Gerber Dime LM Squirt PS4 comparison photos

dks · **on:** April 03, 2012, 04:49:39 PM

Took some quick pictures (used a small camera) of my new Dime with my never used PS4

The LM is smoother to open and does feel like the more expensive product.

so here are the pictures:

top:

Thick side:

thin side:

the pliers:

Notice the awfull finish of the Gerber teeth, compared to the LM

the blades:

the files:

They both have two sided files, though the one on the Dime is tiny.

The bottle openers:

It does not matter how drunk you are you should be able to find the one on the Dime. With the PS4 you may end up stabbing yourself, trying to find which tool it is.

the screwdrivers:

I am suspicious of files on screwdrivers, as in the Dime, because of the different hardening needed for these two functions.

The scissors

Note the rougher finish on the hands of the Dime scissors.

In addition the Dime has tweezers and a clam-shell opener so you get more tools in a similar package.

powernoodle · **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2012, 06:01:59 PM

I like each of these MTs - I'm a sucker for MTs, which I guess means I'm at the right place - but do prefer the PS4 just a little. Its just more refined. I have 2 Dimes and about 4 PS4's, so I spread the love around.

dks · **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2012, 06:12:37 PM

I am still using the P4, if I need small pliers..
Never really warmed up to the PS4

Syph007 · **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2012, 06:35:20 PM

Quote from: dks on April 03, 2012, 06:12:37 PM

I am still using the P4, if I need small pliers..
Never really warmed up to the PS4

I'm with you on that the P4 is my favorite plier based keychain tool to date. I'm still trying to figure a way to get those pliers on a micra then I'd be 100% happy.

Gareth · **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2012, 07:00:25 PM

Cheers for the thoughts and the pics dks.

I'm picking up my Dime on the weekend so I'll see if I agree with you after I've had a chance to play.

Carlos · **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2012, 04:25:31 AM

Gee, DKS, you had bad luck with your model. I got two (green, black) and both have perfect finish. No teeth damage like yours. You might have received a defective piece.

dks · **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2012, 11:13:41 AM

So I was looking at it today and noticed that a screw was missing.
Looked on the floor and found it.

The screw head had snapped off.
When? why? The tool has not been used or dropped; just opened and closed a few times yesterday and today.

I assume the screw was screwd in too tight and was damaged.

The tool seems secure enough since the screw bit that stayed in seems to hold the tool together but the scales now move.

I will probably just superglue them, but I am really disappointed in the Gerber products now.
I had avoided buying them for some time because of their reputation and I think I was right.
I got 2 new Gerber products with questionable finish and quality yesterday and have a used MP600 coming, but I do not see me buying any more, at least not new.
Maybe it was an one off but I do not need their tools enough to try again.
There are better quality options out there, for me to have to put up with such problems.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2012, 11:33:07 AM

Mine need loosening off a little, so over torquing the screws is a possibility. Didn't notice any problems with the plier teeth on mine, but I've only had a quick look till the UK crew get together on Friday. I can normally forgive a little problem on a tool, but when you get two or three or more unrelated problems on a tool - that's out of order.

The only tools I've had with multiple problems like that were from Leatherman.

It was a Squirt P4 and Juice CS4 to be precise, and when I got a second P4 it still had one of the two problems that my first one had - the quality on the CS4 was a joke. Personally I don't rate LM much higher than Gerber due to the quality issues I've seen from them, so I wouldn't write Gerber off too quickly as those "better options" often aren't in my opinion $:-\$

dks · **Reply #8 on:** April 04, 2012, 11:50:27 AM

I have had some problems with LM too, a wave, a (new) Style CS but this was totally new and unused. Also the new Gerber steady I got, which was reasonably expensive, did not impress me with its finish either; I have no-name tools that felt/looked better.
P4s and Micras, provided you clean them every so often just keep going strong.

I have an MP600 coming which has a good reputation; maybe it will change my opinion.

The dealer for Gerber and LM here is the same person, by the way, so I know it will be minimum 20 euro (about 5000 quid....

) to have it replaced.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #9 on:** April 04, 2012, 12:05:20 PM

Quote from: dks on April 04, 2012, 11:50:27 AM

I have had some problems with LM too, a wave, a (new) Style CS but this was totally new and unused. Also the new Gerber steady I got, which was reasonably expensive, did not impress me with its finish either; I have no-name tools that felt/looked better.
P4s and Micras, provided you clean them every so often just keep going strong.

I have an MP600 coming which has a good reputation; maybe it will change my opinion.

The dealer for Gerber and LM here is the same person, by the way, so I know it will be minimum 20 euro (about 5000 quid.... ) to have it replaced.

That stinks! Paying more than the value of the tool to have it warrantied $:-\$

My P4s both have blades with crash into the alu scales on closure and the first one has a very badly made file.The Steady hasn't impressed me one iota from what I've seen online, and Gerber have come out with many dubious designs in their time IMHO. I've found that Gerber's weakness tends to be more design based, and LM's is standard of manufacture.

I've not had a decently designed Gerber which has let me down on quality the way LM has. Even the dodgy Flik I bought which wouldn't engage was primarily a bad design on the locking pawl IMO, it's just the quality didn't compensate for that bad design. A better designed pawl (one piece instead of two) made to the same standard would have been fully functional

dks · **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2012, 09:57:09 PM

I just realised that Powernoodle had posted a similar thread to mine and did it a month earlier.

I should have really just posted my part in his thread instead of opening a new one, but since it is done now, this is the link to the original thread:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,35531.0.html

Gareth · **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2012, 11:33:17 PM

It wasn't until I just tried the scissors that I realised that they are, effectively, left handed. That is; the moving edge is mounted to the right hand of the fixed edge. On any normal pair of scissors it would be the other way around. Not a complaint, just an observation.

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2012, 11:56:38 PM

Very interesting. I hadn't noticed that in the pics. This moves the Dime from 'probably not' to 'maybe' for me in the future.

dks · **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2012, 06:47:54 AM

Using the pliers yesterday I managed to pinch my hand with the Handles....
Painfull..

N_N_R · **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2012, 02:27:09 PM

dks, thanks for the awesome pictures! I was considering the Dime, but now I see that this thing is a BoTtLeOpEneR, which cannot be folded. I'd absolutely hate the additional length it adds. And then I see you had some trouble with the tool later... : (

dks · **Reply #15 on:** April 27, 2012, 04:08:37 PM

On the plus side, you do not really notice the extra length.

The PS4 is the better tool but it is also more expensive.

DeezNittles · **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2012, 11:28:52 PM

I had kicked around the idea of the Dime for awhile, even thought about joining the group buy before ti was released. However, now after looking at this comparison and contemplating all of the fit and finish issues, I am proudly dedicated to my PS4 even though I just snapped the plierhead off being a numbskull.