Walking Man
BANNED
- Joined
- May 28, 2003
- Messages
- 9,606
When I first saw it, I was really happy. I really like the shape, and it's blue color, at first appearance it looks like a tough contender for the Leather Micra or SOG crosscut. It isn't.Size: It is just a hair over 2 inches long when folded, and 1 3/8" across. It is about as thick as a thin folder, so don't expect it to be bulky, because it's not. I kept forgetting which pocket it was in.
The tools:
http://www.gerberblades.com/products/view.php?model=8478
I'll let the pics do the talking, but I will add that the knife is a bit more of a wharnecliff than a leaf as shown in the picture. Also, on either side, both tools have the same axle going through the pivot hole, so the adjacent tool may come out slightly. This may be a problem if you aren't paying attention, and the knife blade pops out. For some reason, this doesn't with my knife blade (although it does with the other 3 tools, so I expect it will soon, after a bit more use, if I continue to carry it). All of the tools are as useful as to be expected, but the phillips should be a bit bigger, and even though it is small, it still doesn't fit eyeglass screws, which makes it nearly useless.
The scissors/folding action:
The folding action is terrible. terrible. terrible. It is my opinion that you should buy something else, just because the aluminum handles scrape BADLY when you try to open the scissors. It only happens on one side of mine, but it scrapes so bad, the blue has worn off, and it makes that awful scraping sound of aluminum against steel. The scissors are actually pretty good, but so are the scissors of other brands. To close the thing up again you have to awkwardly and tightly pinch the scissors close in order to turn the handle into the folding position, as it scrapes along the back side of the scissors with that awful scraping sound. And that keychain hole really blows also, since every time that you unfold the tool to get your scissors, the holes splits open, and there goes your keys.
Man, I'm really disappointed, I thought this would be a cool little gadget, but the design flaws really make me think it ought to go back to the drawing board.
I also think it would be more helpful if it was a bit larger, but that is the least of my complaints.
Please ask lots of questions and feel free to email me I'm a bit new at writing reviews, so please post whatever you feel. If you really want my eclipse to play with, please email me and we'll work something out, because I'm ready to get rid of it.
I've bought three or four Gerber pieces over the last few years and I can't say it's top of the line but it certainly isn't junk either. The Gerber Legend, for example, could be "The Tool" for someone looking to do allot of wire cutting.
) I've preferred it to the Leatherman I used to carry... Yes, there's rust on some of the interior screw wells, but that's mostly my fault for not taking care of it... But, I also got it 'cause using the Leatherman on anything that required twisting or really gripping hard resulted in almost cutting one's fingers due to the exposed edges of the tool recess in the handles... The Gerber has a more rounded, user-friendly handle design. Yup, one can pinch oneself if they're not too careful, but that'll happen on a lot of limited purpose tools, too.