Victorinox quattro. Update.

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
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It isn't often I'm disappointed in a Victorinox product, but I think I'm there now. I bought a Victoriox quattro.

I've long been a fan of maximum minimalism, the practice of finding the smallest/lightest object that will do the job. Miniature tools. I guess it's a hold over from my ultra light backpacking days, so I bring it on myself. Small flashlights, small knives, small guns. How small can an object go and still be function able?

I think I found it with the Quattro. It arrived in the mail, and on unpack aging, I was really shocked at how much smaller it was than the tried and true Sears 4-way keychain screw driver. I mean really really small. To the point that I wonder if it's non function able. The tool bits are very finely shaped, no problem there. I tried it on some light switch covers, a fishing tell, and a few guns.

The problem is, it's soooo much smaller than the Sears, I'm wondering if it can be used on hard to turn rusty screws. It is too small for cans like small paint cans, Varnish cans, plastic wood cans. Can't get the leverage to pry up the lid with it.

Here it is besides a Sears 4-way;
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I'm going to drop in my pocket or wallet and give it a shot, but Ihave my doubts. The metal it's made from is noticeably thinner than the Sears, and I doubt it will hold up to the abuse the Sears has. As a light pry tool, it's just too thin and too small. Oh well, at least it wasn't expensive.

The larger phillips bit is about the same size as the filed down modded one on the Sears. It fits number 2 phillips fine. The smaller phillips bit works on smaller screws than the Sears can handle, so it's a question of what do I need in a day to day life. I almost never have to deal with really tiny screws, but number size on a regular basis.

Size comparison with classic and Sears 4-way;
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That is a tiny sucker!
 
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Isn't that part of the SwissCard package. That would explain it's size. Ultimately I've considered those tools to be in the 'better than nothing' category. Sometimes they will work in a bad situation, sometimes not.
 
I agree, that's very tiny - no leverage.

Remember the old saying Carl: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" :)

The old standby Sears 4-way is still champ!
 
arizonaranchman said:
I agree, that's very tiny - no leverage.

Remember the old saying Carl: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" :)

The old standby Sears 4-way is still champ!
Click to expand...

Yeah, Yeah, I know. But I guess the maximum minimalist in me is always compulsively searching for the 'just a tad smaller' thing that will do the job. But in this case, the item in question really can't do the same job. Just too small and thin. In fact, when I really think about it and add up the pro's and con's, the Sear's 4-way will do some things the tiny quattro can't, but the reverse is not true. The Sears will handle not only prying jobs, but with the smaller bit filed down, will handle the ever present number 2 phillips just fine. When laid right on top of each other, the quattro phillips driver is always identical to the phillips I made for the Sears. What little is left, I can file down in a few minutes.
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Or I can further mod the Sears for the smaller bit to match the smaller one on the quattro, and make the next smaller one on the Sears to match the number 2 size phillips, so the Sears will have two flat phillips drivers like the quattro. :)

Methinks the quattro is bound for the sock drawer!
 
Another prob is that the lanyard hole (or whatever you want to call it) is too far from the edge. Not ideal for getting it on a keyring or whatever.

I do like that Sears version though, Carl.
 
I like your style and writings, but have to disagree in one point
If looking or the absolute minimalist carry, weight is as much of a concern as size is, and in that category the Quattro is undoubtedly more easy to tote around, i.e. as a necklace


In fact I also did that a while back, and found most tasks doable with it (mainly batteries, kids' toys, scraping, light duty prying) but I admit YMMV and of course you might be rougher on your tools or find tougher everyday tasks!
Whatever is your final choice, both are fine pieces of equipment :thumbup:
 
ThePeacent said:
I like your style and writings, but have to disagree in one point
If looking or the absolute minimalist carry, weight is as much of a concern as size is, and in that category the Quattro is undoubtedly more easy to tote around, i.e. as a necklace


In fact I also did that a while back, and found most tasks doable with it (mainly batteries, kids' toys, scraping, light duty prying) but I admit YMMV and of course you might be rougher on your tools or find tougher everyday tasks!
Whatever is your final choice, both are fine pieces of equipment :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Removing batteries is where it fits best, I used to walk to a local goodwill every other day and it's perfect for checking for corroded battery's in stuff.
 
I think it all depends on why you're carrying it. If it's present to change batteries on battery powered toys for kids - I think that's great. It'll also open the battery compartment on my multimeters. Or maybe a screw holding on a dash or interior plastic trim on a car. Lots of low torque screws abound.

I guess I wouldn't have ever thought of it as a tool to turn a rusty screw or as a paint can pry tool. Maybe to pry off the battery compartment of a smoke detector...
 
I can say from personal experience that it definitely drives Philips screws better than the old Sears driver.

For her last birthday, I bought my wife a necklace and put one of those heart-shaped LionSteel pendant folders on it along with a Quattro driver. It took her conscious effort not to wear just the driver. (Good thing I didn't marry her for her sentimentality.)
 
Banking on the pocket tool craze. If they put a bottle opener on there, it would be in the pockets of hipsters worldwide. Carl, don't feel bad. Looks useful, to an extent. For applications that small though, I'd want small screwdrivers/hex head etc. I'm blind with fudge fingers, I'd lose screws that small with that tool.

Except of course I want one now...
 
Update.

