[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Best Multi-Tool? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/7/2007 7:17:38 PM EDT
| I'm looking for a multi-tool, so what's the best out there in your opinion? |
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Wave or The new Charge Tii I snap the blades on Gerbers and the screws that hold the blades in place always seem to back out. Also the plastic catches that keep the tools in the extended position ware out to quickly for my taste. Lately I've seen Gerber's look more and more like Leathermans as far catches and the screws. SOG looks like a good tool but I don't have any first hand. |
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While in the marines I used a gerber with the flip outhead. quick easy 1 hand deployment, however it got VERY sloppy with time. And the jaws do not open as wide as my leatherman does. BUT the Gerber had very narrow jaws for getting into tighter spaces. The leather man I just got (have had a few of both between there and here), is a leathermand charge tti. It is pretty nice. Has the leatherman specfic bits that allow for more than just a philips and straight screwdriver. a S30V steel blade (this was big on me for purchasing) no more 440 or less (there are a few leathermans with 154CM which is still dam nice), The seratted blade has the gut hook and yet still has a pair of scissors (typically if the gut hook is there the scissors are not). Happy with my purchase, so happy I bought the girl one for her car prepardness kit. Best thing to do when buying one is go to a outdoor shop or what not and go thru the entire selection, then google reviews after narrowing down which ones impressed you. BUT my vote goes Charge TTI |
| I've used the old style Gerber, and the new style with spring loaded jaws. While they may not be the very best multitool, their customer service is outstanding. If you break anything on it, even due to abuse, they will replace it, no questions asked. I haven't gotten to use my SOG Powerlok much, but it seems good too. |
I used mine for 10 years as a construction and maintenace electrician. I have used it since for for years in small jobs around the house and during many camping trips. The steel is top quality, blades hold an edge, tools really do work and none of them have broken. Haven't seen anything even close in quality and rewal world usability. |
+2. Victorinox is hands-down the nicest multi-tool I've seen. I have the SwissTool RS and bought the bitwrench companion kit. The bitwrench kit stores in the same pouch as the SwissTool but doesn't require it for use. So, for example, you could use the bitwrench to turn a screw and the SwissTool to hold the nut. |
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Fairly certain I've tried nearly all brands but my way out front favorite is the Victorinox RS...I guess I'll ask Santa for the Bit Tool. Also carry the Juice KF4 quite often instead of a SAK. As to nuts and bolts...especially rusty or overtightened, I still carry a small adjust wrench and the smallest Channel-Lok along with a Stanley multi-screw driver in my both the BOB and GHB tool kit. Pete |
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Bar none, I would say the Sog Powerlock. The gear pivots take up a lot of the tension when opening/ closing or using the pliers, and that prevents pivot wear. That's wear my 10 year old PST failed. The factory leather sheathes are also the best on the market- they make the current Leatherman sheathes look like a joke. I have had some oxidation issues in Leatherman tool pivots, and Leatherman recognizes the problem- because of their alloy. Sog is much more corrosion and oxidation resistant. Also, you can replace the tools yourself on the Sog. For jacket pocket carry, I still like the PST a lot- the profile is excellent. Right now however, I have one of those cheap Wal-Mart Winchesters to fill that role. 
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| i've had both a leatherman and a gerber, as well as some other no name brands and invariably, when i'm twisting wire w/ the needle nose pliers the tip will bend so that the two tips no longer line up w/ each other. the victorinox looks to have a more stout plier tip, i'll have to give it a try. i've never seen the sog. |
There is nothing that compares. |
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I have a Gerber (original) and a Leatherman. I carry a little pocket Gerber in my pocket and had a Leatherman Squirt. All very good kit. Also, look at the Swiss Army and Victorinix knives. The Victorinix Swiss Tools are the cadillac of multi-tools. Can only afford them as gifts. |
I've had a black version of that one for 13 or 14 years now. I just tried to find some for gifts and they don't make them like that anymore.  So I was "stuck" with the new Gerbers (3) and a Leatherman (which I don't particularly care for). fwiw, the old-style Gerbers were head and shoulders above the Leatherman...much easier to use one-handed. |
I picke up 3 of those (the larger one on the right)...have you had a chance to use it and what did you think? |
I've been carrying the small one in my pocket for the last week. It is very solid and handy. Find myself playing with it mostly. Opening and closing it. I have used it to open a can of tuna with the blade and then pryed it back with the pliers. The larger one is now stashed in my Get Home Bag so I haven't really used it. 
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| The tacticool black wave. One nice thing about the wave is you can open the main blade and serrated blade with one hand and you don't have to open the pliers up before doing so. This makes easier to use as your daily knife if you don't already carry one of those. |
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I have a new gerber diesel, the one that comes with the bits and weird adapter for using the bits. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had taken their gerbers apart and changed some of the blades around using other gerbers they might have sitting around? I picked up some used gerbers for not very much and I was just wondering if anyone swapped stuff out to make what they want vs. what someone thinks you want. |
Agreed. I used to be a big fan of the Leatherman Wave (and still think it's the best Leatherman out there), but after running across a SwissTool, I won't buy anything other than Victorinox. I am not the only one who thinks this way, either. I gave away 4 of them for Christmas, and the responses were unanimously in agreement with me. |
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Victorinox SwissTool RS $59.26 at Amazon link I carry mine daily. It's always on my belt. GL |
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Owned a Gerber Multi-Plier 600 for almost 10 years now. I've cut 5/8" cables with it, carried it exposed to water on 100 mile kayak river trips, never had a problem with it or rust. Occasionally clean it with WD-40 & compressed air, but rarely. My brother recently gave me the Army Blued version, now I have two. I don't think I'll ever wear any of these out, but if I do I'll get another Gerber. |
| Well my Gerber MP800 just sproinged a piece of of it as i was closing it up in my bedroom which has resulted in my not being able to use the plier part at all. SO i'll be boxing it up and shipping it back to them for warranty work. Its a good thing i have a SOG MT that should be here tomorrow. So i have a Leatherman Super Tool that is my fist MT that still works just fine. Plus a Buck MT that i haven't used for a while that seems flimsy, plus my Gerber and out of those 3 the leatherman is the only one i would trust my life on, up to this point at least. However i do have that SOG to try out and i will definitely be keeping my eye out for one of those swiss army types. |
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I got a SOG EOD for Christmas. I really don't like multi's very much and have owned a Leatherman and a Gerber (both version 1.0). I really didn't like either one. Too many eccentricities to be very useful. I'd rather have a knife and a small toolkit. The SOG changed that a bit. Still not perfect, but really really good. |