Gerber Dime

Swoop03

Swoop03

Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
840
So my leatherman squirt took a crap a little bit ago and I haven't gotten around to going to the post office and getting some flat rate stuff to send it to leatherman yet and I ordered a few things yesterday from bladehq and I threw in the gerber dime to get free shipping cause I like to think I'm saving money sometimes.

Anyone have one, used one? Watcha think of it? My squirt lasted 2 years of hard use that, most of which should have been done with a full size in hindsight, but it lasted a good bit for what I put it through until I snapped the pliers. So for half the price I'm expecting 1 year of decent use. Or is the gerber that much lower?

I really just got it because its cheap and looked cool and I want to test it out. It has pretty much the same tools as the squirt.

So tell me about your experiences with it, only say something about it if you've actually used the thing too please. I know a lot of you aren't fans of gerber or anything chinese and some like to hate on that stuff just because of that fact. I see it all the time.
 
I own 3x Dimes (yeah, a hoarder) and have used them extensively along with the PS4. The Dime is a worthy contender, and does the job. But I would say it is one notch below the PS4 in design and build quality. The Dime's tools are a little stiffer to open (ymmv), and that extended bottle opener makes it a little less compact than the PS4. The PS4's file is way superior, but the Dime has the clamshell opener. On multitool.org, some users have noted that the Dime's wire cutter is not sharpened, though you can do it yourself, and others have had minor issues with plier strength. But both the PS4 and Dime are light usage tools, and may suffer from heavy usage. The Dime's bottle opener can interfere with the 2D phillips and file combo unless you fold the tool apart (see pic). The scissors on both are good, and generally equivalent, though neither is as precise as those found on the Victorinox Classic, etc., though those are a different class of MT/SAK.

I like the Dime, and its good companion to have in your pocket. Lots of utility in a small space, and I dig that. And its way better than a handful of nothing. So I think you'll like it. But for me its one notch below the PS4 in design and build, but it also costs less.



















 
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I ordered a Dime this week and should get it Thursday. I had given up on Gerber, but figure for $15.95 I can't go too far wrong
 
Thanks to this thread, I broke out my black Dime and have been carrying it today. It hasn't received much action, but did just open a 40 lbs bag of bird feed. Its a neat little MT, and well worth the cost of admission. I do like the main blade on the Dime (a v-grind with some belly) better than the PS4's blade which is only ground on one side.
 
The Leatherman Squirt P4 has been riding on my keychain for almost 3 years now. I bought a Gerber Dime to replace it but ended up going back to the Squirt. I really wanted to like the Dime, but it just didn't feel as high quality as the Leatherman. The bottle opener on it is superior to the Leatherman's, but as Powernoodle already stated it can interfere with the phillips driver. I just feel like the Dime falls short on everything else compared to the Squirt (and the file on the Dime is pretty much useless). Plus, the tools are kinda hard to open even after working in some lube. You may like the Dime, and a lot of people do, but don't be suprised if you end up going back to the Squirt like I did. Anyway, here's mine...

squirtdime.jpg
 
Bought one when they first came out. Before that, I had given up on Gerber (broke jaws on 2 Suspensions). Never had a problem after buying Leatherman.

The Dime had side play in pliers, scissors where loose, tools hard to open, the scales would scratch on each other when opening causing a gouge, one of the torx heads broke off a scale, and other things I can't remember.

I sent it in to get repaired/exchanges. I sent in a red, and Gerber sent me an all black one. It's now in my wife's purse where it belongs.
 
I have the all black one I leave in my car until I need it. As mentioned above, the v grind is a nice touch but that's one of the few good things I can say. The tips of the pliers don't line up what began with a small clamping surface became even smaller. Most of the tools are moderately difficult to open but the tweezers are a whole different story. They can be found right beside the bottle opener on the side that says Gerber and barely come out with only a fingernail. I've had to get a screwdriver to pry it out before.

I like the Dime for what I use it for- It's there in case I need it- but I honestly wouldn't carry around my Dime as my first option. Maybe I just got a bad egg, I don't know. This is just my two cents. Best of luck.
 
Have one, love it, best small multitool I've had so far. I confess to being a huge fan of Gerber otf multitools, so I'm not jaded by the Gerber name. That said, still an awesome little pocket partner.
 
I got my dime today, it didn't see any use today, but it feels sturdy enough to last a little bit, and what most here said was my first thought. That file doesn't look very useful at all and it was one of the things I used often on my late squirt. Overall I don't think its too bad, half the quality of the squirt pretty much like I expected. The tools are akward and hard to open like you all said, pliers don't line up perfect. I don't think I'll use the retail package opener when I always have a SAK on me with full sized scissors. I hate using any kind of knife on those clamshells, I always lose a finger that way. I'm down to 10 :/ For 15 bucks though it doesn't seem too bad to serve as a back up set of basic tools and small pliers or when I'm lazy and don't feel like getting into my toolbox.
 
Swoop03 said:
I got my dime today, it didn't see any use today, but it feels sturdy enough to last a little bit, and what most here said was my first thought. That file doesn't look very useful at all and it was one of the things I used often on my late squirt. Overall I don't think its too bad, half the quality of the squirt pretty much like I expected. The tools are akward and hard to open like you all said, pliers don't line up perfect. I don't think I'll use the retail package opener when I always have a SAK on me with full sized scissors. I hate using any kind of knife on those clamshells, I always lose a finger that way. I'm down to 10 :/ For 15 bucks though it doesn't seem too bad to serve as a back up set of basic tools and small pliers or when I'm lazy and don't feel like getting into my toolbox.
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So just curious, will it be replacing your Leatherman Squirt?
 
Got my Dime a few days ago and overall I'm very pleased. The blade and plastic cutter both had to be sharpened but that was easily taken care of. The wire cutters had no edge at all, but today I put a small file to them and they cut wire much better. They cut electric fence wire and that is about as heavy as I would try with such a lightweight tool. The tiny file has some use if you open the tool up so the bottle opener doesn't get in the way. The scissors work but aren't as nice as SAK scissors

I like it as well as the couple of Leatherman P4s I've owned in the past.
 
jonnyt16 said:
So just curious, will it be replacing your Leatherman Squirt?
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No i dont think so, i prefer the squirt still, i only used it for pliers thus far for undoing a slightly more than finger tight nut, the blades n cutters are dull as well i will sharpen them sometime. It looks like they were way over buffed. I used the scissors too, i like them as well but since i have been carrying a full size sak the pliers will be its only use really.
 
Swoop03 said:
No i dont think so, i prefer the squirt still, i only used it for pliers thus far for undoing a slightly more than finger tight nut, the blades n cutters are dull as well i will sharpen them sometime. It looks like they were way over buffed. I used the scissors too, i like them as well but since i have been carrying a full size sak the pliers will be its only use really.
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The main issue with this multitool is that the blades are way too stiff to open. I think I broke just about every nail on my hands. The blades are fine themselves but if you spend a minute having to use a coin to open a miniscule multitool than it is useless.
 
Here is a video I did about my Dime...

[video=youtube_share;NU5hbWQXXKY]http://youtu.be/NU5hbWQXXKY[/video]
 
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