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The Skeletool: Size Matters |
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Dr. Samuel Says -
Smart Design
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Written by Dr. Samuel Centralia, Ph.D., D.D.S., Esq.
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Friday, 07 September 2007 |
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Even those who are not at all handy -- or into gadgets and general tech-fetishism -- dig the Leatherman tools. They're just so cool -- an entire toolbox in your pocket, with enough options to fuel dozens of MacGyver daydreams. I once escaped from a maximum security prison in Kiev using only a Leatherman, a fax machine, and a contact lens. Long story. Still on file at Interpol, actually, so I can't go into details.
 So check this out, Leatherman's latest offering, the Skeletool . Due to
hit store shelves in November, the Skeletool looks ridiculously cool.
Weighing in at an incredible five ounces, it's a full-featured
Leatherman (i.e. not one of those keyring-sized knockoffs) with a
radically stripped-down aluminum frame. The designers have kept the
weight down using the direct method -- they drilled holes in the frame
on every non-critical surface.
The Skeletool retains the essential functions -- knife, screwdriver,
pliers and, of course, bottle opener. The screwdriver is actually two
separate double-sided bits, for a total of four bit sizes (two
flathead; two Phillips). The bottle opener is accessible even when the
tool is unfolded, critical for those woozy evening when bottle-opening
is critical, but sharp-tool-opening is ill-advised.
Let's see, what else? While the frame is aluminum, the blade is
stainless steel. (You can also flip out the blade without unfolding the
device entirely.) The screwdriver is also fixed, rather than hinged.
According to the good scribes at Popular Mechanics -- who got a
sneak-peek, hands-on look at the Skeletool -- all of these features add
up to a marvel of elegance. If I may employ a literary metaphor, the
Skeletool seems a haiku of mechanical design. Suggested retail price:
$72 for the standard model, $96 for the deluxe version with
carbon-fiber handles. Just in time for holiday shopping. If anyone
wants to surprise me, you can mail it here to Dyscern.com HQ. Thank you
for your attention to this matter.
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