Multitools - what say you? Aye or Nay?

[tez929rr]

In what way does that justify the price for inferior quality?

Demand. You said you keep two in your car. Obviously they are good enough for you to spend your own money.

 

[F-22]

Not really, it's more so the marketing that got me, but then the product disappointed.

 

[esben57]

Multi tool of sorts, cheapo. Seem to have a few of these.

 

[rust in the eye]

Multi tool of sorts, cheapo. Seem to have a few of these.

This reminds me a bit of an all metal hammer my father had. In the end of the handle were a bunch of screwdrivers nested inside one another. Like those Russian matryoshka dolls.
I remember thinking, even as a kid, what a goofy thing it was.
Looks like they still make them: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...ers-and-1-Hammer-Gift-for-Mom/604447597?gQT=1

 

[esben57]

Given this Gerber as a gift. 58mm -ish, 2-1/4" in old money.
Dare not go to the Football with it and definitely not through airport security.
Handy though.

 

[JradM]

In what way does that justify the price for inferior quality?

It's not as if forging it is something impossible. Channellock forges practically all plier styles in the US between 15-30$. Tsunoda forges stainless steel pliers in Japan for that much too.

Leatherman should get the Knipex 08 21 145 plier head forged in stainless and put it on their pliers. It would be an amazing tool.

I could see that. Multitool prices, especially Leatherman, have risen dramatically in the last ten years. I dont know what "justifies" it, except that people still buy them. Myself included.

Sometimes I think "well they're complex and difficult to design, manufacture and assemble so..." but then I think "how come they still use **** steel and not every multitool brand has gone nuts with pricing?".

For that matter, why does no one beat Leatherman at their own game? Victorinox has an even higher degree of finishing and many of the tools actually work better- but they are insanely slow to release anything new or innovative and not cheap either.

How is there still no better version of the Skeletool, from anyone, like 20 years later?

SOG's plier-heads are better than Leatherman's, but nothing else about the tools is.

Where are all the s30v, s90v, Maxamet, M390, etc. blades like have proliferated on pocket knives? I know the Arc has Magnacut, but it's expensive and only one model.

Why can't I at least get some quality VG10, 154CM or 14C28N steel instead of 420 HC like Leatherman uses, or the absolute garbage 7Cr on Gerber's tools?

That's probably enough rant. I really like multitools. I'm just annoyed they are often so expensive, slow to innovate and made from such low grade materials.

 

[roofdweller49]

I'm curious why can't we get a nice forged plier head, or screwdrivers that aren't just crude stamped soft stainless, or even heavy duty pivots and more rigid frames

 

[MiteyF]

The only multitool I've ever gotten along with is my Leatherman Freestyle (that I found laying around somewhere). It's just pliers and a knife, and is great to have around my neck fishing.



Every other multitool I've ever used or owned has found its way to the back of a drawer, glovebox, friend etc... because I've hated all of them.

 

[minke]

I usually forget that I'm carrying this.

 

[F-22]

I could see that. Multitool prices, especially Leatherman, have risen dramatically in the last ten years. I dont know what "justifies" it, except that people still buy them. Myself included.

Sometimes I think "well they're complex and difficult to design, manufacture and assemble so..." but then I think "how come they still use **** steel and not every multitool brand has gone nuts with pricing?".

For that matter, why does no one beat Leatherman at their own game? Victorinox has an even higher degree of finishing and many of the tools actually work better- but they are insanely slow to release anything new or innovative and not cheap either.

How is there still no better version of the Skeletool, from anyone, like 20 years later?

SOG's plier-heads are better than Leatherman's, but nothing else about the tools is.

Where are all the s30v, s90v, Maxamet, M390, etc. blades like have proliferated on pocket knives? I know the Arc has Magnacut, but it's expensive and only one model.

Why can't I at least get some quality VG10, 154CM or 14C28N steel instead of 420 HC like Leatherman uses, or the absolute garbage 7Cr on Gerber's tools?

That's probably enough rant. I really like multitools. I'm just annoyed they are often so expensive, slow to innovate and made from such low grade materials.

Yes, the Victorinox is really slow but I'm always impressed at how well executed everything they make is. They are targeted and culturally sit inside the EU market so that is why they have some limitations, especially with how hard they can be to open. But still so compact and useful even though everyone can copy them for decades now. Victorinox is very well priced for what they offer.