Swisstool fails me today!

[Leatherman123]

First, I will start this as I am a police officer. I use multitools everyday and I prefer the one handed opening over the nail nick on the swisstool or the 30 second process on my powerlock! But today I tried my Swisstool and I am not impressed. I was in my police car driving on a main road and I saw a dog trapped under a fence. So today I brought my new swisstool rs to try it out. I tried to use the swisstool wirecutters to cut the fence and it was unable to cut it. So I always keep a leatherman surge in my duty bag so I ran to the car and used the stranded wire cutters to cut the fence with ease.

[J-sews]

So the Surge was able to cut through it with ease, but not the SwissTool....what kind of a fence was it exactly?

[Anthony]

If you didn't have the Surge on you, do you think you could have used the Swiss Tool file to cut the fence enough to snap it with the wire cutters?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

First, I will start this as I am a police officer. I use multitools everyday and I prefer the one handed opening over the nail nick on the swisstool or the 30 second process on my powerlock! But today I tried my Swisstool and I am not impressed. I was in my police car driving on a main road and I saw a dog trapped under a fence. So today I brought my new swisstool rs to try it out. I tried to use the swisstool wirecutters to cut the fence and it was unable to cut it. So I always keep a leatherman surge in my duty bag so I ran to the car and used the stranded wire cutters to cut the fence with ease.

I,m very suprised the Swisstool let you down,what sort of gauge fence was it?

[David Bowen]

It would have had to have been some serious fencing, a friend of mine and I faced off a long time ago with a race between a ST and a Powerlock to see who could cut through the steel the quickest. The diameter I am not sure exactly, but it was chain link fence easily if not thicker. The Powerlock did it with ease but the swisstool did not fail either, he had to squeeze a heck of alot more but the ST showed no signs of damage.

David

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

It would have had to have been some serious fencing, a friend of mine and I faced off a long time ago with a race between a ST and a Powerlock to see who could cut through the steel the quickest. The diameter I am not sure exactly, but it was chain link fence easily if not thicker. The Powerlock did it with ease but the swisstool did not fail either, he had to squeeze a heck of alot more but the ST showed no signs of damage.

David

That's been the case in my experience too, sure a powerlock would have choped through the wire with less user fatigue, but the Swisstool would have managed it too, even at the cost of a few more calories ;D

I can't see how a Surge would have been able to do the task where the Swisstool could not

[parnass]

Leatherman123,

It's a good thing you had a backup multitool.    Hope the dog survived the ordeal.

[jock1]

I would love to hear more of this fence as I have just went out back and removed a small section of my fence just for research purposes with no problems cutting a single strand granted the ST would not cut the sections that had three strands twisted together I resorted to the hacksaw!

[Leatherman123]

I indeed could have used the file but that would have taken a long time. I would say like 15 gauge possibly. Im sure I could have eventually got throw it with the swisstool but the stranded wire cutters I believe work better on high strength material such as fencing. And the dog was a pit-bull which i wasnt to comfortable getting close too and it had some gashes on its back but the owners that live close were looking for there dog and they were very happy for me basically saving the dogs life. The dog did go to the vet and the family called me earlier and said that '' tiger'' had to get one of those head basket things and a few stitches but for the most part the pitbull is in good shape

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Well I'm glad the doggie was ok

[tango44]

First of all let me thank you for the good action not all the Police officers will take the time to save a dog, at least not here in Miami, thanks for the good action.

I never had a problem with my Swisstool cutting any type of wire even double barb wire was cuted without a problem but you have to make sure that the swisstool is not damaged. In the other hand you just open my eyes I only carry a Swisstool in my car and I don't have a back up multitool so tonight when I get home I will put my Surge  on the car, thanks and congrats.

 

[Leatherman123]

Thanks, now to mention it the wirecutters on my swisstool are not very impressive. The struggle cutting the thick coat hangers. Possibly my tool is damaged. But that could also be because the swisstool wirecutters dont cut clean they bend and then cut

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thanks, now to mention it the wirecutters on my swisstool are not very impressive. The struggle cutting the thick coat hangers. Possibly my tool is damaged. But that could also be because the swisstool wirecutters dont cut clean they bend and then cut

It does sound that way, maybe you should try and compare them to another swisstool, failing that let Victorinox's warrenty department take a look, you might be the one in 2 million that got a bit of a rogue

[Dunc]

I done a video a while back showing a swisstool cutting a coat hanger to bits , its in the multi media section on here . As for using the file to cut the fence ? you cant as the RS hasnt got one 

Dunc

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I done a video a while back showing a swisstool cutting a coat hanger to bits , its in the multi media section on here . As for using the file to cut the fence ? you cant as the RS hasnt got one 

Dunc

That was a pukka video mate, especially the satisfying sniping noise ;D

So are you back for good?

