SAK pliers

B

Bare Rib

Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
589
So I was thinking about getting a new SAK for hiking (a Vic trekker) to replace my Leatherman Wave but every time I consider this I think about all the times I use the pliers on my Leatherman. Then I saw the Vic WorkChamp and got kinda excited.
So my question is 2 parts
1st What is the quality of the Vic SAK pliers? Are the for work or show?
2nd I know that it really isn't fair to compare the two but, how are the pliers on a Vic SAK compared to those of a Leatherman Wave? Basically will I be really disappointed with the SAK pliers over teh Leatherman pliers.

Does anybody have a Vic WorkChamp? If so what are your thoughts on it?
 
Here's a comparison shot of the Wenger slip joint pliers (left), Victorinox pliers (middle), and Leatherman Charge pliers (right):

swissarmy_pliers.jpg


The quality of the manufacturing is good but they are rather small compared to the pliers on the Leatherman Wave.
 
Hum...those are pretty small and, I don't see any wire cutters. I know, wire cutters for the woods? In an emergency situation if I need to set out snare traps I like to have something to cut the wire with. Overall they don't look like they would be of all that much use. If they are the only thing I had then the are more useful than nothing at all but I think I'll just stick with my Wave.
 
Yes, better keep with the Wave for pliers.The SAK ones are definitly good pliers, but they are so small that you can only use them for light tasks, not very useful in the woods, you would want something strong there.
 
The WorkChamp pliers have a tiny wire cutter and a crimper. The previous photo was of an older model that lacks the crimper but it should give you an idea of the size difference. Here are a couple of illustrations from Victorinox that demonstrate the use of the crimper and cutter:

wirecutter.jpg


wirecrimper.jpg
 
glade to see they added that but still I don't think I would want to have to rely on them.
 
The Vic's pliers are definately light duty. I've used mine sparingly and only for small jobs - usually gripping type operations. For anything else I use my Wave or go to the tool box for a real pair of pliers;)
 
In all honesty, the SAK pliers are good for small scale stuff- maybe fish hooks and little stuff like that. Stick with a multi-tool or dedicated pliers if you need full size pliers.
 
I've thought about getting a Vic Mechanic for having a small pair of pliers for pulling thorns and cactus needles out of my dog, but have yet to bite the bullet. Usually, the tweezers can do the job, if only after several tries. I have had one prickly pear thorn that required pliers to remove, would have been good to have not had to hike back to the truck for them.

Yeah, I could haul the stupid Gerber around, and sometimes do, but it weighs as much as a loaded 9mm magazine. Not a terrible burden, but compared to a three layer vic, it's a pig. If the vic pliers are adequate for your needs, why not?
 
sixgunner455 said:
I've thought about getting a Vic Mechanic for having a small pair of pliers for pulling thorns and cactus needles out of my dog, but have yet to bite the bullet. Usually, the tweezers can do the job, if only after several tries. I have had one prickly pear thorn that required pliers to remove, would have been good to have not had to hike back to the truck for them.

Yeah, I could haul the stupid Gerber around, and sometimes do, but it weighs as much as a loaded 9mm magazine. Not a terrible burden, but compared to a three layer vic, it's a pig. If the vic pliers are adequate for your needs, why not?
Click to expand...

If you're looking for a lightweight SAK with pliers, look for a Vic "Mini Mechanic" or "Special Mechanic". It's a two-layer 91mm Vic SAK with pliers in one layer and a blade and a combo tool in the other layer. On the back it has a Phillips screwdriver and oftentimes they are found with the "plus" scales that have not only the tweezers and toothpick but also a pen and a straight pin.

They're no longer made but they turn up fairly often on eBay and sometimes FelineVet has 'em. They're pretty neat!

mini-mechanic.jpg

(That photo is one from UnknownVT, a master of such art)

- Tim
 
That does look neat! And much lighter, and thinner, than the three layer Mechanics. I'll be looking around for one, I guess.
 
Well, I didn't find a Mini Mechanic, but I did track down a regular Mechanic, and got a good deal from an ebay seller who was auctioning some TSA knives. Got a Wenger Backpacker to boot, that I'll throw in one of the vehicles' emergency kits or something.

