I've broken every SOG tool I ever owned(Why do you like these things?)

[MD Froman]

2 Paratools and a Power Plier all blew chunks and I have been super mad at them since the late 1990s and switched to Leatherman and never looked back but people are telling me to buy one if I want to configure a purpose built tool because I can buy any blade or bit that I want(I politely decline).

Do you guy really baby these things or have they improved the quality?

[J-sews]

Hmm. Can't say I've ever treated a SOG any kinder than a Leatherman, yet I've never had one fail.

What part(s) broke on yours if I may ask?

[MD Froman]

Hmm. Can't say I've ever treated a SOG any kinder than a Leatherman, yet I've never had one fail.

What part(s) broke on yours if I may ask?

The compound leverage parts on the Power Plier(and it's replacement) and the head sprung on the first Para Tool and the screhead broke off on the second Para Tool. I eventually gave up and didn't even bother to send them in and bought a Leatherman Super Tool which lasted until it dropped through a grate to be lost forever and I replaced it with one of the first LM Charge XTis that went into circulation. I used the LMs as hard as I used the SOGs and other than breaking the very tip off of one of the needle nose tips on my Charge while using it to hold a piece of heavy sheetmetal while beating it back into shape with a hammer(my fault) I have been totally satisfied with them.

I really liked the SOG's compound leverage so I didn't have to have a "Death Grip" to hold onto something but the thing couldn't stand 2 months in a real world industrial work environment

[Jors]

See my reply #22 on

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,26182.0.html

[yud]

All I can say is between my Powerlock and Paratool I have not had a problem, somthing I can not say of my one Leatherman (style cs)

[Gareth]

I've done much more damage to my Leatherman's than I have a SOG.  But then, I don't own a SOG.   On a slightly more serious note I suppose what I'm saying is that every MT has it's limits and some care should be taken. 

Happily we don't hear too many complaints about SOG's durability, so it's interesting (and unfortunate) to hear your experience.

[jekostas]

Oddly, enough, a Sog is about the only brand of MT I haven't broken.  Broke a Kf4 and Skeletool SS, a Gerber MP400 and a Swisstool Spirit X. 

On the other hand the only SOG MT I own is a Gold TiNi PPP and I'm not going to be putting that one through any hard use.

sawman's thread is still pretty good, though.

[Dr. Bahn]

The compound leverage parts on the Power Plier(and it's replacement) and the head sprung on the first Para Tool and the screhead broke off on the second Para Tool. I eventually gave up and didn't even bother to send them in and bought a Leatherman Super Tool which lasted until it dropped through a grate to be lost forever and I replaced it with one of the first LM Charge XTis that went into circulation. I used the LMs as hard as I used the SOGs and other than breaking the very tip off of one of the needle nose tips on my Charge while using it to hold a piece of heavy sheetmetal while beating it back into shape with a hammer(my fault) I have been totally satisfied with them.

I really liked the SOG's compound leverage so I didn't have to have a "Death Grip" to hold onto something but the thing couldn't stand 2 months in a real world industrial work environment

What did you exactly do with the multitools when they broke? And what do you do with the mt in an industrial environment? Multitools are not ment to replace a specialized tool and all of them will brake if abused (Like all specialized tools will do,too.).

Imo comparing a ParaTool/Pocket Powerplier to a Charge/Super Tool is a bit like comparing apples to pears. A Charge/ST weighs about 1 1/2 to 2 times as much as a PT/PPP because the tools and handles are built stronger.

Personally I will not buy a LM anymore in near future because all LM I have handled in the last few years were of poor quality. Blades were terribly grinded, tools had massive play, screws seemed to have been mistaken for bolts, ... Problems I never had or couldn´t fix myself easily with my two ParaTools and CrossCut. Okay, LM scissors seem to be better, but I can live with that, since I don´t really need scissors on a mt.

