Spyderench, EDC as a mechanic, after a month

[qqfob]

my rating of 7.5/10

this thing is great! i work much more efficiently everyday, not having to run to my toolbox for the simplest of tools. its very much everything one can fit in such a small package. between this and my streamlight keymate, i have been doing a lot more street repairs as well.

knife, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, and a file. it has a Spyderco blade, so you know is sharp and durable, Aus8. the pliers have dual adjustments, they are definately solid, but not having a even jaw really hurts the tool. the wrench is good enough for a 13mm bolt, and you can stretch it for a 14mm. this is obviously the best part of the whole tool. well, the little phillips/file/poker, the file is good, but the little phillips screwdriver should have been a mini one, a precision glasses sized one. the screwdriver bits are fine, but anyone who ever used a screwdriver knows that you need reach for just about any screw. i need a bit extension!

now, to make a 10/10 mechanic tool.
besides the aformentioned; an even plier jaw, mini philips screwdriver, a screwdriver bit extension... the blade should be flush on the blade handle and double as a cutter/wire stripper because it is that easy to make it one. there should be a part of the tool that sticks out and can be used as a pry tool, i really hate to use the blade to pry. and lastly, the whole thing needs to lock together a bit tighter!

well, despite all my whining, and being far from a 10/10 item, it is still the best multi tool i've ever had because it just suits a mechanic so well.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

They are nice I've got a ByrdRench and it's quite the handy tool. I never realized that an adjustable wrench would come in so handy until I started packing one around

 

[znapschatz]

They are nice I've got a ByrdRench and it's quite the handy tool. I never realized that an adjustable wrench would come in so handy until I started packing one around

For years, my EDC kit consisted of a Super Tool, MiniMag flashlight and thin 6" adjustable wrench, all in a belt carried Nite Ize pouch. Why not just add a small adjustable wrench to what you already have? It's a whole lot cheaper than either a Spyder/ByrdWrench, or am I missing the point?

 

[vic2367]

good review,,,:thumbup:

 

[qqfob]

For years, my EDC kit consisted of a Super Tool, MiniMag flashlight and thin 6" adjustable wrench, all in a belt carried Nite Ize pouch. Why not just add a small adjustable wrench to what you already have? It's a whole lot cheaper than either a Spyder/ByrdWrench, or am I missing the point?

You're missing the point, I dont need another 6" in my pocket, that would just be too much.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

For years, my EDC kit consisted of a Super Tool, MiniMag flashlight and thin 6" adjustable wrench, all in a belt carried Nite Ize pouch. Why not just add a small adjustable wrench to what you already have? It's a whole lot cheaper than either a Spyder/ByrdWrench, or am I missing the point?

Well my point is that I would never be the kind of guy that would say, "Yep, today I'm going to need an adjustable wrench." If I needed something to hold a bolt, I would just get a pair of pliers and "make due".
Would a standard wrench be cheaper and more effective? Absolutely However, my multi-tool sickness does not take this into account. I could get by with just a plain ol' Leatherman....but I have a drawer full of tools for "specialized uses"

 

[znapschatz]

You're missing the point, I dont need another 6" in my pocket, that would just be too much.

In a pocket, not so good, but in a belt pouch, a small wrench goes all but unnoticed.

Without knowing what kind of mechanical work you do, my own situation may not apply, but decades ago I worked two different stints as a mechanic. In the army, I maintained wheel and track vehicles in both shop and field environments. Later, I had a job at a NASA installation doing setup and takedown of test apparatus. In neither situation did I carry or use a multitool. Of course, this was in an era BL (before Leatherman), but thinking back, I don't know how useful one would have been, since I always had access to proper tools and equipment, all superior to any pocketable widget.

Now that I am now longer practicing the trade, a multitool makes sense as an everyday "just in case" item, and as such, I use mine every day (before breakfast this AM, in fact ). But it is hard for me to think of it as very useful for mechanical chores.

Since most mechanical work I do these days is simple maintenance or emergency repairs on my car, I usually have a tool kit in the trunk. That said, I have made some quickie road repairs with my Leatherman because under the particular circumstances, it was more convenient, such as a few seconds outdoor exposure during a driving rain while turning down a loose nut on a windshield wiper vs. a long time offloading luggage to get at my tools in the trunk (this happened twice.)

Now, if you just plain like multitools, then any reasonable excuse to get a new one is just fine. I've done it myself.