Blackie Collins and the Paratool

[yud]

It did not seem right talking about Blackie Collins desging the Paratool or not on the RIP theard

I wonder what Blackie's most popular designs were 
Paratool is my favorite  .

Terribly sad news.

The Paratool was his?

Sad day

http://www.google.com/patents?id=nlYeAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=5062173#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=aAIjAAAAEBAJ&dq=891,990+frazer

While I will say that Blackie Collins did redefine Tim Leatherman's idea, it is only a missing link between the PST and Paratool when one looks at the patents. 

The Paratool patent (given to Spencer Frazer) makes a few key changes.

~Most noticeably he rotated the implements another 90^o from Collins
~More importantly he made the handles so they would angle out when the pliers opened

That said I am only working off the patents not the history

[J-sews]

Great idea to move this to its own thread yud.

And you make some excellent observations. Who really designed the ParaTool? I don't know, but I suspect like many things it was a design that started out crude and then evolved over time, with input probably from a number of people. No doubt there were prototypes built, and feedback from "beta testers" that went into the final design. We'll probably never know the whole story. One bit of additional info I have, other than the patents you referenced, is this SOG sales catalog from the mid-1990's:







According to SOG, the credit for the ParaTool goes to the team of Blackie Collins and Spencer Frazer

[MultiMat]

I REALLY like my Paratool's 'Blackie' sheath , especially given it has his signature on it  .
Never to be traded this one.

[nuphoria]

Yep, got that sheath too.... never use it but it seems wrong to part with it

[Styerman]

I really loved the Paratool /sheath combo . Great concept , the two I tried were less than stellar in execution ( both failed while crimping "B" connectors , uesd on 22ga. Telco wire . )

Chris

[yud]

Great idea to move this to its own thread yud.

And you make some excellent observations. Who really designed the ParaTool? I don't know, but I suspect like many things it was a design that started out crude and then evolved over time, with input probably from a number of people. No doubt there were prototypes built, and feedback from "beta testers" that went into the final design. We'll probably never know the whole story. One bit of additional info I have, other than the patents you referenced, is this SOG sales catalog from the mid-1990's:


According to SOG, the credit for the ParaTool goes to the team of Blackie Collins and Spencer Frazer

good point.


The Paratool is one of those tool some love them, some hate them, and it has its own branch in the evolution of the multitool.

Was the original Blackie model ever sold? I was thinking that with out the spread of the handles the idea would not work so well.

How did they fail to crimp?

[Styerman]

The Stainless handle halves cracked ( on TWO tools ) , in the area of the plier pivot . Putting a "B" connector on Quad is not an excessive crimping chore ,we are only talking 22ga telco wire . PST's , PST II's , and waves will all do it . As will any remotley competent needlenosed piler . I only use multi's as crimpers of last resort ( when the real tool is out of reach ) .

The concept was brilliant , for my pourposes - execution sucked . If the beasts had worked , I'd still be rocking one .

Chris