Xiaomi/Huohou K30 Pro multitool

[fuyume]

Xiaomi Huohou K30 Pro multitool for $23.73 plus $9.56 shipping. It looks pretty good in pictures, so I was curious to know if anyone here had taken a chance on one and had any opinions they’d like to share of it. It looks to be an attempt to compete with or clone the Leatherman Wave. It’s supposedly made of 7Cr17 steel (not 7Cr17MoV, apparently) and 30Cr13 steel. The same tool is selling via US for $59.99.

 

[HolyRoller]

I wouldn't touch that if you paid me to do it.

 

[afishhunter]

I'd pass. You might be able to find a lightly used LM WAVE at a local pawnshop fot the same $33.29 (tool cost and shipping) or slightly higher. I've seen the WAVE at one of the local pawnshops for around $40, the last time I was able to stop in.
I don't know what the Wave is going for on the big auction site, Etsy, or Craig's List.

There may be nothing wrong with that tool. However, if there is, what are you going to do? Put it in a box or drawer, forget about it, and buy another multi tool? Who knows if the blades and tools have the proper heat treat, for example.
At least with a used leatherman, you still have whatever is left of the "25 year" warranty. I've heard tales of LM repairing tools under warrantee that were more than 25 years old.

With LM you know you're getting a quality tool.
I dislike Gerber immensely, but I believe I'd chance a Gerber suspension or suspension nxt multi tool for around the same cost or less, or the truss, before I'd get that tool.

EDIT:
I have nothing against Chinese manufacture. Most of my knives (multi-blade "Traditional's") were manufactured under contract in China. The steels used, heat treat, edge geometry, and over-all fit and finish/quality, are all specified in the contract.

I am not familiar with the company that made that multitool. It may be great, or it may be a P.O.S. like the "Winchester" multitool I have in a drawer: blades won't take or hold an edge, significant play in the pliers pivot, unless wearing leather work gloves when using the pliers, the other tools dig into your hand, it feels bulky in hand, all the blades and tools are noticably wobbly in use, the phillips and flat blade screwdrivers don't properly fit a screw head.
The "Winchester" "Multitool" was a gift from a now late friend (who didn't know knives or tools ~ she thought the wood inlays were nice, so bought it for my Christmas present in 2003 or 2004), so getting rid of it isn't an option. I keep it in a drawer. I don't/won't use or carry it.

 

[StuntDouble]

No thanks. I have nothing against Chinese made knives and tools, but I also know that AlieExpress is known for selling knockoffs of the knockoffs. I think you'd be better off spending your money with one of the larger brands. At least then you'll have a warranty to fall back on if something fails.

 

[Hickory n steel]

If you're dead set on a cheap Chinese knockoff multitool check out Maxlvledc on YouTube, he has tested many or at least compared them to leatherman equivalents so you can figure out which are the " good ones " .
It appears that many look the same but the scissors are often one thing that greatly varies between brands / manufacturers.
There seems to be multiple companies making identical looking tools based on how much scissor performance varies and the slight differences they have.


Personally I wouldn't avoid any Chinese made multitool at all costs and you couldn't even pay me $1000000 to just touch one, but I'd do my homework first if I was going to buy one.

 

[A.L.]

Looks like stolen intellectual property to me. And no Chinesium for me.

 

[fuyume]

Looks like stolen intellectual property to me. And no Chinesium for me.

What intellectual property would that be? That boat sailed long, long ago. Design patents only last for 15 years, utility patents for 20, and the Wave was first released well over 20 years ago.
Here's the original patent for the Wave. It expired 5 years ago.

US7020922B2 - Multipurpose folding tool with easily accessible outer blades - Google Patents

A multipurpose hand tool with folding handles each including a central channel to receive pliers jaws or the like when the tool is folded, and including troughs holding outer blades alongside the central channel so that the outer blades can be opened without unfolding the tool. The troughs face...

patents.google.com

I already own a Leatherman Wave. I don't need another multitool, but while a lot of cheap junk has and does come out of China, the quality of Chinese manufacturing gets better every year, and many of the things coming from China in the 2020s are of first rate quality. I was simply curious to know if anyone had bought one of these, because the price is so low as to be low risk.

 

[fuyume]

I wouldn't touch that if you paid me to do it.

Why?

 

[HolyRoller]

Why?

For the same reason I'd never buy the Harbor Freight Chinese knockoff of a Buck 119.

My integrity is worth more than cheap trash.

 

[A.L.]

What intellectual property would that be? That boat sailed long, long ago. Design patents only last for 15 years, utility patents for 20, and the Wave was first released well over 20 years ago.
Here's the original patent for the Wave. It expired 5 years ago.

US7020922B2 - Multipurpose folding tool with easily accessible outer blades - Google Patents

A multipurpose hand tool with folding handles each including a central channel to receive pliers jaws or the like when the tool is folded, and including troughs holding outer blades alongside the central channel so that the outer blades can be opened without unfolding the tool. The troughs face...

patents.google.com

I already own a Leatherman Wave. I don't need another multitool, but while a lot of cheap junk has and does come out of China, the quality of Chinese manufacturing gets better every year, and many of the things coming from China in the 2020s are of first rate quality. I was simply curious to know if anyone had bought one of these, because the price is so low as to be low risk.

