Multitools Reviews

The Victorinox Executive is my favorite Swiss Army knife. My father gave me my first one, and I've carried one in my pocket for the past 20 years. At 3" long and 2.1 oz in weight, it's a good size for a man's trouser pocket as opposed to the larger Swiss Army knives (eg, the Swiss Army Altimeter Tool at 3.5" long and 3.8 oz in weight which goes in my backpack). Of the multiple functions, I end up using the small scissors the most; the two knife blades, orange peeler, standard screwdriver, nail file, tweezers, and toothpick come in handy, too. My only problem in these post-9/11 days is that I can't carry it with me on airline flights, which leaves me feeling a little helpless at times.

An excellent gift idea!

I work alone and put up a lot of cabinets. I use ledger boards for the wall cabinets, but for years have balanced them up on that little board, holding the cabinet with one hand and driving a screw with the other.

Sometimes there's that heavy microwave that installs over a range and vents to the outside. Those are a bear, and I dread a job with one, but you have to take the good with the bad.

When I saw the ad for this tool, I gambled and ordered the one with the extension for ceiling sheetrock, just in case.

When it came in, I was a bit skeptical. It was heavy steel, and the threads and collar worked fine, but I have to see it to believe it. The very first cabinet I ran up the wall made a believer in me. You can balance a cabinet with the T-Jak so that both hands are free.

It made short work of that installation. And yep, sure enough, there was that heavy microwave. I sat it on that T-Jak and ran it right up to where the back lip slipped in the groove, and screwed it from inside the above cabinet with no strain at all.

This T-Jak stays in the truck now. I've used it for all sorts of things that used to make my back and arms ache the next day. This is the best innovation I've come across in 20 years!

The tool looks very useful and well made but the sheath looks like a piece of junk.

Excellent multi-purpose tool that takes care of any job you give it. I bought this from highly recommended shop ithings UK The Wave is loaded with capabilities, including: Needlenose pliers, regular pliers wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, clip-point knife, serrated knife, diamond-coated file, wood saw, scissors. You also get: An extra small screwdriver, small screwdriver, medium screwdriver, large screwdriver, Philips screwdriver, can/bottle opener, wire striper, & lanyard attachment.

I have had the wave for years now, and I have finally worn it down to where I need to get a new one. This thing has been at my side and provided me with countless experiences of being able to fix something ON THE SPOT. The weight is not too heavy at all for me. The scissors work great (I have even cut stainless steel shim with them). The pliers have been used for numerous fixes and the jaws of mine have finally worn smooth. The wire cutters have worked great. The hard wire cutter has never failed me unless I am trying to cut steel cable (a difficult task for any pair of plier-like cutters), but even then I can still manage to do it. The screwdrives have been abused yet still function very well. The blades accept a good sharpening and last for a good while after sharpening. The file is bar-none the BEST file on any multi-tool I have ever seen, and is better than most dedicated files I have used. The diamond file is spectacular. The single-handed blade opening and single-handed plier opening are features I have come to depend on. This is just a great tool that allows me to GET MORE DONE! The leather sheath is also very rugged yet quickly became supple and remains a durable home for this tool.
No, it's not the perfect tool for any one specific task, but it is a very useful tool nonetheless and serves it's purpose without fail. I am amazed mine has lasted as long as it has considering how often I use it, which is pretty much every single day. If I am wearing pants or shorts with a belt, then I have my leatherman. The only nuisance is I have to remember to pack it in my luggage prior to flying!
Worth every penny, and then some.

I'm an IT Support Engineer and I frequently work on Laptops, Desktops and servers. This little tool has been my best friend for the past 7 years now. That's right.. SEVEN years and it's still going strong. It's in my pocket every day!

The Leatherman Micra is a very nifty and powerful little keychain tool that has an ingenious compact design that holds many important parts inside. The main tool you see after opening it up is the scissors, which are very strong. These aren't any old pushover scissors, either. You can cut through thick staples and tough cardboard with these scissors.

There are 3 types of screw drivers which you can use for a variety of screws, ranging from small to regular sized. There's the tweezers, which are better than the ones in the Swiss Army Knives and are attached to the tool so you can't lose them. There is a knife which is pretty sharp. There's a can opener, which you might not use much here but when you go to various countries outside the U.S. they have more bottled soft drinks so you can try them out. There's also a nail file (comes with a cleaner) and a ruler.

The knife closes nicely, and it's all stainless steel. Overall, this knife would make a great addition to your keychain so that you can have it with you at all times, and when it comes in handy you'll be delighted you bought it.

