Pliers Reviews

I guess this set must be marketed at the kind of person who's kind of clueless about tools. You know: "I don't know what a Mac or a SnapOn is, and I don't know Craftsman from Craftmaster but I know the best plastic containers in my kitchen are made by Rubbermaid!"

Alrighty then. Well, then you know to expect that the quality of this set will be decent. And it is. Just. Not great. Nope, if you go down to Sears and get any of the same tools with the Craftsman name on them, they'll be better than their counterparts in this set. Or go to any decent department store with a tool department, and you'll find Stanley tools, which are at least as good as these, and probably cheaper.

Now, these tools do come in a spiffy little case. You can find the same types of tools in an almost as spiffy case at those same, aforementioned, department stores. But this one may be a bit spiffier. So if that's of prime importance to you, then maybe this set has your name on it. But I don't really understand why you'd value the case over the tools.

Bottom line: Adequate tools in a spiffy case, at a price you can better at your local department store. Nothing much to get excited about here.

Mostly everything you need for small jobs. Could use a needle nose pliers and a small adjustable wrench but it keeps you from running to the large tool box in the garage for small jobs and last minute requests especially late at night.

Good, sturdy, essential tools, that come housed in an exceptionally sturdy, highly portable and attractive carrying case. The marketing in the product description unnecessarily inflates the value by touting its 56 pieces (the fluff being nothing more than picture hangers, brads and wood screws!); it's a great kit without that lameness. Outstanding buy.

I just received this kit today, and it did NOT come with a Maglite. They included a Gerber 3-LED 2AA flashlight. It's not a bad flashlight, but don't expect a Maglite if you order this kit.

This multitool and mini maglite are both very useful. Specially I very much liked the "Candle" property of the maglite. I live in a country that we time to time have power interruptions. And it came very handy when it happened to be when we were sitting a bar. And the multi tool from Gerber is something that I'd sleep with it. I am generally at the site. And you never know when you'll need it. Thanks to Gerber and Maglite very much for their very quality products.

Gerber enjoys quite an enviable reputation when it comes to knives. When they produce a multi-tool you know it's going to be good. I say it's the best. This is my fourth U.S. made multitool . It has out lasted the other three so far. I won't mention names but they are not as strong as the Gerber. They might sell more but they don't make a better tool. I love the metallic "snap" this baby makes when you flick it into position. That snap is your assurance that it's locked and ready to go to work. Not only do the pliers lock but so do all the rest of the tools.Besides all the normal tools you usually get this comes with a jig saw blade clamp. Why is that special ? Because you can put any blade in it you want. It comes with a carbide grit blade from the factory. This proved invaluable a few weeks back. Some friends went camping with us. We all took our 5th wheels. One guy had a blowout. His spare tire was Padlocked which is no problem until his key breaks off in the lock. There we were on the side of the highway. Well I remembered that my Gerber had a carbide grit blade on it and the mini mag had fresh batteries. After a few minutes of concentrated elbow grease ,we had his lock cut and we were back on the road. I never leave home without it now.

Very comfortable, nice shape makes it easy to use. Has a cool lock for when not in use. Only downside is the low amount of wire sizes it cuts - could use 22 or 24 gauge cutters.

I have a Klein from Home Depot that cost $6 more, and this tool is just as good. Buy it.

This is a good tool set. It does not compare with SK, but is worth the 56 dollars I spent for it at Costco.

Being a farmer, I need a good set of tools that is easy to carry with me everywhere I go and has what I need in it so I don't have to drive back to the shop to get it. This set has it all! Of all the sets I have owned over the years, this Crescent set has been tha absolute best. I have used it to build a carousel, fix the tractors, adjust the doors in our market, you name it. All if the tools inside cover all the bases. I highly recommend it!!

Simply this item works. It increases your leverage and the jars pop open. I wasn't sure that I needed this item when I bought it but now that we have it it's used a lot. The only minor problem with it is that the metal is pretty flexible if you do not have it lined up correctly with the lid. Re-align and it works as advertised. Good product.

This certainly beats any of the silicone jar openers I've tried. It is really easy to use and looks nice also. It has several size "grabbers" to choose from depending on the size of the lid. It does take up a fair amount of drawer space, but well worth it.

not the best for a surf fisherman. I really like the tool, and the one-handed snap-out of the pliers is really handy. Until, that is, a couple of grains of sand get in the tool. The little push-button latching mechanism does not like sand at all! For fresh water fishing this would be fine. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the overall strength and quality of the tool, and would have no problems recommending it for other use besides surf fishing.

