Vic classic vs. safety pin?

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Mora2013

Joined
Dec 1, 2013
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I wanted to cut the wire part of a safety pin yesterday. The best tool I guess I could have used was the scissors on a Vic classic. After thinking about it for a half minute, it wasn't an urgent thing. It would have made things more convenient for me at the time, so I decided not to. It wasn't worth knicking up or damaging the scissors for the mild added convenience.

So I'm sitting here a day later, wondering if 1) Vic scissors are up to the task of cutting safety pin wire cutting? Or 2) should I consider replacing my keychain Vic classic with a leatherman style ps? It seems like the smallest Vic sak pliers come on a sak mechanic - too big for my keychain.

Pliers always seem like a great idea to carry. Except when I think about my pliers in general. The problem with pliers is that you can't have one. In my toolbox I must have 40+pliers because every application needs a different shape, a different angle, a different length etc. Pliers to me are a very specific application tool. I've got multiple needle noses, duckbills, slip joints, tongue in grooves in different lengths, pliers at 90 degree angles, 45 degree angles. And then there are those specific applications like hose clamp pliers, fence pliers, wire strippers, wire cutters etc. The times I've thought my leatherman wave was good to belt carry on a job... The pliers - too big to fit, jaws too small to grab etc. I always seemed to have to resort back to some dedicated pliers.

Ok, this was a Rambling post.

So. Would you cut metal with your sak scissors?
How useful have multitool pliers been for you?
 
I would not cut any metal thicker than aluminum foil with classic scissors, it will leave a dent in the edge and ruin the action of the scissors causing the blades to stick together and catch on each other.

Carry a decent multitool if you find yourself needing pliers, I consider pliers almost universal in application, sure there are many types of pliers and using the right ones makes certain jobs easier, but most day to day chores you are likely to run in to can be taken care of by the hybrid needle nose pliers used in most multi tools. Sure beats trying to cut wire with tiny scissors anyway.

If you know that you are going to need more specialized tools for a job then you will probably have them with you, but the small everyday fixes are often accomished with what's at hand, I wouldnt want to perform major repairs on my truck with only a leatherman, but I am sure glad I have it when I am away from my tools and a problem arises.
 
I wouldn't try the wire with the scissors. A dollar to a dime they wouldn't even get through it.

As far as mutlitool. When I worked outside, I carried one. The pliers where useless. They never fit, or never had enough leverage to get enough grip or bite. The screwdriver and knife where what I used. Fast forward to today. I'm now a foreman so I don't really need tools so much. I tried, recently, to convince myself to carry a small multitool but I keep remember back to my outside days at how bad I would get the redass at them before going get a proper wrench or pliers. So now I just have a pocket knife and I keep a file and a multi bit screwdriver and a pair of channel locks in my desk. My shifts toolbox has anything else I may need when things get bad enough that I venture out. Otherwise, the only other time I ever need anything more is in my car. So in my project car, I keep a small toolset. In my daily, I have the same multi bit screwdriver and a cell phone with AAA's number. In the 6 years since I have not worked outside, I don't miss not having that multitool. In fact, I'm not pissed at it anymore. Lol.
 
Mora2013 said:
Would you cut metal with your sak scissors?
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No, never. It would like roll the edge and screw up the action. I love the Victorinox scissors for fine, detailed work like cleaning up skin abrasions, but they aren't wire cutters.

How useful have multitool pliers been for you?
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I have carried full size MTs on my belt for many moons, and micro MTs in my pocket like the PS4. I love MTs. But it dawned on me that I never used the pliers. Ever. For anything. Plus, even the pliers on full size MTs pretty much suck for removing nuts and bolts. Its fun to have some kind of pliers on you "just in case", but for me they never got used. So I still carry a PS4 on occasion, but mostly I go without a plier-based MT. I carry a Rebar in my Man Sack, but again, it never gets used.
 
Only once I cut a wire with my classic scissors. But it was a very fine copper wire, and I made sure the wire was all the way back to the most rear section of scissor jaw. It did fine but I took a deep breath of relief after. Not even ding. But like I said,it was a fine copper wire. Copper must have been very soft that day!

I think I can number on one hand the times I have really needed a pliers while out someplace, and have a few fingers left over. This is for my lifetime. I've been experimenting with a Leatherman squirt, and while it's been handy, I've had no use for the pliers that could be deemed an emergency. But I somehow use scissors VERY frequently. Like in almost everyday. I've found that like SVTFreak, the Leatherman pliers are often too small, or a wrong fit. It's easier to just keep a real tool kit in the car and truck, with real tools.

The Leatherman that is handiest for me is the little micra.

