Multi-tools comparison (yet *another* "X vs. Y" thread..)

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tnozh

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Hi,

I have been a long-time SAK user including what I consider the top model: Victorinox's "SwissChamp" model with the leather survival pouch with additional tools.

Recently, I came across Leatherman's Charge Ti, X Ti, Wave, Core and Surge models (see here and here) .

How do these compare to SAKs? What would I be getting with them which I would not have already with the SwissChamp?

Also - I read that Gerber also makes multi-tools. How do they compare with Leatherman? Basically, what is the "top" (subjectively, of course) US-made multi-tool to compare and contrast with Victorinox's "SwissChamp"?

Thanks!
 
tnozh said:
How do these compare to SAKs? What would I be getting with them which I would not have already with the SwissChamp?
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Well, they're a whole 'nuther animal, really. The SAK is a knife that adds tools; a Leatherman is a pair of pliers that adds a knife or two and tools.

SAK pliers are pretty nice, they're just not in the same league with a sturdy Leatherman.

Screwdrivers and saws and the like are pretty comparable, utility-wise.

As for knife blades, the newer LMs you mention (Wave, Charge) offer one-hand-opening blades, both plain and serrated, that are both much beefier than anything in a SAK 84mm or 91mm; the Charge's main blade is also made from much better steel (154CM, same as used in high-end folding knives.)

So in terms of hard-use utility, there's no contest: a multi is a better tool, and these days, a better knife, too.

However, there's a cost: size and weight. My old Wave was a tad bigger and heavier than my SwissChamp, overall; the new Wave and Charge are bigger and heavier than that. If the extra utility is what you need, it's a fair trade-off, but don't expect to drop your Charge into your pocket!

tnozh said:
Also - I read that Gerber also makes multi-tools. How do they compare with Leatherman?
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Ugh. I own several Gerber tools, and I really wonder why. I hate 'em.

The fit and finish is lousy. Everything has a heavily bead-blasted finish, which makes everything work roughly. The original 600/400 series rattle, whether open or close, the handles pinch the fingers, and the pliers don't open very far. The 700 and 800 series have nicer ergonomics, but are HUGE considering how much utility they offer. The knife blades on all are pretty wimpy, even compared to my original Leatherman PST. And those @#$%^&* Fiskars scissors are the worst on ANY multi-tool I own.

OK, I'll calm down now... ;{)

To be fair, Gerbers are pretty tough. Lotta guys swear by 'em. I just find I swear AT mine more.


tnozh said:
Basically, what is the "top" (subjectively, of course) US-made multi-tool to compare and contrast with Victorinox's "SwissChamp"?
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To define anything as "best" you need to establish your criteria first!!

In general, here are my picks, by category, in order of decreasing preference:

Keychain Tool: SOG CrossGrip or CrossCut, Leatherman Micra, Leatherman Squirt

Small (Pocket-size) Tool: Leatherman Juice series, BuckLite (discontinued), 3- or 4-layer SAK

Medium (Belt-size, EDC) Tool: Leatherman Wave, LM Charge, Victorinox SwissTool Spirit (might be moving up!), BuckTool

Large (Heavy-Duty, Hard-Use) Tool: SOG PowerLock, original Victorinox SwissTool, Schrade ToughTool

Yes, Victorinox makes multi-tools, too. I have their new SwissTool Spirit on order, and it looks like stiff competition for the Wave and Charge!
 
I like the Leatherman Charge for the pocket clip. A less expensive clip version is available. The Leatherman Wave is heavier, but no clip.
 
I find it very hard to compare SAKs and multitools, as they are very much different in intended use. When you buy a SAK, you plan on using it primarily for the blade. When you buy a multitool, you understand that the pliers are the primary tool. Yes, you can get pliers on a SAK, but they aren’t terrifically functional. Also, the knife blade on any multitool is a bast@rd at best, as the unwieldy handle greatly decreases the usefulness of the blade.

With that said, I’m not overly appreciative of American made multitools. I agree completely with Gryffin about Gerbers. They’re tough enough, but the designs are sloppy and wasteful. It seems as if they build a gimmick, and then quickly design the rest of the tool around the Gimmick. The end result is pretty shoddy.

The Leathermans are much better, but still pretty clunky, heavy and large. Leathermans are functional, but do not attain the level of craftsmanship that Victorinox does. If you’re looking for Victorinox quality in an American made tool as complicated as a SAK or multitool, I’m afraid that you’ll be pretty disappointed.

I’d seriously stick with Victorinox on this one. Keep on using a SAK if the blade is of primary importance to you. If you regularly carry a folder or fixed blade, go for Victorinox’s Swisstool line of multitools. There are many variations of the Swisstool, as well as the Swisstool’s smaller sibling, the Swisstool Spirit. The Spirit is similar in size and weight to a large SAK. I received my Spirit a couple days ago, and the quality is FAR superior to any American made multitool I’ve tried.
 
