Experiment time, wrapping it up.

[jackknife]

Very often we don't see eye to eye with others. That is what makes us humans. The individual in us sometimes makes us see things a bit different than another person. Neither of us may be right or wrong, just expressing what works for us. Or as we say on the 'net; YMMV.

I have had some disagreements with Dave(Pinnah) on multitools. Dave and I have not seen eye to eye at all on the subject of the 58mm SAK's. So Dave, unexpectedly to me, has made an outstanding gesture. He's sent me a Leatherman Micra to try. And I, in the spirit of agreeing to disagree, have made decision to try this tool out with an open mind. I have done what I didn't think I ever would. I have taken off the Victorinox classic from my keyring, and replaced it with the Micra. It has been in use now for about two weeks, and I am giving it a full month. I figure the first two weeks is just getting used to the weird layout of the thing.

First impressions are mixed. The scissors, which is the main tool all else is set up around, is beefier than the Victorinox scissors. Okay, if you are into scissors. They function okay, but are not as precision as the Vic scissors. They both cut well on material up to medium cardboard like matchbook covers, but the Leatherman scissors will cut better than the Vic when the material gets thicker. Both do well on cloth like denim.

All of the tools on the Victorinox are 'external' for lack of a better way to describe it. With the micra, all the tools are 'internal' and you need to pull open the tool to access the other tools down in the body cavity. Knife blade, screw driver, whatever, it takes more movements to get at the micra tools. If I want the small screw driver on the classic, I just pull it out. It I want the knife blade to cut a bit of twine, I just pull it out. With the micra you have to pull open the whole tool, find the blade, pull that open, and maybe close the tool or leave it open as you wish.

The Leatherman is heavier built, and has a more industrial feel. The Victorinox is smoother, more refined and easy to use. My keyring feels noticeable heavier with the micra on it, and when I weighed it on an old scale, it was twice the weight of the classic.

I've got another two weeks to go on the experiment, so we'll see if I can get used to the Leatherman. I don't think the scissors will do it for me. I have only very occasional need for scissors, and then it's light duty. I don't need tin snips in my edc life. But I do like convenience, and having the tools on the micra all on the inside is a PITA on a daily basis. Leatherman should have put them all on the outside like on the small plier tools. Way better design. So far, the design of the micra is not doing it for me. Time will tell. I do have to admit that the micra is built sturdier than the little 58mm Victorinox. Like I said, it's like the industrial vs the smooth.


The two side by side. Since the knife blade is my most used tool, the Vic classic is a bit better than the Leatherman. It's way easier to get at conveniently, and cuts just as good.

Size difference is very noticeable. Micra is more of a pocket tool than keychain tool.

Victorinox on keyring.

Leatherman on keyring.

 

[SAK Guy]

Bought my (ex) wife one when they first came out...she carried it for many years on her keychain. I always had a SAK of some kind with me and usually a full size Leatherman on my belt so I never considered one for myself. Too small for me....

 

[harronek]

You must be the only person Ive ever seen that has just one key on their key ring
Personally I don't have time for knives or tools that small , the Cadet is the smallest that I own and it doesn't get much work .
I carry a Surge on my belt at work and the scissors get used occasionally but my circumstances don't seem to require them much , I must live in a different world than the large family of scissor lovers that are out there .
I totally agree about the tools , or at least the main tools of a Multitool being on the outside where they can be accessed quickly .
To sum up I suppose I'd have to say .

" I will never own a Micra , or anything similar "

Ken

 

[jackknife]

You must be the only person Ive ever seen that has just one key on their key ring

Ken

The new Camry we bought has a large key with the buttons on it, and is just too much for keyring. It gets carried separately. My truck keys are on their own ring, separate. Since I can no longer predict what car/truck/scooter/motorcycle I will be driving that day, I now don't carry a defined set of keys to a particular vehicle. Just too confusing.

My edc personal keyring is more like my personal mini tool ring.

 

[znapschatz]

Bought my (ex) wife one when they first came out...she carried it for many years on her keychain. I always had a SAK of some kind with me and usually a full size Leatherman on my belt so I never considered one for myself. Too small for me....