Okay, it's been 6 days now I've had the quattro in my wallet for standby screw duty. All in all, I'm still not impressed. It's too darn small for what I need. I don't spend my time dealing with miniature electronic screws, but I'm a homeowner of a used home in Texas. I run into small repair jobs often. Loose striker plates, door knob assembly replacement, vehicle registration that needs new license plates put on.

Today I had to open a can of stain for a furniture repair. First I tried the quattro. It was literally a pain in the thumb. So small it gave zero leverage opening the varnished stuck lid. The Sear's 4-way was big enough to make the lid come right up, old varnish in the slot or not. Quattro fail.
29342351213_b8f2c329ee_c.jpg
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I suppose that if I spent my life dealing with small electric toys or replacing batteries in calculators, I may like it. But for my real world experience of fixing something on the go that has a number 2 or otherwise normal size screw, the size of the quattro is too small. Excellent concept, just poor execution. If they had made the thing just half the size of the Sear's 4-way, it would not have been that bad. But this is a prime example of something that has been shrunk too small for real day to day use. I tried to like it, but in the end it won't be on my person. As for the tiny phillps screw on the electronics, the corner of the P-38 works well.

Dealing with loose striker plate;
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And if I really think about it, the P-38 will do anything the quattro or Sear's will do, plus some. Maybe the Sear's 4-way AND the quattro will be given the boot and I'll just keep the P-38 for when I don't have a SAK on me!
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jackknife said:
Update.

Okay, it's been 6 days now I've had the quattro in my wallet for standby screw duty. All in all, I'm still not impressed. It's too darn small for what I need. I don't spend my time dealing with miniature electronic screws, but I'm a homeowner of a used home in Texas. I run into small repair jobs often. Loose striker plates, door knob assembly replacement, vehicle registration that needs new license plates put on.

Today I had to open a can of stain for a furniture repair. First I tried the quattro. It was literally a pain in the thumb. So small it gave zero leverage opening the varnished stuck lid. The Sear's 4-way was big enough to make the lid come right up, old varnish in the slot or not. Quattro fail.
29342351213_b8f2c329ee_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

I suppose that if I spent my life dealing with small electric toys or replacing batteries in calculators, I may like it. But for my real world experience of fixing something on the go that has a number 2 or otherwise normal size screw, the size of the quattro is too small. Excellent concept, just poor execution. If they had made the thing just half the size of the Sear's 4-way, it would not have been that bad. But this is a prime example of something that has been shrunk too small for real day to day use. I tried to like it, but in the end it won't be on my person. As for the tiny phillps screw on the electronics, the corner of the P-38 works well.

Dealing with loose striker plate;
29342384583_8c18fb3298_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

And if I really think about it, the P-38 will do anything the quattro or Sear's will do, plus some. Maybe the Sear's 4-way AND the quattro will be given the boot and I'll just keep the P-38 for when I don't have a SAK on me!
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Click to expand...

If you really don't like the quatro you could mail it to me 😁
I certainly understand why you don't like it as your applications are different , just remember that it's actually a replacement bit for the Swiss card light and standard Swiss card wallet tools and not exactly the same as the Sears and Cole 4- way drivers which can afford to be bigger.
I don't use mine for any heavy tasks because I carry a leatherman , but it's so small , light , and handy to me that I'd still wear it as a necklace even if I didn't ever use it.
 
It's the driver found on the Swiss Card Quattro, the best version of the Swisscard. The other one is the Swisscard Lite which has the light and magnifying lens.

You can use a steel keyring as a twist handle by looping it in the hole, although it natural not be so comfy in the wallet.

Probably would have been better including some sort of slot in the card to fit the driver while acting as the handle.

Handy tool to leave in the car, as it has a pen.
 
Somewhere around here I've got a P38 and a Sears 4-way driver. Both are as useful as teets on a bull. Give me a SAK or Leatherman of any size any day.
 
mnblade said:
Somewhere around here I've got a P38 and a Sears 4-way driver. Both are as useful as teets on a bull. Give me a SAK or Leatherman of any size any day.
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I carry both daily on my key chain and find both very useful. Last time I carried a multitool was in 2007. Both will do more than my SAK re driving/prying.
 
leghog said:
I carry both daily on my key chain and find both very useful. Last time I carried a multitool was in 2007. Both will do more than my SAK re driving/prying.
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I can understand minimizing and all that, but I have a Vic Explorer which has a screwdriver that does great for prying, a philips and another smaller screwdriver on the can opener. I'm just not buying what you're selling there buddy. I've had a Sears 4 way and for what it is, it's nice, but it's no SAK.
 
bt93 said:
I can understand minimizing and all that, but I have a Vic Explorer which has a screwdriver that does great for prying, a philips and another smaller screwdriver on the can opener. I'm just not buying what you're selling there buddy. I've had a Sears 4 way and for what it is, it's nice, but it's no SAK.
Click to expand...

Bingo! Couldn't agree more.

-- Mark
 
bt93 said:
I can understand minimizing and all that, but I have a Vic Explorer which has a screwdriver that does great for prying, a philips and another smaller screwdriver on the can opener. I'm just not buying what you're selling there buddy. I've had a Sears 4 way and for what it is, it's nice, but it's no SAK.
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I'm selling nothing, so you might not want to go there.

I have a Vic Farmer on my belt everyday. Still the P38 and Sears 4-Way are what I use to drive and pry. PLUS either is much cheaper to replace than the Farmer if I screw up the Farmer by prying with it. We each make our own choices.
 
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