[Jors]

Dr Bahn said:

Personally I will not buy a LM anymore in near future because all LM I have handled in the last few years were of poor quality. Blades were terribly grinded, tools had massive play, screws seemed to have been mistaken for bolts

I can now honestly say that I have bought a SOG Powerlock after I have bought my Leathermans in the following order:
Wave 2, Surge, Micra (2nd Hand), Supertool 300, MUT (STD). With the exception of the Micra, all my Leathermans are new and large. Of all these Leatherman I can say there are no play at all, none are poorly grounded or misaligned. I have also bought a 2nd Hand Swizztool and I can say honestly that the Leatherman are superior to the SOG.
I must say that I am still exited about the SOG and the compound leverage. To save the tool I am going to buy a Big Leatherman like a Blast, Core, Supertool, etc and use its tools in the SOG Powerlock's frame. Then I will have a super multitool.
I live a few minutes away from Leatherman here in Durbanville. If I brake or damage something, they will repair it immediately, but if anything else brakes......   I arrest my case.
Every one has their own opinion and that is mine. I agree that a multitool is not meant to abuse and I will decline some tasks to myself just to not abuse my tool.

jekostas said:

Oddly, enough, a Sog is about the only brand of MT I haven't broken.  Broke a Kf4 and Skeletool SS, a Gerber MP400 and a Swisstool Spirit X.

The quoted leathermans are small tools for light duty, where my ones can compare to the SOG Paratool which is also a big tool. It's pliers are just as big as the Core, Surge ST 300 or MUT.

[Fishnuts2]

Of all the Multis out there, SOG is about the last on my worry list pertaining to durability.  I'm almost ashamed to tell about the abuse that my Power Plier has taken in stride.  ie; Turning a stainless screw out of my boat with the straight screwdriver whilst the driver is at a 90 degree and the handles are fully straight apart for leverage.  I twisted the driver slightly, but I got the screw out.  (I couldn't twist it with a regular screwdriver.)

Or, the time I had to enlarge a hole in a steel sided barn by jamming the jaws in the hole and using them as an awl to get it to about 3/4 inch.  Then, using the pliers tear away the flags of metal around the hole to finish.

I have more trouble losing bits from another brand in snowbanks with my cold, stiff, fingers.

[yud]

Dr Bahn said:

Personally I will not buy a LM anymore in near future because all LM I have handled in the last few years were of poor quality. Blades were terribly grinded, tools had massive play, screws seemed to have been mistaken for bolts

I can now honestly say that I have bought a SOG Powerlock after I have bought my Leathermans in the following order:
Wave 2, Surge, Micra (2nd Hand), Supertool 300, MUT (STD). With the exception of the Micra, all my Leathermans are new and large. Of all these Leatherman I can say there are no play at all, none are poorly grounded or misaligned. I have also bought a 2nd Hand Swizztool and I can say honestly that the Leatherman are superior to the SOG.
I must say that I am still exited about the SOG and the compound leverage. To save the tool I am going to buy a Big Leatherman like a Blast, Core, Supertool, etc and use its tools in the SOG Powerlock's frame. Then I will have a super multitool.

I assume the problems you have not had with LM are the problems you have had with SOG

If you have a problem with the SOG having side to side play, the answer is tighten the screws. 

I live a few minutes away from Leatherman here in Durbanville. If I brake or damage something, they will repair it immediately, but if anything else brakes......   I arrest my case.
Every one has their own opinion and that is mine. I agree that a multitool is not meant to abuse and I will decline some tasks to myself just to not abuse my tool.

jekostas said:

Oddly, enough, a Sog is about the only brand of MT I haven't broken.  Broke a Kf4 and Skeletool SS, a Gerber MP400 and a Swisstool Spirit X.

The quoted leathermans are small tools for light duty, where my ones can compare to the SOG Paratool which is also a big tool. It's pliers are just as big as the Core, Surge ST 300 or MUT.

the Paratool is a light tool, it is only the size of PST and the handles are not as strong what I would exspect from a juice or and certainly not a Core, Surge, ST 300, or MUT.  Have you ever played around with a Paratool?

[Dr. Bahn]

the Paratool is a light tool, it is only the size of PST and the handles are not as strong what I would exspect from a juice or and certainly not a Core, Surge, ST 300, or MUT.  Have you ever played around with a Paratool?

Very true! It doesn´t really matter if the pliers have the same size when the handles are not in the same weight/size class. And like I wrote before, compared to a ParaTool the ST300 is definitively in a higher weight/size class.

