Not expecting much (MP400)

Dunc · **on:** February 14, 2011, 05:00:38 PM

As most of you know I had a MP400 back in August lastyear and sold it because the scissors weren't up to much .Well I kind of missed the little tool and as its std issue for H.M Coastguard rope Rescue teams I thought I really should have one in my collection .

Now I'm quite well known for my attention to detail and I can find fault with just about every multitool I get , blades too loose, plier play ,gaps etc. and just about anything else that can get missed , overlooked or slip through quality control .

So when the MP400 arrived I really wasnt expecting it to be any different .What a pleasant surprise when I gave it a good look over ( with a magnifying glass

) and found I couldn't fault it anywhere . Apart from the black stuff on the plier head ( grinding paste ) which I can wipe off and the burr on the blade which didn't bother me as all my new blades go straight on the sharpening stones regardless of how they are out of the box ( with the exception of certain drawer queens ) it had no faults what so ever

The last three tools I bought were all Leathermans and I could find faults with all of them .

So I started to look at the MP400 in a slightly different light and thought I'd put it to work and see how it bears up .

So far I've used the large flat driver to screw on a door handle , the phillips also as I only had three slot screws so I found a phillips to make it up to four . Again I used the large flat to screw in a screw that fell out of the computer chair . I used the can openers on a tim of beans to see how it would perform . Now I think Vic do the best all round can openers and after using the Gerbers I still think Vic do the best can openers lol it wasn't good at all but it did open the tin so I wouldn't have died of starvation .
I also used it to force open the CD rom drive on my Father in laws computer as it had jammed .

So apart from the can opener not being very good although it did open the can and is alot better then SOGS I can't really fault it yet and believe me I will tell you all about it the moment it does fail .

The story so far ........... Great little tool and my Birthday carry

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2011, 06:39:32 PM

Happy Birthday Dunc

Congrats on the good catch ... is it actually a new one or an older model??

Dunc · **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2011, 07:05:33 PM

Quote from: 50ft-trad on February 14, 2011, 06:39:32 PM

Happy Birthday Dunc

Congrats on the good catch ... is it actually a new one or an older model??

Its a new model and I can confirm that the bottle opener works very well

Dunc · **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2011, 07:33:38 PM

And on the second bottle its still working fine

Gareth · **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2011, 08:38:36 PM

Good to hear from another happy Gerber user. Gerber seem to come in for a lot of stick here, some of it well deserved I'll admit, but not all of it. The MP400 and MP600 are two tools that seem most likely to satisfy when it comes to build quality, or so it seems to be most of the time. I know I'm perfectly happy with my MP600, happy enough that I'd certainly consider a MP400 at some point.

J-sews · **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2011, 03:45:19 AM

We'll be expecting a full review soon on all the features Duncanheimer!

(If you ever finish up with that bottle opener test that is)

nuphoria · **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2011, 04:07:27 AM

So, how did that bottle opener hold up after multiple usage then?

hawkchucker · **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2011, 02:58:16 AM

Glad you got a winner!!! And as I allways say , If it works for you fantastic!!

But I got to ask and it really isnt any of my buissness. But if it is issue why did ya have to buy on? Couldnt you just go to suppy for one? Im sorry if this is a stupid question but it tweeks me when you serve and have to buy kit.

Dunc · **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2011, 08:49:56 AM

Quote from: hawkchucker on February 16, 2011, 02:58:16 AM

Glad you got a winner!!! And as I allways say , If it works for you fantastic!!

But I got to ask and it really isnt any of my buissness. But if it is issue why did ya have to buy on? Couldnt you just go to suppy for one? Im sorry if this is a stupid question but it tweeks me when you serve and have to buy kit.

They only supply one tool to each team

and what with me being a bit of an enthusiast

I want my own lol

Dunc · **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2011, 12:09:26 PM

Just had another look at the can opener .What I've found is the tip of the can opener has a tendency to wander in to center of the lid as you go round the tin . This means you have to keep starting again and you end up with just a jagged mess that looks like a homemade Shuriken

The trick is to be conscious of keeping the tip near the edge and then it performs ok . Maybe its because I'm left handed

scrappy · **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:46:19 AM

That is great to hear Dunc

J-sews · **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2011, 12:59:12 AM

Quote from: Dunc on February 16, 2011, 12:09:26 PM

Just had another look at the can opener .What I've found is the tip of the can opener has a tendency to wander in to center of the lid as you go round the tin . This means you have to keep starting again and you end up with just a jagged mess that looks like a homemade Shuriken The trick is to be conscious of keeping the tip near the edge and then it performs ok . Maybe its because I'm left handed

Interesting. I must confess that I've never tried the can opener on mine. $:-\$

Dunc · **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2011, 10:19:38 AM

Well thats Saturdays project for you Bob . Beans for Tea ?

ACHË · **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2011, 09:14:03 AM

I've always had a thing for the 400...

No flaws in mine either, but overall it's just a joy to use...

Gareth · **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2011, 02:05:35 PM

Quote from: Gareth on February 14, 2011, 08:38:36 PM

Good to hear from another happy Gerber user. Gerber seem to come in for a lot of stick here, some of it well deserved I'll admit, but not all of it. The MP400 and MP600 are two tools that seem most likely to satisfy when it comes to build quality, or so it seems to be most of the time. I know I'm perfectly happy with my MP600, happy enough that I'd certainly consider a MP400 at some point.

