Learn something new.

[Henry]

I have it on good authority that the Leatherman Multi-Tool is the ONE to buy - it's the tops!

Assorted screwdrivers, can openers, scissors - The Leatherman's got EVERYTHING. You could knock over a Central American junta with one of these babies.

(Tarrasque Wrangler, ENWorld Boards, Aug 2003)

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

I have it on good authority that the Leatherman Multi-Tool is the ONE to buy - it's the tops!


(Tarrasque Wrangler, ENWorld Boards, Aug 2003)

[Veruca] *stomps foot* I want one now! [/Veruca] Hopefully the husband reads this... hehehe...

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Makes sense. Alleve, Tylenol, Motrin -- all different stuff but most would seem to work.

Actually - DON'T use Tylenol. Tylenol + Alcohol = risk of liver failure.

 

[Warrior Poet]

Rudimentary evaporative cooling (swamp cooler) air conditioner for temporary relief:

I did this one summer at my first apartment without central air, trying to get to sleep on particularly brutal night of heat (and before I purchased a window unit). It's a holdover measure until you can get circulated air, window unit, etc.

You need a box or floor fan, a bucket or pan, and access to a store that sells bags or blocks of ice. If you have a working freezer, store extra bags of ice in there for regular change out.

Place a bag or block of ice in a pan, or atop the bucket, to catch the melt. Position the fan just behind the block/bag/bucket/pan combination, so that it blows the air over the ice. Situate your sleeping arrangment near this, preferably near or at floor level (heat rising as it does). As the fan blows, it passes the air over the ice, cooling slightly, and drifting near your sleeping area, gently and gradually reducing the nearby temperature to a level that allows you to doze (if not necessarily sleep well). The bucket/pan catches the melt (which you can recycle if the container is clean, or use on houseplants, etc.), and eventually you'll have to replace the melted water with another block or bag, but until more permanent relief arrives, it helps you make it through a miserable night. Note, the effect of the ice on the temperature will be more noticeable in dry climates as opposed to humid ones.

Warrior Poet

 

[reveal]

Actually - DON'T use Tylenol. Tylenol + Alcohol = risk of liver failure.

Taking too much Ibuprofen can lead to kidney stones. So either way you're screwed.

 

[Rel]

I have it on good authority that the Leatherman Multi-Tool is the ONE to buy - it's the tops!

I prefer the Gerber Multi-Plier myself. One Amazon reviewer had this to say about the differences:

The dominant multi-tool on the market is likely the Leatherman Wave. The Gerber has two main advantages versus the Leatherman (and one weakness).
The first advantage is that all the tools lock (not so for the Leatherman though the blade locks). A locking blade is clearly desirable, but a nice feature for other tools as well.

The second advantage is the strength of the pliers. It's hard to see from the image, but the pliers retract into the handle versus the Wave where the handles unfold to expose the pliers. Having looked at both before buying the Gerber, I suspect (but am not sure) that the strength of the Gerber design is greater. While the Leatherman's pliers have a pivot for each arm (plus the center pivot), the Gerber only has the center pivot.

This strength leads to the one weakness - that the pliers have to be opened to access any of the other tools (while with the Leatherman you can get at the blade without opening the whole tool).

Both are fine tools, what sold me on the Gerber is how the pliers retract and the cool sound it makes when you deploy the pliers and they lock into place - a very solid, satisfying metal thunk. Hint: to make sure that you can deploy with one hand, rub a little candle wax into the plier channels in the handle. Also the scissors are made by Fiskar - a specialty scissor maker - nice and sharp. Besides, it's sometimes nice to have something slightly different from what everyone else has.

 

[CarlZog]

I prefer the Gerber Multi-Plier myself.

Me too. Quick, one-handed deployment was a critical feature for me.

Carl

 

[CarlZog]

Actually - DON'T use Tylenol. Tylenol + Alcohol = risk of liver failure.

Oooh, good to know. Will edit previous posts....

 

[Henry]

Boy, you learn all kinds of things here... how to start 'em up, how to shut 'em down, and what to carve 'em up with...

Incidentally, that Tylenol + Alcohol thing is curious, because that's the two of the four main ingredients in Nyquil!

 

[reveal]

In actuality, Tylenol alone, in large quantities over time, can cause liver toxicity. Alcohol hurts when taking Tylenol because acetaminophen, in large quantities over time, can weaken the liver and alcohol, as we all know, hurts the liver well enough on its own.

http://www.tylenoldanger.com/html/liver.html