Who's talking about pantents? I was talking about intellectual property. If I steal a melody to a song, sing it in Chinese and make money with it, then it's okay?
If you look at the multitool you can see it is obvious copy of the wave. Not own version, not homage, just plain copy. It's unethical, it's lazy.
Chinese quality improves I am sure - but that was not the point. Seems like you are just trying to justify all to yourself while missing the point.
Many including myself don't like Chinese copies because of above points and how China is acting in the world. Political commentary here is not allowed but you know what I am saying if you follow the news at all.
If you like to get that multitool then by all means go for it - you are free to do so. Just don't expect no criticism.

 

[Enkrig]

Who's talking about pantents? I was talking about intellectual property.

Intellectual property is a legal matter comprising patents, copyright, trademarks and confidential/proprietary information from a company/person. Copying of a patent once it expires is NOT an infringement on intellectual property, and it was in fact one of the reasons why patent protection was set to expire after 15-20 years. This is a balance between providing an incentive to company/person by allowing them to exploit (and mark up) their innovation for some time, while enabling other companies to bring essentially the same product to market and compete to lower the price for customers once the patent protection expires. Also, this forces the original company to continue to innovate, or it allow a company who started by selling the "copies" to finance their own innovations. This is the game and it is for everyone's benefit.

Personally, I completely agree that having the company warranty backing is really important and provides peace of mind. For someone in circumstances where the multitool might be frequently lost, this might be worth trying. Xiaomi is at least a decent brand and that in certain aspects (robotic vacuum cleaner for example) outclasses those from US companies.

 

[Guy McVer]

I hate this stuff. It is not a simple issue of patents and fair competition. It just isn't. There is a whole nasty mess of geopolitics, economics, global finance, business practices, rights, and regulations behind it. People get mad about this type of stuff precisely because it is perceived as unfair, underhanded, harmful, and immoral. The problem is that it's not something that can be easily summarized and digested with a few sentences, and even if it was it's against the rules to discuss the things that would need to be discussed here in order to adequately explain to an uninformed layperson why this is such a bad thing.

Please don't promote this kind of stuff here. I don't like it and I know I'm not alone in my viewpoint.

 

[Enkrig]

It is not a simple issue of patents and fair competition. It just isn't. There is a whole nasty mess of geopolitics, economics, global finance, business practices, rights, and regulations behind it. People get mad about this type of stuff precisely because it is perceived as unfair, underhanded, harmful, and immoral. The problem is that it's not something that can be easily summarized and digested with a few sentences,

I agree with you that each person has a number of these aspects to consider. Notice that I was tactful in avoiding any of those messy aspects in my comment, and that I was neither supporting nor opposing what the OP was suggesting. It was merely about clarifying inaccurate aspects in the discussion. Also, keep in mind that this is a forum with participants from across the globe and their circumstances may be different so perhaps it is good to keep an open mind.

Please don't promote this kind of stuff here. I don't like it and I know I'm not alone in my viewpoint.

I believe that we are merely having a respectful discussion here. If someone doesn't like the topic they are free to skip it. Now, to say that someone can't say something just because someone else doesn't like it is contrary to the fundamental right to freedom of speech and I believe we are all above such flawed premises here.

 

[Hashishiin]

I wouldn't be able to have any pride in that. I would not trust it, either, so I would have trepidation every time I brought it out compared to a "regular" multitool.
No, thank you. Same reason the multitools from, like, Ruike, won't be replacing my SAK or Leatherman.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I wouldn't be able to have any pride in that. I would not trust it, either, so I would have trepidation every time I brought it out compared to a "regular" multitool.
No, thank you. Same reason the multitools from, like, Ruike, won't be replacing my SAK or Leatherman.

Exactly! I would be ashamed to post about it here, and that pretty much sums up how I would feel about it.

That's exactly how I feel about the wave-ish Mossy oak multitool in my tool bag at work, I had to find a place for it since it was a gift from my brother but I don't like trust or often use it.

 

[Hashishiin]

Exactly! I would be ashamed to post about it here, and that pretty much sums up how I would feel about it.

That's exactly how I feel about the wave-ish Mossy oak multitool in my tool bag at work, I had to find a place for it since it was a gift from my brother but I don't like trust or often use it.

Yeah, like "Rocking my new Xiaomi Huohuo today, let's get some work done!"... couldn't be me
Huohuo, sounds like an onomatopoeia of the laughing they'll do when it breaks on your hand.

 

[Ourorboros]

My experience with MT's not made by Victorinox or Leatherman is poor.
I don't think the odds are in your favor.

 

[jeepin]

If I were you I would run away from that and just keep checking the pawn shops or garage/yard sales for a real Leatherman.

It will be much more durable with a great warranty. I doubt that Chinese turd even has a warranty.

 

[gazz98]

I've never heard of that brand. I'd pass too. There are plenty of LM type knock offs out there. I'd save up and get a LM, Vic, or SOG. I'd roll the dice on a Gerber.

 

[MolokaiRider]