my boat look good. If they work good, I love ‘em. If they “look good” I just love ‘em more. These tools were designed to work, then appointed to make them handsome. The pliers fit my hand, open and close with zero slop, have a spring-loaded action, important when using them with wet or “fish-slimed” hands. The jaws taper to grip onto perch-sized hooks and are strong enough to dislodge a 2/0 treble from still quivering king salmon. Add a bottle opener and carbide line cutter and it’s a winner.

Most fish grippers are long, heavy tools. The one in the Toadfish kit is petite, in comparison, lightweight and with folding handles allowing them to be stowed in your pocket or in a hand-tool rack if you prefer. Don’t let the small size fool you. The largest size fish I’ve lifted with them so far was a still-struggling 20-pound laker. I love them for walleyes, however, since I can hold the fish easily but the diminutive size doesn’t get in the way of unhooking the trebles even if they have been sucked in way back in the fish’s mouth.

The line cutter clips both mono and braid perfectly. ‘Nuff said, other than the built in carabiner makes it handy for storage whether on a belt loop or other location.

Here’s the exact URL to post on the gift list you present to the person who wants to see your eye’s light up on that special day: https://toadfish.com/products/inshore-essentials-tool-kit. Now available at Amazon as well.

MERCER SPORT KNIVES and TRUE 7″ SYK FILLET KNIFE

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

COLORFUL CUTTERS

There’s no reason a bland looking knife can’t be the best knife you’ve ever used. Whether the handle is black, white, or any color of the rainbow is about 99 times less important than how it fits the hand gripping it. Fillet knife blades are usually stainless steel and have either a bright, polished finish or perhaps a duller, brushed finish. Older fish cleaning knives I’ve used were high-carbon steel and sometimes had a blued look; but again, the color or finish of the blade takes a distant backseat to other factors like sharpness, shape, flex and length.

But recently, I have been using some “colorful cutters” when I show up at the fish cleaning table. They are all great knives. If they only looked cool but under-performed, they wouldn’t have “made the cut” and ended up on these pages. These knives do look great and more importantly, they do the job.

MERCER SPORT KNIVES

The first couple of knives I used late last summer sported a bright orange, textured non-slip handle with a comfortable feel when holding them. I used the 9” “regular” blade for large trout and salmon and found it to be perfect for this purpose. The blade was razor sharp and stayed that way fish after fish. I haven’t had to sharpen it yet, but I steel my fillet knives regularly when I’m using them – like after every couple three fish. Most of my knives only get sharpened on a whetstone or other abrasive sharpener once a season, or until I loan it out to someone who uses it until it gets dull.

The other Mercer knife I used was the Utility Slicer with the same exact handle and blade length. The difference is this blade is serrated which makes it a specialty knife for fish cleaning.

Several years ago I switched to electric knives when cleaning lake trout and walleyes because I’m a “cut through the rib bones” fillet maker. Once the fish is slabbed, step two is to remove the ribs by cutting just under them and lifting at the same time. I find that technique much easier, quicker and I get more of the “rib meat” doing it that way than to cut around the ribs when separating the meat from the bones.

Walleyes and lake trout have ribs that seem to be made from steel wires when trying to cut through them with a smooth bladed fillet knife. The electric knife snips them off effortlessly. So does the utility slicer. I make the first cut behind gills down to the backbone with a fillet knife, then switch to the Utility Slicer. The serrated blade acts like a saw and easily cuts through the wiry ribs, then I switch back to the fillet knife to finish the chore, removing the fillet down to the tail, removing the ribs and skinning the fillets.

I also use the Utility Slicer to make both lake trout and salmon steaks from larger fish. My wife and I think these bone-in, skin-on steaks have a better flavor than skinless, boneless fillets when grilled or in other recipes. In this case, I use the Utility Slicer to “saw” through the backbone with just a couple of strokes. Check them out at www.mercersport.com.

TRUE 7” SYK FILLET KNIFE

The handle of this seven-inch fillet knife is a pleasing, if not gaudy bright blue handle. It too has an easy-to-grip textured, well contoured handle. What makes this knife colorful is the avocado green blade – True says it was inspired by one of the colors on a yellowfin tuna. Other than in ceramic knives, I’ve never seen blades of this color. The color is actually a special corrosion preventing, micro-coating often used in firearms called Ceracote. Under the coating is hard, high-carbon stainless steel that will sharpen to a razor like edge. The hardness makes it a long lasting edge, as well.

Available in a 9” version, I found the seven-incher a good all-around size and I cleaned perch, coho, cisco and walleyes with it handily. It has a medium flex which I like better than a more flexible blade since I try to leave as much of the red-meat lateral line on the skin as possible when skinning trout and salmon. It also has a bit more sweep to the cutting edge which makes it easier to cut out the ribs whether cutting through them or cutting around them. Check them out at www.true.acgbrands.com/en-US.