Kershaw

[Bumppo]

I like the vise pliers on the Kershaw, but how is overall usability and durability of Kershaws multi tool?

 

[wwells20]

I've has one (vise-grip type) for approx. 6 to 8 yrs. The locking jaws have held up as good as any pliers i've ever used. I've used the locking pliers quite often and sometimes for very heavy duty jobs. When I got my pair, I was having to cut rubber o-rings. The wire cutters wouldn't accomplish this task. I had to take the pivot apart and shave some of the metal away so the wire cutters met closer together. The tools are ok, not a lot of them but function well. They (tools) don't lock. It does have a one hand opening combo edged blade that works well.

If you need a good set of vise grip type pliers with a screwdriver or two, and are only cutting coarse wire, this is not a bad tool.

hope this helps.

 

[Gryffin]

They (tools) don't lock. It does have a one hand opening combo edged blade that works well.

Not entirely true...

The knife blade definitely locks, with a standard Walker-style liner lock.

The other implements don't lock open per se, but with the handles closed and the latch flipped shut, they can't close on ya, either. In fact, there's even a piece of steel on the opposite handle that's there just to block the tangs of the implements; it ain't as elegant as a SwissTool Spirit, but it's effective.

 

[JOOLIESEWS]

The Kershaw tool came out in the late 1990's. (a year or so ahead of the Leatherman Crunch, if memory serves) I remember thinking how cool the vise-grip needlenose pliers were at the time. Still are pretty neat, for that matter.

Downsides were the selling price at the time (half again more than any other quality multi) and the fact that the plier jaws didn't "fold down" into a more compact size for carrying.

I wonder why Kershaw never evolved/improved this tool? (It's still shown on their website today, no different than a decade ago.)

Link: http://www.kershawknives.com/knivesTools/images/multiToolRO.jpg

~Bob

 

[Bumppo]

Thanks for the replies, I have had leathermans in the past but they keep "mysteriously dissappearing" and thought the more unusual looking Kershaw might stick around a little longer. I did not want to pick up a poorly made tool however, not having many tools is fine, I really only need a few. I like a nice leather punch, the locking pliers,a bottle opener, phillips screwdriver, and a non serrated knife, ideally. hard to find that combo though.

 

[Thomas W]

For everyone's information, we did in fact discontinue our multi-tool last year. The multi-tool business is crowded, and it is a category we wanted to seperate from and go into other directions. Get em while you can.

 

[SouthDakotan]

Will kershaw still be able to send out replacement parts? I really like the design and have wanted to get one but I'm worried there will be no way to fix it if it gets broken.