Which one is better? SwissTool or Super Tool?

U

Unseen

Joined
May 21, 1999
Messages
18
I have been looking at comments, features, and sites on SwissTool and Super Tool. Sure I know about the pliers design. One's not true needle-nose and one is. Although I prefer the one with SwissTool, it seems as though there are some people facing problems about the steel used on SwissTool being too soft and gets worn easily. I have also heard that Leatherman Super Tool's metal bist tended to break exposing very coarse metal particles, and that the wirecutter gives up on some wire a little harder than brass wire.
They all have locking blades - and on all blades - which is a feature I like a lot. Victorinox's design is probably more convenient. But, in comparison, Leatherman's blades on SuperTool seems to be more robust... or thicker, is it?
I have also read a site about SwissTool, although having a shorter length for the pliers, have twice the strength in grip to SuperTool.
After many comparisons I have read about SwissTool and SuperTool I am still confused. I hope to know more about them and make a personal overall comment.

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Unseen
 
I have both. I carry the SwissTool and the Super Tool stays in the car trunk. I like the added convenience of being able to access the tools without opening the pliers on the SwissTool. The Super Tool's locking device is a pain to disengage. I have had no problems with the SwissTools durability or features.

Axel
 
Axel,
Thanks for replying ^_^ Looks like from your point of view SwissTool has no robust problems. However with Victorinox, after using my Explorer for a number of years, I do find the screwdrivers to be a little rounded off and slips off sometimes. But I think I do find some features about it.
I never really knew how the SuperTool's lock system worked until I looked at it closely from a shop. It seems to be a bit awkward when you want to unlock the blades. My first thought to it was: luckily it's got more than one blade to work on the lock system.
However, saving money up for SwissTool recently, I never knew how the lock system worked on the SwissTool. Is it like on Victorinox Hunter knife which locks the spring so the blade is locked? (because they both have "slides" to unlock)

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Unseen
 
go to www.equipped.org They have detailed reviews of the supertool and the swisstool. I have both, but like the supertool better. My beefs with the swisstool is the rounded screwdrivers, the lack of an awl, and the knife blades are that cheap, flimsy, typical swiss army knife kind. My complaints for the Supertool is the clumping of tools and the fact that if you really squeeze hard the handles can bite you. I have tried several multitools and keep coming back to the supertool. Every tool has its advantages and disadvantages but, for me, the supertool the right combination. Also the tool adapter is cool.

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"I don't care if you think it's your right. I say: Sorry, it's 1999. We have had enough as a nation. You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun I think you should go to prison."- Rosie O'Donnell

"I don't care if you think it's your right. I say: Sorry, it's 1999. We have had enough as a nation. You are not allowed to make stupid comments, and if you do make stupid comments I think you should go to prison."- Dennis R. Bible

 
Also have both. I carry the SwissTool (better feel and access to blades without opening, and I can open the pliers one-handed.) But I agree with Shootist16 that the screwdriver blades need corners. I took a diamond hone to mine and I now have non-slip screwdriver blades. Gotta Love It!
Christopher
 
Shootist, the SwissTool does indeed have an awl (or reamer).

Unseen (where are you?--I can't see you
smile.gif
), my vote is for the SwissTool. I've carried mine every waking hour of every day for more than a year. I have made some minor modifications to improve certain aspects: I squared off the screwdrivers with a diamond hone; I narrowed and thinned slightly the smallest screwdriver to better fit the tiny screws used in eyeglasses (and it now works on the very tiny Phillips screws such as those found on a Photon Microlight); and I sharpened the hook on the canopener.

