Swiss Tech Micro Plus

T

Thirteenth Star

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Apr 1, 2004
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I'm considering purchasing a Swiss Tech Micro Plus. Although a Bladeforums search found the Micro Plus mentioned in some threads, I cannot find too many recent opinions about it. To those of you who have recently purchased one, can you recommend me purchasing one? Are the pliers indeed dificult to operate, or has this issue been recently corrected?
 
Thirteenth Star said:
I'm considering purchasing a Swiss Tech Micro Plus. Although a Bladeforums search found the Micro Plus mentioned in some threads, I cannot find too many recent opinions about it. To those of you who have recently purchased one, can you recommend me purchasing one? Are the pliers indeed dificult to operate, or has this issue been recently corrected?
Click to expand...

I've posted about these before - and I'm sorry, I'm not a *recent* purchaser.

I found them OK to use, and still use them sometimes.
But...
The handles are small; they have a pivot built into them. Tou just aren't going to get the sort of mechanical advantage you would with, say, a PST II.
For holding small bolts etc? Absolutely fine.

Can't beat them for the price (I actualy have bought 2, since some swine knicked the first ones.)
 
Bought several about two years ago. Only used one and stopped carrying it after a few months.

My experience:
It added a noticeable weight to my key chain and I hardly used it.
Any torque on the large s-drivers and the hinge buckled.
You have to hold the driver by the leg giving you at most one inch of reach.
Only used(needed) the micro screwdrivers once, to help fix my GySgt's vcr.
IIRC, the micro drivers work (loose fit) on the Photon II screws, but I have a driver set for them and now carry a photon III.
The plier jaws proved worthless. Too small for 90% of the bolts I worked with(no grip at all). The other 10% were in some kind of recess and could not be reached.
I stopped carrying it when it did not provide the leverage to bend something I was working on. Yes, it can bent smaller items but I never work with those.

In short, it seldom saved me a trip to the toolbox.

The sebertool looks more useful.

I use a P-38 can opener as an impromptu screwdriver; the side for flat head, the corner for phillips.
 
I carried one for a short time until I got a Leatherman Squirt P4. I find the Leatherman to be much easier to carry on a key chain and the tools work equally well for the light duty stuff I use a keychain multi for.
 
Thirteenth Star said:
I'm considering purchasing a Swiss Tech Micro Plus. Although a Bladeforums search found the Micro Plus mentioned in some threads, I cannot find too many recent opinions about it. To those of you who have recently purchased one, can you recommend me purchasing one? Are the pliers indeed dificult to operate, or has this issue been recently corrected?
Click to expand...

The Swiss-Tech Micro Plus can be a bit tricky to use, but I have found it invaluable and carry one every day. In fact, I personally have found it more useful than a pocketknife, as I usually have to poke and pry things rather than cut them.

I also recommend the
Swiss-Tech Micro Pro XL Multi-Tool. I bought mine in a local Brookstone. I also carry this now everyday in addition to the Swiss-Tech Micro Plus.
 
I think the Swiss-Tech MicroPlus is the best of the ultra-minis...which is only saying so much. I prefer it to the Sebertech equivalent, which is really its onlly competitor. Moving up a half-step to the Leatherman Squirt or, better yet, the SOG CrossGrip, gets you a lot more capability. But for its size and weight the MicroPlus is a very effective design.

--Bob Q
 
I have carried the 6in1 version of this tool for many years and had used it many times, and it has saved me trips to my tool box. However, my wife got me the 8in1 version this last Christmas which I have to say I also really like for the addition of the smaller phillips and flat head screw drivers. It won't replace a full sized multi-tool, just as a full sized multi-tool will not replace my tool box. But over the years mine has come in handy more times than I can count. It's not perfect, I mean it's small what do you expect? ;)

On a 3/8" snap clasp I have a Victorinox Rambler, P-38 can opener, Arc AAA flashlight. All on their own #7 split ring I get in the fishing supply section so I can easily remove and use them individually. The MicroPlus is on my actual keychain which is also snapped onto the 3/8" snap clasp. This combination has served me well for a long time. If I'm in a hurry and that's all I grab, in a pinch I can handle lots of situations I run into in the urban jungle. But I usually have a full sized knife clipped inside my right front pocket as well.

I have the SerberTech too (got a few years ago), it's not built nearly as well as the MicroPlus in my opinion. I also have a LM Squirt P-4, it's ok but I wouldn't necessarily consider it a step up. Never did like the flat phillips screw driver on thie P-4.

In short, I like mine.
 
yam said:
I have the SerberTech too (got a few years ago), it's not built nearly as well as the MicroPlus in my opinion. I also have a LM Squirt P-4, it's ok but I wouldn't necessarily consider it a step up. Never did like the flat phillips screw driver on thie P-4.

In short, I like mine.
Click to expand...

I like the P4 for the narrow pliers and wire cutter. It came in very handy this Xmas cutting all the stupid wires that tie down the kids' toys these days. I was able to slip the P4 into almost every little corner to cut those wires off. I usually also have either a full sized multi or at least a SAK with a better phillips screwdriver so I don't rely on the P4 phillips much at all.
 
Binford,

I do see where the P4 would come in handy too. And I do like my P4, just the philips isn't very durable. However, I have considered the Radio Shack P4 (made by LM) which does have a regular philips ......... see it here.

But man, for $39.99, it's kind of pricey.

It's a vicious conundrum, my search of the perfect mini multi-tool.
 
I have the Swiss-Tech Micro (not the plus). It is a very well made little tool.

Paul
 
i had an older one without the small screwdrivers. i didn't really like it too much because it was so heavy. they made a skeletonized version though. my next minitool will be a sog, crossgrip i think.

Pete
 
I bought an 8in1 and carried it for a month.Very awkward to use,it broke at the plier pivot cutting light wire(fixed it with a machine screw), "shear" is useless and plier jaws were to small for most jobs.I agree with clint simpson, it never saved me a trip to the toolbox.
 
acswan said:
...plier jaws were too small for most jobs... it never saved me a trip to the toolbox.
Click to expand...

Being sized to fit on your keychain, it is a specialized tool for specialized purposes.

As my dad drilled into me, the right tool for the right job.

I agree, its jaws are quite small, but many everyday tasks are quite small, too.
 
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