Budget Multi-tool

[the-accumulator]

Don’t listen to him.

You're right! Don't listen to me or to that TX Tool Crib guy. What do we know, anyway! And don't pay any attention to the 73 Walmart Multiforce purchasers who gave it a 4.7 out of 5.0 rating. What do they know! After all, only 97% of them would recommend that you should get a Multiforce for yourself. What a bunch of dummies!! T-A

 

[Lee D]

I think you and many others need to reconsider the quality and value to be found in an Ozark Trail Multiforce 18 in 1 multitool.

I’ve seen LM tools last 20+ years and wear out several sheaths. When your OT can do that, plus be backed by a knockout warranty, then you might have something worth jabbering on and on about.

 

[rhino]

Iridium242 gave a good review of the new Nextool Flagship Pro.

 

[craytab]

Looking for a multitool under $50, but a decent knife and pliers are a must. I was thinking of purchasing a Gerber Armbar and replacing the scissors with some small pliers, any suggestions on how to do this? Or would I be better off just buying a tool with these things built in?

I'd strongly suggest looking at used leathermans on the secondary market. I've purchased multiple Leatherman Kicks in the $20-$30 range on the bay. The kick is very similar to the new Bond. The sidekick/wingman can be found in the $30-$50 range used. I'd stay away from the Rev because the knife is less EDC friendly.

Buying a good multitool is an investment that will pay off for a lifetime. Buy from a reputable company and don't cheap out.

Also look into the Ozark Trail 18-in-1 Multi-Force available through Walmart. It is very similar to a LM Wave but with a few improvements. It sells new for less than $50. T-A

Ha! No, just no....

Iridium242 gave a good review of the new Nextool Flagship Pro.

I bought that at a great price just to check out. It is pretty good, and the scissors are great. That said, it is massive. I'd never consider carrying it. While it has performed when I needed it, the thing is far too big to carry and sits in the garden shed.

 

[rhino]

I bought that at a great price just to check out. It is pretty good, and the scissors are great. That said, it is massive. I'd never consider carrying it. While it has performed when I needed it, the thing is far too big to carry and sits in the garden shed.

Is it bigger than a Leatherman Surge or SuperTool300? Those are both easy to carry if you really want to carry them, kind of like carrying a Glock 17 or Sig Sauer P226 when other people refuse to carry anything bigger than a Beretta Jetfire.

 

[the-accumulator]

I bought that at a great price just to check out. It is pretty good, and the scissors are great. That said, it is massive. I'd never consider carrying it. While it has performed when I needed it, the thing is far too big to carry and sits in the garden shed.

Nextool Flagship Pro...I'll have to keep my eye out for one of those cheap (garage sale/pawn shop/etc.). I love my LM Surges (all 3 of them!), but I'm interested in the double butterfly design. T-A

 

[Hickory n steel]

You're right! Don't listen to me or to that TX Tool Crib guy. What do we know, anyway! And don't pay any attention to the 73 Walmart Multiforce purchasers who gave it a 4.7 out of 5.0 rating. What do they know! After all, only 97% of them would recommend that you should get a Multiforce for yourself. What a bunch of dummies!! T-A

What makes you think those 73 people actually know any better ?
How many people do you think give good ratings to Mtech knives because it looked cool and flicked open fast when they just didn't know any better.

Maybe this tool is actually an acceptable choice for the money, but I don't think those reviews are necessarily an indication of that.

 

[the-accumulator]

I agree that customer reviews alone don't tell the whole story, but they do add to the story. So check out TX Tool Crib's detailed review comparing the Multiforce and the LM Wave, if you have 85 minutes to spare. I'm not saying anyone should buy a Multiforce. I'm just saying anyone who wants a budget priced but very capable MT might want to consider a Multiforce. Remember, while I'm impressed by the Multiforce, my EDC still says "LEATHERMAN" on the handles. T-A

 

[craytab]

Is it bigger than a Leatherman Surge or SuperTool300? Those are both easy to carry if you really want to carry them, kind of like carrying a Glock 17 or Sig Sauer P226 when other people refuse to carry anything bigger than a Beretta Jetfire.

I don't have either of those but it makes my wave and Free P2 seem small. It is kind of on odd tool. There are other things that would keep it out of my pocket too. The pocket clip is the opposite of deep carry. The Philips driver is on the end of the can opener. And the killer in my mind is that the blade is nice and big with a great utility shape, but it does not lock! Meanwhile, the saw on the other side has a nice liner lock. Go figure.

 

[rhino]

I don't have either of those but it makes my wave and Free P2 seem small. It is kind of on odd tool. There are other things that would keep it out of my pocket too. The pocket clip is the opposite of deep carry. The Philips driver is on the end of the can opener. And the killer in my mind is that the blade is nice and big with a great utility shape, but it does not lock! Meanwhile, the saw on the other side has a nice liner lock. Go figure.

Oy! I didn't realize that the blade doesn't lock. I must have missed that in the video.

In some cases, if I had to choose, I might go with a locking saw rather than a locking blade. I use the back of saws on SAKs and multi-tools frequently to scrape ferro rods and wood to make really fine fluffy shavings.

 

[the-accumulator]

I’ve seen LM tools last 20+ years and wear out several sheaths. When your OT can do that, plus be backed by a knockout warranty, then you might have something worth jabbering on and on about.