Who would not purchase this item?? I use them for major events where it involves removing nails and staples off the walls, and also those tedious jobs that require screwdrivers. Fine item to have!

Boy, I've had a love-hate relationship with my Gerber Legend 800! When I got the Gerber it was by far the best multitool I had ever used. It blew away my 80s vintage SOGs, Leathermen, swiss army knives and such. I'had the Gerber from 2002 to 2005 and used it intensively most of that time. If I hadn't lost it I would be using it still. The two tools I've used since (Leatherman Charge Ti and Victorinox SwissTool Spirit) are far better designed and show the Gerbers problems. Even so - there are still things about it that nothing else matches and I sometimes find myself wishing I had the big Gerber in those situations that favor it:

Hots:
Best pliers for detail work in the multi-tool world. As far as I know this is the only springloaded pliers on a multitool anywhere. They are beefy - no sideways wiggle here - and because they open themselves you use them with your whole hand (no back gripping on the inside with the pinky finger to open them like you have to do with every other pliers). This unique aspect makes them much more comfortable and useable for a multitude of tasks. I respect the spotlight review that complained about these not opening up enough for common plumbing - maybe so - but for detail work they have no equal. The wirecutter blade inserts are great too and make you wonder why everyone doesn't do this. Not only are the replaceable wirecutter blades good for inspiring confidence that if you ruin the edge with some hard wire you have recourse - the carbide blades actually do a really job of cutting hard wire - better than any other multitool.

Also - all the tools lock securely - no pinching - and the tools don't open up accidentally by themselves either. The lock mechanism is smooth and easy to employ.

Finally - I really like the one hand opening knife and scissors. As far as I know this is the only one hand opening scissors in the business - and since the scissors is such a commonly used tool this is a great and commonly used feature. One hand opening blade is so essential that once you've had it it's hard to go back.

What's less than hot:
The scissors spring is stiff to operate and there's no thumbpad. Your thumb just bears down on the edge of the scissors - and it hurts in extended use. The spring mechanism is a bent wire - a bit crude. The scissors are nice and sharp - but considering that Gerbers is Fiskars I was expecting better.

The knife is a nice clip point but it's half straight and half serrated. The principle competition (Leatherman's Charge) has both a smooth clip point and a separate serrated - so this feels like a halfway effort. In use, however, it's fine.

The "Remgrit" saw is useless except for tile. Forget using it on wood - it has grit - not teeth. The saving grace is that the saw is designed to take jigsaw blades - which at first glance seems brilliant. In practice it turns out that there isn't really a true standard for jigsaw blade socket designs and many don't fit here. The other issue is that jigsaws are power tools and this is a hand saw. I never did find a jigsaw blade that was even close in functionality to the saws on Victorinox or Leatherman's offerings. I actually ended up drilling holes in bosch jigsaw blades to make them fit the Gerber, because I felt they came closest - but were much more fragile.

The phillips head screwdriver is the adapter for the bit kit. It's a pretty stubby driver and doesn't fit into too many recessed places. The bit kit takes standard bits - a big plus. However the bit holder doesn't mate securely with the phillips head and tends to slip - or drop bits - in use. Also the bit kig comes with a case that's too small to hold the Legend (it's meant for a smaller model). Since no one makes a case that holds both the legend and the bit kit - the kit often gets left behind. BTW - the bit kit rusts up pretty badly too.

The file is OK - but isn't as sharp as the one on the Leatherman or Victorinox. The Leatherman Charge's file has a soft diamond side for nails as well - a nice touch.

The tools are poorly laid out. The thumb catches on the little flathead, phillips head, and file are all completely impossible to use because they are hidden behind other tools. This is just sloppy engineering. The tools open beautifully by themselves - something that older multitools had real problems with - but you end up having to open adjacent tools anyway - just be able to reach the ones you need.

The grippy side panels are rubber adhesive stickers that come off. This didn't bother me much - but it was a silly decision.

The locking mechanism digs into your palms in certain grips.

