Multi Tool Recomendation

All this talk about leatherman and the swisstool... I thought you said the toughest no nonsense multi out there. That would be the SOG powerlock hands down. Their compound leverage pliers (true needlenose by the way) have best grip and their wire cutters are far better than the other two mentioned. I know there tools lack a little in the finish department but at least you can replace them without having to send the whole tool off or require a special tool. Personally I would recomend the SOG for its toughness and ease of tool adjustment/replacement (because lets face it no matter how pretty it looks or who makes it you are going to damage some of the tools). When you hold it in your hand or its on your belt you know you have something there, it is definately not a tool for your suit and tie it is meant to be worked with.
 
Suzukigsx1300r08 said:
Im not arguing, just saying. I dont believe they can "all" be good. Being a mechanic of bicycles and motorcycles i can pick out a bad tool a mile away. park tools is the snap on tools of bicycle tools. I have a mixture of park and odd tools mostly because i couldnt afford the park tools at the time but as they break, they get replaced with park. Now, i believe price has a big impact on a buyers choice, so leatherman may be cheaper than a swisstool, but swisstools i believe are of better quality. As i said about the tools, as my leatherman and other multi tools broke i was thinking hmm, i should have just gotten the swiss tool to begin with!
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On the subject of tools, there is a difference between "well made" and "good." In most cases, one equals the other. "Well made" can be quantified and observable to anyone who knows what to look for. However, "good," is a value judgement. If something works for what you need, it can be considered "good."

Several years ago, I was browsing in a Target sporting goods section when I noticed a woman studying one of the Leatherman knockoffs. Trying to be helpful, I pointed out the quality differences between the two and attempted to convince her the price difference was worth it. She responded that her main use for the multi-tool was as a fold-up pliers. As an art teacher, she lends out the tool to students who may or not use it properly, or for that matter, return it (she was shopping for a replacement.) So, her main requirements, functioning pliers and cheap, were better met by crappy Brand X than the superior Leatherman.

Then there are the extremes. I'm sure we all remember the ordeal of that rock climber who had to amputate his trapped arm. His tool was a cheapo multi-tool that nevertheless got the job done ( OTOH ;) ,It seems the first thing he did before going back to the mountains was to invest in a Leatherman Wave.)
 
Well, if the art teacher needed pliers, why not buy pliers instead of handing around a tool with a knife on it to kids! But anyways, by bad i meant something that will fail you, like cheap ratchets tend to blow up or cheap allen wrenches that round off. I have owned a cheap multi tool and as im sure some of you who have had them have done, seeing as how the tools didnt lock i got a blade to the fingers. Never again. I only buy park tools for bicycles and snap on or craftsman mechanics for my mechanic needs. husky makes decent tools too.
 
Suzukigsx1300r08 said:
Well, if the art teacher needed pliers, why not buy pliers instead of handing around a tool with a knife on it to kids!
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As I mentioned in my post, her need was for folding pliers. Personally, I don't know if such things are made or where to buy them, but cheap multi-tools are available almost anywhere. Also, her students were college age, not really kids. From what I remember of having been a student myself, I wouldn't hand over to any of them something I couldn't afford to replace. :D
 
Suzukigsx1300r08 said:
I have owned a cheap multi tool and as im sure some of you who have had them have done, seeing as how the tools didnt lock i got a blade to the fingers. Never again. I only buy park tools for bicycles and snap on or craftsman mechanics for my mechanic needs. husky makes decent tools too.
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I have never owned a cheap multi-tool. It only encourages the Asian knockoff market. I can cut myself just as well with a Leatherman or SAK :D . As a former military and later NASA mechanic, I learned to despise crappy tools and would prefer to go fishing than work with them. My favorite mechanic tools are Snap-on, although Craftsman is not half bad for drivers (or used to be, I haven't bought any for quite a while).
 
