opinions on best keychain tool, gerber curve or ...

[GSterling]

i got a LM sidekick, got a piranha on the way ..
and i want, no need a keychain tool like the gerber curve or something ..
 so, im asking you all, give me your opinions on what is the best little multi tool for my key ring..

[Sazabi]

I'll make suggestions later, what tools do you want your keychain tool to have?  Pliers?  Scissors?  A bottle opener?  Screwdrivers?

Please make a list of the tools you find yourself needing and/or wanting, and we'll be better in making informed suggestions.

The couple minutes I have handled a Curve, it was unique, but not personally for me.

[Gareth]

If you don't have one yet then I've got to say the Leatherman Micra is one of the all time greats.

[theonew]

Out of the ones I've tried, PS4, Style PS, Micra, Vic Minichamp, Gerber Dime, my vote goes to the PS4 for all around utility. The Dime would have beat it if the wire cutters were as capable as the ones on the LM tools.

[GSterling]

i have a sidekick now. i want the keyring tool to compliment it.
filling in where the sidekick is lacking, dependable and sturdy.

[Sazabi]

For the wingman () to a Sidekick, I'd choose a Leatherman Micra or Victorinox Rambler (or Manager, if you want a pen).  That way you get an excellent pair of scissors, small pen knife, plus other goodies.

[J-sews]

Y'know, when you get right down to it, it's awfully hard to beat the Micra as a keychain tool. It's sleek and thin, yet solid, and has a decent tool loadout. Not much of a Wow! factor, because everyone already has one or more, but that's about the only "downside" to a Micra I can think of.

[Valhalla]

Your needs and want will determine ultimately what you carry. If I needed scissors I'd go with the trusted Micra. If I needed pliers I'd go with a Squirt or a Style PS. I've used a Gerber Curve quite a bit and while it is a solid tool it's missing a certain Style factor (pun intended) that the LM tools just seem to have that most key chain tools don't. I find they fit my hands better and I just enjoy using them more.

Choosing between the Style CS or PS and the Squirt or Micra depend on what you like more. With the Style tools you have a modern design which I personally find appealing. The Squirt and Micra are more traditionally designed with more implements than the Style line and are perfect for some folks. There's always the key chain SAKS. I have several but find they are aren't my cup of tea for carry.

I settled on a modded Style CS with a Squirt plier head with Squirt scissors in the blade slot as I did the mod before the PS was released. I find it handles small chores better than my Skeletool and use it for everything from trimming and filing my nails to opening the broken door handle on my work truck....I should fix that one of these days.


Edit: I forgot the Dime. I haven't used it yet and assume it's head and shoulders above the Curve. It looks great but as Theonew mentioned the wire cutters being icky I'll probably get one one day for the sake of having it but wouldn't carry it unless the cutters were improved. I dig the way it looks though.

[Accujohn]

Mine is Style  CS

[dks]

Not much of a Wow! factor, because everyone already has one or more, but that's about the only "downside" to a Micra I can think of.

It depends where you are.

I have never seen anybody else carry or use a Micra here, or in my travels.
Most people that carry a multitool, as opposed to just a slipjoint will have a SAK.
Of course when the micra costs 50 euro ($60..), what do you expect really.

[AimlessWanderer]

Another nod for the Gerber Dime here. My three Dimes were better made than my two equivalent sized Leatherman Squirts, and I've had no problems in use so far. I'd also strongly recommend a Victorinox Rambler or Manager, or a Wenger Pocket Tool Chest

[GSterling]

what you all think of the squirt es4 with the wire strippers inplace of the plier head ?
 i looked on the LM site and the es4 got my attention..
thought ? comments ?

[Woz]

My favorite ist the SOG Crosscut for a scissor based tool, and a Gerber Dime for a plier based one. I tried Gerbers wirecutters on some thicker paperclips, and that is all I ever intend to cut with it, as I carry a larger MT all the time. So I can not complain about it, it is a great tool.

I also have, and like, a Curve. It stays on my office keys, so it is a piece of my work EDC. It may not be specatacular, but the tools I need most often, the bottle opener and the blade, are OK. The main benefit of the Curve is, that it is really small. Yes, Dimes, Micras and Crosscuts are small too, but the Dime is even smaller and great for EDC.

[AimlessWanderer]

I've not had the pleasure of a SOG Crossgrip or Gerber Curve yet. I've been tempted, but resisted temptation so far 

[dks]

what you all think of the squirt es4 with the wire strippers inplace of the plier head ?
 i looked on the LM site and the es4 got my attention..
thought ? comments ?

It is great if you strip and cut wires,  not so great if you need to use the pliers for holding nuts etc.


You are left with a very small pliers area at the tips; to be used mainly as tweezers.

