Did you ever stop carrying a plier-based tool?

[Singh]

I’m resurrecting this old thread because I think it might interesting to see how opinions have evolved in the interim.

When I do need pliers, it’s almost always when I’m doing something around the house. Outside of the home, I have a toolkit in my car.  For EDC,  I’ve never really needed more than a Vic Climber. So I decided to shelve my Spirit and just carry a SAK for a bit.   

I have a *thing* for alox Pioneers modded to have scissors. I get the functionality of the Climber, but with the beefier tools of the Alox line.  I have a few custom Pioneers, thanks to the wonderfully talented craftsmen here:



So lately I’ve been rotating through my custom Pioneers and paring it up with a Quark Mini AA. This setup is feather–light compared to carrying a pliers-based tool.  I really don’t miss the weight, nor have I missed the pliers.

And finally (and probably most importantly) I really like the aesthetic of a custom SAK. It’s a unique, functional piece of art that I can have with me every day.

[Mr. Whippy]

I’m resurrecting this old thread because I think it might interesting to see how opinions have evolved in the interim.

When I do need pliers, it’s almost always when I’m doing something around the house. Outside of the home, I have a toolkit in my car).  For EDC,  I’ve never really needed more than a Vic Climber. So I decided to shelve my Spirit and just carry a SAK for a bit.   

I have a *thing* for alox Pioneers modded to have scissors. I get the functionality of the Climber, but with the beefier tools of the Alox line.  I have a few custom Pioneers, thanks to the wonderfully talented craftsmen here:

So lately I’ve been rotating through my custom Pioneers and paring it up with a Quark Mini AA. This setup is feather –light compared to carrying a pliers-based tool.  I really don’t miss the weight, nor have I missed the pliers.

And finally (and probably most importantly) I really like the aesthetic of a custom SAK. It’s a unique, functional piece of art that I can have with me every day.

For work, I completely agree with this.  I've moved to a Vic Exec (with mammoth tusk scales  ), an Atwood and a Lummi Raw NS for EDC.

On the farm, I still HAVE to have my pliers based MT.  Charge ALX typically but sometimes my Wenger Mike Horn (although the OHO blades tend to gum up pretty easily and become hard to open.).

I EDC'd my LM Juice CS4 for a bit on the farm but found the pliers too short (not enough leverage) and the pliers a bit on the weak side.  The blade is just sort of meh too.  And of course the flat drivers are to be avoided.  Basically, I've decided that the Juice series is not a farm multitool.

BTW, the current batch of Alox scissor mods are spectacular.  I'd be shocked if Vic didn't start doing these as a standard model.

[AimlessWanderer]

I rarely need much more than a knife and a pair of scissors ... right up until the moment I don't have "X" on me, and that's the tool I'll need. Pliers/drivers/awl are used maybe once a week to once a fortnight (sometimes even less frequently), but ensuring I have them with me at all times is work it for those moments when needs arise. There are other times when I seem to use every tool I have at my disposal several times daily over a short period of time though  Just depends on what crisis or clustersmurf lies round the corner, and as those things aren't planned or foreseen I'm in the habit of carrying far more than I'll "probably" need - probably and actually can be worlds apart sometimes.

I don't carry a full load out all day, every day, and my load out does vary. At time this means I will be caught out, but most of the time I've got "it" covered (whatever, wherever, and whenever "it" may be)

[Mercury]

I use my scissors at least as much as a knife, sometimes more.  I would kill for an Alox scissor mod, so if anyone has one for sale just PM me and i'm sure I could rearrange some funds to buy it right out. 

As far as my pliers go, I'm afraid I must have them pretty much all the time.  At work, they are indispensable, and at home they are simply convenient.  I really don't mind the weight of my Blast, in fact I forget it's there half the time.  Until I need it that is.  I use my blast every day.  While most days I could get by with just my supertinker, I need the large tools and pliers on my blast often enough to forget about going without it.

[Farmman]

When I was made redundant, owing to the British knife laws, I was left with the choice of carrying a juice or forgoing the pliers and carrying a SAK. At first I felt woefully unprepared  but have found as long as the SAK has scissors and a phillips (as well as the knife) I can carry out most tasks. I do also carry a P4 on my keys though, which does cover most of the out and about need for pliers I have found. As said above most of the time I need pliers I know in advance and so dress accordingly.

