I am looking to invest in a multi tool. The Letherman multi-tool side kick is most popular though the Geber also has a good write up. What's the general consensus for consideration.
Multi tool, which one?
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I’m not a fan of multi tools, I have one and only use the pliers for taking a pot off the stove.
Also remember if your looking for an EDC tool with a knife, it can’t have a locking blade.
Also remember if your looking for an EDC tool with a knife, it can’t have a locking blade.
My Swisstool Spirit is leaps and bounds better than my Leatherman Charge TTI in terms of comfort, build, and quality. But the Leatherman is the more versatile if you buy the bit extender and a few bits. The tiny screwdriver that fits the bit holder is ideal for little screws like on glasses. The bit extender came in handy last week to get a recessed screw out of my car door panelling to get at the electric window motor when I couldn’t shut the window.
Leatherman is in the car, Swisstool is in the kitchen drawer. Both have locking blades, which is fine if you have good reason to be carrying it. I had a Gerber Suspension and found it more comfortable in use (pliers) than the Leatherman, but Gerber quality is lacking a bit. If you’re pushed for cash, it's not a bad tool at all, just don’t use it too hard.
Worth noting the Leatherman lifetime guarantee. Problems and breakages are dealt with by Whitby and Co very quickly. More often than not they’ll send a new tool rather than repair. If you intend hard use, take that into consideration.
If you’re a scissor user, the Swisstool has far better scissors than any multi tool.
Leatherman is in the car, Swisstool is in the kitchen drawer. Both have locking blades, which is fine if you have good reason to be carrying it. I had a Gerber Suspension and found it more comfortable in use (pliers) than the Leatherman, but Gerber quality is lacking a bit. If you’re pushed for cash, it's not a bad tool at all, just don’t use it too hard.
Worth noting the Leatherman lifetime guarantee. Problems and breakages are dealt with by Whitby and Co very quickly. More often than not they’ll send a new tool rather than repair. If you intend hard use, take that into consideration.
If you’re a scissor user, the Swisstool has far better scissors than any multi tool.
I'm old school with my Leatherman Supertool, now over 20 years old and still going strong - not sure they still make them though. They even fixed t for me once when I snapped the very small screwdriver (my own fault).
You will probably stick with the make you choose though. My advice is to look at each item on the tool and ask yourself, would I use it?
You will probably stick with the make you choose though. My advice is to look at each item on the tool and ask yourself, would I use it?
Not a fan. To many limitations.
The tools in them I do not have a use for when in nature, except the blade, which is quite weak.
I have a Leatherman somewhere in an unopened box, did carry it on me when I lived in Europe, but realized I never used it.
I have a Victorinox with the shaped handle, take that to the beach if we take a bit of food and something to eat, as it has a cork screw ( wine), bottle opener ( beer), knife ( cheese and salami), toothpick ( stuck food) and tweezers ( sea urchin and splinters).
The tools in them I do not have a use for when in nature, except the blade, which is quite weak.
I have a Leatherman somewhere in an unopened box, did carry it on me when I lived in Europe, but realized I never used it.
I have a Victorinox with the shaped handle, take that to the beach if we take a bit of food and something to eat, as it has a cork screw ( wine), bottle opener ( beer), knife ( cheese and salami), toothpick ( stuck food) and tweezers ( sea urchin and splinters).
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Leatherman. I have a Leatherman "Squirt" on my key chain. Little fellow and very versatile with no limitations for what it is.
Was just looking at big Leatherman in the local hardware store the other day. What we get is very well machined and assembled.
Does not have the "fatness" of any SAK. I've handled a Gerber model, felt the fulcrum axle joints were sloppy.
Your models might be Pacific Rim "stuff" for all I know. Mine are USA.
Was just looking at big Leatherman in the local hardware store the other day. What we get is very well machined and assembled.
Does not have the "fatness" of any SAK. I've handled a Gerber model, felt the fulcrum axle joints were sloppy.
Your models might be Pacific Rim "stuff" for all I know. Mine are USA.
victornox was pretty good, quite tough, good tools and usable, bit of a lump but effective, I have the leatherman raptor scissors, think the bolt and nuts could be better finished but in the main its dam good and having the lifetime guarantee say's a lot about what you are getting.
Are the Swiss tools really that much better than leatherman?
Never seen a Swiss tool in the flesh, what's their flagship model?
Never seen a Swiss tool in the flesh, what's their flagship model?
None? I've seen a multitude of them from childhood and never seen/found one that's genuinely useful to be worthy of its price tag. A Tinker Swiss army knife is the closest I'll get and that only comes out if I need the phillips screwdriver part of it which is hardly ever. They're one amongst many of the cons sold to bushcrafters, a frivolity at best.
I have a sog small multi tool don't know the model. The pliers are compound action so pack a lot of grip despite the size. Easy to carry.
In my experience, the only different and really useful tool that a multi-tool offers is the pliers; most of the other things that get stuck on to the myriad Leathermen/Swisstools/Gerbers and whatever else are more usefully available on a Swiss Army Knife. With that in mind, I bought and very occasionally use a Leatherman Skeletool, which has reasonably serviceable pliers and not much else but it is both light and compact; all my other 'needs' are covered by my SAK and the tools I take with me to the woods and hills.
When out and about, I find that I very rarely need pliers so I do wonder if and why I need a multi-tool...
When out and about, I find that I very rarely need pliers so I do wonder if and why I need a multi-tool...
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Cleaning multitools after a spot of piking is a mare tooYou needed longer pliers to get past the teeth?
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