OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS

[Sea Monster]

I felt the same way with my first Spirit.  Then I wondered why they aren't in every store that has LM's.

I can't say for international - but in Oz it's slightly harder to get a Vic supply than a LM supply. LM will let anyone with a credit card number buy wholesale (That is perhaps unfair, I'm sure they do some sort of checks to make sure you are a store) - but Vic (or the Australian importer of) send a guy out to case your joint, and they also only allow X amount of dealers with a region.

the other obvious reason is - if all the stores stocked Vic Spirits, they'd never sell any Leathermans! 

[Carthas]

I'd still buy leatherman wave or charge over the spirit or swistool. I don't own the spirit, but I do own the swisstool. I like the plier shape of the leathermans over the vic's, and the one handed opening blades, as well as the blade shape. And although most people hate it, I like the multibit drivers that come with the wave series. Sure they're proprietry, but I still have some choice as to what screwdrivers I can carry with my wave. I like the pocket clip too. Some people have said that it's on the wrong end of the tool, and that the handles open up in your pocket, but I've found that the advantage of that is that you can have the tool with the pliers open in your pocket.

Not that the vic's are bad at all. They are very nice tools. And if someone told me that my only choice was to have a swisstool, I would be happy. I just figured I'd share my opinion as everyone seems to be trumpeting Vic's these days, and I figured someone had to before they changed the name of this site from multitool.org to swisstool.org

[Sea Monster]

And that was the last we heard of Carthas.

Upon questioning, Def. was evasive and non committal, he appeared to leave the state, although a moustachioed man with a large SAK collection arrived in Mexico shortly after, and founded a new website - www.multitool.org.mx

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have no recolection of any such activities.

Def

[Tom Munch]

The funny thing is that you see SAKs everywhere, so you'd think the same dealers could carry SwissTools & Spirits.  If I was the average consumer & saw a Wave & Spirit hanging next to each other in a store with the Spirit priced lower (as it seems to be usually) I'd probably buy the Spirit.

Over Christmas I showed my Spirit to my brother-in-law who had never seen one before.  His reaction was that the Spirit must be the Cadillac of multitools.  He was surprised to hear that I had paid only $48 for it.

[TWBryan]

Agreed. The leatherman tools seem to vary in quality,sometimes wildly. I'd prefer seeing more Victorinox,or even Sog.

[kreskin13]

Agreed. The leatherman tools seem to vary in quality,sometimes wildly. I'd prefer seeing more Victorinox,or even Sog.

All the leatherman tools I own (Charge Tti, Ti, Xti, Surge, Kick, Fuse, Pulse) do seem to vary in quality although I still luv 'em to death. (BO Blast on the way)

I only have the Vic Spirit and it is so well made and smooth I'm going to have it's baby!    I let the people I work with handle all my multitools and they are most impressed with the Spirit.

My SOG Powerlock is very smooth, but kind of loose. Aren't SOG's made to be taken apart by users? Is this a reason for the "feel" that they have? (I only have the one SOG)

Calvin

EDIT: Forgot about my Wave, Squirt, and Juice. Please don't kick me out of the forum for my thoughtless omission.

[Benner]

Sog sell different tools so they can be adapted by the user if need be.

A couple of 1/4" spanners will sort out that loosness for you. 

[Carthas]

And that was the last we heard of Carthas.

Upon questioning, Def. was evasive and non committal, he appeared to leave the state, although a moustachioed man with a large SAK collection arrived in Mexico shortly after, and founded a new website - www.multitool.org.mx

Nah, Def isn't the one to worry about, Duncs5 on the other hand....

Seriously though, It's just my opinion, and I definately don't hate the swisstool. Victorinox has had what? like 150+ years of experience at making folding knives? Compared to Leatherman's 20? To me, that shows in the swisstool. My guess is they've used their experience to make a tool with better fit and finish for cheaper than the leathermans, and I do think that you pay a bit for leatherman's name. Even though it looks like a slab-sided beast, it feels very comfortable in the hand, almost like it belongs there. There is no rattle in the tool at all, and no clumping of blades. It is overall one very fine product. I get the impression though, that vic has put the primary emphasis on the tool being a folding knife, then pliers. I'm not sure, but it looks to me that the pliers are that snubbed like they are to accomodate for the large selection of outward opening tools. Not sure of this, but maybe some of the more tool-technical people can confirm this?

 Compared to some of Leatherman's tools, like the Core, there's almost no competition IMO. I'd take the swisstool over it any day. Note that I have the 1998 version of the swisstool too, so maybe the newer versions have some features that make them better, and I haven't used or seen the spirit in the flesh, so I shouldn't really be commenting here. But I EDC a wave/charge for the reasons I specified. 

[WhichDawg]

I can never understand it myself, The quality and craftsmanship in Swiss tools amazes me, especially for the price!
and I've payed less for them than the others!

How does he do it?

[Sea Monster]

The labour costs of oompa loompas would certainly explain the bargain rates of SAKs!

[TWBryan]

Probably having been in business so long they've worked out the most efficient ways to do everything.