Multitool saw couplers, like 'em or no?

J-sews · **on:** March 27, 2011, 10:35:21 PM

So in principle, what do you think about the concept of removeable/exchangeable jigsaw blades on multitools? The Gerber 600 and the Leatherman Surge are no doubt the most common examples. Any personal experiences with them, good or bad?

Okay to select up to 4 choices in the poll. (I chose 1, 2, 3, and 4)

enki_ck · **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:52:43 PM

It is a great concept, I liked the idea a lot, but the execution, not so much. I would rather have a dedicated diamond coated file for a OH tool and this blade exchanger instead of that eyeglass screwdriver on the surge (have you tried using it to repair a pair of glasses, like threading a needle with a forklift). If it didn't have to accommodate the file, the exchanger could be slimmer and would hold the jigsaw blades more securely, mine always wobbled. The standard Bosch blades were too thin compared to the original, and too long to be able to close the tool with them in it. So why not add a shorter thiner original jigsaw blade, and have the ability to carry spares in that pouch that came with them.

A thought for a surge 2.0.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2011, 02:38:01 AM

Is a replaceable saw blade really a necessity? The only function it appears to have in my book is interchangeability since I don't think I've ever used a SAK or multitool saw significantly enough to have dulled it. Has anyone else?

The interchangeability factor (ability to use multiple saw types) seems limited to me as well, since I would have to have space in the sheath to carry multiple pieces, and so I have to wonder if I'd be better off just carrying a larger or better equipped tool.

Still, I suppose there's something to be said for an easy to replace saw in the event of breakage, but then I'm not sure I'd ever even broken one.

Def

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2011, 02:54:33 AM

Oats?

You're laying your tools in oats?

I like the Gerber version better than Leatherman's. It's a nice feature, but it has to hold the blade firmly and allow good access to the wood/medium.

J-sews · **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2011, 03:12:18 AM

Quote from: Mr. Whippy on March 28, 2011, 02:54:33 AM

Oats?

You're laying your tools in oats?

Sorry

Perhaps you would prefer candy corn or cherries...?

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2011, 03:49:53 AM

Quote from: J-sews on March 28, 2011, 03:12:18 AM

Quote from: Mr. Whippy on March 28, 2011, 02:54:33 AM
Oats?

You're laying your tools in oats?

Sorry

Perhaps you would prefer candy corn or cherries...?

(Image removed from quote.)

Oats are ok, but sweet feed has more color:

Of course, you can use pelleted feed too:

Or hay:

Or just go straight to the horse's mouth:

J-sews · **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2011, 03:52:48 AM

Ya' got me beat there

I can't top that!

Styerman · **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2011, 04:31:01 AM

I like the idea , execution is questionable . Dull saws were the main reason I would retire work SAK's . I would prefer the coupler to work off T shank jig saw blades - two reasons ,a) they are usually better quality , b) thats the only kind of jig saw blades I use .

Chris

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #8 on:** March 28, 2011, 04:56:53 AM

I like the idea, but don't like loosing saw-length. I guess I like it on a big tool like the Surge, when I'm likely to have the full sheath along. Also, if I had a reason to use a metal saw, it would be very useful.

scrappy · **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2011, 07:35:10 AM

The gerber saw does not fit the blades I bought. I prefer the leatherman for that reason,

MultiMat · **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2011, 12:44:29 PM

Bob I am keen to hear about LM's SuperTool 300 EOD's replaceable metal saw

. Is it the same holder as the Surge's

. How do you like the EOD 300

.

I love the replaceable option on MT's wirer cutters , saws & files

. It means I can give something a good going over & when it is knackered I can slot in a new one

.

Inzelique · **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2011, 11:44:20 PM

I do like the concept, but would like to see Leatherman expand on it some more. How about an extra long awl, fish scaler, marlin spike, or some other add on that we could use to customize our tools. this could be a massive upgrade in features without having to retool the production lines.

