Sidekick Mod

[WWW]

  Not my mod, and I'm not even sure if this was posted or not here on the forum. Some of the mods done by this gentleman were already discussed and made by our legendary Metropolicity. Still I thought the mods to the Sidekick were interesting despite the costs.





I was also wondering how effective a Ti saw would be, any thoughts? If you have some time (rare now a days) check the gentleman's channel, interesting videos IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/user/3BearNecessities?feature=watch

[Metropolicity]

Huh, first of all, thanks WWW for updating my status to legendary

I am curious about this guy's stuff....several points of interest come up.

1. As much as I think the Wingman/Sidekicks are great tools for their price, their polished folded steel chassis feel SO cheap compared to the Wave and especially the Charge TTI. I am wondering why he prefers the odd plier head design, perhaps the spring loaded pliers? It is a lighter tool, but a Wave/Charge is not much heavier.

2. Clearly, he's used parts from a TTi, but why not modify and hone the TTI which could be made lighter and have more space for ideal tools instead using a sub-par chassis to fit that s30v blade into. I am probably going to get reamed out for saying the Wingman/Sidekick is not such a great tool, but after using and owning each one. They are definitely not the tool for me.

3. The 'tri-tool' as he calls it. He must saw a lot because I haven't found a single day when I would ever use the saw on my tools. I've only come across ONE instance and it was to cut a branch off at the roots when installing a shed. I encountered the same problems as him, the D9 steel on the pry bars is not well tempered, but they do fine for small nails etc, of course I use mine more for cutting tape and opening bottles.

I hope it's considered the torque he's applying to the even smaller pivots on the Sidekick, I was worried about the 3/16" pivots on the TTi, let alone the wee ones on the SK.

I am constantly on the look out for something to replace my saw...Flik Scissors have been on my radar and my BO pair have the same size pivot as the Wave, just needs a retention system.

4. Really? The eClipse? They always feel like a barnacle on a boat..they never look good on anything. Tip up and tip down arguments are always fun because there are 1000 on one side and 1000 on the other, comes down to practice. I guess I am spoiled because waves/charges are tip up anyways.

5. Finally...how the hell did he make cross cut saw teeth??!!!

Not meant to criticize, just to add to the conversation.

[Syph007]

To me its like slapping premium car parts you took off a premium car frame, onto a budget car frame.  Its like a slap in the face to put that S30V blade on a freaking sidekick?!?!?   

The wave or charge frame would make a million times more sense to base mods around.  I briefly owned a wingman and it felt like it was polluting my otherwise good collection and it got sold off.  They are great for throwaway tools or for people that just don't care, but to go to the effort to mod one with premium parts... 

Im all for people modding to get what they want, but this one just makes no sense to me.

[Metropolicity]

OH!

AND AND....you are completely missing two slots on a Wave/Charge. If we follow his ethos...thats a potential of 2 more tri-tools...6 tools!

Ah...horses for courses...I'll stick to my Black Tide

[GPDB]

1. As much as I think the Wingman/Sidekicks are great tools for their price, their polished folded steel chassis feel SO cheap compared to the Wave and especially the Charge TTI. I am wondering why he prefers the odd plier head design, perhaps the spring loaded pliers? It is a lighter tool, but a Wave/Charge is not much heavier.

In this Video , starting from minute 4:00 he is explaining why he prefers the SK pliers system compared to the wave/charge...

[Gryffin]

In this Video, starting from minute 4:00 he is explaining why he prefers the SK pliers system compared to the wave/charge...

Interesting. A dedicated spring does make more sense than just relying on the flexion of the frame. It also doesn't require the Wave/Charge's tight tolerance between the plier pivot and frame to get just that right amount of resistance.

In addition, you get the spring-action feature with the Wingman pliers... but unfortunately also inferior wire cutters.

Ah well. If there was one perfect Leatherman, we wouldn't keep buying them!

 

[Metropolicity]

There is no such thing as single perfect Leatherman! Only perfect leathermans for each USER. I am getting close with The Black Tide, one thing missing is either

1. Blade Exchanger (to interchange scissors and different saws)

OR

2. Scissors in place of saw and keep one of those Bob-saw type attachments.

I mean..how much can you ask from ONE tool

You'll get into a SwissChamp type mode and end up with, what we call in the product design industry, 'feature bloat'. This is exactly why I made several tools with different load outs and understanding what I am doing that day/job. The frame flexion is a super easy thing to fix if you know how, a bang from a ball peen hammer and bob's your uncle.

Great convo guys! I am digging the back and forth...and this is a perfect example of 'to each their own'. He likes the Sidekick format, some of us like the Wave, some the Surge etc etc.

 

[GPDB]

My perfect tool would be close to your Black Tide, bur starting from charge base, plus interchangable blades and awl instead of can/bottle opener )useless nowadays)

[WWW]

Huh, first of all, thanks WWW for updating my status to legendary

My pleasure 

Totaly agree with your points, some of them are explained in the other vid, still I wonder would it be SO hard to try to integrate a spring system to a Charge or a Wave?

 After reading multiple posts declaring the ultimate hate for the Sidekick/Wingman I also question the durability of the original parts of the tool, and I'm dying of curiosity to discover how he did the cross cut saw!!

To me its like slapping premium car parts you took off a premium car frame, onto a budget car frame.  Its like a slap in the face to put that S30V blade on a freaking sidekick?!?!?   

The wave or charge frame would make a million times more sense to base mods around.

 I do agree with you Syph, Specially if you think that to make this mod you would have to sacrifice such expensive and great donors.

[redbaron]

"In addition, you get the spring-action feature with the Wingman pliers... but unfortunately also inferior wire cutters."
Personally, I prefer the wingman/SK pliers, would there be a way to put them on a wave?

[Hypnos3510]

I was thinking about Modding my wingman, but with a sidekick and and swap the combo edge with a straight edge. Even at the low price of the the the sidekick I figure I could find a used better leatherman. But to each his own, I really can't knock the guy for putting his own touch on it. Oh well.

Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk 2

[Zed]

I was thinking about Modding my wingman, but with a sidekick and and swap the combo edge with a straight edge. Even at the low price of the the the sidekick I figure I could find a used better leatherman. But to each his own, I really can't knock the guy for putting his own touch on it. Oh well.

Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk 2

Me as well, MT are such a personal item,i wold love to be in a position to buy a charge and take it apart  but im not so i enjoy watching you guys mod stuff, ill stick with my sogs for custom tool loads   

[Metropolicity]

I really can't knock the guy for putting his own touch on it. Oh well.

Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk 2

Oh no, don't get me wrong, I am only offering points of contest because it mods can always be made better or approached from a different way. As a man of the modding cloth, I completely understand making something personal and unique but IMO modding a sidekick/wingman is like polishing a turd

No offense meant! Hack on!