Hard use multi tools?

Some of the lightweight folding saws weigh less than a multi tool, and they can cut much larger pieces of wood. I do dig the saws on my tools though. The gerber legend takes standard jigsaw blades, which is very versatile.


One thing I like on a multi tool is using the file to make tinder shavings. You'd be surprised the things that will take a spark when you can make a fine powder out of them. Making shavings with a knife gives much larger 'chunks', which are harder to light with a firesteel. The file is pretty sweet for shaving a magnesium block for starting fire in really nasty, wet conditions, too.
 
I think if someone would make one out of really good tool steel instead of using Stainless steels used in knives they would be a lot stronger. :thumbup:

Not sure how they would sell though since they wouldn't be stainless, but that really would solve the toughness problem. :)

Kinda like making a screwdriver bit out of S30V, it wouldn't last 3 seconds if one would put some real torque on it from a screw gun or even by hand.

The idea behind them is good, but IMO they aren't really using the best steel for the tool. :)
 
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i didn't read all the post's so forgive me if someone already mentioned the st-1.

the only multitool i carry is a schrade tough tool or st-1. the one's that are made in america not the import's. mine has been on almost every coal mine, wash plant, and demo site for thirty square mile's (give or take a site or two).

it has done everthing i have asked of it, and more. the lock is sprung on one side, the flat screwdriver was broken off while entering an old building on a demo site. it just look's like s#it, and i love it:thumbup:. as long as i can still buy these i'll only carry the st-1. i have a couple brand new one's in the drawer, but i still carry the one that's well loved.

hopefully this answer's your question, if not i'll be back later to help ya is you need it.
 
I have beat on my SOG Powerlock mercilessly for the last 7 years or so, done things with it that I would not ask any "real" knife to do and it has handled it quite well. Several time that I should have gone back to the truck for the right tool, but hey. I manged to break a Leatherman in the first three hours I had it, so it went back. The Gerber's loosen up way too much way too quick, 6 months was about the best I could get out of them.
 
Once upon a time I owned a Leatherman Wave and a Victorinox Spirit. The Wave is long gone and the Spirit continues to impress me with how solid everything feels. Is it hard use? I have never used it hard but I can tell you for certain that it is much tighter and well made. :thumbup:
 
I have been carrying multi-tools on and off for about a decade now and I have only had the chance to try out two brands and four models. My views are as follows. Leatherman make a fine tool and they do back up their warranty. I have been carrying a Skeletool for about a year now and I really like it. It is simple but not rugged just convenient. I snapped jaws turning a water spigot with the tips. They promptly replaced it though. My Wave stay in my diaper bag and my original PST is in its box. I do not like carrying stuff on my belt at work. The final tool is the SOG PowerLock and I love it but its just tool heavy. I would say that for hard use I would say the PowerLock over the ones mentioned. I like the fact that if I do break it I can replace the tools. This means no real down time sending it off and waiting for it to some back. SOG fixed mine right up after the lock quit working and it only took about 2 maybe 3 weeks but still I didn't like not having it. I really want to try a VIC tool out I have heard great things just haven't bought one yet. Hope it helps and sorry for being long winded.

HAK
 
I've broke the jaws and screwdrivers on a gerber and leatherman tool.

I had a older SOG tool a buddy gave me in Iraq and used the heck out of it and it held up really good. I don't know what kind of steel it was, but the knife was actually sharp compared to most multi tools.

I've never owned a Victorinox before but used one and it felt really solid.
 
I broke the bottle opener/screwdriver on my Gerber. It is pretty rickety. I wouldn't trust it for anything remotely serious.

I've also broken the pliers on a new Leatherman Wave (1st use). They replaced them and sent them back free of charge. I've used leatherman's for years and never had trouble besides that.

The SOG is heavier duty, but it weighs as much as an Uzi... so I don't carry it much. Still, it is a very nice tool. :)
 
I broke 2 Leatherman Original tools. Both replaced at REI without any questions, concerns, or even a receipt.

My Wave was a better feeling tool, but my Charge TI is even better still. The blade is S30V and has held up quite well to some good hard use.
 
I have a leatherman charge, and it certainly isn't made for any kind of torquing action. I am careful even using the screw drivers to drive screws. once the flex goes beyond about 3 degree's of rotation (tip of tool to handle) I quite and find another solution. I don't know about any of the other multitools but I doubt they are much better or higher quality then the leatherman charge.
 
I have used and abused many of the gerber and leatherman tools. I gave up on them for years but every now and then I will try one of the newer ones.

I am currently carrying the leatherman crunch. My reasons are I dont need need 27 screwdrivers. Three different kinds of knives. Other tools that I would find absolutly useless and just get in the way of others. I also find the regular needle nose pliers to be worthless for anything other than fishing.

