Displaying items by tag: Medium Tools

Finally arrives today, so I'm posting the first impressions I have, haven’t used the tool yet.

First thing I noticed was that the TTI was a lot smaller and lighter than my surge that I previously owned. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to sell the surge and buy one of the smaller tools because I would find the surge uncomfortable when in plier mode since the handles were so wide, didn't make them difficult to grasp as such, but the smaller length and width of the TTI handles are more comfortable.

If you are a multitool collector, or one who appreciates the engineering that goes into these products, and a person who delights in the new and seemingly endless ways that these clever engineers can make a set of blades and drivers fold up into a pair of pliers, then you will like the new Gerber Radius Multi-Plier. If you are anyone else, then I suspect you will consider the Radius to be somewhat of a joke.

Updating Gerber's unique out-the-front sliding pliers to a button-activated spring-loaded mechanism, the Auto Recoil has no peers in the multi-tool world. Being that there are no others to directly compare it against it is so easy to label it as a "gimmick" and move on to other, more mainstream tools. What we are here to determine today is whether this tool has redeeming characteristics or if it is merely a "gadget" for the uninitiated to purchase on impulse, play with for a few days and ultimately spend it's life in the junk drawer or the bottom of a landfill.

Big teeth: The Bear Jaws

I recently acquired my first outside-opening tool (thanks to supratentorial) in the form of a Bear MGC (now known as Bear and Sons Cutlery) Bear Jaws. I have been resistant to outside opening tools for some time, mainly due to the exposed nature of the tool compartment and the seemingly easy access this would give dirt, dust and other miscellaneous crap. After carrying and using this tool for only a week or so I have realized that even if the tools are bare to the elements the easy access to said tools heavily outweighs the supposed detriment.

Nowadays the multitool market is quite diverse. Ordinarily we focus on the higher end tools, but I recently received some more affordable tools that are available at many chain and hardware store. I was impressed with the overall quality for the price, especially with the Mountaineer.

Leatherman’s Blast model was a pleasant surprise when I received it. After having the Kick for a while, then moving up to the Fuse I appreciated the locking mechanism but I was so disappointed by the new scissor design that I think it jaded me. It took the Blast to really get my attention again in this series.

While the PowerLock seems to be the first tool that comes to mind when one thinks of SOG tools, the Pocket Power Plier is perhaps my personal favorite. The more compact size of the Pocket Power Plier seems to be the more “carry-able” version of the big powerhouse.

Leatherman’s Crunch is a unique model that really has no peers in the multitool industry. Certainly there are a few locking plier tools out there such as the Schrade ST6 and the discontinued Kershaw locking plier tool, but each of those tools is clunky due to the permanently fixed head. The Crunch’s greatest strength is the folding head that allows it to fold into the size of a regular full sized multitool like the PST series , Wave or SwissTool Spirit .

Several months ago the idea of a Multitool.org logo imprinted tool began being discussed. Since I sell promotional products and have managed the SOSAK Knife Project, our fearless leader, Defender asked me to see what I could find. I stumbled upon a company named Hard Hat Knives and Flashlights. They offer imprinting on a wide variety of tools in their catalog including Leatherman and SOG. The most intriguing tool was the Hard Hat Journeyman.

The engineers from Gerber were listening, and finally addressed a couple of long-standing opinions about their multitools. You all know what I’m talking about; the way Gerber Multi-Pliers have always been “loose” and “rattly.” And the tendency Gerber tools have of pinching the palm of your hand, because the inside of the handles get so close together when you clamp down with the pliers on a thin object.

I’m pleased to report that both of these issues have been improved with the Diesel.