This may have been posted on here before. I came across this site during my conversations with the C. P. Wrench seller. He mentioned this site. It has a lot of interesting info on Multi-Tools, new and vintage. The Museum Exhibits section has some interesting vintage tools.

http://www.multi-tool.org/blog

This is one that I liked.

Yes, we have mentioned it here. I check in there sometimes to see if anything is new.

Whoa, is that a tiny adjustable wrench and hacksaw on that thing? I want those on my Leatherman!

I'm having a lot of questions about multi tools and their origins. I just posted a rather lengthy rambling about them ...... were socket wrenches and sockets the original idea of a multi tool?  One wrench, and endless sizes of sockets that fit the same tool.

So, is a claw hammer a multi tool?

Quote from: bird on October 07, 2016, 06:43:57 PM
I'm having a lot of questions about multi tools and their origins. I just posted a rather lengthy rambling about them ...... were socket wrenches and sockets the original idea of a multi tool?  One wrench, and endless sizes of sockets that fit the same tool.

I would have to guess the rock is the original, and still most versitile multi-tool ever :P

Originally, it was a weapon, it was shelter, it was something to sit on... But now adays we can carve it to do almost anything :P

 I still think that the real usefull 1st tool was the human hand.  it can hammer, lift, pull, push, scratch the soil and plant a seed
and many other useful deeds.

perhaps my 1st multi tool was a screwdriver.  a screwdriver ??????   yes, turn screws, scrape paint or gunk,   chip away ice, used
as a pry bar, use the handle to put the lid back on a paint can.  and you will all think of something that you had used a screwdriver for.

Quote from: Northwoods on October 07, 2016, 08:08:34 PM
So, is a claw hammer a multi tool?

I've seen claw hammers with notches to fit bolts, bolt holes in the main part of the head, built in bottle openers and screw drivers in the handle. So yeah, in some cases.

As for age, (http://www.datamp.org/patents/search/advance.php?pn=18206&id=16278&set=1) from 1857 is the oldest patent currently under the "combination tool" type in DATAMP.   I suspect there were earlier ones which were designed for care & upkeep of firearms -- one handy tool to keep your musket or pistol working.