Archive | The EDC Tool Roll

The EDC Tool Roll: Channellock 804 4.5″ Adjustable Wrench

The EDC Tool Roll is a feature on Jerking the Trigger in which we profile various every day carry worthy tools. The tools shown aren’t multi-tools but rather real tools, that by virtue of their compact size, light weight, usefulness, or unique functionality, can find a place in any range kit, emergency kit, or every day carry bag.

Feel free to comment on the tools that you carry so we can all learn! The discussion on these posts has been very valuable so far.


Channellock’s 804 4.5″ Adjustable Wrench is probably the easiest to carry adjustable wrench I own. It is only 4.5″ long but is also very slim overall making it easy to drop in your pocket. It only ways about 2 ounces so it is an easy addition to any compact tool roll.

Channellock 804 shown with 1911 mag for scale

The 804 can be opened wide enough to handle the 9/16″ diameter found on common 3/8″ nuts and bolts. If you are metrically inclined, it can handle a 15mm nut/bolt. It may be small but it will take care of a lot common fasteners.

The quality is excellent. It is drop forged with machined flats. The laser markings seem resilient and they are easy to read. The i-beam style handle makes it small, tough, and comfortable to hold.

This wrench will inevitiably be compared to the two previous adjustable wrenches features on The EDC Tool Roll – the Lobster UM24 and the Knipex Pliers Wrench. I’ll post a comparison of the three soon. The Lobster and Knipex both open wider but they are also more expensive, heavier, and larger. So, the 804 may not be as versatile as the others but it earns a place in my EDC Tool Roll for its compact size and lightweight.

Where to buy: I have only been able to find the larger Channellock Adjustable Wrenches locally. I purchased my Channellock 804 on Amazon. They even have a “tactical” black oxide finish version in the Channellock 804N.

Alternatives:

Do you have a compact adjustable wrench that you prefer? Tell us about it below.

The EDC Tool Roll: Triple Seven Gear Micro Kit

The EDC Tool Roll is a feature on Jerking the Trigger in which we profile various every day carry worthy tools. The tools shown aren’t multi-tools but rather real tools, that by virtue of their compact size, light weight, usefulness, or unique functionality, can find a place in any range kit, emergency kit, or every day carry bag.

Feel free to comment on the tools that you carry so we can all learn! The discussion on these posts has been very valuable so far.


We’ve spent time talking about some tools. It’s about time we started talking about the tool roll.

Contents listed at end of post…

I use a Micro Kit from Triple Seven Gear as my EDC Tool Roll. I’ve used Triple Seven Gear products going all the way back to their original Mini Kit Mk-7 and own at least one of everything they make (and several of a few products).

The Micro Kit is ideal for me because the size is just right – small enough to carry but big enough to fit what I need. It is compact enough to fit in a coat pocket, back pocket of jeans, or even some front pockets. It does not require a large cargo pocket to be carried. In spite of that compact size, the Micro Kit can pack and organize a lot of tools.

It folds to about 4″ x 6″ when closed and can be secured with a simple elastic loop. I like that there are no zippers or hook and loop to limit how I stuff the pouch. When open, it lays completely flat and gives good visibility to the tools contained inside. I can even turn it “inside-out” so that it fits in my pocket but still offers access to the tools.

The elastic loops can fit a variety of tools and anything that does fit well in the loops can be stashed in one of the pockets. The clear vinyl window is particularly useful for stashing small items that you want to be able to see.

You can check out the Micro Kit (or Mini Kit Mk-7 if you need a larger version) at Triple Seven Gear.

Do you have an EDC-capable tool organizer that you prefer or have you made your own? Tell us about it below.


Contents in the image above:

The EDC Tool Roll: Knipex Pliers Wrench (86 03 125)

The EDC Tool Roll is a feature on Jerking the Trigger in which we profile various every day carry worthy tools. The tools shown aren’t multi-tools but rather real tools, that by virtue of their compact size, light weight, usefulness, or unique functionality, can find a place in any range kit, emergency kit, or every day carry bag.

Feel free to comment on the tools that you carry so we can all learn! The discussion on these posts has been very valuable so far.


Knipex Pliers Wrenches might be my favorite tool in my tool chest and my EDC Tool Roll. I say this not only because of how well they work but because of how clever they are. What I mean is, I really like how they work but I love the idea of them too!

Knipex Pliers Wrench (right) shown with Cobra Pliers (left).

If you can imagine adjustable pliers that have been retooled with some engineering magic to have parallel opening jaws, you have the idea of the Pliers Wrench. They open and close like pliers but have the flat, parallel opening jaws of a wrench. The result is a tool that can “ratchet” by simply loosening your grip, has very fine adjustability, lets you easily control the pressure on the fastener with your grip, and can handle much larger fasteners than similarly sized adjustable wrenches.