I was given this product used as a gift by a customer at a store. My initial response was that it would be useless, but I now carry it in my pocket quite frequently. A scissors is one of the most useful portable tools to have. Unlike other pocket knifes (e.g. swiss), the scissors on the Leatherman Micra is useable, even for cutting annoying plastic packaging on electronics. I will note that the tweezer side sometimes allows pocket lint onto some of the tools.

This is an adorable fashion acessory- but I got caught in the real world with this thing in Post Katrina New Orleans, and I'll tell you what, I don't think it's worth toting around this huge heavy thing for the poor performance. It was useless.
The pliers handles are poorly shaped and hurt the hand, as well as being slippery. The other tools are compromised to fit into the neat-o package and don't work that well. They don't lock in place, and if you think you're going to actually put any force into using that screw driver- guess again. The quality of the knife blade is just plain old lousy, and it won't take a better edge even on the stone. There's a huge amount of room for improvement, but as it stands now the Leatherman isn't worth the weight to haul on a hiking or primitive camping trip; in a disaster zone it was so useless I just threw it away as soon as these nice soldiers gave what they use- a set of pliers and a screwdriver. And a Swiss Army knife...
It was good to keep in the car for the most minor of tasks in the old days, like cutting price tags off of new handbags, but If the company wants to sell me another one it'll have to be much more stable and ergonomicly functional. Maybe like a Swiss Army knife, which at least can get a wine bottle open. Do not underestimate the importance of this. ;-D

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I was given this leatherman as a gift. didn't really think much of it at first. a friend who works for the local PD explained how good it really was. the blades are extremely sharp and versatile. he has used the blade cut people free of their seatbelts in car wrecks. the phillips screw-driver looks weak but workes excellent. the small screwdriver is perfect for tightening the screw on eyeglasses. the pliers are exceptional and come in handy on various projects. all in all extremely pleased with the product and would highly reccomend.

When I opened the package the tool was rusted. The site says 10 features I can only find 8. The handle is constructed of light sheet metal that hurts your hand. Watch out when closing or the spring loaded close will pinch a finger.
Look to Gerber for the best tools!

I purchased the micra about a year ago. I love the scissors on this, and I find myself using some part of it just about every day. It's on my keychain, so I always have it. The knife and scissors are very sharp. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever.

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Pros:
1) Good steel quality and heavy duty.
2) Tools open individually (no clumping), lock in place, fold with push button. Feel comfortable in pliers mode.
3) Victorinox's brand name and warranty, need i say more?

Cons:
1) You cannot adjust the tool yourself since you can't unscrew the tool, because it uses pins as the pivot pins.
2) They should minus the big flat screwdriver and use individual springs.
3) The files in original and X model seem to made of casehardened steel,so the plating will chipped off(i suggest the RS model the best)
4) I hate that they use the cheap springs in the locking buttoms and the scissors, the springs will degrade over time.

I don't think anyone can match Victorinox quality. This is one fine tool.
In the past Victorinox knifes didn't have a locking blade and this one doesn't have that drawback. All the blades lock so, for example, you can put pressure on the screwdriver and it won't snap shut on you.
I haven't used this one too much so if there are any weaknesses I couldn't tell you what they are. I do have another Swiss Army knife and it has been very durable.
Possible negatives are that this tool is made of stainless steel. That's good for corrosion but I have used the metal saw on nails, just because the size was right for the job, and the teeth start to wear quikly. Stainless steel is just not as hard as plain old carbon steel. Maybe they could use titanium but that would drive the cost up. I certainly wouldn't want them to use plain old carbon steel because rust would be almost unavoidable. Stainless is probably the best choice.
One thing I have to mention is the factory edge on the blades. They come razor sharp. You couldn't get them any sharper and even though they are not high carbon steel they hold there edge very well. You will eventually have to sharpen them but you will get some use out of them first.
This tool has the things you probably need the most; knives, screwdrivers, can opener, metal saw, metal file, awl, reamer, scraper, ruler, pliers and wire cutter.
What it doesn't have are: scissers, wood saw, magnifying lens, toothpick, tweasers, corkscrew, fish scaler and maybe some others that the regular knives might have.

This is my second Swiss Tool, I lost my first one about a month ago. I got the first one as a gift and was very impressed with the quality of its construction. I found it built rugged enough where I could use it just like a regular set of tools. Other replacement multi-tools just seemed to flimsy for me. I discovered that it was hard to live without.