[Steinar]

I stopped carrying pliers when I felt the knife on a plier based multitool usually was too clumsy to get at, and also cumbersome to use. (That was before I got a Skeletool.) It's the knife I usually need anyway, so most of the time I just carry some SAK. I have thought of putting a Swisstool in my bag just for the feelgood factor.  I work in an office, so I need this kind of stuff mainly for small jobs and life's small clustersmurfs, not a heavy user by any means.

[theonew]

For my mostly urban existence I've found my Vic Passenger to be pretty much all I need. The other day a friend asked me to install a second hard drive in his computer. The phillips driver opened the case, mounted the drive and the magnifying glass helped me read the numbering of the sata ports on the motherboard. I do though feel naked without a PS4 (or temporarily a Gerber Dime) on my keychain and have gotten a good deal of use out of those mini-pliers.

[Zed]

I carried a wave in its pouch from 98-2005 solidly but over the years ive mainly carried a pockey knife mainly a SAK or sometimes a opinel for a lightweight option, i like my explorer as my main carry and the tinker as well, as i cycle everywhere i carry my PT in my backpack so when i cycle i have a plier based MT, i do prefer a plier based MT but comes down to weight for me, i have to say thought that the sog PT is a nice size and weight for pouch carry with its clip on pouch, so i see me doing this in the future, 

[GPDB]

I stopped carrying the LM style PS and replaced it with teh style CS, i was missing the small blade, and a lasge scissor I find more usefule than the pliers

[Sazabi]

Given I've been in shorts for the last couple days, I've not had a pair of pliers on me; a belt with sheath is a bit too large, and given that these shorts date back to late middle/early high school, the pockets are a bit tight.

Still, I'm more surprised I can still wear them, since I've graduated with a BS in the interim. o.o;

[Grant Lamontagne]

I don't always carry a plier based tool, but I usually do in conjunction with a SAK.  The reality is that I have lots of dedicated tools at home, in the garage and in the Jeep so if I need tools there usually are some fairly close by.  That is, if I'm near the Jeep or at home.  There are lots of times at work when I am perched on a piece of machinery or broken cargo and I need some kind of tool- often pliers, wire cutters or a screwdriver and to me that's where the self sufficiency of the multitool and SAK combo come in.  Yes, I could climb down, go to the Jeep and pull the right tool out of the box, then climb back to where I was and try to do what I could have already done with a multitool and SAK.

Admittedly I have an odd job and I'm not certain anyone else here has to do strange things like that with no prep time, but I am certain everyone has encountered a loose screw or bottle of imported beer that wasn't worth running out to the car for. 

When it comes to the extra weight of carrying a tool, I would imagine many of you (like me) would be better served by losing some of your own excess weight than paring down the 8-10 ounces that make up the average multitool! 

Def

[Dtrain]

I have tried but I went with at first keeping a pair of actual pliers...but after what I still consider a successful experiment in low cost Multi Tool Options I went back to carrying my Swisstool X in a Niteize Pouch with an extra Maglite and Klien Electrican Scissors stashed in my Jack Pack

[django.cj]

If I have my pants on, I'm wearing my Spirit.  The pliers are for more than just tightening nuts.  They're a third hand, for grabbing hot things, squeezing something to strong for my fingers, and just plain making my life easier.  I've tried not carrying a MT, but I use the damn pliers ALL THE TIME.

I usually carry a traditional style knife in my pocket; I use the Spirit's blades for tough or dirty jobs.

[jzmtl]

I haven't carried one for quite some time now. I really don't need one in my daily activities and i don't like anything hanging off my belt. A SAK and folder works fine for me.

Well there's the keychain pliers but I see them as glorified tweezer if anything.

[Singh]

 

I don't always carry a plier based tool, but I usually do in conjunction with a SAK.  The reality is that I have lots of dedicated tools at home, in the garage and in the Jeep so if I need tools there usually are some fairly close by.  That is, if I'm near the Jeep or at home.  There are lots of times at work when I am perched on a piece of machinery or broken cargo and I need some kind of tool- often pliers, wire cutters or a screwdriver and to me that's where the self sufficiency of the multitool and SAK combo come in. 

Like you, I have a good number of dedicated tools within easy reach at home, and a tool kit in my car.  But my job doesn’t require tools, so the need for a plier-based MT on day-to-day basis is minimal. I usually need one when I’m traveling , on a day trip, or when taking the wife’s car.   


 

When it comes to the extra weight of carrying a tool, I would imagine many of you (like me) would be better served by losing some of your own excess weight than paring down the 8-10 ounces that make up the average multitool! 

*knocks on wood*.  20 years later, I’m still the same size I was when I was in basic training.  My spouse and I eat healthy (lots of veggies, whole grains, very little meat), and exercise. It’s easier to keep from gaining weight than it is to lose weight.