J-sews · **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2011, 12:34:51 AM

Quote from: Inzelique on March 28, 2011, 11:44:20 PM

I do like the concept, but would like to see Leatherman expand on it some more. How about an extra long awl, fish scaler, marlin spike, or some other add on that we could use to customize our tools. this could be a massive upgrade in features without having to retool the production lines.

Excellent point sir.

The Surge coupler not only accepts standard t-shank jigsaw blades, it also takes the custom made Leatherman file/diamond file blade. By being removeable, the diamond fie can be used to touch up the knife blade on the Surge (which of course a dedicated diamond file could not do) Now that Leatherman has one custom t-shank accessory, why not come out with the others like you suggest?

J-sews · **Reply #13 on:** March 29, 2011, 12:49:37 AM

Mat the new Super Tool 300 EOD coupler is indeed different than that of the Surge.

Surge, top. ST300 EOD, bottom

Good news: It is MUCH quicker to change saw blades with the new coupler

Not so good news: Saw blades in the new coupler are ~~wigglier~~ ~~wobblier~~ not held as tightly as in the Surge coupler. $:-\$

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #14 on:** March 29, 2011, 01:42:13 AM

Quote from: J-sews on March 29, 2011, 12:49:37 AM

Not so good news: Saw blades in the new coupler are ~~wigglier~~ ~~wobblier~~ not held as tightly as in the Surge coupler. $:-\$

Hmm...

That's disappointing to hear. $:-\$

MultiMat · **Reply #15 on:** March 29, 2011, 02:46:39 AM

Quote from: J-sews on March 29, 2011, 12:49:37 AM

Mat the new Super Tool 300 EOD coupler is indeed different than that of the Surge.

(Image removed from quote.)
Surge, top. ST300 EOD, bottom
(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

Good news: It is MUCH quicker to change saw blades with the new coupler

Not so good news: Saw blades in the new coupler are ~~wigglier~~ ~~wobblier~~ not held as tightly as in the Surge coupler. $:-\$

Thanks for the top pictures Bob

.
I wonder if the ST300 EOD's saw holder will find its way onto other models

.
Bob it 'looks' like the Surge holds onto a greater length of the saw's shank than the ST300

.
Do you think LM could tweak the new design to get a tighter fit

Mercury · **Reply #16 on:** March 29, 2011, 05:35:27 AM

Yea, I just don't use a MT saw enough to need to exchange it. The experience I had with the surge was that the saw was just too short to do much good. I mean really, a Swisschamp saw is more useful.

J-sews · **Reply #17 on:** March 30, 2011, 02:40:45 AM

When it comes to sawing wood, I agree with Grant, its not likely that any of us would ever wear out a saw blade. Therefore replaceable wood saw blades don't really make sense in my mind.

But for sawing metal, any blade is almost certain to become dull after very little use. So metal saws are definitely suited for replaceable couplers IMO.

Mercury · **Reply #18 on:** March 30, 2011, 05:02:59 AM

Yea, but for metal sawing, I would really just use the dedicated hacksaw in my BOB.

J-sews · **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2011, 01:37:57 AM

Quote from: Mercury on March 30, 2011, 05:02:59 AM

Yea, but for metal sawing, I would really just use the dedicated hacksaw in my BOB.

Dedicated?

This is Multitool.org, we don't do dedicated here...

MultiMat · **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2011, 01:43:09 AM

Quote from: J-sews on March 31, 2011, 01:37:57 AM

Quote from: Mercury on March 30, 2011, 05:02:59 AM
Yea, but for metal sawing, I would really just use the dedicated hacksaw in my BOB.

Dedicated? Dedicated? This is Multitool.org, we don't do dedicated here...

Bob sounds like grounds for banning if you ask me

J-sews · **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2011, 01:59:16 AM

Quote from: MultiMat on March 31, 2011, 01:43:09 AM

Quote from: J-sews on March 31, 2011, 01:37:57 AM
Quote from: Mercury on March 30, 2011, 05:02:59 AM
Yea, but for metal sawing, I would really just use the dedicated hacksaw in my BOB.

Dedicated? Dedicated? This is Multitool.org, we don't do dedicated here...

Bob sounds like grounds for banning if you ask me

Dang straight

Hmmm, although it is his first offense...