The wire stripping function works fine.

http://www.leatherman.com/compare/multi-tools/Squirt%20ES4

[N_N_R]

I've tried only Leatherman Style CS and Leatherman Micra so far and they both have their advantages and disadvantages


Style CS Pros

- tools accessible on the outside
- carabiner makes it easier to carry on a belt loop or wherever
- outstanding tweezers


Style CS Cons

- a weakish screwdriver
- longer in size
- the holes on the blade get full of the material you're cutting



Micra Pros

- shorter in size
- better & more screwdrivers
- the knife doesn't have holes, which can get dirt
- sliiightly longer scissors, I think


Cons

- more "difficult" to carry
- the keyring/lanyard attachment gets in the way of using the knife/screwdirver/whatever
- tools accessible only after opening the whole tool
- the tweezers aren't so refined


Anyway, if I had to choose, I guess, I'd choose the Style CS, because of the tool accessibility and the possibility to carry it OUTSIDE of your pockets in the summer (my eternal lack-of pocket trouble). BUT if you need MORE tools, then choose something wtih more tools

[GSterling]

thanks for the very detailed breakdown.
 reading your description and looking at the tools on the LM site, sure puts a few things into perspective for me. i think your right, the lanyard on the micra would not hold up to the abuse i'd likely give it

[Websniper]

I own the Squirt S4 (discontinued), Micra, and Style PS.

For me (I'm an IT consultant), my favorite tool is the Squirt S4.  I find that I use the main scissors on the S4 A LOT.  They work way better than the small folding scissors on the Style P4 on tough zip ties.  I also prefer the outside opening tools on the Squirt line.

That being said, the things I like better on the Micra are the length of the screwdrivers, especially the small flathead, and the bottle opener works much better because of that as well.  However, I've pinched myself pretty bad several times using the Micra scissors, and the handles are not nearly as comfortable to bear down on as the Squirt's.  The  tweezers on the Micra are also quite crude.

I do like the Style PS for its design and I've been carrying it in addition to the Squirt for its plier head.  I actually just used them today to help clear a printer jam.

If they could add a stronger set of scissors onto the PS4 or have a tool that somehow combined the best features of all the above it would be amazing!  I may have to try some of the SAK keychain sized tools......

[Blitzwing]

I didn't have luck with the curve..  Fell off Keychain,  the little wire gate on the bottle opened kept falling off

[DeezNittles]

I didn't have luck with the curve..  Fell off Keychain,  the little wire gate on the bottle opened kept falling off

I had a similar experience... While the Curve does have some things going for it (mainly the bottle opener and locking tools) it just seems that it wasn't completely thought out for keychain carry.

[sergemaster]

Amici,
Very sad how there's no love for the Leatherman Wingman from most circles. I personally find it OK, but I feel it was geard towards the non MT folks as the PST was back in 1980.

A for the question, I would go the Micra route supplanted with a Gerber Artifact. Lightweight and should... meet most needs.


Cheers,
Serge

[Frankctz]

For keychain, the LM sidekick or wingman are too large....
I prefer the LM Micra or Victorinox Minichamp..

[JimShockz]

thanks for the very detailed breakdown.
 reading your description and looking at the tools on the LM site, sure puts a few things into perspective for me. i think your right, the lanyard on the micra would not hold up to the abuse i'd likely give it

Recently we looked at a video camera that is carried on the key chain,its incredible the quaqlity of the pics are great.

-JS

[powerring]

Let me start by saying I don't carry any of these on a keychain.  I've heard from many wise folks here that the extra weight is bad for a car's ignition.

Anyhow, I've used either a Squirt/Micra, a Style CS, or a Vic Midnight Manager for keychain-sized carry.  I wasn't partial to the Curve because the lock was very difficult to operate (at least on my model).

I've carried the Squirt S4 more than any of my tools since the scissors are great and all the tools open to the outside.  This actually goes in a belt sheath designed for a 58mm Vic Classic.     It fits perfectly.

Alas, that model has been discontinued in favor of the PS4.  The Micra is similarly sized but the interior tools require you to open it up for use.

I find I'm carrying the Style CS, in pocket, more and more though.  It does most of what I need.

The Midnight Manager, or any of it's cousins such as the Rambler or Minichamp, would be fine choices too.  The Midnight Manager has an LED that is weak but useful.

[El Rago]

thats totally true, PowerRing. I even saw some car manuals "advising" against even putting a ring. For these cases it is best to have the car key(s) separate. I do so now. I use a LeatherMan carabiner and I just add/substract key rings with the different implements I might use.

as far as the keychain options go, I have been here for some time now, and I can attest that most ppl carry multiple tools instead of a single one, so this could be some of a moot point, wheater you choose one with more tools, or better cutters.

I carry a "main" tool and a backup Gerber Dime. It does have a decent load out and is quite stylish. But if I need to perform a bigger more complex task, outs come the Wave. I have been carrying it for some while now, and it performs quite well for its intended role. Just dont go asking more, it will break. But that is true of most keychain tools.

[darth_guy101]

Victorinox Manager. Its so handy, I wonder how I ever lived without it.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I was pretty happy with a CS when I carried one... I stopped because the blade just flat-out sucked.  Dulled easily, and wouldn't take a decent edge either.  The scissors are great though.  If your keychain tool is a back-up, it'd be a good choice.  If you want a keychain tool as your primary EDC MT, I'd choose something else.

I had a Rambler, but the tools were too small for me to use easily.  Always felt like I should use the tweezers to try and pull the regular tools out...