EDC Gear Picks: Pocket Multi-Tools, Budget Fixed Blades, Premium Flippers and a $30 Fountain Pen

Introduction

This week’s everyday carry roundup covers a lot of ground: an updated keychain multi-tool with a genuinely clever utility blade, a budget Swiss Army Knife competitor, four folders from Kizer ranging from premium to very affordable, an aluminum plunger fountain pen found for under $30, and a pair of Cold Steel fixed blades that cost around $25. Here is what stands out about each one and who they actually make sense for.

Ant Designs Pathfinder: A Keychain Multi-Tool With Real Utility

The updated Pathfinder from Ant Designs comes in two variations. One is built primarily as a keychain tool with a quick-detach option, while the other adds a pocket clip and a full hex driver, which makes it the more versatile pick. Both versions include a prying edge, a bottle opener, a utility knife blade holder that locks in multiple positions, a nail file spot that actually works on the plain titanium version, and measurements cut into the titanium.

There is one notable flaw: a small cutout intended for pulling nails creates a thin exposed piece of titanium that is easy to snap off. It is an unnecessary weak point on a tool this small, and the tool is stronger with that piece connected. The bigger temptation is the upgraded version with what appears to be a Damascus-style finish, tritium vial inserts that glow in the dark without needing to be charged by light, and a tritium screw. The vials make the tool easier to find in the dark and push it firmly into ultra-premium territory. If you carry a keychain tool at all, the pocket-clip version with the hex driver is the one to get.

Rake Pocket Knife: A Cheaper Swiss Army Knife Competitor

This pocket knife looks familiar for a reason: it is identical to a knife sold by Boker, because both come from the same OEM, SanRenmu. The design, quality control, and construction are effectively the same across brands, but the Rake version costs much less.

It runs a 12C27 blade and is noticeably stouter than a 91mm Swiss Army Knife, with thicker layers and stainless steel spacers, which also makes it heavier. It includes a saw, a flathead with prying tool, a glass breaker, a lanyard ring tucked beside one of the tools, and grippy G10 handle scales instead of the slippery standard cellidor. Compared to a Victorinox Hiker, it matches on price and function while adding the pocket clip and G10 out of the box. One serious warning: the serrated blade marketed as a two-dimensional Phillips driver is a bad idea. Push too hard on a Phillips screw and it can slip out and land on your finger. Never use it as a Phillips and the rest of the tool holds up well.

Swags Chili Pepper: Upgraded Materials on a Familiar Design

The Swags Chili Pepper has been around in G10 with 154CM, but this version steps up both materials. The blade is now S90V, a highly wear-resistant steel that holds an edge for a very long time, though it really wants diamond stones when it is finally time to sharpen. The handle switches to contoured Fat Carbon scales in a green and yellow combination that looks excellent.

The button lock makes it nearly ambidextrous, and there is a clip mount on the opposite side for left-handed carry. The deep-carry clip works well, though a milled titanium clip would better match the upgraded build. One thing to know about any Chili Pepper: the handle tapers down exactly where your fingers rest, so you need solid muscle memory to keep your fingers clear during closing. The action, fit, and finish are all good.

Kizer Milah: The Best Kizer of the Bunch

The Kizer Milah, designed by Jonathan Styles, is the standout of this week. It has an S45VN blade at 3.36 inches with an oil-slick DLC finish, inset Fat Carbon in a purple finish, and a milled titanium pocket clip. The finish does attract fingerprints, but it looks fantastic once wiped down.

Everything about the execution is right. The detent sits at almost a perfect five out of ten, the drop-shut action is superb without creating a safety concern because the choil curvature protects your finger, and the front flipper works flawlessly with jimping all the way around the flipper itself so you can manage it in any grip. Lock bar access is generous, the handle is neutral across multiple grips, and the fit and finish are excellent. Of the premium Kizer knives released recently, this is the one to pick, and the purple Fat Carbon is far from the only colorway on offer.