[Leatherman123]

Dunc you are totally right! I totally forgot it had the scissors and belt cutter.

[J-sews]

Here is Dunc's video of a coat hanger being destroyed. I can't imagine it being done any better.

[tango44]

Great video but I think that fences are thicker than hangers.
I will try today.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Don't re-enact it too closely- not all fences with pitbulls on the other side are as positive as LM123's!

Def

[Benner]

That's a very impressive video.

I've struggled to cut wire that thick with some side cutters!

[Anthony]

I needed to break and bend a coathanger a few days ago and my PowerLock ate through it like a Fiskars through paper

[znapschatz]

I done a video a while back showing a swisstool cutting a coat hanger to bits , its in the multi media section on here . As for using the file to cut the fence ? you cant as the RS hasnt got one 

Dunc

Dunc,

Is this a good test?  Just now I finished cutting up the thickest coathanger in the house with a Juice.  It took more force than with something larger, but quite doable, no damage to the wire cutter.  How thick was your hanger?

[Swiss Man]

With all new tools coming into the house they get "tested" against the Swisstool (even the Spirit) I tried the coat hanger test with the SOG Powerlock and the Swisstool, I will admit the SOG was an easier cut but the Swiss wasn't shabby at all.

Bottom line the difference wasn't enough to make the SOG my number 1.

[CQC-7]

I used my swisstool spirit once to cut swingset chain that was attached to my boat with a rusted shut master lock.  It worked very very well.  I am suprised that the swisstool did not cut the fencing easily.

[Travis Autry]

I EDC a SwissTool and have used it on many types and gauges of wire.  I've never had a problem.  The first time I tried it on chainlink fencing I was surprised how easily it cut the wire.

I guess that is one of the things that makes MultiTool.org such a special place.  We all have the opportunity to share our experiences and learn from one another.

[anbqanbq]

I have not used leatherman surge before. I once tried to cut a wood screw using Charge Ti. It did cut the screw tip, but also damaged its piler tooth, the alignment is change and even hard to close the plier. I tried Swisstool RS, it cut the wood screw with ease, even the diameter of screw is bigger.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I have not used leatherman surge before. I once tried to cut a wood screw using Charge Ti. It did cut the screw tip, but also damaged its piler tooth, the alignment is change and even hard to close the plier. I tried Swisstool RS, it cut the wood screw with ease, even the diameter of screw is bigger.

That's pretty impressive cutting performance mate

Was there any damage to the wire cutter at all

[anbqanbq]

No, my RS still looks like new. By the way, it took a lot of time to open and close to re-align my Ti's plier tooth. I won't try hard stuff using my Ti any more. One more word, I really like Ti's big knife with the function of one-hand-open. Hope Swisstool could adopt this advantage later.

I have not used leatherman surge before. I once tried to cut a wood screw using Charge Ti. It did cut the screw tip, but also damaged its piler tooth, the alignment is change and even hard to close the plier. I tried Swisstool RS, it cut the wood screw with ease, even the diameter of screw is bigger.

That's pretty impressive cutting performance mate

Was there any damage to the wire cutter at all

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

One more word, I really like Ti's big knife with the function of one-hand-open. Hope Swisstool could adopt this advantage later.

[/quote]You never know it could happen, there must be a new swisstool waiting in the wings

[ieraseu]

I'm really impressed by the video of the Swisstool cutting that coat hanger so easily. I once cut a coat hanger with a Leatherman Supertool (old model), and it was able to accomplish the task but it was very difficult and doing so damaged the wire cutters. I also have a Leatherman Charge XTi which is said to have 'hard wire cutters', but because of my previous experience with the Supertool I am hesitant to try this test. Here is a picture of the damage the 'supertool' sustained after cutting through a coat hanger. Notice the denting in the wire cutters.