For the moment, I am enjoying this little experiment in lightweight minimalism. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Don't carry a plier based MT on me, but I keep my S2 in my man-bag (or whatever you want to call it) primarily as a back-up tool, or for the rare times when I do need pliers.

A SAK meets 98% of my EDC needs other than lighting.  The tools I use most are a blade, scissors, and a philips driver.  I have a Rambler on my keychain, and a modded Outrider in my bag.  I usually have my Executive in my pocket, though sometimes I carry my Compact instead.  Occasionally I put my keys on my Outrider and pocket carry that.

My modded Outrider is as close to the perfect pocket-carry tool that I've been able to get.  The large blade means I rarely need a dedicated folding knife, and the great phillips driver it has is perfect for the regular battery changes I have to do on my kids' toys, remotes, nite-lites, etc.  Plus it's got the bottle opener, etc., and I keep the eye-glass screwdriver in the corkscrew since I also wear glasses.  If only I could get that exact same tool compliment in a 91 mm frame, I'd never let go of the bloody thing!

[Lynn LeFey]

The tool I seem to use most often is scissors. I think my decision to pick up a Crosscut all those years ago has proven a good one. I carry another keychain MT with pliers (and a small phillips) which the Crosscut lacks. Those cover all my bases for light duty.

When I've found that I need pliers, I need fine, needle nose pliers, or just something to get better grip on small things, and a keychain size plier is fine for this.

I went YEARS without a plier based MT. Carrying one now is really just a matter of saving me from having to dig out a tool-box for 2/3 of the things I might need to do around the house.

[powernoodle]

Six months later, and I'm still getting along just fine without a plier-based tool on my belt.  I have carried one on rare occasions, but I've been getting by just fine with either a Vic Classic and a few other tools on a key ring, or an Explorer Plus. 

Its quite liberating to have one less thing hanging on my belt.  In fact, the only thing left on my belt is a Fenix light.

I still have my basics covered just fine.  When I score a Rebar someday soon, I'm sure it will find a place on my belt for a while.  But for a guy like me who does not swing a hammer for a living, the times that I "need" the pliers are so very rare that its just not worth it for me anymore.

[Zed]

Don't carry a plier based MT on me, but I keep my S2 in my man-bag (or whatever you want to call it) primarily as a back-up tool, or for the rare times when I do need pliers.

A SAK meets 98% of my EDC needs other than lighting.  The tools I use most are a blade, scissors, and a philips driver.  I have a Rambler on my keychain, and a modded Outrider in my bag.  I usually have my Executive in my pocket, though sometimes I carry my Compact instead.  Occasionally I put my keys on my Outrider and pocket carry that.

My modded Outrider is as close to the perfect pocket-carry tool that I've been able to get.  The large blade means I rarely need a dedicated folding knife, and the great phillips driver it has is perfect for the regular battery changes I have to do on my kids' toys, remotes, nite-lites, etc.  Plus it's got the bottle opener, etc., and I keep the eye-glass screwdriver in the corkscrew since I also wear glasses.  If only I could get that exact same tool compliment in a 91 mm frame, I'd never let go of the bloody thing!

i have a little torch attached to my explorer so its 99% 

[Bosman2]

  Instead I've reverted to my trusty Leatherman Explorer Plus.  I actually do use the magnifier and tweezers from time to time.   I've gone for a whole day now without a plier-based MT on my belt, and I actually survived. 

Leatherman doesn't make an Explorer Plus....It is Victorinox.

[LooseNut]

Used to carry a skeletool for a while but ended up replacing it with a Vic Pioneer about 2 years ago and havent looked back. I keep a wave in the van for emergencies.
Never miss the pliers to be honest.

Cheers.

[Mr. Whippy]

During the work week,  I EDC a Vic Executive, an Atwood and a Lummi Raw NS.  I have a modded Vic I call the Quantum Mechanic (Cybertool driver, file and pliers with TimeKeeper scales) on my Desk and an Atwwod Bookie in my desk for lunch prep.

When I get home, and on weekends, I switch to a Leatherman Charge ALX, Vic Farmer and Fenix PD10.  Add an Atwood Roid Rench or PocketToolX Pyranha and that's my farm carry.  Not having pliers and a drivers on me would be a huge PITA on the farm.  If I'm in the garden, the LM file is indispensable (sharpening hoes, tillers, shovels etc).

