How does the SOG PowerLock compare to the Leatherman Wave and Vnox Spirit?

G

GarageBoy

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May 23, 2003
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I'm thinking of a midsize multi tool for urban use (think occasional reapairs of random things, from the toilet to jewelry) and I was thinking of the Wave, the PowerLock or the Vnox Spirit. Whats the best in strength and egronomics? Thanks
 
You can't go wrong with the Spirit. I don't know that it's the strongest overall, but it's more than adequate for general "urban", as well as wilderness, use. The quality and ergonomics are unequalled by LM, IMHO.
 
The PowerLock is a full sized multi. The PowerLock’s is the great if you are interested in mostly in the pliers/wire cutters and crimper, but not so good for the tools in the handles since the gear teeth dig into your hand and you have to unfold the wings to access the tools. And some of the PowerLock tools are not very good, particularly the scissors.


The Wave is more of a mid size tool that features include one hand opening (right hand only) knife blades and a diamond file. The new Wave’s flat screw driver bits seem like a great idea and work fine for most jobs, but they are too short for most recessed screws. Personally I would much rather have an awl than the new Wave’s little eyeglass bit driver.


The Spirit is smaller and lighter than the Wave; IMHO, it is just small and light enough for pocket carry. The Sprit allows easy access to all of the tools in the handles without unfolding the handles (on the Wave only the knife blades, saw and file are accessible without opening the handles and none of the Power Lock’s tools are accessible from the outside of the handles). The Victorinox Spirit and SwissTool also have a nice wood chisel not found on other brands of multitools. However, the Philips screw driver that Vic uses is not good at all for tight screws since it will slip. The Vic. flat head drivers are also kind of slippy but these can be fixed by squaring the corners and removing some of the plating from the tips. And with the Spirit there’s only one knife blade, a blunt tipped 75% serrated combo edge and no ruler.



- Frank
 
I'm a big fan of my Spirit, which has become my edc. It's build quality is superb, the size is just right, and the array of implements is useful for ordinary daily use. My old style Wave has been semi-retired to my briefcase, and my Swisstool usually stays in the tool box in the garage. I also have an old LM Supertool kicking around somewhere in one of the vehicles. I owned an LM Surge for a few months but traded it away when I realized that it was too big and too overkill for my uses.

I don't mind the blunt-tipped knife blade of the Spirit; if I need to pierce something, I can jsut use the awl. I did mind the serrations, however, but I easily ground them off on a coarse whetstone and sharpened both sides into a proper plain-edge blade. There is a Spirit version available with a traditional knife blade, but you lose the scissors.
 
If you choose the Spirit and want a plain and pointy blade instead of the scissors - get the Spirit "S". It is a good tool but in my experience the lock isn't as strong as either the Wave or the SOG. Good enough for light to medium duty though.
 
I have a knife already, so the blade doesn't matter. I also carry a Husky Mini Screwdriver for small screws. I primarily need the pliers and a few larger screwdrivers and nice scissors (SAK quality or better) File and Saw, I want, just in case. Thanks
 
My opinion after handling a variety of multitools over the years that the Vic Spirit and SOG Powerlock are the best. I agree with all the previous comments about the difficulty accessing the SOG tools and the less than perfect screwdriver on the Victorinox Spirit. However, overall the Victorinox has better fit and finish and is lighter and smaller than the SOG. The sizzors are slightly better than the SOG but they are also smaller. The pliers and wire cutters are adequate but not nearly as good as the SOG. By the way, you can flip open the spirit one hand style just like the SOG but it takes a while to loosen it up enough to do this. My only other comment is that I have not been able to find a satisfactory nylon sheath with metal belt clip for the SOG. The belt loop leather sheath that is comes with is very bulky and crudely made. I was able to purchase a very well crafted and sleek nylon belt clip sheath for the Spirit from Victorinox.
 
Foilist said:
There is a Spirit version available with a traditional knife blade, but you lose the scissors.
Click to expand...

No big loss, IMHO. Scissors were a big disappointment on the Spirit; too small and don't open wide enough. I got it as a gift (the Spirit of Christmas! :D ) It was not something I had previously considered because my usual preference is for larger multitools. However, the smaller Vic was enough of a charmer to give it a fair try, so I have been EDCing it since.

Although the jury is still out, the Spirit seems more than okay. I had concerns about the knife blade, but in practice, it has worked out great, and no complaints about the other implements. The scissors are its only flaw, not even as useful as the tiny one on the Classic.

I would seriously prefer giving up the all but useless scissors for another knife blade and carry a Micra in my jeans watch pocket, which I do anyway.
 
It’s true that the Spirit’s scissors are small and don’t open wide, but they are about on par with the scissors used on the LM Blast and new Wave (the old Wave had bigger and better scissors) and the Gerber multitools. I actually like the Spirit’s scissors better than either of these, especially Gerber’s.


Compared to the scissors on the PowerLock, there is no contest; the PowerLock scissors seem to be very flimsy and do not work well at all.


One advantage that the Spirit scissors have over the standard Vic SAK scissors is its spring, which appears to be much more durable and won’t work its way out on its own. In terms of size, the Spirit scissors are close to those on the 74mm SAKs such as the Executive.




- Frank
 
For myself, the real deal killer with the SOG tools are the gear teeth.
They dig in to your hand when using many of the tools with any real force.
What good is the compound leverage if it turns your hand in to hamburger meat?
 
The gear teath should not be anywhere near your hands when you are holding the SOG. The powerlock is designed with flaps that cover the sharp metal edges of the handles so that you can have a comfortable grip even when applying lots of force.

By the way, the gear teeth and weight of the SOG makes it a nice self defense tool in an emergency situation.
 
I've got a Powerlock on my belt now...best multi I've ever used. Gear teeth aren't a problem...my hands don't go near them when using the tools...and they are pretty blunt..don't know how others hold it though:confused:
 
DH1 said:
I've got a Powerlock on my belt now...best multi I've ever used. Gear teeth aren't a problem...my hands don't go near them when using the tools...and they are pretty blunt..don't know how others hold it though:confused:
Click to expand...

Maybe my hands are bigger than yours?
But I do find the gears to be uncomfortable when using the various tools (except the pliers of course).
 
I have handled the Swisstool, the Spirit, and the Sog Powerlock, but my vote goes to the Wave. For normal, everyday chores, it rules. The one handed opening blades are good in case you have to cut something, you don't have to reach back into your pockets for your knife, and I don't know what steel they use, but they hold a good edge. At least mine does. Not hard to sharpen, and I get then to hair-shaving sharpness. The other tools are sturdy as hell. I have torqued and torqued on the thing at work trying to unscrew rusted screws to take animal enclosures apart, and it held strong. The pliers are tough as nails, and it has a diamond file, which is cool as anything. The scissors are ok. I mean, anything the scissors can't handle would require a regular set of scissors regardless of what multi-tool you're carrying. As for the tools that are on the inside? The tool can flick open with one hand, so they are easily accessible. The Powerlock is a hardcore tool as well, and I never had a problem with the gear teeth biting into my hand either, but it takes too many steps to get at the tools, and they are too small and stubby. The Spirit is top of the line, but the tools are hard as hell to get out. You'll need some strong nails, or you're going to be hurting, and their screwdrivers aren't worth a damn because they always slip out. They are polished so well that the edges are rounded. I can't live with out my Wave, but it's up to you.
 
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