Why hasn't it been done already

Hickory n steel

Hickory n steel

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I believe they could easily make a standard folding or sliding multitool with a slip joint pliers jaw.
I don't think it would be very hard to reengineer the pivot on say the Gerber MP400 or MP600 into a standard two position slip joint , a multitool is supposed to be as versatile as possible yet the fixed position pliers they all have are severely limiting.

Beyond the leatherman crunch and the old Vice grips multitools I don't think we've seen anything that wasn't fixed position, and I think it's about time.

Frankly I believe this should have come along years ago long before they decided a one hand opening knife blade was one fo the most important features.
Most people carry an actual knife because a multitool is just never a knife first, so why has the last innovation in multitool pliers been the replaceable wire cutters ?
 
I'm thinking that a slipjoint would suffer two problems. One, it would be bulky if it could be closed in either position, so you would have to make sure it was in the "small" position to close it. Also due to the nature of a slipjoint, you can put more leverage against the jaws, this may cause problems at the handle pivots.

Most people I know who carry a multi, don't also carry a knife, and in many locales its one of the only ways to carry a one-hand-opener.

Not saying its a bad idea, I could go for something like that. But I suspect there are drawers full of prototypes at every manufacturer. SOG did the best they could with their gear system, and I suspect that might have been what they were working on when that came about.
 
gadgetgeek said:
I'm thinking that a slipjoint would suffer two problems. One, it would be bulky if it could be closed in either position, so you would have to make sure it was in the "small" position to close it. Also due to the nature of a slipjoint, you can put more leverage against the jaws, this may cause problems at the handle pivots.

Most people I know who carry a multi, don't also carry a knife, and in many locales its one of the only ways to carry a one-hand-opener.

Not saying its a bad idea, I could go for something like that. But I suspect there are drawers full of prototypes at every manufacturer. SOG did the best they could with their gear system, and I suspect that might have been what they were working on when that came about.
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The sog system is for added torque, but it shows that a multitool can be made to withstand more force.

All I'm thinking is a small slip joint so you can grab a slightly larger object or at least have a more parallel grip on a slightly larger object.

I get your point about them not closing right when in the second position , but at least for me and I suspect a lot of people i instinctively slide my slipjoints back when I put them away.
 
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The SpydeRench illustrates some of the problems involved in your "simple task" of adapting slip joint pliers to a multitool. In the small grip position the handles are too far apart to stow easily, in the large grip position the plier jaws are wide enough to cause issues.
 
I understand the potential issue, but you have to look look at a regular pair of slipjoint pliers and not at the only other previous attempt which was implemented on something kind of gimmicky.

You can see here these old 5.5" slipjoints aren't much bigger than my leatherman fuse, and the handles aren't any wider.

They're only about 2mm or so thicker too, if they used an inset flush joint like these Craftsman 45379 they could fit a set of slipjoint jaws no problem.


I say someone could make this work no problem.
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If I had a small mill I would go for it.
 
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