Why Multi-Tools

Not long ago I found this little multiprise clamp extra, small, light, easy to take away. this clip + my Victorinox Compact and I don’t need anything anymore.
48761556508_0f5dc0f093_c.jpg
48762061772_62540dc6c6_c.jpg

48789820663_dcdeace98c_c.jpg

What a wonderful combo to have on hand. With that Knipex and a SAK, you have all the capability you need in a day to day life. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I've always felt that having a separate pliers and screw drivers were more versatile.
 
What a wonderful combo to have on hand. With that Knipex and a SAK, you have all the capability you need in a day to day life. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I've always felt that having a separate pliers and screw drivers were more versatile.

So you are both a fan of multitools as a sak is a multitool & like to add bit extra. Where others might prefer it 1 package. That' why there is so much variety.
Cheers
 
Tell ma about it!

I see a really nice Barlow, or a stockman, and I feel the need to go get it. Its just like an alcoholic seeing an open bottle of booze, and you actually have to fight the urge to jump off the wagon. And like an alcoholic, I now its a fight that I', going to have with myself for the rest of my life. Of course at my age, thats not that long!:eek::D

I love the traditional sub-forum because its soooo reflective of the era I grew upon. But if I hang out there, I find myself lusting after nice jigged bone handle stockmen that I don't need. So I now I just drop by like the remormed drunk that has a club soda or ginger ale while he catches up with old friends and leaved before he gives in to the urge.

By the way, the squirt is a great little pocket tool. It's the only Leatherman or multitool I carry because it does so well at dropping into a pocket and then forgetting about until its needed. While my Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver and P-38 in my wallet and the classic on my keyring can do most of what the squirt does, the little pliers has been un-expectedly handy on occasion. For the small size of the squirt, it would be hard to find a mini pliers that would do the same job. The squirt and the micra are the only two Leatherman tools that I would bother to carry, and the squirt wins out because the micra annoys me having to open the thing to access anything.

Stay sober, Headwinds!:thumbsup:

Why couldn’t you have posted this two years ago when I only had a 34OT and a Small Tinkero_O
 
Why couldn’t you have posted this two years ago when I only had a 34OT and a Small Tinkero_O

Maybe because its been a long and ongoing process. Over the past 15 years I've done several 'downsizings' and each time it felt liberating. The more I cut down on stuff, the better I felt. Most of all was the enlightenment of me not really missing any of the stuff I got rid of. It's been educational to say the least.

Its never too late to learn and do. You can always go back to the 34OT and a tinker, and maybe just add a squirt. :D
 
So you are both a fan of multitools as a sak is a multitool & like to add bit extra. Where others might prefer it 1 package. That' why there is so much variety.
Cheers
yes a SAK is a "small" multitool and mini clamp multi grip and interesting in addition. But it does not take place. It’s lighter than Leatherman...
 
yes a SAK is a "small" multitool and mini clamp multi grip and interesting in addition. But it does not take place. It’s lighter than Leatherman...
I would rather carry a large sak or leatherman in 1 package as the logistics of carrying 2 or 3 tools and another on a keyring just not practical to me. It's a personal thing. That's why variety is good.
I can change to what I want for the day whether sak or leatherman, suits my needs.
Also in my part of the world it's a lot more socially acceptable.
 
That Knipex is a nice looking tool but has anyone considered a SAK paired with a ViseGrip 4LN or 4WR?
 
Not long ago I found this little multiprise clamp extra, small, light, easy to take away. this clip + my Victorinox Compact and I don’t need anything anymore.
48761556508_0f5dc0f093_c.jpg
48762061772_62540dc6c6_c.jpg

48789820663_dcdeace98c_c.jpg




I also carry one of the 5 inch Knipex pliers everyday. Either the pliers like yours in the pic or the pliers wrench or needle nose pliers.

They ride in a sheath everyday with my Swisstool or Swisstool Spirit.
 
