This Weird Little Tool Is My New Go-To for Home Projects

There’s a reason that the phrase “Swiss Army Knife” is used to describe anything that is ultra-versatile and useful (like a “Swiss Army Knife” tiny house that is packed with clever storage): With attachments for cutting, screwing, opening, filing, and more, Swiss Army Knives are the pinnacle of multipurpose items. If you’re not an outdoorsy person, you might think this is a tool that you can skip, but let me convince you: I’ve fallen in love with my Swiss Army Knife because of some seriously clever attachments that have made it something I use around the house nearly every week.

I didn’t have my own knife until a summer trip to Switzerland, when I stumbled upon the headquarters of Victorinox (makers of the famed Swiss Army Knife), where I got a custom-made knife to bring home as a souvenir.

Designing my own Swiss Army Knife (the “Climber” model) involved plenty of decisions — the type of knife, the color of the casing, and more — but one was pivotal. There was only room for either a screwdriver or a corkscrew on my knife, and I went back and forth on which would be more practical. What ultimately made the decision for me was not the corkscrew itself, but what could come with it: teeny tiny attachments that twisted into the corkscrew, turning it into the Swiss Army Knife of, um, Swiss Army Knives.

I picked this set of attachments — which includes flathead, Phillips, and Torx T4 screwdrivers, as well as a SIM card pin, all for $15 — because of how adorable it was, but I now appreciate how useful these itsy-bitsy attachments are for small projects that my other tools are too big for.

The Phillips head screwdriver is ideal for adjusting tiny screws — like the ones on glasses, for instance — and I’ve also used it to make minor repairs and tighten parts on vintage wooden pieces like trinket boxes and toys. The flathead also makes bending jewelry jump rings a breeze so that I can fix loose pieces. I’ve also used it to pry open lockets gently to reveal what’s inside. Another plus? All the tools work for cleaning junk from out between the keys on my laptop.

I built my knife from scratch, but the mini tool set can be bought separately and used as an add-on for several of Victorinox’s knife models. Some, like the Compact and SwissChamp, include the teensy flathead screwdriver already installed in the corkscrew.

I brought other souvenirs home from that trip (hello, chocolate), but my knife and mini tools have proven their value time and again. The knife is a staple in my purse as a portable solution for many of life’s problems, and the mini tools are the perfect little accessory to make my Victorinox knife even more functional. For anyone who does DIYs around their home or who shops for vintage decor that might need the occasional tightening or tinkering, this tool is a must-buy.