My many LM multitools have served me well for decades, and I never leave the house without one or more on my person. Most of mine have been acquired second hand, and, while the Leatherman warranty department has taken very good care of me over the years, keep in mind that they clearly state that only the original owner is entitled to warranty coverage.
Remember, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Leatherman fan, a true believer. But if I had a $50 budget, I would not limit myself to Leatherman. The Skinth holster in which I carry my Surge cost more than $50. The Multiforce has a 5 year warranty, as I understand, which means you could put a lot of EDC miles on it before you'd be out of warranty.
If I could only own one multitool, it would be a LM Wave. But if I wanted the functionality and the fit and finish of a Wave for $50 or less, I would include a Multiforce on my short list. Sorry for jabbering on so much. Well, no, I guess I'm not really that sorry. T-A

 

[craytab]

My many LM multitools have served me well for decades, and I never leave the house without one or more on my person. Most of mine have been acquired second hand, and, while the Leatherman warranty department has taken very good care of me over the years, keep in mind that they clearly state that only the original owner is entitled to warranty coverage.
Remember, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Leatherman fan, a true believer. But if I had a $50 budget, I would not limit myself to Leatherman. The Skinth holster in which I carry my Surge cost more than $50. The Multiforce has a 5 year warranty, as I understand, which means you could put a lot of EDC miles on it before you'd be out of warranty.
If I could only own one multitool, it would be a LM Wave. But if I wanted the functionality and the fit and finish of a Wave for $50 or less, I would include a Multiforce on my short list. Sorry for jabbering on so much. Well, no, I guess I'm not really that sorry. T-A

If I had a $50 budget, I'd consider myself about $45 beyond Ozark Trail budget territory.

 

[the-accumulator]

Oy! I didn't realize that the blade doesn't lock. I must have missed that in the video.

I watched the video about the Nextool Flagship Pro, and, from what I learned, both the master blade and the saw have secure linerlocks. You might want to watch the video again and see if I'm right. That tool seems to have the largest/ strongest scissors that I have ever seen in a plier-based multitool! Thanks for sharing that video. It's amazing what innovative technology awaits those who are willing to be open-minded about what brand name appears on the handle! T-A

 

[rhino]

I watched the video about the Nextool Flagship Pro, and, from what I learned, both the master blade and the saw have secure linerlocks. You might want to watch the video again and see if I'm right. That tool seems to have the largest/ strongest scissors that I have ever seen in a plier-based multitool! Thanks for sharing that video. It's amazing what innovative technology awaits those who are willing to be open-minded about what brand name appears on the handle! T-A

So maybe I did not miss it in the video!

 

[craytab]

I watched the video about the Nextool Flagship Pro, and, from what I learned, both the master blade and the saw have secure linerlocks. You might want to watch the video again and see if I'm right. That tool seems to have the largest/ strongest scissors that I have ever seen in a plier-based multitool! Thanks for sharing that video. It's amazing what innovative technology awaits those who are willing to be open-minded about what brand name appears on the handle! T-A

So maybe I did not miss it in the video!

Looks to me like there are different versions out there. Some have locks on the blade and some don't. Same with the reviews. The one I own doesn't have a lock on the blade. No matter for me as I bought it to check out the scissors, which are great. Plus, as I said, it is too big for me to justify carrying as an EDC over one of my many leathermans so a locking blade isn't a deal breaker.

 

[RoyalHolic]

As everyone has stated you really cannot go wrong with a Leatherman but if you honestly wanted something different I received a SOG PowerPint a year or so ago and it's serviceable definitely has it's flaws but it's $50 or cheaper.

Gerber has a bad rap but the Center Drive and Dime are decent multi-tools as well.

Can't beat a Leatherman though.

 

[rhino]

Looks to me like there are different versions out there. Some have locks on the blade and some don't. Same with the reviews. The one I own doesn't have a lock on the blade. No matter for me as I bought it to check out the scissors, which are great. Plus, as I said, it is too big for me to justify carrying as an EDC over one of my many leathermans so a locking blade isn't a deal breaker.

You're right about it being big. I can live with it, though, because the extra width is due to the unique scissors design. Before this tool, I was happy only with Victorinox scissors. I've never been pleased with scissors on any other brand, including Leatherman. The scissors on the Nextool Flagship Pro are innovative, big enough to be useful for a wide variety of tasks, sharp, and very functional. They will cut even flimsy thin stuff near the tips, which lesser scissors will only fold. The question is durability over the long term, but we'll have to wait and see.

Even after the praise in the video, I am surprised that the tool is made as well as it is. The knife blade is really nice, especially for a budget tool. I with it had a file and an awl/reamer, though. And a bit driver would be nice (and could easily be incorporated somewhere on the tool).

 

[BladeOwner72]

I have tried them all in regards to Leatherman brand, I still own quite a few but the one that has proven the best to pocket, hold up well and meet my needs as a Wireless Tech is the Leatherman Skeletool CX. Mine has the 154cm steel so it’s around 70 bucks right now but in 440c it’s less than 50.

 

[the-accumulator]

Looking for a multitool under $50, but a decent knife and pliers are a must. I was thinking of purchasing a Gerber Armbar and replacing the scissors with some small pliers, any suggestions on how to do this? Or would I be better off just buying a tool with these things built in?

So, Charles, with 37 responses to your original question, what have you decided? Have you made a purchase? Inquiring minds want to know! T-A

 

[jeepin]

What did you end up picking??