Just wanted to throw this out there, but I tried two bigger multitools recently, the Leatherman Rebar and the Victorinox Swisstool. THey're both overkill for my needs (a Micra in the back pocket gets me through the week) but I've always been curious and wanted to try them out. The Rebar was very rough with sloppy tools. Didn't feel like very high quality, while the Victorinox is a mighty beast. A very stout tool with precise construction. The Rebar got returned and I'm selling the Vic but I was blown away with the difference in quality. Victorinox makes some amazingly well made stuff, but the little Micra has a quality feel to it that I'm a fan of as well.
 
Just wanted to throw this out there, but I tried two bigger multitools recently, the Leatherman Rebar and the Victorinox Swisstool. THey're both overkill for my needs (a Micra in the back pocket gets me through the week) but I've always been curious and wanted to try them out. The Rebar was very rough with sloppy tools. Didn't feel like very high quality, while the Victorinox is a mighty beast. A very stout tool with precise construction. The Rebar got returned and I'm selling the Vic but I was blown away with the difference in quality. Victorinox makes some amazingly well made stuff, but the little Micra has a quality feel to it that I'm a fan of as well.

I'm not really sure what the reason is, but Victorinox always seems to have the edge on build quality. As a retired machinist, looking at the Victorinox SAK's it's amazing at how even down inside the springs and blade tangs are finished to a high degree. Dismantling a SAK, all the internal components are finished to a precision that is amazing.

I know that many years ago, when Leatherman started to cut into the sales of Victorinox, the board at Vic made a decision to invest a record amount into new state of the art production machinery with spindle speeds in eases of 10,000rmp. All the computer controlled machining centers were replaced with state of the art programable machines. Carl Elsner himself took a pay cut to nothing for a year. In the end, it payed off as Victorinox still has the most automated knife factory on earth.

And they have what seems to be the least amount of defects in the field, considering the millions of SAK's a year they make.

Victorinox is an amazing company.
 
Good post, I agree that Victorinox is awesome, but all considered, Leatherman has much to recommend it. I have been wearing a Rebar on my belt for maybe two years, paired with a Vic Manager for supplementary tools, and find it useful for one thing or another every single day, including a 1/2 hour ago, cutting out weeds from our front yard hedge. Nothing in the Vic catalog has the same tool set in that format. Not that I have anything against Vic, understand, but Leatherman wins on design, in this case, and the workmanship is more than adequate.
 
Good post, I agree that Victorinox is awesome, but all considered, Leatherman has much to recommend it. I have been wearing a Rebar on my belt for maybe two years, paired with a Vic Manager for supplementary tools, and find it useful for one thing or another every single day, including a 1/2 hour ago, cutting out weeds from our front yard hedge. Nothing in the Vic catalog has the same tool set in that format. Not that I have anything against Vic, understand, but Leatherman wins on design, in this case, and the workmanship is more than adequate.

If I have to open the tool to access the tools/knife blade, that totally kills for me. Like the Leatherman micra. Most the time I reach for a tool, I need a knife blade or screw driver. At least the little squirt gives me that without having to open the whole tool to get at what I need. With a SAK, its all there to just pick what I need.
 
Just wanted to throw this out there, but I tried two bigger multitools recently, the Leatherman Rebar and the Victorinox Swisstool. THey're both overkill for my needs (a Micra in the back pocket gets me through the week) but I've always been curious and wanted to try them out. The Rebar was very rough with sloppy tools. Didn't feel like very high quality, while the Victorinox is a mighty beast. A very stout tool with precise construction. The Rebar got returned and I'm selling the Vic but I was blown away with the difference in quality. Victorinox makes some amazingly well made stuff, but the little Micra has a quality feel to it that I'm a fan of as well.

Agreed. To me the Swisstool and Spirit are in a different league than the Rebar in terms of design and build quality. The Wave comes a lot closer. I think the Rebar is a serviceable enough tool, but mine lives in my Jeep for emergencies instead of being on my belt for work. I actually carry my Wave or a Vic. That said, the Rebar costs quite a bit less than the Wave or Swisstool so it's probably not a very fair comparison.