Safety pin wire is some very tough stuff. Make sure yo have a real wire cutter to go through it. SAK scissors are the best in the business and can double for a surgical tool. I wouldn't bugger them up trying to use it as a wire cutter. I was nervous over a hair thin copper wire. Steel? No way!
 
jackknife said:
I think I can number on one hand the times I have really needed a pliers while out someplace, and have a few fingers left over. This is for my lifetime. I've been experimenting with a Leatherman squirt, and while it's been handy, I've had no use for the pliers that could be deemed an emergency. But I somehow use scissors VERY frequently. Like in almost everyday. I've found that like SVTFreak, the Leatherman pliers are often too small, or a wrong fit. It's easier to just keep a real tool kit in the car and truck, with real tools.
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Different life experiences. I carry. In my outings, I have needed multi-tool pliers while away from dedicated tools a fair number of times, a half dozen of those counting as "emergencies." It's possible I may never need them again, but as the Pashtun inscribe on their daggers; "You may need me but once in your life, and for this you must carry me all of your life."

The Leatherman that is handiest for me is the little micra.
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Great tool! They have put out a number of keychain sized m-ts since, but IMHO Leatherman got it right the first time. I haven't been without mine since 1997.
 
All depends on what you were planning really. I've gotten along fine for a long time with just leatherman pliers in most cases, But I've grabbed the vice-grips when needed. But then when I was doing lights and sound, all the stuff was in that size range, if I was a heavy diesel mechanic, I doubt it would work the same. Now that I work mostly with kids doing outdoor activities the main uses for my tools has been lifting things from the fire, bending a little wire, maybe pulling a tent peg, or unsticking a carabiner gate. Not heavy duty stuff. Use what works, no multi will ever replace a proper tool, but sometimes its close enough.
 
Henry44 said:
Why were you cutting a safety pin? Inquiring minds want to know.
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[video=youtube;0UCDmsWcNfE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UCDmsWcNfE[/video]

Got out my Wenger EvoWood S 557 and a safety pin. Wenger SAK pliers have hard and soft wire cutters.

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It bent the safety pin but couldn't cut it. Safety pins are freaking tough!
 
I've actually messed up the scissors on a Classic cutting very thin metal wire. The two blades sort of separated and didn't cut well afterwards.

As for a Leatherman, the Style and Squirt are both nice keychain size models with wire cutters in the pliers.
 
SAKsRCool said:
I'd love the Micra if it could cut a hangnail close to the skin.
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Not in the job description. OTOH, Micra scissors are fairly robust. I'd like to see anyone trim toenails with a Classic scissors.
Pins are made from hardened steel, too tough for either.
 
It's a good thing you decided against it. My wife can destroy any tool you buy her and it likely would have not only dented the cutting edges but bent the blades out of shape also. I suspect she tried similar with her scissors but like any other of the knives and tools it have bought her over the years her lips are sealed as to how they met their demise.
 
znapschatz said:
I'd like to see anyone trim toenails with a Classic scissors.
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Corwyn_bv said:
Challenge accepted :p
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mnblade said:
I do it all the time (not that'll be posting a video of my gnarly toes any time soon!). NEVER underestimate the Classic! :D

-- Mark
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Well, in the spirit of projects like building a cabinet or trimming hedges with nothing but a SAK, I suppose it could be done. In fact, I actually did both of those things, although motivated more by EDC hobby challenges than real necessity. But sometimes these interests intersect. In the case of my wife's Squirt S4 preference for toenail trimming, we are talking about someone who cares little about EDC items but still chooses this over her dedicated trimmers. In her opinion, it's the best tool for the job. My attitude is slightly different. I use a Micra for the purpose because after showering at the gym is when I usually like to trim them, the Micra is always with me, the scissors good enough. Those dinky Classic scissors would be a hassle, and yes, I got that from experience.

So, accept the challenge, but then let us know if you would ever want to do it again. ;)
 
Mora2013 said:
So. Would you cut metal with your sak scissors?
How useful have multitool pliers been for you?
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Nope, they're way too small for me to go trying to cut a piece of wire with them. It seems way too risky. Sak sciscors are great for more delicate work though.

I used to be the same way, I never bothered with multitools because the pliers are not the best for many things. Then one day I just got tired of not having pliers with me. I would have three or more blades on me, but the closest pliers, screwdrivers, files, and other hand tools were in my truck, my shop, or otherwise out of reach. Sometimes it is worth it to have a pair of linesman's or other pliers in a plier holster on your belt, but it isn't nearly as multi-purpose or as small as a good multitool. I learned the hard way that not having any pliers at all is much worse than only having the needlenose pliers of an ST300. I love mine, and I rarely go anywhere without it! :thumbup:
 
A Micra will go through a pin. And flashing.

I buy Micras in bulk lots off of the auction sites and fix em up for gifts. When pushed too hard, they can fail in 3 ways.
1) The pivot can loosen up. The fix for this is to re-peen it.
2) The blades can be spread. The fix for this is to (carefully) bend the blades toward each other with pliers.
3) The blades can be dinged. The fix for this is to shapren them with a thin diamond stone like the DMT credit card stones.

For those who like a more precise tip, you can thin out the tips of the Micra scissors with a stone. Still not as precise as the Classic Vic scissors. One of life's trade offs.
 
The primary use for my Huntsman during college was to use the scissors to trim my toe nails after the shower.

The smaller scissors on the classic are not up to the task.
 
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