Real wire strippers in a multitool

R

Rebelgium

Joined
Aug 7, 2011
Messages
3
Hi

I'm an electronics engineer, and I've had a leatherman squirt E4 for a few years now. I'm very happy with it, but I want to upgrade to something larger.
I've had a look at all leatherman multitools, gerber multitools and swisstools, but I haven't found what i'm looking for.

What I use very often is the wire stripper on my squirt E4
Leatherman_Squirt_E4.jpg

As you can see these are "real" wire strippers. Not just a notch in a can opener...
Wire strippers like these two MT's on the right for example:
wirestrippers.jpg


What I want is a pocket sized multitool with real wire strippers, and scissors (no scissors in the squirt E4). I'm going to use it for EDC. (I know about the Squirt ES4, but I want something bigger)
Do you guys know a MT for me?
 
I have the second MT from the right, it's a Paladin PT-510. SOG manufactures it for Paladin, based on their Pocket Powerplier. If you're looking for EDC, this tool will work nicely because it's only a little over 5 oz. It comes with SOG's compound pliers too.

Edit: the PT-510 doesn't have scissors. If you can live with the weight, get the PT-540. It's heavier, as it's based on SOG Powerlock.

The particular scissors-style wire stripper is an accessory you buy directly from SOG. You can disassemble the PT-540 and substitute one of the tools with it.
http://sogknives.com/store/100-442.html

OK, here's the full line. Decide for yourself.
http://www.paladin-tools.com/list_tools.php?id=167&parent_id=362
 
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The paladin powerplay 525 and 540 MT's are too big for EDC imho.
The 510 is an option, but I'd prefer the scissor style wire stripper over the small wire stripper in the 510, so I'd have to buy the scissor and the scissor style wire stripper accesories and add them to the 510.

What would be awesome is it was possible to add the scissor style wire stripper (http://sogknives.com/store/100-442.html) to the leatherman charge tti (http://www.leatherman.com/product/Charge_TTi).
Is this possible?
 
The wire scissors don't fit the PT-510 because it only has enough space for a single thickness long tool. Scissors are double thick, so it won't work.

I don't think that particular SOG tool will fit LM Charge. Charge's internal tools are either short or thin because they must accomodate the pliers.
 
I have a Bear and Son's MultiTool, I do not have one of these but I have seen a Bear and Son's model MultiTool made like you want. Here is a photo. I think it is listed as model BC155EL. A Google search should put you in touch with a quality seller of these tools.
155EL.jpg
 
dfwcowboy said:
I have a Bear and Son's MultiTool, I do not have one of these but I have seen a Bear and Son's model MultiTool made like you want. Here is a photo. I think it is listed as model BC155EL. A Google search should put you in touch with a quality seller of these tools.
155EL.jpg
Click to expand...

That's much better than what I was going to show! I was going to link to this, cause it seems so useless... http://pockettoolx.com/products/wrex
 
I've also seen the bear&son electrician like you suggested foxx. But it lacks scissors :(
I think it's a great MT though, if I'd have known about it a few years ago I'd have bought it instead of my LM Squirt E4.
 
Instead of looking for a multi-tool with wire strippers and scissors, why not go with a small supplemental? By dropping your requirement for onboard scissors, a number of options are freed up. My experience has been that a two-tool solution is very workable, portable and provides greater versatility. For years I paired a Super Tool with a Micra, which took up hardly any extra space and provided as good scissors as could be found in any of the then available multis. In addition, it had a few useful implements not available on the ST. The arrangement worked so well for me I now do the same with a Super Tool 300.

Regrets, I'm not an electronics-savvy guy and have no advice to offer on M-T based wire strippers
 
The Bear and Son's MultiTools seem pretty easy to modify so I figure if you can find a pair of scissors you like they should fit OK.
 
I use to install fire alarms. The wire we used was thin , dont know what gauge. It would fit in the wire stripper slot of mt SAK. Id just put pressure with my thumb and pull and the plastic pulled off. I wonder if thats how the slotted strippers on the Leatherman works.
 
I'm skeptical that any of those will work as well as a pair of Klein wire strippers, which could be considered "multi-tools" themselves since they contain strippers, crimpers, and cutters. ;)

1001_icon.jpg
 
A few years back Cresent Tool company made a multi tool wire stripper, but no scissors on board, don't know if you can still find them. Mine live in the pickup tool box.
 
znapschatz said:
Instead of looking for a multi-tool with wire strippers and scissors, why not go with a small supplemental?
Click to expand...

For separate scissors I like my tactical folding scissors AKA Leatherman Squirt S4 - they are pretty decent scissors and the tool is fairly small & light. That would make a nice supplementary tool to carry along with your wire stripper multi-tool.
 
Bob W said:
I'm skeptical that any of those will work as well as a pair of Klein wire strippers, which could be considered "multi-tools" themselves since they contain strippers, crimpers, and cutters. ;)

1001_icon.jpg
Click to expand...

:thumbup: That was thought too..there's a good selection of Klein strippers, that as you said, have multiple tools. IMO Klein tools are the best for electrical/electronics work. Speaking from 25 years worth of experience :D
 
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