These parallel jaws allow other uses like straightening sheet metal. They can also be used to push in roll pins and work especially well on stubborn pins like the bolt catch roll pin on an AR-15 lower receiver. You just place the Pliers Wrench over the pin and squeeze your grip to push it into place.

I own 3 different sizes of the Pliers Wrench but the one I carry daily is the 5″ version (86 03 125). It is the same size as the Knipex Cobra Pliers that I also carry and between the two of them, I can get a lot done. This tool is surprisingly small but it can be adjusted wide enough to turn 7/8″ diameter fasteners.

One thing that makes the 5″ version especially well suited to everyday carry or range bag use is how thin the jaws are. The tool itself is extremely stout but the jaws taper to just less than 1/8″ thick at the tips. This makes it easy to get on the smaller nuts and bolts often found on optics mounts or other gear.

I purchased my 5″ Knipex Pliers Wrench (86 03 125) at Amazon. I have found the larger sizes locally at places like Sears Hardware but never the 5″ version so I had to purchase online.

For a lower priced alternative adjustable wrench that is compact but still handles larger fasteners, check out the Lobster Shorty. We will eventually post some comparisons of a few options in a later installment of The EDC Tool Roll.

Do you have a compact adjustable wrench that you prefer? Tell us about it below.

The EDC Tool Roll: Replaceable Fix It Sticks

The EDC Tool Roll is a feature on Jerking the Trigger in which we profile various every day carry worthy tools. The tools shown aren’t multi-tools but rather real tools, that by virtue of their compact size, light weight, usefulness, or unique functionality, can find a place in any range kit, emergency kit, or every day carry bag.

Feel free to comment on the tools that you carry so we can all learn! The discussion on these posts has been very valuable so far.


The genesis of this series, The EDC Tool Roll, was my frustration at my multi-tools for never quite being the right tool. Sure, they will do a lot, but sometimes you just need a real tool which started my quest to build a pocketable tool kit. My search for a screw driver that was both a real tool and yet still compact enough to work in this pocketable kit lead me to Fix It Sticks.

The Replaceable Fix It Sticks are comprised of two separate sections that can be used individually as a small driver for tight spaces or together to form a t-handle driver. Each of the two sections can hold a standard 1/4″ bit at each end meaning I can keep 4 bits of my choosing on the tool, ready to use. I also carry a small assortment of bits for the fasteners that I am likely to encounter.

I tried several other drivers before settling on the Fix It Sticks. Most interchangable bit drivers were too large. Others were pocketable but lacked reach or were too small to apply a decent amount of torque comfortably. The Fix It Sticks, with their take-down format split that difference beautifully. They pack small but function much like a full size tool.

Fix It Sticks are made in the USA and available in a number of configurations. I like the Replacables for EDC and purchased mine from Amazon.

They also makes these in kit form specifically for shooters with slick options like in-line torque limiters. Those kits are available at Tactical Works.

Of all the tools I added to my kit, the screwdriver was the hardest to finally settle on so I will be interested to hear what you carry. If you have an EDC worth driver that you prefer, comment below.

The EDC Tool Roll: Lobster UM24SS Shorty Adjustable Wrench

The EDC Tool Roll is a feature on Jerking the Trigger in which we profile various every day carry worthy tools. The tools shown aren’t multi-tools but rather real tools, that by virtue of their compact size, light weight, usefulness, or unique functionality, can find a place in any range kit, emergency kit, or every day carry bag.

Feel free to comment on the tools that you carry so we can all learn! The discussion on these posts has been very valuable so far.


The Lobster Shorty Adjustable Wrench (UM24SS) is a compact adjustable wrench that is well suited to everyday carry. The wrench is just over 4.5″ in length but has large jaws that can open wide enough to handle a 1″ diameter nut or bolt.

These drop forged steel wrenches have had great care taken to ensure that they remain light weight. The handle has been fluted and skeletonized and the jaws are tapered, relatively thin, and fluted to removed weight. Those thin jaws are part of why I prefer this wrench over other adjustable wrenches I have tried. Cheap adjustable wrenches often have chunky jaws that are difficult to use on small fasteners.

The Lobster Shorty is available with a number of different colored handles. Be advised that the “red” handle color (shown) looks more pink in person.

These wrenches are made in Japan and usually imported. I ordered mine through Amazon but they are also available from a number of sellers on Ebay. I’ve never found a local, brick & mortar source for them.

Where to Buy: Lobster Shorty Adjustable Wrench (UM24SS) on Amazon

If you are looking for an alternative, consider the Channellock 804 (chrome) or 804N (black oxide). You are likely to find them locally, they are more affordable, very compact, and made in Spain. I’ll profile one in a future edition of The EDC Tool Roll.

Do you have a compact adjustable wrench that you prefer? Tell us about it below.

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