I finally got my hands on a swisstool spirit PLUS model (ratchet).
So here's a quick attempt at a review (may add more later).
This PLUS (ratchet) kit is:
SwissTool Spirit
Detachable CorkScrew w/ SAK mini-driver.
Mini ratchet
Bit holder for 1/4" hex bits and select bits.
Leather (nylon lined) sheath with separate compartments for all the above.
I should note the quick review here (Contains pictures and a review.)
https://www.expeditionexchange.com/victor/indexmain.shtml
(page down a bit for the review)
I will save the spirit itself for last and go over the "extras" first.
The corkscrew is a standard SAK CS, but has a slightly longer shank and a notch in it at the non-buisness end. This notch clips into the side (either side) of the unopened spirit so one can actually use the CS. The notch in the other side can be used as a lanyard ring.
The CS is about 2.25" long with about 1.5" of screw.
The corkscrew holds a SAK mini eyeglass flathead screwdriver that we all know and love. The CS has it's own separate compartment in the sheath.
The ratchet is 4" (1/2" wide, 5/16" thick and tapers to a 1/4" handle), with an open-ratchet design (i.e. you flip it to go the other way - no switch). It accepts 1/4" hex in the open ratchet OR in the end of the ratchet handle for a longer, screwdriver-type, reach.
Little spring-rings hold the bits securely in either end.
This little ratchet is very nicely made and is a nice alternative to having bits hanging off a clunky tool (like the LM Charge, the SOG PLock or even the 1/4" hex drive on the LM Crunch).
The kit comes with a signature red bit holder (3 7/8" by 3/8" by 15/16") that has 10 1/4" bit holes on one side and clips to the ratchet-handle on the other. With bits and wrench installed, this has its own place in the sheath as well.
You get 6 bits with the kit, the remaining holder slots are empty for you to add your own. The ones you get are:
PHIL 3
PHIL 0
Torx 10
Torx 15
SW 3 (Allen)
SW 4 (Allen)
Notice no Phil #1 or #2, (since that's covered by the on-board Phil on the Spirit itself.)
All the above goes into separate compartments in the FRONT of the sheath.
SHEATH: Brown leather with velcro closure and nylon separated inner compartments. Rides a bit high on belt, similar to LM style standard leather sheaths. Mine is vertical-mount only. Loaded, the sheath measures 4 1/4" by 1 3/4" by 1 1/2" and is very much a box (no tapered or rounded areas.) The velcro seems fine for now, but I think a snap would have better wear. It has a nice metal vic shield where the 'snap' would be.
Onward to the Spirit:
You've all seen the pictures, if not, follow the link above or search here (BF) for pics.
Closed, the Spirit is 4 3/16" long 1 5/16" wide and 1/2"(body)-9/16"(at locks) thick. The spirit itself weighs 7.35 oz. (The whole package, in sheath, weighs 12.21 oz.)
With the spirit fully opened (and pliers closed), it's 6 5/16" long and 1 15/16" wide at the handles. The pliers are 1 1/4" from the tip back to the edge of the wire cutters. The wire cutters are 1/4" long (total) and the pliers tips are about 1 13/16" from the hinge.
PLIERS:
The pliers are needle nose, but are a tiny bit blunter than most MTs. It can open to 1 3/8" wide at the tips. There is no play at all on mine. Seems strong, the pliers are just over 1/4" thick near the cutters and hinge. The pliers are precise enough to pluck arm hair (though the tips sometimes cut them). When using the pliers, the handles are the most comfortable of any multi-tool I've ever had my hands on. There are NO edges to catch you at all. I can squeeze it hard enough to feel some flex, but no more than any other MT (same as LM wave, a little better than SOG PLock and LM juice).
The curved shape of the spirit not only makes it more comfortable, but you can get the pliers open with one hand and without any "leg-assistance" if you work at it a bit. The curved shape gives you more "pinky-leverage" to open the pliers when using as well.
The pliers are held by springs so the handles generally should not fold when trying to open stuck pliers/cutters. This is similar to the LM juice, which has springs for the pliers to "snap" into place (many others have this too, but the juice is the one I remember.)
WIRECUTTERS:
Short 3/32" section for soft wire, then a soft wire notch and then a hard wire notch. I have no idea what type of wire is beyond the 40Rc limit quoted, but I have no desire to test this on coins like my SOG Powerlock, since there is a warning. Cuts small wire very cleanly and will cleanly cut paper, so I am confident that it will do an outstanding job on most _normal_ wire.
Other tools are accessed from the outside of the tool while closed and each has its OWN spring (again, like the LM juice, but less slipjoint-like springs and more multi-tool like springs.) so individual tools come out as you need them. All the tools LOCK in place and are held by a small slide-lock which seems very strong. I did not test the lock with a vice, table or hammer, but by hand they seem very strong.