Well I found myself considering an MP400 a lot sooner than I thought I would, as I found a stall selling some at a car boot sale. Most had some real issues; broken locks, chewed up tools, gunged up with some very dodgy looking stuff, but one was in good nick needing only a touch of oil to bring it back to full working order. So a good condition MP400 for the grand sum of £10.

I'm a happy chap.

Dunc · **Reply #15 on:** February 20, 2011, 02:19:54 PM

Quote from: Gareth on February 20, 2011, 02:05:35 PM

Quote from: Gareth on February 14, 2011, 08:38:36 PM
Good to hear from another happy Gerber user. Gerber seem to come in for a lot of stick here, some of it well deserved I'll admit, but not all of it. The MP400 and MP600 are two tools that seem most likely to satisfy when it comes to build quality, or so it seems to be most of the time. I know I'm perfectly happy with my MP600, happy enough that I'd certainly consider a MP400 at some point.

Well I found myself considering an MP400 a lot sooner than I thought I would, as I found a stall selling some at a car boot sale. Most had some real issues; broken locks, chewed up tools, gunged up with some very dodgy looking stuff, but one was in good nick needing only a touch of oil to bring it back to full working order. So a good condition MP400 for the grand sum of £10. I'm a happy chap.

Thats a good score

don't forget , pics or it didn't happen

does it have the old style blade , and did you get a sheath too ?

Gareth · **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2011, 03:22:50 PM

No sheath and, happily, the old style blade. I think I've got a old Gerber sheath that might fit it kicking around somewhere though, if not then it'll go in a flat nylon LM sheath I use quite a bit.

Gareth · **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2011, 05:28:45 PM

Here are some pics, just to prove to Dunc I really do have one.

J-sews · **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2011, 05:40:21 PM

Oooh, that one does look to be in fine shape.

Good score Gareth!

Dunc · **Reply #19 on:** February 20, 2011, 06:03:16 PM

Nice one Gareth

I can see from your photo its the old blade but I can also see the plier jaws are a little different

Bugger here we go again

I'll take a better pic of my plier jaws and lets play "when did that happen " again

Bob how did you get on with the can opener ?

Dunc · **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2011, 06:29:41 PM

I can't get a clear enough photo with my mobile but on my plier jaws there is a smooth part at the tip and at the base of the needle nose jaws .The grooves are between the smooth parts .

Sorry for the poor pics but you may be able to see what I mean . I wonder if these changed at the same time as the knife blade ?

Gareth · **Reply #21 on:** February 20, 2011, 07:46:46 PM

Mine does have the same flats, but perhaps not quite as pronounced. Could just be variations in casting at different times I'd guess.

I gave the can opener a go myself earlier and, though it's not nearly as good as Vic's, it's not at all as bad as I was expecting.

Certainly got me into my soup and in reasonable time, but just not as neat a job as I could have done with a Vic.

Dunc · **Reply #22 on:** February 20, 2011, 08:02:58 PM

Yeh maybe the casting is more pronounced like you said . The other one I had at the end of last year was the same .

I must say I thought the can opener really sucked the first time I used it but with practice it was quite good although it sure ain't no Vic lol

Dunc · **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2011, 09:31:38 AM

Just a quick update on this , its still performing very well on the whole .I've just opend a fourth can with the can opener and now I've got the hang of it it works very well

on the down side is the lack of hard wire cutters

and it couldn't manage to cut through a big fish hook and resulted to some minor damage to the cutters

although it continues to cut electrical wire with ease .
One last thing I'll mention in this post is the knife blade .It takes an edge well on the sharpmaker and it performed without fault in all the things I've used it for but Why is the nail nick on the inside ? I can only imagine Gerber discontinued the older blade in favour of this one which is from another model

Gareth · **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2011, 06:51:37 PM

I've been using my MP400 today as well and am very happy with it. Good comfortable pliers, excellent little scissors and well formed screwdrivers. Not so keen on combo edged blades but as I always carry a pocket knife at work it's not really an issue. I'm still happy I've got the older style blade though, the newer Wharncliffe just doesn't appeal to me at all.

The other thing that I'm not so keen on is the fact you can't have the handle lying end-to-end (as you would with a Skeletool) but, due to the nature of the sliding plier head, the handles will always be side-by-side when using the screwdrivers. This, more so than the shortness of the screwdrivers themselves, is what can limit the spaces where the screwdrivers can be used.

Still think this is a much under-appreciated multitool though.

ryan1835 · **Reply #25 on:** March 07, 2011, 10:23:47 PM

im going to have to get a slidey head gerber at some point - just got to decide what one though!

Dunc · **Reply #26 on:** March 10, 2011, 02:20:51 PM

Quote from: ryan1835 on March 07, 2011, 10:23:47 PM

im going to have to get a slidey head gerber at some point - just got to decide what one though!

You could start off with a very basic 600 series and if you like it then move onto models with replaceble wire cutters and saw blades or even the EOD model .

Millhouse · **Reply #27 on:** March 10, 2011, 06:03:25 PM

When I had a 400, I use to find it very therapeutic flicking the pliers in and out. Use to drive everyone mad. About the only thing I miss from a MT.

Gareth · **Reply #28 on:** March 10, 2011, 06:47:27 PM

Quote from: Millhouse on March 10, 2011, 06:03:25 PM

When I had a 400, I use to find it very therapeutic flicking the pliers in and out. Use to drive everyone mad. About the only thing I miss from a MT.

When I first got a MP600 I drove my wife nuts doing the same thing. It's definitely therapeutic though.

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Not expecting much (MP400)

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