Gerber durability

[jzmtl]

I kinda want to pick up a gerber flik since the sliding head looks pretty cool. But on another forum someone mentioned that gerber multitools use sintered steel and is more fragile than say leatherman. I don't know jack about anything metallurgy, so does anyone know if it's true?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I can't say anything about the longevity of the Flik as I've only had it for a week or so, but I have an MP600 that is significantly older and still in very good shape.

I would say that they seem to hold up at least as well as any other tool.

Def

[Benner]

I agree with Def.  I have an old Multiplier that is still in a great working order.  Infact, I often EDC it as it doesn't have any locking blades and it has stood up well. 

[Anthony]

The MP600 is great IMO, a little behind the times (stubby drivers ), but everything functions well on the ones I've owned.

[Grant Lamontagne]

No doubt it's an old and limited design... but then just about every company suffers from that eventually!

Def

[Leatherman123]

I don't have a problem with Gerber Multi-Pliers at all! They are very affordable and the flick out pliers are ingenius! But, they do have very short drivers although I don't mind that! I never come across recessed screws! But, don't get the Suspension because its crap!

[Spoonrobot]

I kinda want to pick up a gerber flik since the sliding head looks pretty cool. But on another forum someone mentioned that gerber multitools use sintered steel and is more fragile than say leatherman. I don't know jack about anything metallurgy, so does anyone know if it's true?

Did you read that on EDC forums? I saw the same thing over there, I would take it with a grain of salt. Their multi-forum is slightly wonky in regards to actual information. Seems a lot of hearsay gets passed around as fact.

Here's the best I could find for Sintered Steel:

Cold powdered metal (along with a small amount of binder) is compressed under 10's or 100's of tons of pressure in a powdered metal press. The resulting "green" part is checked (usually by weighing it) then heated in a sintering furnace to burn out all of the binder and fuse the powdered metal together. The resulting near net-shape part may have secondary forging or machining operations done to it after sintering.

These parts can be made very strong - many gears are made this way, as well as connecting rods for high-performance engines.

I think the only items Gerber would make with the sintered steel process would be the plier head. The implements and handles look to be made from stamped steel.

Leatherman uses investment casting to produce their plier heads and they are considered to be fairly strong.

Barring some production mishap I don't think Gerber pliers are any weaker or stronger than Leatherman pliers, I'd say go for it.

[jzmtl]

I actually read it on CPF. From the quote you have it seems there's nothing wrong with sintered steel, so I don't know why he says that. Guess I'll try one when local store have it in stock. They didn't have any last weekend, and it was their tax free promotion day too.

[Grant Lamontagne]

While the Flik is not yet in stock, you will probably manage to save a few sheckels when they come in next week at www.gerber-tools.com.  Save money and support the forum at the same time!

Def

[jzmtl]

I'm a bit nervous about ordering from the states, last time I bought something I got an empty envelope with "received without content" stamped on, and the cut on the side is way too neat to be damage from transit. And there's always the chance of getting nailed with tax/custom fee.

I'll wait and see what their price/shipping is.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm in Canada too and I have never had a package go missing or turn up empty. 

Our banner advertisers are carefully screened to make certain they are trustworthy before allowing them to advertise here.  That's probably why we don't have too many, but at least you know you are safe dealing with any of them!

Def

[Benner]

I have made many purchases from the US and I have never had any problems with either loss, damage or customs and I live in the UK.

The guys here are really good to buy from. 

[jzmtl]

Guess I was just unlucky on that one then. There is a parcel forwarding service across the border in NYS that I can use for high dollar items and go pick it up myself, although it's an hour drive each way and I haven't bought anything warrent its use yet.

[carl]

I had the original Gerber MT that came out around '95 with a sliding head.  The phillips driver stripped on its first use but other than that, it was fine.

[carl]

I have noticed several reviews throughout the net including Amazon where there are reports of tools that "snap" or "break off" rather than bend.  This may be due to the properties of cast metals which tend to be more brittle than other forms of metal.  Also, with castings, you don't have the benefit of having the edges of the tool work-hardened by the stamping process. 

[bashk]

But, don't get the Suspension because its crap!
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