Best Multi Tool; a plumber's perspective

[huugh]

Its funny how people opinions about things vary. I find the scissors to be excellent. When im fixing toilets there great for cutting the supply line to the correct length for new fluidmasters. But my Surge has been the carry of choice for the last couple of weeks.

Maybe I haven't made myself clear - I meant Powerlock's scissors, not scissors in general.
See:

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

:thumbup: Thanks again for the very informative post J. All of your posts really do justify the need for you to one day put all of this, especially your collector's series of posts, into one complete book so that knife knuts and MT fanatics like myself can read at leisure without having to go online all the time.

Just my 'incessant' suggestion.

Thanks for the encouragement sparkee, but I'm still holding out for that 7-figure offer from my publisher.
In the mean time, I'm working on a new post that I'll submit soon. Let me know if you like it.

~Bob

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

.........I would have loved to have slipped the guys a Craftsman Pro multi-tool (aka: Schrade ST5-E). The slip-joint plier head negates any flaws one may find with the tool.........

.......I wonder how they would like the Victorinox Swisstool (the fullsize one)?

......Seriously, have they checked Powerlock? It is big, heavy and can be flicked open........

Okay, we've got a family get-together planned for Labor Day weekend. Both Mike and Paul will be there. I'll bring these three multi-tools (along with PLENTY of food) and have the guys check them out.

Any other nominations?

~Bob

 

[cardimon]

...but then I work at a desk all day.

As do I.

 

[Matches]

I've gotta remember to check back in after Labor Day

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

Our annual Labor Day weekend family picnic at the mother-in-law's house was yesterday. Mike and Paul and their families were there, of course.
(It's sorta like Field of Dreams; "If you cook it, they will come.")

I brought along the three multi tools mentioned above. Mike's new Leatherman Core was hanging at his belt for comparison. In between beer, potato salad, and horseshoes, I had the guys check them out. Making sure not to influence anyone's opinions, I kept my comments to myself. (Not that it mattered; they never listen to me anyhow. )

So far, Mike is pleased with his Core. At first he didn't like that it was thicker than his old Super Tool, but he's already gotten used to that. On the plus side, he's REALLY happy with the locking mechanism. Now that he can unlock a blade one-handed with his Core, he wonders how he ever made do for so many years with the clumsy Super Tool blade lock.

I showed them my SOG PowerLock, and pointed out how it uses the same principle for a blade lock as the Core. Neither Mike nor Paul liked the flappy handle guards, and one of them pulled both guards off before I could protest. (#&%$!) I've read different reviews before that complained about the sharp gear teeth on SOG multi tools, but neither guy thought they would be a problem. Paul liked the size of the tool, which was the same as his Super Tool 200, and liked that his big fingers could pull the blades out okay. Other than the handle guards, his biggest complaint with the PowerLock was in regards to the jaw opening size. He noted that in order to grab onto an object bigger than about 5/8" diameter, the plier handles would be so far apart that it would be difficult to squeeze them properly. (see photo) He makes a good point.

Mike played around with the Victorinox SwissTool a bit, but decided he didn't like it.
"It's the same size as my Core, but look at how small the pliers are," was his first and last comment. I'd been watching him though, and noticed that, just like the Spirit, he wasn't able to get any of the blades out. I'm not kidding! If you've got a SwissTool or a Spirit, try getting out a blade using only your thumb, no thumbnail. That's what watching these guys with their big fingers puts me in mind of.
Paul agreed with Mike, and also pointed out that the SwissTool was lacking a hard-wire notch. These guys use steel wire occasionally to hang pipe, and wondered how long the regular wire cutters would hold up.

Last on the docket was Craftsman Professional multi tool. (No longer made by Schrade, also called the ST5.) Mike had owned a needlenose ST1 years ago, but didn't care for the method of locking blades. He liked the ST5 slip-joint pliers concept a lot, but couldn't get past that blade lock issue. Another comment was in regard to the combination hex driver/screwdriver socket. While he admits to the advantages of having a full-size 1/4" hex driver available, Mike still prefers dedicated phillips and straight screwdrivers on his multi tools.
Paul was also impressed with the slip-joint pliers. Apparently he often has to grip on pipe or nuts that are too big around for his Super Tool 200, forcing him to stop what he's doing and go fetch some regular pliers or channel locks. When he tried to fold the tool back up however, he struggled. The ST5 has a definite "fiddle factor" involved when closing up, and it finally got the best of him. He handed the tool back to me, still open.

One hour and a couple of beers later, neither one of these gorillas was willing to change their current EDC. We all recognized advantages that the different tools had though, and were left speculating on what the perfect tool would be like:
"Now if only sombody would combine the blade lock from the Core and SOG, with the Victorinox craftsmanship, and the slip-joint pliers from the Schrade, and..............etc, etc."


~Bob

 

[huugh]

Thanks for the info

 

[Matches]

Yeah, a lot has to do with what you're used to also. I never minded the drivers on the Craftsman, but after experiencing problems with the new Leatherman bit holders, I too now would prefer a dedicated driver. Thanks for the follow-up!

 

[colubrid]

This was really a great reveiw. I enjoyed it. I was looking forward to the final word on the fat finger opening this Labor day.

I myself have smaller hands and great fingernails for opening. I just ordered a Vic Spirit but the LM Core really intriques me now. ..

.........So, for someone without "suasage fingers" which multitool would you recomemnd. The Vic or LM???



Thanks for sharing !


Now I am going to have to buy a LM Core. ......For reals!

 

[gatch]

and also pointed out that the SwissTool was lacking a hard-wire notch.