Other way here. My wife is strictly SAK, hates Leatherman so hard that once when we were out somewhere she needed scissors and actually did without rather than touch the Micra I offered. In her view, Vic is pocket knife perfection when she bothers to think about it at all. She appreciates, but is not an enthusiast.
She does tolerate a Squirt S4 I forced on her once, likes the scissors especially for clipping coupons and toenails, although she had it for months before discovering there were other tools aboard. To my surprise, I find her using them occasionally. When out, she usually carries the SAK Climber I gave her when we were still courting, unless I'm with her, in which case I carry everything.

 

[MrFixIt]

A rather interesting thread.
I carry 3 knives at work. SpyderCo Tenacious (comes in handy when on a ladder), a SwissTool, (use this several times during the day) and more recently an ALOX Pioneer (just because I like it).
The SwissTool of course is in a pouch on my belt, but I feel naked without it whilst at work.

 

[znapschatz]

Very often we don't see eye to eye with others. That is what makes us humans. The individual in us sometimes makes us see things a bit different than another person. Neither of us may be right or wrong, just expressing what works for us. Or as we say on the 'net; YMMV.

I have had some disagreements with Dave(Pinnah) on multitools. Dave and I have not seen eye to eye at all on the subject of the 58mm SAK's. So Dave, unexpectedly to me, has made an outstanding gesture. He's sent me a Leatherman Micra to try. And I, in the spirit of agreeing to disagree, have made decision to try this tool out with an open mind. I have done what I didn't think I ever would. I have taken off the Victorinox classic from my keyring, and replaced it with the Micra. It has been in use now for about two weeks, and I am giving it a full month. I figure the first two weeks is just getting used to the weird layout of the thing.

First impressions are mixed. The scissors, which is the main tool all else is set up around, is beefier than the Victorinox scissors. Okay, if you are into scissors. They function okay, but are not as precision as the Vic scissors. They both cut well on material up to medium cardboard like matchbook covers, but the Leatherman scissors will cut better than the Vic when the material gets thicker. Both do well on cloth like denim.

All of the tools on the Victorinox are 'external' for lack of a better way to describe it. With the micra, all the tools are 'internal' and you need to pull open the tool to access the other tools down in the body cavity. Knife blade, screw driver, whatever, it takes more movements to get at the micra tools. If I want the small screw driver on the classic, I just pull it out. It I want the knife blade to cut a bit of twine, I just pull it out. With the micra you have to pull open the whole tool, find the blade, pull that open, and maybe close the tool or leave it open as you wish.

The Leatherman is heavier built, and has a more industrial feel. The Victorinox is smoother, more refined and easy to use. My keyring feels noticeable heavier with the micra on it, and when I weighed it on an old scale, it was twice the weight of the classic.

I've got another two weeks to go on the experiment, so we'll see if I can get used to the Leatherman. I don't think the scissors will do it for me. I have only very occasional need for scissors, and then it's light duty. I don't need tin snips in my edc life. But I do like convenience, and having the tools on the micra all on the inside is a PITA on a daily basis. Leatherman should have put them all on the outside like on the small plier tools. Way better design. So far, the design of the micra is not doing it for me. Time will tell. I do have to admit that the micra is built sturdier than the little 58mm Victorinox. Like I said, it's like the industrial vs the smooth.

All the above is true, but like the man said at the very beginning, "Neither of us may be right or wrong, just expressing what works for us. Or as we say on the 'net; YMMV." Rambler vs. Micra has been a go around with me for years. Like all Vic products, the Rambler neatly balances utility with hand comfort in its most compact form. It does a good job for most civil purposes and I've had it for years. The Micra, however, is tougher, has better tools, but not as hand friendly, which can be considered an important issue with hand tools. Back when I started carrying a Super Tool, a Micra rode along for the scissors and supplementary tools. Both multi-tools had their quirks, but in a not long time I got use to both, then they were EDC for 9 years. In that length of time, all functions of either were on auto pilot. Although I like one hand opening in a dedicated knife, inside/outside opening in a multi-tool is no issue at all for me. I use them differently.

While the Super Tool has been replaced by "improved" Leathermen, I'm still using the Micra, but often interchanged with the Rambler, which I value because of the neato small ph screwdriver. It's sort of my "dress" knife. Both ride in my fifth pocket, although not at the same time.