Also of note is that spring tension holds each implement closed like a Slipjoint, so they will NOT open on you like the loose old wave I have.
Scissors:
These are 2 1/2" overall with a little less than 5/8" 'throat', so they are very short. However, they are sturdier than your typical SAK scissors and most others (not as sturdy as, say an LM Squirt S4, but close). The new spring, which is integrated into the tool itself, is much thicker than the old vic style, and makes for much stronger opening-action. On a scissors this overall size, it's good to have a shorter scissors... longer tips mean less leverage at the tips anyway (As an example the LM Juice scissors are too long for the amount of leverage you can produce, so you end up cutting near the pivot anyway.) While it's true that the spring is under tension when closed, it doesn't seem like it would weaken much over time.
Screwdriver 2mm.
Ground on one side, 1 3/16" long (thin part), polished as usual on SAKS, but maybe a little sharper.
Phillips Screwdriver #1/#2
1 15/16" long (thin part), very stout and very similar to the larger phil found on 110mm SAKs, both in size and how it is stamp/ground? Works well, though it may need a bit of roughing up.
Can-Opener:
Standard SAK style, with the screwdriver tip that works in phillips heads to some degree too.
File:
Three sided file (med/fine/saw) similar to those on SAKs, but a bit thicker, and the grooves are deeper. 2 9/16" long.
Wood Saw:
Again, similar to a typical SAK, but thicker. 2" of teeth.
Reamer:
Normal-to-thick reamer, no sewing eye, with a 1" sharpened edge.
Multi-Purpose hook:
At base of reamer, just a hook for carrying tied items etc.
Large Screwdriver 6mm/bottle opener/wire bender.
This is an 1/8" thick flathead driver, ground on one side, with cap-lifter built in and the "wire-bender" slot standard on most SAKs. This is a beefy implement and is also called a "Crate-Opener" since it's strong enough for prying.
Chisel:
One of my favorite implements 1/16" thick, With a chisel at the end. Part of one side of the chisel is sharpened to a corner (corner chisel), Then further down the implement there is a curved cutter section (wire scraper) and below that a v-notch (wire stripper). All sharpened at about 45 degrees chisel-style. I can see many scraping uses for this implement as well as it being used for light prying.
Finally the BLADE:
A nice thin SAK-like flat-ground blade (the actual edge is chisel ground). It's 2 3/4" long from the handle, the sharpened edge is 2 3/8" of which 15/16 is chisel ground serrations and the remainder is chisel ground plain edge. The serrations are at the tip and the plain section is nearer the handle, which makes sense for whittling jobs. The blade shape is an extremely-square sheepsfoot. Obviously for safety, but has the advantage of being much stronger at the "tip". Good for cardboard or messy jobs, I would use a pointier knife for general stuff.
I like serrated blades on multis, because they don't generally get as much sharpening time as folders or slipjoints, so they tend to stay sharp longer that way.
I have to mention that if you don't like the bulk of the tool while you are cutting (say in peel-an-apple mode), you can fold the non-blade handle open and it will stay there (snap in place). So your blade is much more like a true knife blade, with the extra handle hanging out the back of your hand. (This works for some of the other implements too.)
The curved shape of the handles also means that using ANY implement is much more comfortable than we are used to. I should also mention that even though spring tension holds the implements in, they are extremely smooth and easy to open and close.
Note: all the implements are 1/16" thick, except the Large 6mm Driver/crate opener and the Phillips 1/2, which are both 1/8" thick.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
This thing is built with a lot of detailed attention to design and has very strong, practical tools, a good locking system, and is very comfortable to use in any configuration. Everything is smooth and fit/finish is as perfect as one would ever expect for a multi-tool. The ratchet is a nice way to have extra capabilities without sacrificing space on the Spirit itself.
It doesn't have the crushing power of the SOG PowerLock or LM Crunch, and it doesn't have one-hand blade opening like the LM Charge etc., but it makes up for it in precision, well thought out tool design and is just as capable. For a straight-forward multi-tool it is right up there with the best of the best. The ratchet and CS extras, put it over the top IMHO.
I should mention the many reviews already posted on BF, please do a search and find them as well.
DISCLAIMER: Don't believe me, get one for yourself and add your review to this thread!
(Or link your reviews)
DISCLAIMER 2: My Spirit has not seen hard use yet, so testing is underway, and updates will likely be added in the future.
UPDATE: I sharpened the PE section of the blade to a V-grind for more utility. I also sharpened the chisel and awl (with a finer hone than factory) and squared off all the drivers. They are less slippery now. I also modified the can opener for a bit more bite on the can. (I put an edge on the inside of can-lip-grabber hook).