Is this an older model of the SwissTool? I have seen two different pliers notches for the SwissTool and what I assume to be new ones have the same notch as he Spirit.

 

[Matches]

This was really a great reveiw. I enjoyed it. I was looking forward to the final word on the fat finger opening this Labor day.

I myself have smaller hands and great fingernails for opening. I just ordered a Vic Spirit but the LM Core really intriques me now. ..

.........So, for someone without "suasage fingers" which multitool would you recomemnd. The Vic or LM???



Thanks for sharing !


Now I am going to have to buy a LM Core. ......For reals!

I have really beat my Leatherman Core at work over the past year and considering everything else available, I highly recommend it. I did bend the tip on the smallest screwdriver, but it was a stupid move on my part and I was able to hammer it back into shape.

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

Is this an older model of the SwissTool? I have seen two different pliers notches for the SwissTool and what I assume to be new ones have the same notch as the Spirit.

Oops, I hadn't noticed this change before.
The SwissTool I showed the brothers-in-law does not have a hard-wire notch, nor does the Charles Elsener signature SwissTool I have. Both are from the late 1990's.
However, a black oxide finish model that I bought recently does have the notch.

Thanks for pointing it out gatch!

 

[gatch]

Oops, I hadn't noticed this change before.
The SwissTool I showed the brothers-in-law does not have a hard-wire notch, nor does the Charles Elsener signature SwissTool I have. Both are from the late 1990's.
However, a black oxide finish model that I bought recently does have the notch.

Thanks for pointing it out gatch!

No problem.

More for you to collect

This is typical of the Victorinox style: they evolve and improve their existing solid products over time, unlike the Leatherman approach with is to start with a totally new tool design and phase out the old ones.

Evolution Vs Revolution

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

Evolution Vs Revolution

Or perhaps:

Who can sell the best tools -Vs- Who can sell the most tools.

 

[gatch]

Or perhaps:

Who can sell the best tools -Vs- Who can sell the most tools.

Yes, that is another way of looking at it if you are talking about a plier based tool. But I would think tool for tool (counting their venerable knives as tools) Victorinox sells more product than Leatherman, due in part to the fact that Leatherman (I think) overprices their product.

 

[pyrophilus]

Great post Bob!

...I've read different reviews before that complained about the sharp gear teeth on SOG multi tools, but neither guy thought they would be a problem.

I thought that too. I used to think "oh, cry me a river!" when reading of people complaing about the gears. It didn't bother me, until I have to loosen a really rusted screw. I normally open the handles 180º to screw things, but to remove this rusted screw, I closed the handles and tried to put my weight into it. Holy crap! the gears DO hurt!

...his biggest complaint with the PowerLock was in regards to the jaw opening size. He noted that in order to grab onto an object bigger than about 5/8" diameter, the plier handles would be so far apart that it would be difficult to squeeze them properly. (see photo) He makes a good point.

Paul beat me to it. I was actually writing up a review of my tools, and my 2 biggest concern with SOG is that the tools all gang together, and that the compound leverage is only useful for thing or small objects, because if the jaws of the SOG are opened to grab a larger object, the handles are so far apart that it makes it almost impossible to put any real "grip" into it.
[/QUOTE]

...just like the Spirit, he wasn't able to get any of the blades out. I'm not kidding! If you've got a SwissTool or a Spirit, try getting out a blade using only your thumb, no thumbnail.... ...Paul agreed with Mike, and also pointed out that the SwissTool was lacking a hard-wire notch. These guys use steel wire occasionally to hang pipe, and wondered how long the regular wire cutters would hold up.

I have smaller hands (and thumb nails too!), but I still have trouble pulling out some of the tools on the original Swisstool. The spirit is little better, but it takes alot more effort to open the swisstool's tools than others. The Original swisstool, I got used off Ebay, and the dude must have used it to cut hard wires. The wire cutter was all meshed up, I had to dremmel it down so it wouldn't bind.

"Now if only sombody would combine the blade lock from the Core and SOG, with the Victorinox craftsmanship, and the slip-joint pliers from the Schrade, and..............etc, etc."

Really! I agree. If SOG had non-ganging, OUTSIDE opening tools (this would also eliminate need for the "guard"), and perhaps handles that curved in (like spirit), so that it would alleviate some of the jaw open vs handle travel problem, I think I'd not want any other tools. Oh yeah, and make the base portion of the phillips driver slimmer. Hey, I guess it doesn't end...

 

[pyrophilus]

.........So, for someone without "suasage fingers" which multitool would you recomemnd. The Vic or LM???

I have small hands (with thumb nails to boot!), and I really like the Spirit. But this is for EDC. If I realize that I really need to do stuff (like replacing the vacuum cut valve on the EVAP of my Pathfinder today), I end up bring the SOG with me. Only reason is because it has the most usablish philips driver with a larger wrench. if I had the Core, I think I'd probably have brought that out today instead of the SOG.

 

[Nathan S]

There's a lot of great information here. Thanks, Jooliesews, for an informative thread, and thanks to the other posters for their contributions.

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

If SOG had non-ganging, OUTSIDE opening tools (this would also eliminate need for the "guard"), and perhaps handles that curved in (like spirit), so that it would alleviate some of the jaw open vs handle travel problem, I think I'd not want any other tools. Oh yeah, and make the base portion of the phillips driver slimmer. Hey, I guess it doesn't end...

Great ideas, all!:thumbup:

Rumor has it that a new model SOG tool is in the works. I hope the designers are paying attention.

 

[sodak]

Great thread, thanks!