Victorinox SwissChamp XLT - opinions?

I don't happen to have that particular model of Swisschamp but I have an older, early production Swisschamp as well as the small Cybertool. I can't say that I'm too impressed with the Swisschamp because it sits in a drawer at home while the Cybertool goes to work with me (I happen to be a computer tech). Sure, the Swisschamp has all the bells and whistles but it is too heavy to drop into my pants pocket or hang on my belt, nor is it politically correct to have a knife kanging from my belt in the conservative office environment that I work at.

Around the home or while camping the Swisschamp is great but the bit driver isn't needed in that environment and I have better tools for those functions. Also, the bit tray doesn't hold the bits in securely enough. I've already lost one of my bits when it fell out while working on my car at night. If I drop my Cybertool even three inches at the right angle all of the bits, even the one in the driver, will become dislodged. It's saved my assets a few times, though so it goes with me everywhere in my left pocket.
 
Originally posted by PCC:
the Cybertool goes to work with me (I happen to be a computer tech).

It's saved my assets a few times...so it goes with me everywhere....

So you would recommend the CyberTool 29 (the smallest model)? Can you really use it for breaking down a PC?

I'm asking because I work with computers all the time as a Web programmer, and was debating getting a CyberTool for office use.

Craig

 
I am a computer tech and I carry the Cybertool 29 every day. I have used it to completely disassemble and re-assemble PCs. Very handy tool. I also carry a Leatherman (Wave until yesterday, when I got my Pulse) for the other tools. I got the Cybertool 29 as the SAK Pliers are a joke incarnations.

I also carry a small sebenza for any actual and the scissors springs always seem to get mangled (IME) and, since both of those tools are on the Leatherman in much better knife work.

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Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847
 
Break down, build up, it does it all, mostly. The limitation I have run into is that when you need to get at some of those tiny screws that are inside some long skinny holes the Cybertool's tool is too large to fit. In those situations a small Phillips is about the only thing you will get in there. Compaq uses small Torx screws on their laptops and they do the same (bury a screw down a deep, small diameter hole.

Did you know that the tool without a bit works great as a wrench to tighten down those stand-offs at the back of computers (you know, the ones that the serial, parallel, video, and some SCSI connectors use to anchor to the computer) as well as the stand-offs used to hold up motherboards?

Up until about a month ago, I used to carry a full-on PC tool kit in my car for those times when the Cybertool couldn't do what I needed to do. That tool kit sits in my garage these days. I got tired of having it in my car but never using it.
 
Originally posted by CD Fleischer:
I am a computer tech and I carry the Cybertool 29 every day. I have used it to completely disassemble and re-assemble PCs. Very handy tool. I also carry a Leatherman (Wave until yesterday, when I got my Pulse) for the other tools. I got the Cybertool 29 as the SAK Pliers are a joke incarnations.

Excellent. Thank you. Guess I'll start looking for a CyberTool 29, then.

I also carry a Leatherman (Wave until yesterday, when I got my Pulse).

Everyone seems to be scrambling to get the Pulse now. I'll have to find out what the fuss is all about.

I got the Cybertool 29 as the SAK Pliers are a joke incarnations.

Those tiny pliers don't do very well at pulling chips, then?
 
Originally posted by cardimon:
Those tiny pliers don't do very well at pulling chips, then?
I'd imagine they are ok for that... after all you won't need much force for that. (Well you should not need much force
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) Of course they are no match for the Supertool pliers, but I still find them very convinient in many things - try to think of them as sturdy tweezers and not pliers... suddenly there are lot's of things you can do with them! Specially after you have used your Supertolls pliers with the car and they are filled with dirt that is not easy to get out
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I like my SwissChamp. I don't think it's too thick for general use (for somethings it is), but that XLT is a bit stretching. I would not buy it. I'd get a separate Cybertool and use it for different things. They're not that expensive.

Hugo.
 
Originally posted by Hugo:
try to think of them as sturdy tweezers

Hey, smart people really do think alike. I have already used those SAK pliers as tweezers. They worked just fine, too.

 
Tweezers: Now there is something that needs work on pretty much every SAK and multitool I have found. I have a pair of very fine Craftsman needlenose pliers I use when I need tweezers (usually at work, since I have actual tweezers at home).

I do like the Pulse. Don't like the scissors as much as those on the Wave, but the locking screwdrivers are a plus. Now for a Supertool Pulse-equivalent with more tools (an awl, a saw, etc.) Oh, yeah...

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Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847
 
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