Well, I got lucky and won Peter/zoidberg's great, and very generous giveaway of his Knifeless Charge.
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,56938.0.htmlIt came a couple of days ago after a very long journey from NZ all the way to the east coast of the USA. Perfectly packed: styrofoam peanuts, bubble-wrap, taped box. I promised a couple of pics of it, and my impressions, so here goes.
Here's the original thread about the work that went in to making the mod.
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,56835.0.htmlThere are lots of good pics there, so all I have added are a couple of pics showing the tool in my hands, with somewhat interesting backgrounds.
My impressions of the Charge: I don't think this comes over too well in the pics but the tool looks very steampunk-ish. It seems every surface of the tool has been worked on in some way, always with care and a goal to improving function. Inner tools all have light buffing or polishing marks on them, and slip/click into place very smoothly. Pivots and their washers or bearing surfaces all feel like they have been micro-polished with superfine grit Crocus Cloth. Same for the plier head surfaces, and the pliers open and close very smoothly. Even the tool fastener heads have been reduced so they protrude from the tool less, and then polished. As is clear, this is a knifeless mod, so Peter reduced the overall thickness of the tool corresponding to the removed components. The result is a Charge that is almost identical in overall size and thickness to a Rebar. Finally, all four scales have been "blued".
So, what might I change? Well, there are a couple of fit and finish items. There are nail nicks that have been ground into the saw and file. The saw end is also accessible via fingernail as the scale is relieved. But the File end is not possible to open with a nail at the very end as the scale relief is not present. This is not an issue of the tool is adjusted to open loosely, but I prefer a slightly tighter opening tool, and then even slight extra tightness makes it so the file cannot be opened. There is then just a bit too much friction. I may take off the scale, and cut a nail relief into the appropriate end.
At some point I think I'll dismantle the tool and dremel slots into all the fasteners on the tool. Currently six heads have been slotted already, but 2 haven't.
That's about it. It's a lovely reworking of the Leatherman Charge, and works well on days when one doesn't need a pair of knife blades, or when one can't carry blades for any reason. Many thanks to Peter for this generous giveaway.
Donations
Community Links