So here's a quick attempt at a review (may add more later).
This PLUS (ratchet) kit is:
SwissTool Spirit
Detachable CorkScrew w/ SAK mini-driver.
Mini ratchet
Bit holder for 1/4" hex bits and select bits.
Leather (nylon lined) sheath with separate compartments for all the above.
I should note the quick review here (Contains pictures and a review.)
https://www.expeditionexchange.com/victor/indexmain.shtml
(page down a bit for the review)
I will save the spirit itself for last and go over the "extras" first.
The corkscrew is a standard SAK CS, but has a slightly longer shank and a notch in it at the non-buisness end. This notch clips into the side (either side) of the unopened spirit so one can actually use the CS. The notch in the other side can be used as a lanyard ring.
The CS is about 2.25" long with about 1.5" of screw.
The corkscrew holds a SAK mini eyeglass flathead screwdriver that we all know and love. The CS has it's own separate compartment in the sheath.
The ratchet is 4" (1/2" wide, 5/16" thick and tapers to a 1/4" handle), with an open-ratchet design (i.e. you flip it to go the other way - no switch). It accepts 1/4" hex in the open ratchet OR in the end of the ratchet handle for a longer, screwdriver-type, reach.
Little spring-rings hold the bits securely in either end.
This little ratchet is very nicely made and is a nice alternative to having bits hanging off a clunky tool (like the LM Charge, the SOG PLock or even the 1/4" hex drive on the LM Crunch).
The kit comes with a signature red bit holder (3 7/8" by 3/8" by 15/16") that has 10 1/4" bit holes on one side and clips to the ratchet-handle on the other. With bits and wrench installed, this has its own place in the sheath as well.
You get 6 bits with the kit, the remaining holder slots are empty for you to add your own. The ones you get are:
PHIL 3
PHIL 0
Torx 10
Torx 15
SW 3 (Allen)
SW 4 (Allen)
Notice no Phil #1 or #2, (since that's covered by the on-board Phil on the Spirit itself.)
All the above goes into separate compartments in the FRONT of the sheath.
SHEATH: Brown leather with velcro closure and nylon separated inner compartments. Rides a bit high on belt, similar to LM style standard leather sheaths. Mine is vertical-mount only. Loaded, the sheath measures 4 1/4" by 1 3/4" by 1 1/2" and is very much a box (no tapered or rounded areas.) The velcro seems fine for now, but I think a snap would have better wear. It has a nice metal vic shield where the 'snap' would be.
Onward to the Spirit:
You've all seen the pictures, if not, follow the link above or search here (BF) for pics.
Closed, the Spirit is 4 3/16" long 1 5/16" wide and 1/2"(body)-9/16"(at locks) thick. The spirit itself weighs 7.35 oz. (The whole package, in sheath, weighs 12.21 oz.)
With the spirit fully opened (and pliers closed), it's 6 5/16" long and 1 15/16" wide at the handles. The pliers are 1 1/4" from the tip back to the edge of the wire cutters. The wire cutters are 1/4" long (total) and the pliers tips are about 1 13/16" from the hinge.
PLIERS:
The pliers are needle nose, but are a tiny bit blunter than most MTs. It can open to 1 3/8" wide at the tips. There is no play at all on mine. Seems strong, the pliers are just over 1/4" thick near the cutters and hinge. The pliers are precise enough to pluck arm hair (though the tips sometimes cut them). When using the pliers, the handles are the most comfortable of any multi-tool I've ever had my hands on. There are NO edges to catch you at all. I can squeeze it hard enough to feel some flex, but no more than any other MT (same as LM wave, a little better than SOG PLock and LM juice).
The curved shape of the spirit not only makes it more comfortable, but you can get the pliers open with one hand and without any "leg-assistance" if you work at it a bit. The curved shape gives you more "pinky-leverage" to open the pliers when using as well.
The pliers are held by springs so the handles generally should not fold when trying to open stuck pliers/cutters. This is similar to the LM juice, which has springs for the pliers to "snap" into place (many others have this too, but the juice is the one I remember.)
WIRECUTTERS:
Short 3/32" section for soft wire, then a soft wire notch and then a hard wire notch. I have no idea what type of wire is beyond the 40Rc limit quoted, but I have no desire to test this on coins like my SOG Powerlock, since there is a warning. Cuts small wire very cleanly and will cleanly cut paper, so I am confident that it will do an outstanding job on most _normal_ wire.
Other tools are accessed from the outside of the tool while closed and each has its OWN spring (again, like the LM juice, but less slipjoint-like springs and more multi-tool like springs.) so individual tools come out as you need them. All the tools LOCK in place and are held by a small slide-lock which seems very strong. I did not test the lock with a vice, table or hammer, but by hand they seem very strong.
