- Joined
- Jan 29, 2000
- Messages
- 546
I was watching a video last night comparing the Hercules (which I just ordered) and a Leatherman Wave. When it came time to compare the pliers, the reviewer said that the pliers on the Leatherman were obviously superior, and at first glance, I had to agree. I was originally looking to purchase an Outrider but I didn't find any in stock, and when a deal popped up for the Hercules I bit. In the back of my mind, though, I was lamenting the inclusion of the small pliers as adding unnecessary weight and thickness to the knife. So, as I watched the video and toyed with my Fireman and Swisschamp (I was trying to rationalize the Hercules, after all) it occurred to me that the Victorinox pliers are not really inferior, but just flat-out different from the pliers found in a Leatherman-type multitool.
First, the obvious advantages of the conventional multitool pliers: leverage and span. The plier head on a Leatherman is about twice as long as that of the SAK, and the mouth opens up about 50% wider. It also includes wire cutters which, when coupled with handles about twice as long as those of the SAK, makes the multitool much more potent for applying torque to a nut or bolt, crimping or cutting wire, or crushing small things. Now, you might say, "isn't that exactly what pliers are for?" Yes, and in a scenario that calls for a full-sized set of pliers, a conventional multitool is clearly superior to what the SAK family brings to the table.
But, as I was pondering the utility of the small SAK pliers on my SwissChamp, I thought about the advantages they offered. First, being spring-loaded, the SAK pliers are great for holding something that is small but delicate. They can be easily operated with one hand, applying constant pressure to an object without crushing it inadvertently. Second, their narrow jaws and pointy tip make them very functional as tweezers for removing splinters or, in an emergency, applying or removing sutures. Third, they can be used in very tight spaces to manipulate or retrieve things that would be unreachable with either your fingers or full-sized pliers (think a nut or screw that has been dropped into the bottom of an engine compartment). And although they are less than ideal for torquing on things, they perform very well as a second set of pliers to hold a loose bolt in place while a nut is tightened onto it. Do SAK pliers replace a multitool? No, but especially in an outdoor environment, I can see situations where they might be more useful.
Personally, I prefer to have both on hand. I see the SAK as generally superior in the outdoors and the multitool as generally superior for urban or vehicle use, but now that I have thought it through, I no longer think of SAK pliers as useless, just very different, like tweezers on steroids or a tiny set of needle-noses.
First, the obvious advantages of the conventional multitool pliers: leverage and span. The plier head on a Leatherman is about twice as long as that of the SAK, and the mouth opens up about 50% wider. It also includes wire cutters which, when coupled with handles about twice as long as those of the SAK, makes the multitool much more potent for applying torque to a nut or bolt, crimping or cutting wire, or crushing small things. Now, you might say, "isn't that exactly what pliers are for?" Yes, and in a scenario that calls for a full-sized set of pliers, a conventional multitool is clearly superior to what the SAK family brings to the table.
But, as I was pondering the utility of the small SAK pliers on my SwissChamp, I thought about the advantages they offered. First, being spring-loaded, the SAK pliers are great for holding something that is small but delicate. They can be easily operated with one hand, applying constant pressure to an object without crushing it inadvertently. Second, their narrow jaws and pointy tip make them very functional as tweezers for removing splinters or, in an emergency, applying or removing sutures. Third, they can be used in very tight spaces to manipulate or retrieve things that would be unreachable with either your fingers or full-sized pliers (think a nut or screw that has been dropped into the bottom of an engine compartment). And although they are less than ideal for torquing on things, they perform very well as a second set of pliers to hold a loose bolt in place while a nut is tightened onto it. Do SAK pliers replace a multitool? No, but especially in an outdoor environment, I can see situations where they might be more useful.
Personally, I prefer to have both on hand. I see the SAK as generally superior in the outdoors and the multitool as generally superior for urban or vehicle use, but now that I have thought it through, I no longer think of SAK pliers as useless, just very different, like tweezers on steroids or a tiny set of needle-noses.
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