Loosening the plier pivot

[Dr Heelhook]

I lost my bladeless gerber multi tool in airport security. I got a new one of the same model and I hate it. The pivot point of the pliers is really tight and doesn't fall open like my old one did, which made that one much handier to use one handed. I use this thing all the time at work and on my time off and this really sucks.

Is there any way to really loosen the pivot point of the pliers on a Gerber Multi-plier 600, so that they can fall open one handed?

 

[Guy McVer]

I don't know specifically about that model, but there is a trick with Leathermans that come too tight, and it's just to grab onto something with the pliers (preferably something soft like a wooden dowel) and twist the pliers to loosen up the pivot. I'm not sure that I would recommend doing this with a Gerber since they make a lot of their stuff overseas and the quality control is probably not as good.

Sorry this happened to you. Next time you go through the airport, try bringing a self addressed envelope in case you need to mail something to yourself to avoid having it confiscated. Or leave the expensive tools at home.