[batrev]

I use a multi every day at work. Ironicly I carry a cheapie (fuse) because I don't want to mess up my surge or powerlock. They see weekend diy carry and day to day life. One day ill see a need at the red lobster and THEN who's the hero!

[sjian]

I stopped carrying 2 a few days ago, does that count?  I'd rather have my multi-tool and a flashlight rather than my keys, wallet or cellphone.

[Mercury]

I use a multi every day at work. Ironicly I carry a cheapie (fuse) because I don't want to mess up my surge or powerlock. They see weekend diy carry and day to day life. One day ill see a need at the red lobster and THEN who's the hero!

While it may have been inexpensive, I would hardly call the Fuse a "cheapie".  The Fuse is a smaller version of the Blast and both are rock solid quality tools.  A cheapie would be a Winchester or Ozark Trail model bought at wal mart.

[Smaug]

that I find it is easier to got and get a pair when I need them than to schlep them around all day.

I DO think it is a good idea to carry an MT remotely, like in the bag I take to work, or in a drawer that is easy to get to. Makes the pliers a little easier to get to when they're needed.

The rest of the time, I'm served well with my Vic Super Tinker or Wenger EvoGrip S16.

I think what happens is that those of us who have desk jobs don't normally need a pliers too often, and those of us who work on our feet need them more often.

I used to be an electrical technician. In those days, I would carry a lot more tools on me than I do today. Sometimes, I would even carry a full-on tool belt. It was nice always having The Right Tool for the Job, but not so nice, having my back tweaked off to one side.

Now, I'm an engineer who does most of his work from a computer, and I know ahead of time if I'm likely to need a pliers. When I need to go down to the lab, I'll make sure I have a multi-tool or SAK, or if I'm REALLY planning to do some work, then I'll just grab my small toolbox.

[Mercury]

You know it's funny, I am in Security for a large Resort right now and you wouldn't think I would ever need pliers.  Wrong.  I use my pliers every single day working on door locks and night latches.  Countless other things too, but I just can't get through any day without them.  We have maintenance guys at the Resort that don't carry a MT, but I carry mine everywhere.  I heard one of them call another over the Radio yesterday asking if he had some needlenose pliers. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I got a Crunch last fall and while it's a fantastic tool, I decided it's hardly what I need for EDC carry.  So I made some room in the tool kit I keep on my bike, and put it in there.  I figure that's the place I'll need it most, since I already have a full set of hex keys and 8, 9, and 10 mm combo wrenches as well.

Biking is when I need a plier based tool most often, and since I've put my Crunch in my dedicated cycling toolkit, I've been considering off-loading my Juice from my bag in favor of something else.  Not sure what yet though.  Considering my Work Champ, but that'll require buying a new holster that can do horizontal carry.

[Mr. Whippy]

I got a Crunch last fall and while it's a fantastic tool, I decided it's hardly what I need for EDC carry.  So I made some room in the tool kit I keep on my bike, and put it in there.  I figure that's the place I'll need it most, since I already have a full set of hex keys and 8, 9, and 10 mm combo wrenches as well.

Biking is when I need a plier based tool most often, and since I've put my Crunch in my dedicated cycling toolkit, I've been considering off-loading my Juice from my bag in favor of something else.  Not sure what yet though.  Considering my Work Champ, but that'll require buying a new holster that can do horizontal carry.

You know, I completely agree with this.  The Crunch is a fantastic secondary/backup tool, but it's not quite right for a primary MT.  I think your point is a good one Heinz.  I think my Crunch is going into the bike kit.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I got a Crunch last fall and while it's a fantastic tool, I decided it's hardly what I need for EDC carry.  So I made some room in the tool kit I keep on my bike, and put it in there.  I figure that's the place I'll need it most, since I already have a full set of hex keys and 8, 9, and 10 mm combo wrenches as well.

Biking is when I need a plier based tool most often, and since I've put my Crunch in my dedicated cycling toolkit, I've been considering off-loading my Juice from my bag in favor of something else.  Not sure what yet though.  Considering my Work Champ, but that'll require buying a new holster that can do horizontal carry.

You know, I completely agree with this.  The Crunch is a fantastic secondary/backup tool, but it's not quite right for a primary MT.  I think your point is a good one Heinz.  I think my Crunch is going into the bike kit.

You know, I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out.  It makes perfect sense to pair it up with the combo wrenches I have in my bike kit. 

I have to admit, it's been a long time since I had to do more than just patch a tube while out riding, but I know how fate works... as soon as I don't have it, something will happen and I'll need it!  So I look at it like insurance; you hope you never have to use it, but if you do, it's a good thing you've got it!