 

[Toddwalla]

Carl, I applaud you for accepting Pinnah's challenge. We can all learn a lesson from you here.

 

[pinnah]

Carl,

Always fun to see something held in my hand show up on the interweb!!

As you continue to play around with it, my recommendation is to keep it in your pocket, not on your key ring. We all carry things differently so whatever works best for you but I found a couple of things in my experience.

One, as you've already found, the Micra is really too heavy to be a key ring tool (imo).

Two, I found the tools to be more useful if not encumbered with keys flopping about. If I had to carry a Micra on a key chain, I would use a quick-release retainer of some sort.


Regarding access to the tools and the overall utility of the scissors, it will be interesting to see if/how the tool grows on you.

You know how non-knife people say, "I don't need a knife" and we say, "Carry a knife for a month or so and you may start to find things in your life where having a knife helps." The same thing happened with me and the Micra. I was already pretty scissors friendly due to my long time use of a Vic Classic, but over the first year or so of carrying the Micra I learned to trust the robust scissors more and more. You mentioned using an awl to pop off a zip tie. The Micra scissors are great for that. Also good for clam shell packages (depending on shape). Some cordage is better handled with shop scissors. Heavy tape. For me (and this may not be for you or others) but for me, once I got used to having a heavy duty scissors with me, I would really miss not having it, just like I would miss a knife blade.

In terms of the access to the tools inside, yes, definitely. It's something that I think one needs to get used to. The problem (as I see it) with the external tools (like the Squirt or Wave) is that this design adds bulk and weight. So I think that's the trade-off: low weight & smaller size vs ease of access. For me, this trade-off is also tied to the more rugged industrial feel of the Micra. I'm sure it is possible to break a Micra if one really tries to (same with any tool) but I push my Micras incredibly hard sometimes - much more than they would appear to be able to take. For me, this helps ameliorate some of the hassle of deploying a tool. I know I'm deploying a tool that I can do more with. This is particularly true for me with the pen blade and screw driver blades.

Anyway, thanks for posting. You're a good sport!!

 

[Student762]

Wow, this is interesting. I have three classics, one in my wallet, one on my keys and one on my desk as well as a ramble which gets carried in conjunction with my GEC #15. I have to say that my favourite SAK has no scissors at all and quite often I go through the day without ever having to use a set of scissors. I can appreciate the usefulness of the micra's heavy scissors though I don't believe I would get much use from them myself. The only times I use scissors are for trimming my nails in which case the scissors on the classic or the rambler do fine for me. I guess in the end it all comes down to personal preference and my preferene is for pliers over scissors if I am carrying a tool as the ability to perform fence repairs at will is quite handy.
My two cents anyways.
Wishing all an early merry christmas,
James.

 

[Grateful]

Oh I do love experiments. I had a micra a few years back and found it just wasn't for me. Lots of people think highly of them and I agree they are quality tools but they just never with me.
The classic on the other hand, well I would really hate to give up my little classic. I am interested to hear how you feel about the micra at the end of your experiment Carl.

Jim

 

[jackknife]

Oh I do love experiments. I had a micra a few years back and found it just wasn't for me. Lots of people think highly of them and I agree they are quality tools but they just never with me.
The classic on the other hand, well I would really hate to give up my little classic. I am interested to hear how you feel about the micra at the end of your experiment Carl.

Jim

I hear ya, Jim!

So far, this experiment is half over, and I'm still waiting for the light bulb to come on over my head. The Leatherman is a stronger built tool, no doubt about that, but it seems a matter of over kill considering the small size. It's kind of like the engineers got carried away by their enthusiasm. It's like a small Sherman tank. Yes, it's possible to build the tank the size of a Volkswagon, but why would you? You'd loose all the advantages of the VW, and gain some very dubious advantages.

So far in the past two weeks, I've cursed the micra multiple times daily. I make it point to purposely go for the micra first when a small cutting job comes up, or when I need a small screw driver. The micra is slow and inconvenient when coma red to the classic. Plus it's outright uncomfortable. I was doing some cutting and I went to try what Dave suggested, using the knife blade with the handle open and extended. Yes, this gives a longer handle to hold onto, but the shape and construction of the handle is not good. Theres the ridges and edges of the open handle, plus some bumps and irregularities of the joints. All corners and edge, not good for whittling unless you have gloves one. The SAK handles are all smooth and rounded, the tool backs are smoothed off. MUch more hand friendly.