David Rock
 
Well, for convenience, I guses I'll write 4-in-1 ^_^

Shootist16,
I guess Victorinox likes keeping the Swiss Army large knife blade on their products ^_^ They are thin at the top so I am sometimes a little afraid to use force on it, but down the bottom it's thicker. Oh... I guess David's right... The awl/reamer on SwissTool is also the Swiss Army type... So they both have advantages and disadvantages. Guess you can use a file to round the handle off a bit on SuperTool? If that's possible...
O~ thanks for the site ^_^ But I somehow can't find details on SuperTool >_<

Christopher,
Hahaha. ^_^ Thanks~~ I guess I'll try and make the screwdriver blades filed on my Explorer. Yeah... I guess accessing without pliers open is a little more convenient.

David Rock,
Wow! That's a great idea ^_^ When my money's saved enough, I might as well try to adjust the small screwdriver a little and see if it can do my glasses ^_^ Wow it sounds you use it a lot. Did you find the steel used on pliers a little soft as some have said?

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Unseen
 
You can't go wrong with either, I believe. Two of the best. I keep my Supertool in the truck and, though I gave my Swisstool to a friend as a gift, I am in the market for another.

If you shore up the screwdrivers like Prof. Rock has suggested, I think that puts the Swisstool in the lead. I think the file, saw, and knife blades are slightly better on the Supertool, but just slightly.

While the Swisstool has less "needlenose" pliers than the Supertool, the Swisstool's excellent fit and finish make up for it, I feel.

Here are two links for you:

For the Supertool (and other Leatherman offerings):

www.equipped.org/devices14.htm

For the Swisstool:

www.equipped.org/devices22.htm

and

www.equipped.org/swisstoo.htm

Hope this helps! Let us know what you decide.

Clay

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Clay Fleischer
cdfleischer@yahoo.com

Picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue...



[This message has been edited by CD Fleischer (edited 24 May 1999).]
 
Unseen,

No, I haven't noticed any undue "softness" in the SwissTool pliers. But then I haven't made any direct comparisons with other tools in this respect. My general impression is that the SwissTool is very robust, and I use it with complete confidence. I happen to like the blunter pliers on the SwissTool, but if I were an electrician or computer technician I would probably think diferently. You can pull heavy staples with these suckers. The pliers are very well dressed. I've used mine to pull very tiny slivers out of my hand.

David Rock
 
Unseen, I really like the Supertool. The bits that come with the adaptor are junk but just pitch and get some good ones like the better Craftsman or B & D Scorpion bits. The nice thing is you can customize your kit if you have the need for unusual bits. Also, the adaptor locks at 90 And 45 degrees in addition to straight on. This gives you flexibility in tight spots as well as increased torque (at 90 degrees). I also reccommend you include an extension bit for reach.

phantom4

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who dares, wins


 
Sorry for the late reply.
Again for convenience I guess I'll write 3-in-1 ><

CD Fleischer,
It seems as though SwissTool is overall superior to the SuperTool as the site have mentioned. Thanks by the way. It still seems quite interesting to me about the pliers design ^_^ Is the wire-cutter on the SwissTool competitive to the SuperTool's hard wire cutter? And, I know the knives on SAK are quite sharp, is Supertool as sharp as the ones found on Victorinox products?
So far my decision tends to be on SwissTool ^_^


David Rock,
Wow the pliers seems to be very precise then... Sounds like the one on the SwissChamp? They seemed to be precise enough like SwissTool. No evidence of softness while in use... That's really good then!
biggrin.gif
Looks like I don't have to worry about it then. I am not a computer technician or an electrician, so I guess I don't have to mind about the "blunt-needle-nose" on SwissTool ^_^


phantom4,
I find the adaptor design very interesting when I first saw it ^^ The design seems unique. I've heard that Micra rusts after being in one's pocket for a few months. Does it happen to Supertool as well?

Thank you all for replying~ ^_^

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Unseen
 
Does anyone know if Victorinox will be coming out with a tool adapter for the swisstool in the near future? When I visited their site, I thought I saw a picture of one with a wrench included which was assigned an article # but has not yet seemed to hit the stores.

BTW, is it normal for small chips to occur on the surface of the edge of the handles?
 