I never knew that there was so much love for the SwissTool, I always thought of it as a leatherman knock-off. I guess I need to check one out.
 
znapschatz said:
I have never owned a cheap multi-tool. It only encourages the Asian knockoff market. I can cut myself just as well with a Leatherman or SAK :D . As a former military and later NASA mechanic, I learned to despise crappy tools and would prefer to go fishing than work with them. My favorite mechanic tools are Snap-on, although Craftsman is not half bad for drivers (or used to be, I haven't bought any for quite a while).
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i got it in the mail from some tool club i didnt sign up for haha.
 
Spartan05 said:
Alright after all the talk of multi tools and everyone saying there great to have as a EDC, I finally fell into the temptation. Can someone recommend me a top of the line heavy duty Multi Tool, something I can carry around the house, work, and if I go camping.
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VICTORINOX WILL BE THE CHOICE!

Swisstool or Swisstool Spirit will be the only recomendation that I give! :thumbup:
 
I've only owned a few multi-tools one from SOG Powerplier (1st Gen), another SOG (with the folding head), Gerber (EOD), Leatherman Wave (Newest Version). And some micros and minis from gerber and leatherman.

Granted they're all different functions and price points, but i like the Wave best for overall quality and features. Minor problems with wobble as others have mentioned. not a bother for me. all the tools lock and work well. doesn't have rapid opening 'gimmicks' but you still can sort of swing it open, the plier heads are not as beefy if you are after big jobs. but the simple innovations it has over other tools does it for me.

but Don't like Leatherman leather sheaths cos they're hard to fit on wider belts, landyards ring disagrees with the sheath when deployed, and that rapid access mode is too much of a struggle in practise.

SOG's compound leverage is an advantage when you are gripping and twisting barb wire for example, but the system causes the handle angles too be too wide for bigger applications so that doesn't work for me. the handles would dig into palm fingers each time, though the caps on new models may alleviate this. my file broke! when working on some wood once, and don't think i over did it. that folding head SOG was a joke in my opinion, always folding on me.

i'll ignore the EOD features on the Gerber, since it's also based on another model. i can say it sort of rusts easily where i'm from. the overall feel is harder, more rugged that the other tools, because under pressure the pliers/handles seem to flex the least compared to the others. the flick opening is nice but the plier head rattles when not under pressure - no big deal. the locks are functional. it's still pretty good, more useable that the SOG's i've had, for reasons mentioned.

I would want to try Victorinox that everyone recommends.

They should make the Wave, (and so many other things) for lefties. :thumbdn: (that's a right hand!)
 
I work in the television broadcast industry working in alot of outdoor sports venues with a huge amount of setting up and derigging and 98% of the crew use the leatherman wave.
Most of the time its for cutting tape, cable ties, rope, building cameras and general screwdriver applications.
Just very conveniant to use, blades and screwdrivers open without opening the plier handles and the blade release is easier to use then the swiss tool.
If anything is worn or broken, just send it back to the distributor and its fixed or replaced no questions asked for the life of the tool.
I do prefer the older wave though, the interchangable driver bits seem abit akward.
 
z13ist said:
i'll ignore the EOD features on the Gerber, since it's also based on another model. i can say it sort of rusts easily where i'm from. the overall feel is harder, more rugged that the other tools, because under pressure the pliers/handles seem to flex the least compared to the others. the flick opening is nice but the plier head rattles when not under pressure - no big deal. the locks are functional. it's still pretty good, more useable that the SOG's i've had, for reasons mentioned.
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Are you an EOD tech? The ones I worked with used the Gerber.
 
hi scrateshooter i'm not an EOD tech, i'm a military reserve engineer in my country and simple demolitions are part of my scope.

so, what do you do?

anyway, the only other EOD tool i know of is one made by SOG. main difference being the SOG places the crimper behind the pivot of the pliers, between the handles, logic being that you could have unfettered use of the plier jaws. the gerber locates the crimper in the jaws, between the hardwire cutter and plier portion.

In SOG's case, free-ing up the plier appears sound, but when crimping, i wouldn't want to fumble with my grip just to get detonators behind into the crimper. Gerber by design has a more direct, traditional and safe frontal access.

moreover, the Gerber has a detonator punch to create detonator wells in plastic explosives. that's just like making a hole in a block of putty, using an ice pick.
 
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