This seems to be the best multi tool on the market right now. With that said the following things need to be addressed by Leatherman:

1. The interchangeable bits truly are junk. The idea of interchangeable bits is brilliant, but the actual execution of it on the Charge is a joke. It looks like they came up with the idea and then just threw something together to get it out on the market ASAP. The bits are too skinny. This makes it so that if you want to use a large allen bit you are only using four sides of the hexagon. This causes more stripped bolts than usual. Same problem with the large phillips. The bits are also covered in some black coating that rubs off the first time you use them. In my opinion they should've used one whole side of the handle for the bit driver. This would allow utilization of bigger, rounder, more robust quality square edged bits like you'll find on expensive professional tools. The ability of the bit driver to lock at 90 degrees would be a nice touch as well.

2. What's with the miniature bit driver? This is supposed to be a real man's tool for real work, not a jewelry kit. This is just clutter, get rid of it! (Get rid of the large flathead screwdriver while you're at it, it can be on a bit.)

3.The hard wire cutter section is too small. If you cut a big hard wrapped wire it won't fit and you will be forced to destroy the soft wire cutter. I did this on mine cutting barbwire and the metal got all mashed together making the pliers hard to open and close. In my opinion they should just make the whole thing blunt like the hard wire cutter. This will allow you to tackle real work without destroying your tool.

4. Frankly, I don't know what kind of moron engineered the scissors, but they're too small, complicated, and dangerous. I'm an advocate of quality and usability over quantity, so now that there's extra room available from the junk that we tossed out (see above), the scissors can be engineered to be bigger!

5. The belt sheath protrudes out too far because of all the bits. Also the idea of not getting all the bits when you buy the tool is a joke. In my opinion Leatherman should only offer ALL the bits when you buy the tool, and include them in a separate belt pouch. This will kill two birds with one stone. I also think it would be really cool to include a 4" extender that attaches to the bit driver and allows you to use the bits in hard to reach places.

Other than those things this tool is amazing. The can opener is much better than any other I've tried on a multitool or swiss army knife. The straight edge and serrated locking blades are awesome. I love how the pocket clip and lanyard ring lock on.

Like I said, this is probably the best multi tool available and I would suggest it to anyone, but when it comes to tools I demand perfection and with the improvements I suggest it could be the most perfect tool ever created! (HINT HINT LEATHERMAN!)

Leatherman really got it right this time. This tool is fabulous, I use it almost everyday. It makes the wave look like the micra.

I have had over 6-7 leathermen. This one is the ultimate. stronger and better griping than any other.many onboard tools.

Victorinox makes fine products, and this model is lovely, classic, and durable. However, it is missing tools that you will probably want, such as scissors, while including things you rarely use. (Also, a blade that locks open is preferable for safety.) Pick another model and you (or your gift recipient) will be happier.

If somebody started a 12-step program for Swiss Army Knife owners, I would probably be hauled into the meeting by my wife....but that's my problem. Swiss Army knives are like cars; they run the gamut from sub-compacts, to sedans, to monster SUV's. Using that analogy, the Tinker would probably rate as a dependable and economical light pick-up truck. It can do a lot of jobs, and take quite a bit of punishment, but understandably, does not have the full complement of bells and whistles (corkscew, scissors, pliers, magnifying glass, etc.) that the bigger and pricier models have. The Tinker represents a reasonably good trade-off among the areas of portability, utility, and cost. Not to brag, but I got mine, new in the box, for $8 at a flea market. The Tinker would be a great knife for the Boy Scout/Girl Scout in your life, or some other responsible young person who can be trusted with cutlery, for camping, hiking, outdoor activities, etc. I carry my Tinker at all times, and I'm known to say a quick prayer of thanks each time it saves me a trip to the toolbox for a phillips head screwdriver, or flat tip screw driver. For the sake of modesty, I won't give a "top ten list" of uses for the tweezers and toothpick; I'll leave that up to you.

I like the Tinker because it has all the best blades and is still small enough to fit in my pocket and not pull my pants down. It was a hard trade off to give up the cork screw, but I find the Phillips screw driver hard to do without anymore. I did notice it has grown 6mm since the one I bought in 1989, but it is still nice.
Carl.

This is a pretty nice knife except for a couple of issues I'd have rated it higher.

Bad points-

Only one standard screw driver blade - small size with a nice bottle opener built in the same blade. My son dropped this once when he barrowed it from me and the screwdriver blade chipped. Must be some pretty good hardened steel.

No saw - The black Finegrif (tm) saw blade is a joke. It would take half an hour (at least) to cut through a small nail and the blade is too thin to not break right off. For wood this blade is even less effective. This is a none usable...

The file has no teeth on the sides like a proper file should. One side is a double cut and the other single cut (metal). No chance for an emergency manicure here.

Can opener blade has no fingernail slot and it's sharp so it's hard to safely deploy without cutting yourself in the dark.

Best things about this knife-

Nice set of needle nose pliers great for small precision type jobs. One handed operation (pliers only) and also has a comfortable grip.

