Gerber Sportsman Multi-Plier for $5

[UnknownVT]

Just got this for $5 today, my local Wal-Mart seems to be having these on a closeout.....

Yes, that is $5.--

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.Net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.Net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.Net

 

[Lion]

I got mine for $10. I'm not a fan of Gerber multitools, but it was definetly worth $10. Your price is even better. If you would be so kind, give us a review after you've used it. Your reviews are always insightful and informative.

Leo

 

[NakedFarmer]

I took the Leatherman PST i got for 30 dollars from walmart back because i didnt need it. And i keep asking if the have the blast in yet and the woman said i can get "this" tool for 13. The same PST i returned, needless to say i bought it again lol.

 

[Phil Elmore]

I own many products by Gerber Legendary Blades. For quite some time my daily carry was the popular EZ-Out, first in 440 series and then in ATS-34. I no longer carry those knives, but Gerber is still around and still producing items of interest to me. My latest acquisition is the Gerber Sportsman Multi-Plier (600 series).

The Gerber Sportsman Multi-Tool (600 series).

The Sportsman Multi-Plier is a fifteen-function multitool made in the USA of imported and domestic components. It ships with a simple Nylon sheath (made in China). The sheath has a hook-and-loop closure and is of reasonable thickness, though the single vertical belt loop is a bit lightweight. Stitching and finish are of adequate quality for daily use and carry (at least in the short term).

The Nylon sheath included is rudimentary but functional.

The needle-nose pliers incorporate wire cutters and a wire crimper (below the pivot).

Those who've seen the movie Blade remember the "assault pliers" scene in which a vampire snaps open a multitool to deploy the jaws and pull another vampire's fangs. A firm snap of the wrist will cause the Multi-Plier's needlenose jaws to slide out and lock into place. Spring-loaded metal push buttons on either side of the tool sit in sliding tracks and must be pushed simultaneously before the jaws can be retracted. The jaws themselves contain fine traction grooves, an enlarged circular section (which is serrated) and a pair of wire cutters. Opposite the pliers pivot is a wire crimper.

With the pliers head retracted into the body of the tool...

...a firm wrist snap will release and lock the jaws in place.

The pliers work reasonably well but always feel a little shaky because the sliding pliers head has a little play in it when locked in place within the handle halves. The action of the pliers (not to mention the slide-out feature) was a little gritty out of the packaging, but smoothed right up with use. The same was true for the grooved plastic tabs that form the lock releases for the interior tools. After a few openings they operated much more smoothly than the did straight from the plastic clamshell. The springs used to retain the locks are clearly visible when looking through the inside of the handle halves. (Gerber's packaging proclaims this the Saf-T Plus™ locking system, "The safest, strongest, most durable lock available." Like many multitools, the handle halves bear abbreviated sections of marking for metric and English distance measurements.

Pressing the spring-loaded buttons on both sides allows the user to retract the pliers.

The interior tools cannot be opened (nor the handles separated) unless the pliers are deployed. Fit and finish of the components is good, though you'll either love or hate the rounded, bead-blasted look, feel, and construction of the various drivers and blades. The Sportsman Multi-Plier contains a caplifter, can opener, awl, file, primary knife blade (which is partially serrated and roughly three and a half inches long), and two flat-head screwdrivesr (the tip of the file can serve as a large flat-head screwdriver, too). There is also a slide-out lanyard ring.

Sliding these spring-loaded, grooved plastic tabs releases the interior locking tools.

Most of the tools are easily deployed, though I found folding out the can-opener (which has no nail nick or other protrusion) a little awkward. The through-cut nail nicks in the file, knife blade, and awl make it easier to open these tools (but you won't mistake these for one-hand-open implements). Once open, the tools remain firmly in place with no play.

The tool includes a file,two flat-head screwdrivers in different sizes, a caplifter, and an awl.

Thanks to its rounded surfaces, the Multi-Plier feels comfortable in the hand. Overall fit and finish are pretty good -- particularly when you consider the low price of this tool. I've seen it some stores for under $22 USD (as of this writing) and some discount stores sell it for even less than that. The pliers do rattle a little in their housing once locked in place, but I can live with that.

The Multi-plier bears a partially serrated primary blade, can opener, Phillips-head screwdriver, and fold-out lanyard ring.

Ultimately I'd have to say this is a good tool at a great price if you can find it as cheaply as did I. Thanks to shrewd marketing, Gerber products are widely available in certain popular discount stores. It had been a little while since I'd last picked up anything from the company.

I'm glad I chose the Sportsman Multi-Tool.

 

[UnknownVT]

I If you would be so kind, give us a review after you've used it.

Thank you for your kind comments Leo -

First, I disqualify myself to make judgemental reviews of MultiTools, since I am definitely not a Pliers or MultiTool afficinado -

I mean this is the level of "sophistication" in the typical "pliers" I use....

Not only that I have not had any need to carry a pair of pliers - regular or multiTool - on a daily basis - so I do not have any real experience of any EDC of multiTools.

However I have owned MultiTools since the first Leatherman SuperTool.........

So here are some comparison pictures and a few admittedly non-expert and "biassed" comments -

Look at the Gerbers opened - there is no room between the handles - look at regular pliers and the handles are NEVER that close together. Whereas both the Victorinox and the Leatherman have got it kind of right with parted handles so that one can get a finger in there to part the head/release the grip.