I guess so far, that has been my main experience of the Leatherman, it's not a 'friendly' tool. The ergonomics are second to the function. It's like the human factor has been ignored by the engineers to make as strong a mini tool as possible, never mind how inconvenient the end user finds it. I went to slice the plastic wrapping off a wedge of brie to put n some crackers, and it was highly annoying to have to open the danged thing up, dig out the knife blade, slice, fold in knife blade, then fold up tool. With my little SAK I pull out blade, slice, close blade. Bada bing, bada boom, it's done.

I'm gonna give it the rest of the month, Imade a promise to myself that I'd go the full month to really get to know it, and to fair in using it. All I can say is; "We'll see."

 

[BenHarris]

You might try a Style Series tool. I have the CS and love it. The Micra never floated my boat either. Just an idea to try.

Between you and me though, the Classic still wins. It has resided in my Altoids tin tackle box for the past 18 months-2years. Ive caught literally hundreds of brook trout in rather nasty mountain streams with that tin. The Classic has cut hundreds of feet of line, tightened screws on reels, filed nails that broke so I don't catch it going in and out of my pocket, removed splinters, performed minor surgery a few times, and even cleaned a few trout. I can even make a fish scaler with it; provided I have a wood screw and a coke cap.

 

[No Agenda]

Have you tried carrying it with an Opinel? Maybe the magic of the Micra isn't released until it's carried with the Opinel.

 

[dogstar]

Leatherman tools never appealed to me. Thanks for confirming what my gut already knows.

 

[mnblade]

(The Leatherman Micra's scissors) function okay, but are not as precision as the Vic scissors. They both cut well on material up to medium cardboard like matchbook covers, but the Leatherman scissors will cut better than the Vic when the material gets thicker.

I have and like both. I feel the Victorinox's scissors do a better job on both fine materials (like a thread on my daughter's sweater) and on fingernails.

I've cursed the micra multiple times daily. ... I went to slice the plastic wrapping off a wedge of brie to put n some crackers, and it was highly annoying to have to open the danged thing up, dig out the knife blade, slice, fold in knife blade, then fold up tool. With my little SAK I pull out blade, slice, close blade. Bada bing, bada boom, it's done.

Like anything, it just takes some getting used to. I can whip open the Micra's blade lickety split.

 

[shinyedges]

I think the style cs would be a closer comparison to the Vic classic. IMO

 

[pyro777]

Like they said above, maybe try the style cs, or in the same size category as the micra would be the PS4. You may have no need at all for small pliers but all the other tools are outside accessible, it has a blade, scissors, small screw drivers, file and what not.

 

[pinnah]

Carl has been a wonderfully good sport in giving the Micra a try. It's been a lot of fun to ruminate on how and why different tools and knives work for different people. There's no right answer and obviously, no expectation on my part that the Micra will win Carl over. There's no *win* involved any more than there is for beers or shoes. What fits one has no bearing on what fits another.

As I've been mulling it all over in the spare moments of a busy Christmas season, several things jump out at me. Some are differences. Some are similarities.

So far, this experiment is half over, and I'm still waiting for the light bulb to come on over my head. The Leatherman is a stronger built tool, no doubt about that, but it seems a matter of over kill considering the small size. It's kind of like the engineers got carried away by their enthusiasm. It's like a small Sherman tank. Yes, it's possible to build the tank the size of a Volkswagon, but why would you? You'd loose all the advantages of the VW, and gain some very dubious advantages.

TOOL ABUSE - I think this may be a real difference between Carl and me. Or better to say, a character flaw on my part. Whereas Carl may be willing to walk to get a proper screwdriver when facing a tough screw, I'm more likely to abuse the tool in hand. This would explain the old Ulster BSA knife from my childhood with a busted up bolster from where I over torqued something with the screwdriver blade, or the string of busted Victorinox Classics that I've had.