But that Mechanic, those pliers are just solid. Not a big pair of pliers, but certainly as well made and solid as any needle nose pliers out there, and will do just fine for my needs of pulling cactus needles from boots and dog feet/skin. New hiking/bird hunting companion there.
 
I was just thinking about the pliers on multi-tools and how well they last. The multi-tool that I have has the grips on the pliers starting to wear down after very little usage. Do the part where you grip stuff on the pliers wear away quickly or take much hard wear?
 
If you are torn between multitool and SAK, why not try a Vic Swisstool? My Spirit has pretty much banished my other multis to dark corners of drawers.
 
I carry a Vic Farmer and a Leatherman P4. There's also a bigger Leatherman in each of the cars. The P4 is all the pliers I ever need in the woods. The P4 weighs 2 oz. It's not nearly as robust as even a mid-size multitool, but it's way more useful than SAK pliers. If you're even thinking about comparing SAK pliers to a Wave, I think you're going to be disappointed.
 
garth348 said:
I was just thinking about the pliers on multi-tools and how well they last. The multi-tool that I have has the grips on the pliers starting to wear down after very little usage. Do the part where you grip stuff on the pliers wear away quickly or take much hard wear?
Click to expand...
Compared to an ordinary pair of pliers, a multi-tool will not hold up as well. This is because multi-tools are made of stainless steel while ordinary pliers are made of tool steel, which is harder and not stainless.

Also, if you are using it to turn nuts and bolts, those are probably harder than the multi-tool for the same reason.
 
Scott Ridgeway said:
I carry a Vic Farmer and a Leatherman P4. There's also a bigger Leatherman in each of the cars. The P4 is all the pliers I ever need in the woods. The P4 weighs 2 oz. It's not nearly as robust as even a mid-size multitool, but it's way more useful than SAK pliers. If you're even thinking about comparing SAK pliers to a Wave, I think you're going to be disappointed.
Click to expand...
I do something similar and I agree that carrying two smaller tools can be better than trying to get a single tool that includes everything you want without being too big to carry. I feel like I can get a better tool selection this way and it is also more comfortable to carry and more versatile. I love my Swiss Tool, but I am just not going to carry that thing unless I have a specific need for it at the time.
 
Lurker said:
Compared to an ordinary pair of pliers, a multi-tool will not hold up as well. This is because multi-tools are made of stainless steel while ordinary pliers are made of tool steel, which is harder and not stainless.

Also, if you are using it to turn nuts and bolts, those are probably harder than the multi-tool for the same reason.
Click to expand...

I won't be turning any bolts, but I will have to mess with the occasional piece of metal. I will look into the Spirit because it does have outside access to the tools.
 
Scott Ridgeway said:
I carry a Vic Farmer and a Leatherman P4. There's also a bigger Leatherman in each of the cars. The P4 is all the pliers I ever need in the woods. The P4 weighs 2 oz. It's not nearly as robust as even a mid-size multitool, but it's way more useful than SAK pliers. If you're even thinking about comparing SAK pliers to a Wave, I think you're going to be disappointed.
Click to expand...

For decades, a regular 4 bladed scout type knife was all I ever knew of or carried. My first Leatherman changed that. Pliers have become indispensible to me and I choose to not face life without one at hand.

Much better than Vic's and cute as it is, the Squirt P4 pliers simply doesn't have enough grip for too many purposes, but the Juice does. It is unique in being pocket size with small but usable pliers, unlike any of its competitors. I prefer full size multi-tools for actual work, but for regular day to day utility, there really is no other choice.

Too bad Victorinox doesn't make something similar, but until they do, a Juice CS4 remains my most often EDC.
 
I've debated about purchasing a new SAK containing pliers, simply because I'm a realist and believe firmly in Mr. Murphy's theory; anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Also, being an Eagle Scout, I strive to always be prepared. However, the SAK pliers seem to be SAK "tweezers on steroids" when compared to multi-tool pliers.

Am I alone in this hypothesis?:confused::confused::confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top