I decided to try the vice grip style crunch. For what I do it works great it locks tight tight onto a nut or whatever you need. It has the cutters. It only has a serrated knife that I dont need because I usually have a few others but I couldnt find one without a knife. It has 4 screwdrivers and thats it. No extra BS. I have been using it for about a year and that is alot longer that any previous models have lasted.

I wish someone would build a Busse, strider, hinderer type leatherman and have chris reeve put it together.
 
MustardMan said:
Thank you for this deep and insightful contribution :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:


I've applied more prying force to my butter knife when spreading peanut butter on toast. The leatherman failed under such minor lateral force that I'd expect a slipjoint folder to handle it fine.


As I said, I've been using multi tools, and carrying them daily, for over a decade. I've never had one break on me, and have used them a heck of a lot harder than trying to get a washer out of a hole in a piece of flakeboard.
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I'm a machinist, I use tools all day long, i've snapped multi tools.
 
"Hard use multi tools"
there is a contradiction between " hard use " and " multi porpose"
normally multi tool can not be hard use , it is my experience.

dingy
 
Get yourself a Peter Atwood G3 Prybaby and keep it on your keys. You won't break that. And while it is indeed NOT a Leatherman type tool (ie: blades, pliers, etc), it IS perfect for prying, wrenching, bottle-top popping, etc, and can always be on your person.

You can also check into a JDR Makemake or something similar.

J
 
Ok, well going back to the question asked, the toughest I have found to date is the Leatherman Core, so far. I have the Surge, Juice K4F, PST, Gerber Desiel, MT 400, and Suspension, Victorinox Spirit, SOG Power-lock, Buck X-tract, ZillaTool, Schrade, and more SAKs then you care to hear about. I haven't broken any of the others I have owned, they have all been sold or lost/stolen over the years, and I use my MT on a daily basis. Not long ago I was out and about in the bush, and all I had was my Suspension, and while it gets the job done, I was not really comfortable with it as my only knife/tool. So I started looking for the best multi-tool.

Anyways, when it came down to it, I didn't find any one of them was "tougher" then the rest, just some were way to bulky for my comfort, or some other factor made me less then comfortable with the design. I love my Surge, but it is one heavy beast, and I HATE the saw being removable. I ordered a couple of extras and slide them into the case so if I break a saw blade I have a spare. Wave has the same design. The Gerbers are ok, but the Suspension the blades, especially the saw are way too short to use for more then a few minutes.

So far the Core has stood up well to everything I have tried with it. Removing screws from computers cases, stripping wire, removing stubborn nuts and bolts from an old rusted shelving unit, no problem. The Vic followed closely by the SOG are the most comfortable on my hands. The pliers on most of the SAKs like the Swisschamp (and this goes for the X-tract) are just silly. If they are all you have, then maybe they could be useful, but don't even think of bearing down on them. I can only think of two times I have had to use the pliers in the woods, both times to fix someones old external frame pack.

For toughest I would have to go with the Core, followed by the SOG. The rest are all useable, just don't seem as solid.
 
Have to jump in here really quick, with one piece of information that I'm 90% sure is correct:

If I'm remembering right, I think the Victorinox Swiss Tool--and possibly, now, the newer Spirit--are unique in being the only multi tools that have machined pliers as opposed to cast. I remember reading an article in Woodworker magazine that had tested it doing something which had broken the author's much loved classic leatherman's plier jaws---twisting stock fencing wire to straighten the fence over uneven ground. Basically, the testing he did involved using the Swiss Tool to twist/bend a whole pile of heavy wire under tension--intentionally putting it under strong torsional forces right out at the tip, and not only did it not break but he didn't notice the damage to the jaw teeth that he'd seen on the Leatherman. His only complaint in the conclusion was that the handles had raised some hot spots on his fingers, but that's pretty much any multi, I think. Supposedly the Spirit is more ergonomic, although it's a good bit smaller than the Swiss Tool.

Anyway, just something to think about; not a scientific test (and damned if I can find the magazine although I thought I'd kept it) but if the pliers truly are machined instead of cast that's a bonus right there.
 
Ernest Emerson posted in the Emerson forum about possibly making a multi-tool and was looking for suggestions. Might head over there and get involved as it would more than likely be a hard use tool.
 
t1mpani said:
Have to jump in here really quick, with one piece of information that I'm 90% sure is correct:

If I'm remembering right, I think the Victorinox Swiss Tool--and possibly, now, the newer Spirit--are unique in being the only multi tools that have machined pliers as opposed to cast.
Click to expand...

If that's right, that's the best selling point for the Victorinox tools I've seen yet. I'll have to check that out more. Thanks for the info.
 
I can't confirm the machined pliers, but like MM said, if it's true, it's AWESOME. I will have to pick one up once i can confirm.
 
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