AreBeeBee talked about tightening up a coat hanger in a bathroom stall... Top tip for the Micra: Open up on side only halfway when deploying one of the screw driver blades. This gives you a workable semi-T-handled driver. Hold the open portion in your palm and you can put some serious torque to the driver. I use this when tightening the screws on the refrigerator door handle, tightening door knob assemblies and installing antique storm door panels on the side porch.

Carl doesn't just carry a Classic. He also carries an old Craftsman screwdriver tool in his wallet. My Micra fills that role for me and I'm guessing I push my Micra even harder than Carl pushes his Craftsman tool. So, what he sees as a dubious advantage - the extra toughness - I see as a primary advantage. Different strokes.

Have you tried carrying it with an Opinel? Maybe the magic of the Micra isn't released until it's carried with the Opinel.

EDC KNIFE CHOICE - In this sense, Carl and I are very similar. Neither Carl nor I carry a regular SAK as our primary EDC knife. Carl preferences currently are either his Italian friction folders or a GEC (stockman, I think) that has replaced his long favored Case Peanut. Like Carl, I prefer other traditional knives over SAKs but my tastes run larger. Usually it's an Opinel but often something like a Buck 500 (today's carry) or Buck 112. So both of us carry a small selection of of easily carried tools to supplement our EDC knife. He generally carries the Classic and Craftsman screwdriver tool. I generally carry the Micra. In this sense, we're more alike than different.



EDC CARRY STYLE - In this sense, Carl and I are very different. Carl utilizes his "key ring" as a "tool ring" and I do not. Carl carries a wallet and I prefer a money clip. His Classic fits nicely in his small leather pocket on his key ring and the Micra does not. His Craftsman tool fits in his wallet nicely, the Micra will not. For me, the Micra fits easily in my LFP. Different carry styles lead to different choices. It's clear to me that the Micra won't easily slot into Carl's carry style and that's a big negative for it. IMO, the Micra works best as a pocket tool, not as a key ring tool.


HAND SIZE - I think this is another big difference between Carl and me. I have big XL sized hands, which is why I don't carry a Peanut or even a standard sized SAK. They're just too small for my hands. Have you ever tried to write with a pencil stub? That's exactly how I feel with a Vic Classic. Whittling with it is not even in the range of possibility for me. As crude and clunky as the Mirca is, when opened full length, at least it fills my hand. No other small tool does that for me. This is the most personal of fit issues though. Carl's not going to wear my size 14 hiking boot either, I'll bet - nor I his.

Hey Carl, give the Micra the pass around test on Thursday. It's great for dispensing with those zip ties found on children's toys.

AreBeeBee, like you, I travel to science confs every once and a while. I keep a Micra with the blade cut off. No need to mail it. It goes through TSA clearance no problem.

 

[AreBeeBee]

...TOOL ABUSE - I think this may be a real difference between Carl and me. Or better to say, a character flaw on my part. Whereas Carl may be willing to walk to get a proper screwdriver when facing a tough screw, I'm more likely to abuse the tool in hand. This would explain the old Ulster BSA knife from my childhood with a busted up bolster from where I over torqued something with the screwdriver blade, or the string of busted Victorinox Classics that I've had.

Yeah, I'm big on tool (non)abuse also. I can still hear my grandfather chewing me out for using a tool wrongly, such as an undersized screwdriver. Born in the 1880s and never having much money, he was pretty fierce on taking decent care of tools.

AreBeeBee talked about tightening up a coat hanger in a bathroom stall... Top tip for the Micra: Open up on side only halfway when deploying one of the screw driver blades. This gives you a workable semi-T-handled driver. Hold the open portion in your palm and you can put some serious torque to the driver. I use this when tightening the screws on the refrigerator door handle, tightening door knob assemblies and installing antique storm door panels on the side porch.

As I was giving that itsy-bitsy screwdriver tip on the Classic's nail file strong turns, I was indeed thinking how much easier this would have been if I'd just mailed myself my Wenger Highlander ( = small Vic Tinker) which opens to a T-handle Phillips head. But I was traveling minimalist, so it was just the Classic. It survived unharmed.

AreBeeBee, like you, I travel to science confs every once and a while. I keep a Micra with the blade cut off. No need to mail it. It goes through TSA clearance no problem.

But having bladed implement is the whole point of pocket carry, at least for me. I'd go with none rather than take a blade-less tool. Seriously.