..perhaps we should let him off with a warning this time. $:-\$

Mercury · **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2011, 02:30:16 AM

hmm, I seem to have agitated the MT gods. I must offer penance. I have just said ten "Now you're Ready's" and one "Making the Unworkable work".

J-sews · **Reply #23 on:** March 31, 2011, 02:36:41 AM

Quote from: Mercury on March 31, 2011, 02:30:16 AM

hmm, I seem to have agitated the MT gods. I must offer penance. I have just said ten "Now you're Ready's" and one "Making the Unworkable work".

chris777 · **Reply #24 on:** March 31, 2011, 06:21:59 AM

I think it is an interesting idea, that needs more work. the ST300 style coupler is a step in the right direction in it doesnt look to waste as much space as the surge coupler.

That being said

Leatherman has just made some absolutely baffling descisions on tools for a few years now.
On one hand the surge, they give us external scissors, and add back an awl, at the cost of the file/saw so they drop in a coupler as replacement, when in reality I personaly think the wave /charge model would be a better seller with that tool combination. I personally love the surge load out, hate the size. The surge is too big for most customerrs who EDC

Yet it offers a solution to the most decried tool on both the wave/charge. sure a premium model is sometimes the upgrade, but the surge is like the supertool version of the wave, (i guess)

then the supertool debaukle . What is up with offering 2 saws? I might could see it if they included the file too, but to the best of my recolection they do not , and therefore it just seems like a total waste, where they could have either used the built in saw as an alternate tool, or offered in something else other than the saw alone.

I for one am very interested in the implications, so that hopefully in the future LM will offer various tool bits like the drivers currently offered, so we dont have to make them ourselves, BUT I am also not convinced that the reciever on any of these models is a solution due to strenth, stability, issues, and personally lean to the non folding design on the Skeletool or MUT.

I personally wish they would incorporate some of the bit holding ideas used on the knives and MUT , skeletool, and make it where we could pack our own tool complement as we see fit. IT is not the same world that Tim Leatherman, or the Victorinox/wenger were in before the rise of the internet, and while one size may have fit all back then it most certainly is not the case any longer.

Heck I dont see any reason whatsoever that leatherman in particular does not offer a build your own tool option on their site. And look at the most common tool combos chosen AT A PREMIUM, and then possibly offer more models in their main line. An awl comes to mind. And with the advent of Bits, I really dont understand why they dont include that on more tools.
But hey if they want multitasker or even someone like myself to come in and pick up the slack on a section of the market not being met like that then by all means keep living in the past.

Malarauko · **Reply #25 on:** March 31, 2011, 10:49:56 PM

Chalk me up as another "Loves the idea hates the execution". Its a really good idea to apply the bit driver principle to other tools but I don't think anyones ever released a model which does it really well. Still it is early days and its only been on 3 tools I know of (may be more but even so the principle stands.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #26 on:** March 31, 2011, 11:04:52 PM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on March 28, 2011, 02:38:01 AM

Is a replaceable saw blade really a necessity? The only function it appears to have in my book is interchangeability since I don't think I've ever used a SAK or multitool saw significantly enough to have dulled it. Has anyone else?

The interchangeability factor (ability to use multiple saw types) seems limited to me as well, since I would have to have space in the sheath to carry multiple pieces, and so I have to wonder if I'd be better off just carrying a larger or better equipped tool.

Still, I suppose there's something to be said for an easy to replace saw in the event of breakage, but then I'm not sure I'd ever even broken one.

Def

My Swisstool got used a fair bit down at the boat over winter when I'd stripped some teeth of my full size Fat Max saw and it was too cold and wet (MUCH snow) to go outside with an axe, and the Bahco was at home. To be honest it could do with a good sharpen now.

Ages ago I saw a diamond file online for sharpening SAK saws (perfect geometry for running in the existing tooth pattern) but not seen one since. I'd never have used another multitool saw to that extent, but the Swisstools saw was long enough to make it a worthwhile tool for the job. This thread has reminded me to go and see if I can find one again

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