Kizer Feist: A Small Front Flipper With New Packaging

The Kizer Feist is a long-standing design from Justin Lundquist, and this version pairs a 154CM blade at 2.8 inches, just under the three-inch mark, with what appears to be black denim Micarta handles. It is a front-flipper-only knife, so you need to genuinely enjoy that deployment style. The action is great, and while it would be nice to see the jimping continue around the corner, enough of it is exposed that it is not a real problem.

The grind came out fairly even with a proper sharpening choil, and the price should land in budget territory. Kizer has also switched to including a small fabric wrap instead of the standard folded zipper pouch, which is genuinely useful for wrapping pens, other small items, or the knife itself for travel.

Kizer Comet: Brass, Micarta and a Classic Shape

The Kizer Comet is another Paul McO design, this time with a 2.87-inch 154CM blade in what appears to be a flat-ground clip point shape, a brass bolster with a Micarta pivot collar, red Micarta handles, and a titanium pocket clip. The brass adds a bit of heft and should patina nicely as the blackwash finish wears over time.

It is a fairly generic but well-executed design, and the details show care: a milled titanium clip, good lock bar access, a texture difference between the smooth top of the Micarta and a more textured edge section that adds grip, and solid jimping, though more on the flipper tab would be welcome. At an expected reasonable price, if you like the materials and the shape, it is hard to go wrong. The included wrap pouch fits more than just the knife and works well in almost any bag.

Bastion Aluminum Plunger Fountain Pen

Bastion is mostly known for bolt action pens, but the brand also makes a sub-$30 fountain pen with an aluminum body and a built-in plunger filler. Unscrew the section and you get a plunger system, so you can use virtually any bottled ink you like, then screw the whole thing back together and start writing.

For the price, it is a very capable setup and an easy way into fountain pens. There is also a case to be made for pen and paper in general: even with a stylus-equipped phone and a tablet with a stylus on hand, writing by hand feels like it physically dumps information onto the page so you do not have to keep holding it in your head. For productivity and the simple enjoyment factor, this pen is an easy recommendation.

Cold Steel Peacemaker 2 and Peacemaker 3: Budget Fixed Blades That Punch Above Their Price

These two Cold Steel fixed blades were found while hunting for something under $30 that could match the functionality of the Demko Armorer 4 as an in-pocket fixed blade. Both use German 4116 stainless with a hybrid Scandi grind, part Scandi at the cutting edge with a compound grind above it, and a full tang that extends all the way out to the lanyard hole with a very grippy handle. The Peacemaker 2 is the larger and thicker-bladed of the two.

At around $25, the value is hard to argue with. The included sheath is genuinely useful: it comes with a seriously strong clip, possibly too strong, that lets you carry it in-pocket at the eight o’clock waistband position without buying a separate clip. Drawing works smoothly; re-sheathing while worn is trickier because the sheath walls compress against your body and make it hard to line the blade up. Real-world testing from other users suggests the edge holds up better than expected, and both are heading into extended-use testing soon. For anyone wanting a budget surrogate for a much more expensive fixed blade, the Peacemaker 3 is nearly identical in size and the easier recommendation.

Overall Buying Advice

If you want a premium folder, the Kizer Milah is the clear winner of this week. If you want maximum value, the Cold Steel Peacemaker series and the Rake pocket knife both deliver far more than their price suggests, just skip the Rake’s pseudo-Phillips tool. Keychain carry fans should pick the Pathfinder version with the pocket clip and hex driver, ideally with the tritium inserts if budget allows. And the Bastion pen remains one of the cheapest sensible entry points into fountain pens.

Conclusion

This lineup covers nearly every everyday carry role: keychain utility, multi-layer pocket tools, folders from budget to premium, an analog writing tool, and fixed blades you will not worry about. The Kizer Milah earns top marks this week for sheer execution, but the Peacemaker fixed blades and the Rake prove that some of the most interesting EDC value still lives under $30.