I use the gerbers exclusively. I agree that the fit and finish on the Leatherman and others is better, but I'm not as picky about Multi-tools as I am about knives. I bought one gerber multi-plier before joining the military and have been issued about 3 more so I have them skattered through out my gear and vehicle. I like the fact that you can access the pliers with a flick of the wrist without having to open up the rest of the tool. They may appear a bit on the cheap side but they are plenty tough, I really beat the sh!t out of mine and have yet to seriously damage one, although I have seen guys snap of blades tightening down blank fireing adapters on light machine guns, but that is notorius for snapping all kinds of things from knife blades to keys etc.
For what the thing is, it does its job well.
 
IMHO - The older Gerbers are of better quality then the newer Gerber MT's.
I have had a Leatherman , didnt care for it , although it was built nicely , just preference. I also own a Schrade MT , its 'action' is a lot tighter than my Gerber and it has more tools in it , but I still prfer my trusty Gerber MT.
It is my EDC along with one folder of choice.
The MT knock offs like the ones made by Coast , are J U N K JUNK ! Dont waste your money.
 
Buzzbait said:
There are many variations of the Swisstool, as well as the Swisstool’s smaller sibling, the Swisstool Spirit. The Spirit is similar in size and weight to a large SAK.
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Well, maybe if you're comparing it to the SwissChamp XLT! :D

Just got my SwissTool Spirit today. Actually about two hours ago. Haven't had a chance to put it to work, but I gave it a good once-over at lunch.

It's definitely heavier than all but the biggest SAKs, but MUCH more compact than it's predescessor. Compared to the LM New Wave I left the house with today, it's about 1/4" longer, but also noticably thinner and narrower. Weight-wise, if I had to guess, I'd say the Spirit is just a touch lighter than the Wave, by less then an ounce.

Overall, I gotta say: It's sah-WEET!! Fit and finish are the best of any multi-tool bar none. Yes that includes the other SwissTools. The pliers open smoothly, and click open; there's a strong detent that keeps them open more securely than the friction locks on others. Each tool swings out like buttah, and clicks into the lock with clock-like precision. And for a change, they didn't just buff everything on a cotton wheel until all the edges round off; the screwdrivers are actually sharp now.

While I'm doing a mini-review, I gotta say, mine came in a nice leather pouch, that neatly holds the Spirit, ratchet wrench (yeah, I poped for the Plus model), bit holder strip, corkscrew and small driver in a package almost exactly the same size as my Wave in the new-style LM leather sheath (with Nuwai 0.5w light stuffed into the side. The leather is much nicer than I've seen on other Vic sheaths; it's thick, yet not too stiff to use. If it had a snap instead of Velcro, it woud be perfect. On my belt, I forget it's there, just like the Wave; never could say THAT about my SwissTool X Plus!!


Buzzbait said:
I received my Spirit a couple days ago, and the quality is FAR superior to any American made multitool I’ve tried.
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Amen, brother. They've really raised the bar this time. Especially since you can grab a Spirit from Amazon.com for about half what a Wave would cost you!! (No way THAT will last long, though!)
 
Yep. I now understand why it took so long for Victorinox to come out with the Spirit. They just took their time and totally nailed down the design and manufacture. The Leatherman and Gerber camps must be convulsing on the floor about now.
 
The Swiss Tool by Victorinox is one great tool. I'd pit it against any of the competitors ounce for ounce. It is for sure tougher than any of the Gerbers I've ever owned and in fact has worked side by side with them cutting chain link when the Gerbers all broke. I've used my Vic for years as anything from a temporary hammer to what it was made for. I'd have to say that it is tougher than my Leatherman but the one thing I did like about the Leatherman better is that I could pull it out and flip it open with one hand to get to the pliers.

With the Swiss tool it is not so loose to flip it open like that. It is a two hand job to get the pliers opened. But in the sense of what I love about the Swiss Tool over the Leatherman; when you want one blade you get just that blade and not three or four.

Maybe Leatherman has improved this since then but the last one I had was like that where you got more than just the single blade you wanted to work with when you opened it. Drove me nuts.
 
STR said:
With the Swiss tool it is not so loose to flip it open like that. It is a two hand job to get the pliers opened.
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Actually, the new SwissTool Spirit is bettr in that regard. The hinges aren't loose enough to "flip" it open like most folks do with their LMs; but because of the curvature of the handles, there's a gap at the end. I've found that gap is just enough to wedge my thumb into; then I just pry the hendles apart enough to finish opening them on my leg. Still not as easy as a Leatherman, but a LOT easier than my older SwissTool.