Scissors- a necessity in my opinion.

locking blades- excellent system for locking the blades

All and all a good quality tool but with some design flaws.

Quality -- The first observation I must make concerning the Multi-Plier 600 Pro Scout with Needlenose pliers (and all the other modern Gerber products with which I'm familiar) is the outstanding quality of the fit and finish. This particular product proudly wears a Made In USA label, and it features satin-finished stainless steel throughout with Zytel plastic buttons to unlock the fold out tools. It opens fairly smoothly, feels solid in your hand, and the knife blade and other tools lock in the open position for safe and secure use.

Selection -- Choosing an ideal multi-tool is perhaps the hardest task facing the user. Multi-tool marketing favors manufacturers and retailers because there are so many different configurations (too many, in fact, and you could find yourself with a collection.) I don't like that for reasons too numerous to mention, but suffice to say there's no single multi-tool that includes all the tools I might want or need. An ideal scenario would be a build-your-own concept, but that's out of the question since Gerber doesn't sell direct to the consumer.

Usability -- The 600 ProScout lets you carry a lot of useful tools in a compact package that weighs about twelve ounces. The tools are as follows:

1. The needlenose pliers are one of the best in a multi-tool. They are precision made and allow a lot of leverage and pressure to be applied to a part. They retract into the handles for storage. On this model, they must be deployed to use the fold out tools; this is one thing that makes this tool unique from some of the other Gerber tools.

2. The tool steel file, made by Simonds, is coarse on one side and fine on the other; it suffers from being too small for most of what you'd want a file for, but it still has some use.

3. There's one Phillips (crosshead) screwdriver that is about a #1 head size. It's just too small to inspire confidence when I am prone to overtighten EVERYTHING.

4. Two slotted blade screwdrivers (small and medium) are actually ground to size as opposed to just being stampings. Screwdrivers are usually the weakest link in a multi-tool because of their small size and the twisting pressures that are applied to them so you definitely don't want to pretend they are prybars, too.

5. One of the screwdrivers is also a bottle opener (opens bottle caps I guess, but I have NEVER used this).

6. There's a can opener that's well made; while it does work, it's not my choice to use in the kitchen but when camping or while parked along a roadside waiting for triple A after grocery shopping it's another story.

7. The drop point knife is a combination fine edge and serrated edge. While it's a good blade, in the Gerber tradition, you don't get enough of either edge style and it's VERY difficult to sharpen the serrated part.

8. There's a RemGrit (tungsten carbide grit on alloy steel) jig saw blade in a universal coupler. It cuts on the forward and reverse strokes and is self sharpening. I just had to have this multi-tool because it has this saw that cuts a lot of different materials. The blade can be replaced when it wears out or you could swap it with a regular wood or metal jig saw blade.

9. The Fiskars scissors are small but sharp. I'm not disappointed by their usefulness and quality, but then real men and women won't do their tailoring with this thing either.

Maybe it's just me, but cutting stuff is what this particular tool configuration is about (knife, saw, scissors) and that's why it's nice to have the file to touch up rough edges which is invariably what I get when I cut stuff. The tool would be more useful still if it had a lanyard ring on it so then I wouldn't need another model multi-tool for another hobby.

I could give this a five star rating if it wasn't for the fact that every multi-tool combo is a compromise of convenience (miniaturization) versus function. Plus you pay dearly for having many tools in the package while you have the expectation that you'll have use for the chosen tool configuration often. The Gerber Multi-Plier is a handy way to keep your life together without carrying a toolbox.

I've had this tool for about 14 months now, and it's OK. It has come in handy a few times, but that's what a multi-tool is supposed to do. After 14 months of relatively consistent use, here's what I have to say...

KNIFE: Absolutely incredible. This knife is still unbelievably sharp. I love it.

PLIERS: They do their job as pliers should do.

WIRE CUTTER: I cut some copper wire a few months ago, and now the wire cutter is notched. The wire wasn't even that thick. 10-12 gauge max. They should be made of a stronger metal.

FILE: never used it

SAW: never used it

CAN OPENER: It's a little tricky, but it does the job.

BOTTLE OPENER: Opens all drinks

SCREWDRIVERS: They're too short and stubby. You can only use them on flush surfaces. I know the Leathermans have longer screwdriver attachments.

SCISSORS: They tackle small jobs well enough.

It's an average tool. It's better than the junky ones, but it's not worth raving over. After 14 months, all the attachments jiggle a little, and it makes it tough to close the pliers. The knife is the best part, the rest is so-so. If you asked me if I would buy this again, I would say no, and I would buy the Leatherman Wave.