Raph,
The information you saw about SwissTool is a little old. The wrench and bits are available for a while. With the set, it is called "SwissTool Plus". I am not sure if it's supposed to happen to the handles... But it doesn't sound normal to me. See if you can get a reply from expert-holders?

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Unseen
 
I have a swisstool with the wrench. The wrench does not attach to the swisstool. It is a round tube shaped like an L that takes bits on either end. I wasnt very impressed with it. It doesnt have near the versatility that the Leatherman tool adapter has.

Also about the wire cutters on the Swisstool. They are very short. Alot shorter than the Leathermans. It seems they had to shorten the whole pliers to make the design work. The pliers work fine though. But the wire cutters are almost too short.

Also, I earlier posted that the Swisstool had no awl. It does. I apologize. I havent used mine much. I keep going back to the Leatherman.

While we are on the subject of multitools, what does anyone think about the SOG Powerlock?
 
I have tossed my Super tool since getting the Swisstool.
Ease of access to the tools, comfort when handling the pliers and the overall design has won me over to the Swisstool.

For my $$$ the Swiss is a no brainer and I use it for everything.

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!

 
Unseen - I had the moola for only one hardcore multi-tool. I looked at all the available ones, taking quite a while to consider each aspect before buying. I chose (and would choose again) the Swisstool. I think it is the absolute best tool out there. The only way to improve it that I can see, (except for the aforementioned slight alterations to the screwdrivers) would be to make the knife blades one-hand-openers. (Unless you'd like it in a gold plating!
smile.gif
)

I use it a lot for general utility, and am very happy with it.

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Cutting through all the muck,
we get to what's really important.

John 3:3-7

God Bless You!
 
SwissTool's wrench looks simplistic, but the good thing is that they are quite compacted from my view.
SwissTool's wire-cutter... I saw its length and compared it with a leatherman tool... compared to one of the leatherman tool it was about as long as leatherman. However the pliers does look a bit short compared to the handle.
Yes ^_^ I think that SwissTool would be better off with scissors and one-hand opening design. Victorinox has confirmed that they are working on SwissTool with scissors. Hope to see it out soon ^_^


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Unseen
 
Unseen,

The Swiss Tool has a lot of advantages, the only disadvantage that I have come across is the carrying weight, about 10oz makes for a heavy tool and I know several people that won't leave their Leatherman because it is lighter to lug around. Otherwise the majority of the votes must go to the Swiss Tool.

G2 my .0002


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When a fellow says, "it ain't the money but the principle of the thing,"
it's the money.
F. McKinney Hubbard

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin/7306/blades.html


 
I have had a Supertool for over a year and use it constantly at work and home. I've used it for cutting and stripping speaker wire for my stereo, cutting thru tons of boxes at work, and other chores. It is a solid tool and I hammer with it and break half inch glass with the handle. I work in a place that sandblasts and cuts glass and I break up the scraps so they fit in the garbage barrels. My boss handed me a hammer one time and I just pulled out my Supertool and broke up the glass. He was a little suprised and called my Supertool and deadly weapon, so the next day I brought in my Gunsite! He prefers the Supertool. My Supertool hasn't shown any bad effects yet and I plan to keep using it heavily because I am that confident in it. Hope this helps!
 
Gary,
By reading off articles, I see more features on SwissTool and enhanced designs to SuperTool. SwissTool does weigh even more than SuperTool... It's going to be hard to carry around. I honestly find the locking system used on SwissTool much more convenient, but more interesting on Supertool, because of the way you do to disengage the locking device.

Taz,
Wahahahaha It sounds quite funny the way you use SuperTool as a hammer in front of your boss to surprise him like that. However I never thought that Supertool's handles could be used as a hammer. It's a great idea!
smile.gif
A hammer had always been left out in multi-tools, but I guess Supertool has it. Quite amazing. It seems as though Supertool is quite durable, I guess its robustness brings it to durability?

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Unseen
 
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