All the tools of the Victorinox are accessible clamp closed, and this is really good. While for the Leatherman it is necessary to open the clamp

If I have to open the tool to access the tools/knife blade, that totally kills for me. Like the Leatherman micra. Most the time I reach for a tool, I need a knife blade or screw driver. At least the little squirt gives me that without having to open the whole tool to get at what I need. With a SAK, its all there to just pick what I need.

This all day long. My Wave sees belt time because I really like some things about the design, but it irritates me every time I need to open the pliers to open a tool. I don't think that will ever not piss me off and there's just no good reason that I can see for it to be that way.

Good post, I agree that Victorinox is awesome, but all considered, Leatherman has much to recommend it. I have been wearing a Rebar on my belt for maybe two years, paired with a Vic Manager for supplementary tools, and find it useful for one thing or another every single day, including a 1/2 hour ago, cutting out weeds from our front yard hedge. Nothing in the Vic catalog has the same tool set in that format. Not that I have anything against Vic, understand, but Leatherman wins on design, in this case, and the workmanship is more than adequate.

I'm curious what tools the Rebar has that the Swisstool doesn't. I'm just going from memory here, but as I recall my Swisstool has everything my Rebar has and then some.
 
I'm curious what tools the Rebar has that the Swisstool doesn't. I'm just going from memory here, but as I recall my Swisstool has everything my Rebar has and then some.

The Rebar has some serious pliers in a smaller package. The main thing is that it is smaller and lighter in weight, and carried on my belt in a Leatherman sheath is (mostly) not noticeable. Vic quality is, of course, second to none, but I am not sure why there are so many unfavorable comments about Rebar quality. Mine seems to be good enough for most purposes, although I do need a backup for scissors, which is supplied by a Vic Manager carried in my watch pocket (I wear jeans 99%.) Leatherman quality tends to be iffy, but in the more than six years I've owned it, my Rebar has retained its fit and finish quite well. Also, depending on which model you own, it has both plain and serrated blades.
 
I don't care too much about the internal tools on the wave because it has oho blades on the outside, which is super handy.
 
Handled another Rebar at Cabelas today and had the same issues as the one I returned. Tools very loose and sloppy on one side, and if you give the pliers a hard squeeze, they become VERY difficult to open\close afterwards. I've read numerous posts about this issue. It's a bummer because I do like the lighter weight. The opening of the handles to pull out tools doesn't bother me too much since I've gotten used to it on the Micra. Maybe I need to get a Wave in my hands if it's got a better feel to it than the Rebar?
 
The irony, for me, is those in the thread holding the wave to a higher standard ocer the Rebar is that I have had more issues with sticking tools and lost bits on my outside opening LM tools like the Wave and Surge than I ever have had with my Rebar/ST.

I will give Vic props all day long in terms of fit and finish. I'm 100% with y'all there. I have just not found the extra expense worth it for me to invest in one. I use my MT hard. I get it ridiculously dirty. I may twist with a driver that is too small and chip it out. When I get home I hose out the mud. I sharpen the blade if it needs it and oil the pivots. I will take the chipped screwdriver to the grinder and turn it into a slightly shorter, thicker, stronger one. For me, the basic LM tools just fit my rough and tumble work style better for what I pay for the tools. Plus I have never had LM deny a tool I sent to them for warranty work. I think thats been 2 times in 20 years over 30 tools.
 
Well I can't argue with that thinking at all sir!
The irony, for me, is those in the thread holding the wave to a higher standard ocer the Rebar is that I have had more issues with sticking tools and lost bits on my outside opening LM tools like the Wave and Surge than I ever have had with my Rebar/ST.

I will give Vic props all day long in terms of fit and finish. I'm 100% with y'all there. I have just not found the extra expense worth it for me to invest in one. I use my MT hard. I get it ridiculously dirty. I may twist with a driver that is too small and chip it out. When I get home I hose out the mud. I sharpen the blade if it needs it and oil the pivots. I will take the chipped screwdriver to the grinder and turn it into a slightly shorter, thicker, stronger one. For me, the basic LM tools just fit my rough and tumble work style better for what I pay for the tools. Plus I have never had LM deny a tool I sent to them for warranty work. I think thats been 2 times in 20 years over 30 tools.
 
Back
Top