Essential Hand Tools for the Patriot

Forgive the quality of the picture - I'm in no mood to shoot it again.

I recommend that every Patriot have a small selection of hand tools in your kit.  That is a statement, unqualified.  Even if you think your operations may be entirely in the deep forests, what if you run across an enemy vehicle that you want to make work - or make not work?  What if you run across an old cabin, and need to do X or Y?

What is in the picture: First, is the Gerber multi-tool.  It is opened to show the basic pliers, which serve as needle nose, it also has curved teeth and a wire cutter/stripper.  This is a basic model.  In the handles are a couple of pocket-knife blades, screwdriver tips, etc.  The brand of multi-tool you purchase is up to you.  The number of widgets is up to you.  Just make sure at a minimum, you get pliers, wire strippers, and basic screwdriver heads.

Starting at the left of the picture is a red screwdriver with a black rubber (insulation from electricity) handle.  This isn't a simple one-tip screwdriver - it is actually a 6-way.  At the end is the flathead tip, you can pull the tip, flip it and re-insert for a smaller flathead tip.  You can pull the entire chrome shaft and re-insert into the handle, and then you have 2 Phillips tips.  Finally, you can remove the Phillips and flat driver bits, and you will have 2 hex-head "nut drivers" - 1/4" and 5/16".  When you buy this tool, spend a little extra money.  The cheapies at Home Depot (and elsewhere) are made of metals that will fail you far too soon.  The shaft and the tips need to be made of good, hardened metal or they will strip out.

Next is a 6" adjustable wrench.  Again, buy one made with good metal so the jaws don't give way under real torque - but even a good one is only $20.  When you need a wrench, especially in a hurry, there is no faster way to Cluster Foxtrot the entire process by trying to turn that nut or bolt with your pliers.  If you are trying to break loose a nut/bolt combo - put the wrench on the bolt head, and use your pliers on the nut.  If you need more leverage, slip some sort of hollow pole (maybe a piece of pipe, maybe  the hollow end of an e-tool if yours is metal) over the end of the wrench.

The final item is an electrical multi-meter.  Mine is more of a tool than most people will need.  You need an electrical meter that can measure AC electricity, DC electricity, and continuity.  You can buy a cheapie from Home Depot (an analog or digital meter) for under $20.  Of course, you need to learn some basics about electricity to use it to your advantage (which may also simply include making sure you are safe - as a booby-trap, electricity is a sweet tool).  Electricity is your friend, and you can make it a savage weapon if you study just a bit.  Find an electrician buddy to show you how to measure AC/DC/Continuity (you can learn that much online, safely.)  Then get your electrician buddy to show you a few ways to surprise the snot out of a careless bad guy, how to completely facock electronic gear (without a hammer), et cetera.

These are the basic hand tools I recommend you carry.  I have plenty of gear I can use as a hammer if needed.  But with the gear above I can break a lot of sh*t, I can fix a lot of sh*t, I can make a home/building too hot or too cold, I can make an old woman's water heater work, I can make the hot water not work, I can shut down potable water systems, I can make a car almost useless, I can make a genset work or die.

So can you.

If you only think in terms of violence, you'll probably lose your Liberty. 

Kerodin
III