Victorinox Deluxe Tinker and AG Russell Featherlite

B

bwb

Joined
Dec 12, 2003
Messages
10
Hello,

I currently have a Leatherman Wave, which I don't like too much. Its a bit heavy and the tools stick (can opener is currently impossible to open). Its my second wave, so I am thinking of replacing it with a Victorinox knife.

The Deluxe Tinker looks good. How well is it for pocket carry? 4 slots shouldn't be too thick. I am also looking at the Explorer (no pliers :() and the Cybertool 34 (Is that too heavy for EDC?).

I don't use the pliers on the Wave too much, mainly for picking up objects (hot objects or objects I wouldn't want to touch). How good are the pliers on the Tinker for light use? Are the pliers worth the weight on the knife or is it better to get small pliers/vise-grips? (Any recommendations on a small plier or vice-grip?)

How well does the flathead on the can opener fit phillips (and other cross-headed) screws?

Does anyone know of a replacement scale with a pen slot, without the cork screw recess? Too bad I can't find a knife similar to the deluxe tinker but with a corkscrew instead of phillips head.

Also, I recently lost my Gerber EZ-Out and am thinking of replacing it with a A.G. Russell Featherlite One Hand. Any comments on that knife? Which do you prefer: Clip point or "General Purpose" blade?

Thanks!
 
I have a Featherlite with general purpose blade that I've used daily for several years as my work EDC. It's stood up beautifully.

The tip of the can opener on a Victorinox works well for a light duty phillips. I can't think of a model with both pliers and corkscrew in the size range of the Super Tinker . The pliers are small, but work well within their limits.

Paul
 
Welcome to the forums.

I carry an original leatherman an a Vic Hunstman, from your post I think you may like a Leatherman juice.

A search on this forums should bring up a lot of information.
 
I also wanted to carry a Vic but the models with the pliers I found were too heavy and thick. So, I bought a Sebertech M2 from Wally World for $10. You can attach it to your keyring, it has a flat head and phillips screwdrivers in addition to the pliers head/wirecutter and comes in a soft plastic sheath to protect your pockets from the edge on the flathead screwdriver. Now I have a small set of pliers and a phillips screwdriver (since my Vic Spartan and Vic Ranger have the mini-screwdriver and the corkscrew as I wear glasses).

You should be able to get a replacement scale with the pen/pin slot from victorinox. Their website swiss-army.com has a phone number for customer service. I have gotten two of them and put one on my Spartan and one on my Ranger.

Sorry, I have never handled the AG Russell model.
 
Good idea. I could get a SAK Explorer/Climber + M2 and have minimal overlap. How does the M2 compare to the pliers on the SAKs?
 
I would say that the pliers on a Vic SAK are more slender and precise and the handles are longer than the ones on the M2. The cutter on the M2 is more useful as it's longer but it isn't good for really hard wire (and I'm not sure the one on the SAK pliers is either). The larger jaws on the M2 make up for the extra handle length that the SAK pliers have. No spring to break on the M2.

The advantage to having the pliers separate is that you might need to hold a nut or something while you use the screwdriver on your SAK.

edited to add:
Another thing. I have glasses and the corkscrew on my SAK has the mini-screwdriver but I didn't have anywhere to keep the extra backup screws. Well, now I wrap them in a little tape and stick them into the small opening of the pliers jaw when it is closed. Then, when I put the plastic cover over the pliers, my screws are safe.
 
Just wanted to mention that I have owned most of the Sebertech and Swiss-Tech tools. They're all great for light work, but the Swiss-Techs have held up better under stress.

--Bob Q
 
Thanks everyone for the replies.

I think it is between the Explorer and the Deluxe Tinker. My main use for pliers is: bending wire occasionally and picking up hot (but not heavy) objects. I think the Deluxe Tinker will do well for that.

Unless I can come up with a good reason for getting the Explorer instead. They are about the same thickness/weight, no? I can't think of why I would need a corkscrew or magnifying glass, I would think pliers would be more useful for me. It would be handy to have the phillips in the main body, but I think I'll manage with the perpendicular phillips and the small flathead on the can opener. Hmm...
 
How well do the screwdrivers on the victorinox's work for most commonly encountered screws, in general? I back to between the Deluxe Tinker and the Cybertool 34.
 
Decently well for the standard screwdrivers, I didn't get to use my cybertool enough before I sold it. I use my SAK screwdrivers for non-hard use but they would do if I had a small hard job to do and didn't have access to better ones. I usually square off the ends of the flat screwdrivers with my Dremel to help keep them from slipping out of a screw. The phillips work well too. The only major complaints that you might hear from folks is that the steel isn't extremely hard and the screwdrivers may disform a little bit when you use them on hardened screws, especially the phillips but it by no means renders them unusable.
The can opener/small screwdriver on the Victorinox also does an OK job as an emergency phillips and that's why I pick Vic SAKs with the corkscrew so I can use the mini-screwdriver.
 
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