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Multi-tools= looking to give one a chance

G

goatariba

Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
307
So i do the custom folder thing, i do the buck 110 thing, i do the vic farmer thing...BUT i also carry pliers, mostly as an essential for fishing, but they get used for tons of things.
so here's my question, since i carry a sak and pliers, would i be better off with a multi-tool instead?
do any of you carry as i do? as two seperate items?

to those with extensive multi-tool experience, which might you suggest? i've owned a couple but don't know much about what's available.

the ones i've used have been gerbers, because they're easily manageable one-handed (with a flick of the wrist the plier head slides forward) and i do like the one handed capability...
help me out, i want to give a new one another try, what to choose, i need to know my options.
Russell
 
If you carry pliers and a vic, might not need something else. If you want to, I suggest that you start with a simple version. I have a Leatherman Kick and it has met all my needs. Is lighter and more streamlined than the "take-on-all-jobs" versions. And I'm more likely to carry it because of the smaller profile.

But pliers and my vic soldier might be a better idea....
 
Personally, the reason I carry a SAK instead of a MT while in the outdoors is becuase I don't feel the need for pliers. If I had a real need for them (like it sounds you do) I would probably carry an MT instead of my SAK.

As far as which to choose, I don't think you could go wrong with either a Victorinox or Leatherman MT, just pick the one with size and tools selection you like best. Victorinox offers both a large (SwissTool) and medium frame (SwissTool Spirit) MT, and Leatherman offers everything from key-ring size (Squirt) up to hefty, full size lock-jaws (Crunch).
 
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If you go with a multitool I recommend the Victo. Swiss Spirit. I love mine.
 
I've used a leatherman wave everyday while working EMS in NYC for the past 6 years... thing is still going strong... great tool...I don't ship to Canada, but if you have a friend in the states who does.. I'll give you one of my extra ones.
 
i wasn't looking to carry it on top of the others. i was looking to leave the pliers and farmer at home (haha i love my farmer, don't jump on me for it.)
are there MT's with an equivalent saw to the farmer? since it's the only thing that makes a farmer so important to me (over other saks)
 
I've used the saw on my wave in the woods plenty of times with good results but the vic saws are better.
 
I find that the pliers are very important for all sorts of things, which is why I typically carry either a Leatherman or Gerber Deisel. I had a SOG Powerlock for the longest time and it is an excellent multi-tool as well.

I've tried to just carry a SAK as a multi-tool, but I find that I get uneasy not having the pliers in case I need to repair anything, use it for fishing, or get that extra torque if I come across a stubborn bolt.

I'd also agree that the simpler Leathermans fold up nice and don't take up much room on a belt.
 
:thumbup:another +1 for Leatherman




Although I do NOT agree with the owner's views,they DO make top notch products.I've had the same LM since 1990 & it's still as good as the day I got it.
 
Leatherman and Victorinox are both tops in my book.

RescueRiley said:
I've used the saw on my wave in the woods plenty of times with good results but the vic saws are better.
Click to expand...

Definitely agree with this after just testing them both this week. The Leatherman saw is functional, the Victorinox saw is the best I've seen for the size.
 
I carry a Skeletool every day and like it for its light weight and slim profile. I also have a Juice Kf4 and a Gerber. All of them get used. The Skeletool is great for every day tasks, but the Juice has the most tools, including a saw and a file. The Gerber has my favorite pliers.
 
I started out with one of the Gerbers because I liked the one hand opening, but switched to the LM Wave because I thought the tools in the Wave had better tolerances and overall the Wave was better constructed. After some years of being a Wave fan I gave it away after trying the Vic Spirit. Just a bunch of little things about the Vic that I like more—all tools lock, no play in handles when the plier part isn't out, handle doesn't bite into my hands when using any tool that's not the pliers, tools pull out without sticking to and pulling its neighboring tool out as well, ergonomics suit me better, great saw, better scissors, reamer tool which I find useful. Its lack of a plain edge blade instead of having a plain edge and a serrated blade is a plus for me since I tend to carry a separate plain edge knife anyway, so prefer that it uses that space for a different tool. I think for most people it comes down to subjective preferences, and mine goes to the Vic Spirit tool.
 
I have several...leatherman, gerber, buck, etc. All are good, but prefer the feel and action of the buck and gerber over the leatherman. My edc is a small gerber shortcut. It's a little guy with scissors instead of pliers. You probably need to find a store that carries several and try them out.
 
I'll be completely honest, but I really don't like multitools very much. Used a Leatherman for a couple years, but found that it just didn't work as well as a regular pliers and a good knife, or even an SAK. The pliers on a multitool are, for my purposes, way too flimsy. The handles I also thought were pretty uncomfortable. Have also never really liked the knives on Leathermans too much, although the XTi with the S30V blade wasn't too bad.

I do a lot of work on the farm, work doing maintenance at a state park, and do lots of hunting and fishing, and I've found my good old Cee Tee Co. pliers to work far better for most of those things. The only place a Leatherman really had an advantage was when fishing because the pliers are needlenosed. Otherwise, I went back to carrying my Pliers and a Spyderco folder at work or a fixed blade pretty much anywhere else.
 
- Leatherman wave: sort of the standard bearer; all around good performer; 4 blades open on the outsider of the handle, so you don't have to flip open the plier to get to the blades

- SOG: big, heavy duty, customizable tool selection, opens like butter; blades on the inside of the handle; plier has most leverage

- Victorinox Swiss tool series: refined, smooth opening, chrome plated or just highly polished (?), slightly smaller than the others on the hip


But I sorta like the idea of a folder and a pair of pliers, and forget the multitool. :)
 
The leatherman Wave is my favorite and it can be used one handed. You just flick your wrist in the same motion as a balisong and it'll open. I never liked the gerbers, that sliding lock thing always bugged me plus the one I had felt flimsy. However, it functioned well. It was more of a personal preference thing I think. I've since gone to a SAK Farmer though and I don't think I'll ever go back to a multitool. The only thing I'll miss the pliers for will be the ability to loosen nuts/bolts but I hardly ever do that. Then just keep a pair of pliers in your tackle and your good.
 
If i was starting over i'd just get a Victorinox Spirit.
Currently its in my EDC battery.
Over the years i went from a SOG Paratool to a Leatherman Wave to a Leatherman XE6 to a Victorinox Swisstool X and finally stabilized with the Victorinox Spirit.
I still love the Swisstool X, best tools by far but it is very big and heavy and you need strong and decent length fingernails to kinda reach in to access the nail nicks.
The Spirit is like the X's leaner/lighter more ergonomic sibling. And the nail nicks are very easy to reach.
My Spirit is an older version with the serrated butterknife blade, or at least it was before i modded it to a normal looking SAK style blade.
If you get the Spirit try to get one of the newer ones with the scissors and the spearpoint blade.
 
I bid on a Swisstool Spirit X the other day but had to work when the auction ended, and I lost by $2. :( I really want to try the Swisstool. I keep reading great things about them.
 
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