The handles are made of aluminum which is supposed to make them light. However, to make them strong Gerber had to make the handles big and thick. This makes the tool very large in the hand. For big handed guys like me this is great - but there are no weight savings here. I have to question the engineering choice of using Aluminum handles since I have come to appreciate the slim elegance of Victorinox's Swisstool Spirit (that uses sleek mirror finished stainless handles) and the Leatherman Charge Ti (which uses sleek and rugged titanium handles).

Finally - and fatally for me - the case is nylon with velcro which doesn't last and has some stitching durability issues. That's how I ended up losing mine. one day it just came off my belt - the beltloop stiching gave way. I didn't notice it until I got home, sadly.

I know I just gave a long list of gripes but when I add it up in my head in the end I have to say that Gerber is one of the best multitools out there. It's rough and tough and covers almost all the bases and while it has a few rough edges it also has a few standout points. However, given the cost and knowing what I know now I'd probably buy either the Victorinox Spirit or Leatherman Charge Ti (or Wave) first - but not by a wide margin. If you use a pliers for detail work with regularity - this might be the one for you warts and all.

I use my gerber MP-800 mostly at work. I work in an office as an engineer and I often need to do some R&D at my desk. This is where the MP-800 comes in handy. It fits in the desk drawer or I can strap it on my belt when I need to go out in the shop. All the tools lock in place. The saw blade is replacable so you are not afraid to wear it out. This is also true with the indexable wire cutters in the pliers. The MP-800 is the next best thing to a whole tool box.

My husband was the envy of all his co-workers when he walked in with the Gerber 800. He loved it! It has everything he needs to work outdoors and more. Great product!

These were incredibly inexpensive pliers. They look and feel great, but the metal quality is not up to par. It didn't take long for the serrations on the jaws to mush into rounded bumps. Conclusion: These are great to throw in the car trunk, but for real use, buy American.

I have seen similar items at the local hardware store
that are at least twice the cost, and poorer quality.
Well made.
I could use some of the pliers to be a bit bigger - like the
side cutters, so only 4 stars - but they all seem to
work well - like a tool should - but usually not at such a great price. Great value item.

This is a very good product, and you can get it, along with any other products on Amazon up to $500 Free! Participate in this special promotion and get a free $500 Amazon Gift Card at this web site: awesomestufffree.com/amazon

We bought two of this because it looks so great in the review and advertisement. After using it for a month, there are some flaws, which should be improved to make it a practical tool. Does anyone know what's the awl for? To us, it is too blunt to be useful. It should have sharper edge so we can actually open envelopes, remove staples, etc. The set of screw drives is comprehensive but take care not to exert too much force on them especially the small one, the tip WILL BEND. Anyway, it was be repaired with the other CS4 :-). If you are a Swiss knife user, you will find the Philips screw tip drive too big for common screws found in the office. Also, you should be real careful about the blade, cause it is really sharp... it hurts but we love it. If you are not too fussy about the strength of the tool, go get it.

I have about a dozen different kinds of mult-tools. This one is
probably the most practical. It's design is slick with its rounded corners, making it comfortable to keep in your pocket - no sheath needed. It has everything you would need for any incident. Its anodized blue color only ups the cool factor for this handy gadget. Everyone should keep one of these in their pocket. It's always in mine.

Clearly, I owe the fine folks at Leatherman an apology. I had dissed Leatherman's customer service in a prior review (scroll down..), whining about a minor, self-induced problem. Come to find out, they (including the Main Man, The Head Honcho, The Connection - Tim Leatherman)had made several attemts to contact me in effort to address my complaint (whine), but all their attempts were deflected courtesy of my email blocker settings. Through their continued efforts they were able to contact me through other means. Sooo, here I stand, embarrassed for badmouthing such a fine company and terriffic product. Sorry.

The CS-4 and I remain inseparable - it's an integral part of my everyday life. In fact, I have gone on to purchase half a dozen or more as gifts for friends (including a Wave for myself), only I had them properly engraved/etched this time as recommended by the manufacturer.

Christmas is coming...

Ever wonder why what seems like the simplist designs only come out...well, when someone with really good observation skills invents it! This is the tool. Get this one, the bigger size, and throw away all your other pliers. Better yet, give them to your spouse/kid and hope they don't find these!

I've seen these (and similar tools) advertised for a while now and finaly decided to buy one. They're great!

If only all hand-tools worked as well as RoboGrip pliers. I can't imagine using regular slip joint pliers ever again for anything. They are big enough and strong enough for any job... and they self-adjust! You won't be disappointed if you buy a pair of these.