I can now honestly say that I have bought a SOG Powerlock after I have bought my Leathermans in the following order:
Wave 2, Surge, Micra (2nd Hand), Supertool 300, MUT (STD). With the exception of the Micra, all my Leathermans are new and large. Of all these Leatherman I can say there are no play at all, none are poorly grounded or misaligned.

I own 9 LM in all sizes and none is as perfectly processed as my 2 ParaTools are. I don´t want to say that all LM are like that, but mine are... So no LM for me anymore!

[Jors]

Yud said:

I assume the problems you have not had with LM are the problems you have had with SOG

If you have a problem with the SOG having side to side play, the answer is tighten the screws. 

No Yud, there are no side play. The knife for example, after I opened it and the lock have engaged, the tip of the knife can still go from open to close or the other way around about 3 mm. The scissors don't lock, I have to move at both ways several times and force the lock to engage.
___________________________________________
Dr Bahn said:

I own 9 LM in all sizes and none is as perfectly processed as my 2 ParaTools are. I don´t want to say that all LM are like that, but mine are... So no LM for me anymore!

Here I differ from you but I have only one Powerlock to compare. Maybe there is a way to adjust the play.
A friend of mine has the Pocketpliers now for a couple of years and he is very satisfied. I have not seen the Paratool yet to compare.
So far I only had good experience with Leatherman and so some of my colleagues. Some never, but some had there tools serviced by Leatherman at trade shows. Some of them (majority) bought just the one tool and have used it for years: here I refer to a Wave 1, Pulse, Original Leatherman, Supertool 1, Blast Supertool 200 and another one with a Wave 1. I am the only one I know of who bought several. But I also have several knives.

I have not broken a multitool ever as I look after my tools.

I have also had two Gerber tools in my hands before. Not interested / Impressed.

[yud]

Yeah the scissors are flawed that way, the fix is you have to hold the lock in so it engages

[MD Froman]

The compound leverage parts on the Power Plier(and it's replacement) and the head sprung on the first Para Tool and the screhead broke off on the second Para Tool. I eventually gave up and didn't even bother to send them in and bought a Leatherman Super Tool which lasted until it dropped through a grate to be lost forever and I replaced it with one of the first LM Charge XTis that went into circulation. I used the LMs as hard as I used the SOGs and other than breaking the very tip off of one of the needle nose tips on my Charge while using it to hold a piece of heavy sheetmetal while beating it back into shape with a hammer(my fault) I have been totally satisfied with them.

I really liked the SOG's compound leverage so I didn't have to have a "Death Grip" to hold onto something but the thing couldn't stand 2 months in a real world industrial work environment

What did you exactly do with the multitools when they broke? And what do you do with the mt in an industrial environment? Multitools are not ment to replace a specialized tool and all of them will brake if abused (Like all specialized tools will do,too.).

Imo comparing a ParaTool/Pocket Powerplier to a Charge/Super Tool is a bit like comparing apples to pears. A Charge/ST weighs about 1 1/2 to 2 times as much as a PT/PPP because the tools and handles are built stronger.

Personally I will not buy a LM anymore in near future because all LM I have handled in the last few years were of poor quality. Blades were terribly grinded, tools had massive play, screws seemed to have been mistaken for bolts, ... Problems I never had or couldn´t fix myself easily with my two ParaTools and CrossCut. Okay, LM scissors seem to be better, but I can live with that, since I don´t really need scissors on a mt.

I was using them in a refinery machineshop and on a construction site doing things like twisting fence wire, holding a nut while starting a screw, pulling large cotter pins, picking up parts still to hot to touch from welding, popping bands on bundles of rebar. The same sorts of things I use a set of Klein needlenose pliers on for years. I used to carry a SOG Tomcat, Klein Pliers and a multibit screw driver in my pockets and when the multitools evolved beyond the smallish original LM tool I was pleased to see SOG get into the game. The Power Plier was the original big one, not the mini they offer now and the para tools seems to have soft screws maybe aluminum? I think most of the cheaper LMs are shoddy as well with only the original 9oz Super Tool and the Charge and maybe the MUT being up to snuff(I may be buying a MUT soon).

Everytime I pick up an MT I about think about my Power Plier and how neat it would have been if that compound leverage plate between the two segments didn't break. Unbelievable gripping power and my hand scarcely got tired even after using it off and on all day.