Adam Savage Wields Hacksmith's Titanium EDC Multi-Tool!

Summary by Krater

Adam Savage and James Hobson of The Hacksmith discuss the engineering challenges of designing and manufacturing the Smith Blade, an everyday-carry pocket knife featuring integrated bit storage, a flint striker, and modular bit retention.

From the video

Answers: How did The Hacksmith design and manufacture the Smith Blade pocket knife?

• Everyday carry pocket knife design
• Integrating bit storage into knife handles
• Internal hex geometry machining
• Spring steel compliance and bit retention
• Manufacturing high-precision knife parts in-house

What it concludes

• The Smith Blade weighs 88 grams, compared to 100 grams for a normal Swiss Army knife and 250 grams for a Leatherman.
• Stamping bits alters their dimensions and creates an oblong hexagon, requiring laser cutting or machining for precision.
• Bit retention works best with a short hex shank (32 mm instead of the standard 28 mm) combined with an internal hex geometry spring.
• Manufacturing the knives in-house allows for rapid design iteration and faster product launches compared to outsourcing.
• Switching from T8 to T10 screws resolved reliability issues with the belt clip's replaceable fastener.