Closed - the Gerber Sportsman Multi-Plier that I just got for $5 - is the largest of all the multiTools that I have. The Gerber 400 series Compact MultiTool is smaller when fully opened - but not really that much more compact when closed.

Pouches -

Getting at the Pliers -

The Gerbers are tops here since one can simply snap the pliers head out to deploy.

Both the SwissTool and the Leatherman can be snapped and swung open one handed (kind of like a butterfly knife) -
but make sure one has a really good grip on the handle - otherwise the multiTool might go flying across the room

Extracting any other tool from the handles -

Boy, other than Victorinox have they got this WRONG -
One can open any in-handle tool on the SwissTool when closed - ie: the way the tool is carried without any fuss or extra operation......

Whereas both the Gerbers and the Leatherman SuperTool - need to be opened wide enough to get at the in-handle tools.

With the Gerbers one does need to deploy the pliers head before the handles will even part.

The Leatherman SuperTool - look at the way the tools clump on extraction. I do know the more recent models have tools that do not clump - but nevertheless this is really CRUDE.......

Closing the in-handle tools is just as convoluted with the Gerbers and Leatherman.

Even when a MultiTool is like the Victorinox and one can extract the in-handle tools without any extra operations - I still have a major objection that they just do NOT make good knives - even though the knife blades on the Victorinox are essentially the same as on SAKs -
so howcome?

Look at the way the knife blades sit in relation to the handle -

The Gerbers and Leatherman both have handles extended way below the edge, even though the SwissTool has got that bit right - it still has part of the handle way above the line of the spine of the blade.

Neither of these attributes make for a good knife -
compare it to the humble SAK and see the simple difference.

The SAK is a knife with useful tools -
MultiTools are Pliers with useful tools in the handle -
but they canNOT substitute for a knife for me.

Again I know people have solved this problem by carrying a separate knife along with the multiTool....

But I have need of a Knife on a daily basis -
but NO need for Pliers -
so why would I even contemplate carrying a multiTool on a daily basis?

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net

 

[Phil Elmore]

I like those comparative analyses. If you ever want to do something similar for The Martialist, I'd be happy to publish it.

 

[wwells20]

damn, now i gotta get up and replace my supertool with my swisstool.
*good post UnknownVT.

 

[Lion]

Thanks for the review. Informative as always. The bias just adds flavor .

I have a facination witth both multitools and SAKs. Aside from the convience of having what you need when you need it (Without having to carry around a toolbox), they are as close as I'm likely to get to a Sonic Screwdriver. Spent WAY too much time watching Dr. Who as a kid.

Leo

 

[klattman]

T...
Extracting any other tool from the handles -

Boy, other than Victorinox have they got this WRONG -
One can open any in-handle tool on the SwissTool when closed - ie: the way the tool is carried without any fuss or extra operation......

Whereas both the Gerbers and the Leatherman SuperTool - need to be opened wide enough to get at the in-handle tools.

The LM wave and Charge series solve this problem...

With the Gerbers one does need to deploy the pliers head before the handles will even part.

The Leatherman SuperTool - look at the way the tools clump on extraction. I do know the more recent models have tools that do not clump - but nevertheless this is really CRUDE.......

Closing the in-handle tools is just as convoluted with the Gerbers and Leatherman.

Even when a MultiTool is like the Victorinox and one can extract the in-handle tools without any extra operations - I still have a major objection that they just do NOT make good knives - even though the knife blades on the Victorinox are essentially the same as on SAKs -
so howcome?

Look at the way the knife blades sit in relation to the handle -

The Gerbers and Leatherman both have handles extended way below the edge, even though the SwissTool has got that bit right - it still has part of the handle way above the line of the spine of the blade.

This was originally designed as a safety mechanism when the locks were not as sophisticated. The blade cannot close on your fingers because it runs into the other handle.

The LM wave and Charge series fixes this problem by having the blade on the outside and even allowing it to open past parallel (one hand opening too). And the Charge uses a better steel than is typical.

Neither of these attributes make for a good knife -
compare it to the humble SAK and see the simple difference.

The SAK is a knife with useful tools -
MultiTools are Pliers with useful tools in the handle -
but they canNOT substitute for a knife for me.

Again I know people have solved this problem by carrying a separate knife along with the multiTool....

But I have need of a Knife on a daily basis -
but NO need for Pliers -
so why would I even contemplate carrying a multiTool on a daily basis?

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net

The one exception is the 154 CM charge blade, which is better than all others (some reprofiling required). On the other hand the charge bits are too short, so you cannot win.

If you have no need of pliers, then a SAK is the way to go, hands down. If you need pliers, the top three are still SOG Powerlock, LM Charge, and Swisstool. I think it's useless to compare the older LM's which had major problems, and I think Gerber has a lot of catching up to do.. but for 5.00.. why not?

 

[RH]

run, don't walk to your nearest walmart and pick up one or a bunch. Does not compare to my swisstool, but a fantastic buy.

 

[RH]

not regretting this purchase, but...this is my first Gerber. I have a Swisstool, LM Pulse, and a Bucktool. When the plier head snaps out, is it supposed to have a lot of slop between the handles? I mean, on my other tools, the handles grip the plier head tight. Is this due to the design of the sliding plier head? The pivot bolt does not actually go through the head, it only holds the handles together (each side separately). The head really rattles around, a little disconcerting. There's probably a few 16ths clearance in there.