Also of note is that spring tension holds each implement closed like a Slipjoint, so they will NOT open on you like the loose old wave I have.
Scissors:
These are 2 1/2" overall with a little less than 5/8" 'throat', so they are very short. However, they are sturdier than your typical SAK scissors and most others (not as sturdy as, say an LM Squirt S4, but close). The new spring, which is integrated into the tool itself, is much thicker than the old vic style, and makes for much stronger opening-action. On a scissors this overall size, it's good to have a shorter scissors... longer tips mean less leverage at the tips anyway (As an example the LM Juice scissors are too long for the amount of leverage you can produce, so you end up cutting near the pivot anyway.) While it's true that the spring is under tension when closed, it doesn't seem like it would weaken much over time.
Screwdriver 2mm.
Ground on one side, 1 3/16" long (thin part), polished as usual on SAKS, but maybe a little sharper.
Phillips Screwdriver #1/#2
1 15/16" long (thin part), very stout and very similar to the larger phil found on 110mm SAKs, both in size and how it is stamp/ground? Works well, though it may need a bit of roughing up.
Can-Opener:
Standard SAK style, with the screwdriver tip that works in phillips heads to some degree too.
File:
Three sided file (med/fine/saw) similar to those on SAKs, but a bit thicker, and the grooves are deeper. 2 9/16" long.
Wood Saw:
Again, similar to a typical SAK, but thicker. 2" of teeth.
Reamer:
Normal-to-thick reamer, no sewing eye, with a 1" sharpened edge.
Multi-Purpose hook:
At base of reamer, just a hook for carrying tied items etc.
Large Screwdriver 6mm/bottle opener/wire bender.
This is an 1/8" thick flathead driver, ground on one side, with cap-lifter built in and the "wire-bender" slot standard on most SAKs. This is a beefy implement and is also called a "Crate-Opener" since it's strong enough for prying.
Chisel:
One of my favorite implements 1/16" thick, With a chisel at the end. Part of one side of the chisel is sharpened to a corner (corner chisel), Then further down the implement there is a curved cutter section (wire scraper) and below that a v-notch (wire stripper). All sharpened at about 45 degrees chisel-style. I can see many scraping uses for this implement as well as it being used for light prying.
Finally the BLADE:
A nice thin SAK-like flat-ground blade (the actual edge is chisel ground). It's 2 3/4" long from the handle, the sharpened edge is 2 3/8" of which 15/16 is chisel ground serrations and the remainder is chisel ground plain edge. The serrations are at the tip and the plain section is nearer the handle, which makes sense for whittling jobs. The blade shape is an extremely-square sheepsfoot. Obviously for safety, but has the advantage of being much stronger at the "tip". Good for cardboard or messy jobs, I would use a pointier knife for general stuff.
I like serrated blades on multis, because they don't generally get as much sharpening time as folders or slipjoints, so they tend to stay sharp longer that way.
I have to mention that if you don't like the bulk of the tool while you are cutting (say in peel-an-apple mode), you can fold the non-blade handle open and it will stay there (snap in place). So your blade is much more like a true knife blade, with the extra handle hanging out the back of your hand. (This works for some of the other implements too.)
The curved shape of the handles also means that using ANY implement is much more comfortable than we are used to. I should also mention that even though spring tension holds the implements in, they are extremely smooth and easy to open and close.
Note: all the implements are 1/16" thick, except the Large 6mm Driver/crate opener and the Phillips 1/2, which are both 1/8" thick.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
This thing is built with a lot of detailed attention to design and has very strong, practical tools, a good locking system, and is very comfortable to use in any configuration. Everything is smooth and fit/finish is as perfect as one would ever expect for a multi-tool. The ratchet is a nice way to have extra capabilities without sacrificing space on the Spirit itself.
It doesn't have the crushing power of the SOG PowerLock or LM Crunch, and it doesn't have one-hand blade opening like the LM Charge etc., but it makes up for it in precision, well thought out tool design and is just as capable. For a straight-forward multi-tool it is right up there with the best of the best. The ratchet and CS extras, put it over the top IMHO.
I should mention the many reviews already posted on BF, please do a search and find them as well.
DISCLAIMER: Don't believe me, get one for yourself and add your review to this thread!
(Or link your reviews)
DISCLAIMER 2: My Spirit has not seen hard use yet, so testing is underway, and updates will likely be added in the future.
UPDATE: I sharpened the PE section of the blade to a V-grind for more utility. I also sharpened the chisel and awl (with a finer hone than factory) and squared off all the drivers. They are less slippery now. I also modified the can opener for a bit more bite on the can. (I put an edge on the inside of can-lip-grabber hook).