STR said:
Maybe Leatherman has improved this since then but the last one I had was like that where you got more than just the single blade you wanted to work with when you opened it. Drove me nuts.
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They have. The new 2004 models (Fuse, Blst, Kick, New Wave, Charge) have thin shims between the tools, like Gerber uses. Pull out one, the rest stay put.

Actually, I never minded the "clumping" on Leatherman tools. I'd just yank open all the tools on the end I thought I needed, find the one I wanted (which is a LOT easier to do that way than when they're inside the handle), grab it and push the others back. Got to be second nature.
 
IMO, the king of the hill is the Leatherman Charge series. FINALLY, they have quality steel on the blade (just the main blade though), 154CM. All locking blades. And a POCKET CLIP! No SAK has a pocket clip. The diamond-coated file on the LMs beat the snot out of any SAK file too. The Charge is comfortable to hold both for the blades or the pliars. I don't know any other multitool that can claim this.
 
The Victorinox Spirit is probably the best deal in multitools right now, and it even compares favorably to heavier Leathermans such as the Wave and Charges which cost twice as much. Even compared to the original SwissTool, it gives up a little but gains a lot:

Cons:
Has one partially serrated blade instead of one serrated and one normal blade (vs. SwissTool & RS)
Smaller scissors (vs. SwissTool X & RS)
Shorter blade
Loses the 7.5 mm screwdriver
Loses the ruler
Wider by 1 mm

Pros:
Weighs 2.65 oz less
9 mm shorter
More ergonomic, curved handles
Individual tool springs
Snap-open snap-closed pliers with detents
Better lock release buttons
Gains scissors (vs. SwissTool)
New scissor design (vs. SwissTool X & RS)
More needlenosed pliers (vs. older SwissTools)
Easier to open one-handed

The Spirit works very well when paired with an EDC folder, which makes up for its unconventional blade. It doesn't have a built-in bit holder, but this is easily remedied with Spirit Plus and the ratchet has more reach than a built-in holder. I wish the pliers were more needlenosed, but that's about all I would change on this tool. An impressive effort by Victorinox!
 
Hi everybody,

Thanks for all the info. Although I have been using the SwissChamp for years I was not even aware of the Spirit Multitool.

I have a follow-up question:

what kind of steel does Victorinox use for their blades? Say - the main blade for the SwissChamp, how good is it if compared to US EDCs?

Thanks for everything & cheers!
 
Buzzbait said:
Yep. I now understand why it took so long for Victorinox to come out with the Spirit. They just took their time and totally nailed down the design and manufacture. The Leatherman and Gerber camps must be convulsing on the floor about now.
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I totally agree with that. Let the pictures speak for themselves:

65409768.jpg


DSC04665.jpg
 
Looking at the play in the blades and handles of my SAK multi-tools and my Charge Ti and XTi the Leathermans actually have less play. I really think Leatherman has the better tool. Not so much better that it justifies replacing your Swisstool/Spirit, but I think it has the edge. I did a write up a while back comparing both and the Charge really came out on top.
 
shpshooter said:
Looking at the play in the blades and handles of my SAK multi-tools and my Charge Ti and XTi the Leathermans actually have less play. I really think Leatherman has the better tool. Not so much better that it justifies replacing your Swisstool/Spirit, but I think it has the edge. I did a write up a while back comparing both and the Charge really came out on top.
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Does this come from experience with the Spirit, or just older model Victorinox tools? If this were from older Victorinox tools, that would be like comparing the Spirit to a Leatherman Pulse, where the Pulse of obviously the inferior tool.
 
Klingsor said:
I totally agree with that. Let the pictures speak for themselves:
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Victorinox has always polished the living Hell out of their products. Being better looking doesn't necessarily make them better tools. In fact, one could argue just the opposite.

They're notorious for polishing their screwdrivers until they're round, causing them to slip under torque. Leatherman has always ground theirs good 'n' square, so that they don't have that problem.

As for the Charge, those rough scale castings improve grip quite a bit over the Wave, or the SwissTools. I've had my SwissTool Spirit for the better part of a week now, and I gotta tell ya, the thing is damn slippery!!

Don't get me wrong, the Spirit's beauty does go further than skin deep. On mine at least, every implement swings out smoothly, and locks crisply. Of course, I could say the same for my New Wave and Charge, too.
 
Gryffin said:
They're notorious for polishing their screwdrivers until they're round, causing them to slip under torque. Leatherman has always ground theirs good 'n' square, so that they don't have that problem.
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No kidding. Every SAK I buy gets the diamond-stone-squaring treatment before use!
 
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