SwissTool vs Spirit

kirk13 · **on:** November 05, 2012, 04:30:09 PM

You should never open emails from Amazon,that say 'Heres multitools you might like',Its jut going to cost you money!Having sen a Swisstool at a really cheap price,I started asking questions here at MTo.Smurfing stupid thing to do cos a week later I had a SwissTool,and a Spirit,thanks to Taxidad,and 50ft-trad respectively.

The very first thing that stuck me was how very nice he sheaths are!Good quality and very tactile.Its a small thing,but it sets the expectation.

The SwissTool is something else altogether.My example has seen some use,and while in excellent condition,it is worn in.Opening the tool made me think of two things.There is a very solid series of clunks,as each joint does its thing.The first thing that came to mind was the feeling of working the breach mechanism of a gun.The second was the memory of a friends Series 1 Jaguar XJ6,and every time I use the SwissTool,the Jag comes to mind.

Like the Jag,its no longer cutting edge.Its heavy.solid and every thing goes CLUNK,but in a good way.Its not flimsy,it inspires confidance,and just has a feeling of old school quality and reliability.Tool load is very good,albeit lacking scissors(which was resolved on later varients).Screwdrivers are of a good length,and allow easy acess to recessed screws.Awl and chisel are novel and welcome additions.Not sure when I'll use the chisel,but its nice to have.Both PE and SE blades are awesome cutting tools,and as a workmate said after using the SE,he could carve a Sunday Roast with it!Saw and file are reminisant of SAK ones,and while I havnt used them yet,I have no doubt that they'll deliver.

The SwissTool is a big and heavy tool,but it fits my Skinth comfortably,and doesnt feel uncomfortable in belt carry over a 9 hour working day.The thing that really sets the Swisstool apart for me i the detail.

The only real fault I'd identify is that it coud be a nail breaker in getting the tools out.

The Spirit,by comparison,feels completly different.The SwissTool has that classic MT feel to it,big,solid,clunky.The Spirit feels,to me at least,like an over grown SAK,svelt to the touch,easy to use and a superb tool load,lacking for nothing.Ita a thing of beauty to hold,either with the tools deployed,or with the pliers deployed.And the looks...well that I just cant get used to!

The Spirit lacks the Jaguar feeling of the SwissTool,its far more a 21st Centuary product,more like a Camary,or a Honda NSX maybe?But being so handy,its an easy fit in the Skinth,and light enough for pocket carry.

Before anyone asks,I really like the Butter knife.Its odd shape is highly none threatening,and cuts like the proverbial hot knife through butter!Scissors are good,but maybe not quite as good as the standard Vic 91mm type.Like the bigger tool,the drivers are long,and suitable for recessed screws.The phillips on both tools has proved to be useful even on the very small screws I find on the boxing of Minichamps 43 scale cars.

Both the file and the saw are a little oddly shaped,but I have no doubts as to thier usablity

The one thing both tools lack is the ability to use quarter inch bits(not a deal breaker,but its a feature I find very useful at work),but both tools take the classic LM tool adopter happily.

As a general suming up,these two tools have radically changed how I look at MTs.If I had bought either of these years ago,I'd never have bought a LM,Gerber or SOG.NOne of the American tools are in the same class.

The Spirit is going into its 3rd unbroken week of EDC duty at work,unless I grab the ST instead.When my flatmates car went SNAFU last week,the ST was the go to tool.

While I'm sure I'll buy other MTs in the future(well I have already)But the Vics are the new standard to which they will be measured,and I suspect be found very wanting!

In summary:
SwissTool
For:Exceptional quality
Great tool load
Indistructable feel
Against:Lacks scissors
Not UK legal
Tools can be difficult to extract

Spirit
For:Near perfect tool load
Superb ergomonics
Excellent quality
Against:Looks odd!

kirk13 · **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2012, 04:38:22 PM

Tool loads:

With Tool Adopter:

Taxi Dad · **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2012, 04:57:55 PM

a good read sir

i wonder how long it will be before you go looking for a swisstool with scissors ?
you may be beyond help !!!

kirk13 · **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2012, 05:00:20 PM

MAY be beyond help?

Syph007 · **Reply #4 on:** November 05, 2012, 05:04:42 PM

Ya the swisstool x has scissors! I have the RS as well, I love that cutter hook. You really need one of each to cover all your bases!

Pignut71 · **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2012, 11:55:47 PM

A great read and I couldn't agree more. Love my Swiss Tool x and Spirit x (and their sheaths).

Atb, Jon.

gustophersmob · **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2012, 12:06:56 AM

I really like the spirit. It is the only pliers based tool that I've tried and kept (and now have 3

). To me, it feels like the MT equivalent of a swiss watch.

You mention the swisstool may be a nailbreaker. For me, it wasn't a breaker, per se, just too hard to access the nail nicks. The spirit's curved handles solves this problem beautifully.

One of my biggest complaints with Leatherman is that I find it almost impossible to get the inside opening tools out without using another tool. This made me appreciate the spirit tremendously when I first tried it.

derekmac · **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2012, 12:17:03 AM

Quote from: kirk13 on November 05, 2012, 04:30:09 PM

As a general suming up,these two tools have radically changed how I look at MTs.If I had bought either of these years ago,I'd never have bought a LM,Gerber or SOG.NOne of the American tools are in the same class.

I have to say I agree with you there! Great write-up by the way! I've said it before, and I'll keep on saying it, the Swiss really know how to make a good tool !

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Syph007 · **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2012, 12:19:27 AM

Quote from: derekmac on November 06, 2012, 12:17:03 AM

Quote from: kirk13 on November 05, 2012, 04:30:09 PM
As a general suming up,these two tools have radically changed how I look at MTs.If I had bought either of these years ago,I'd never have bought a LM,Gerber or SOG.NOne of the American tools are in the same class.

I have to say I agree with you there! Great write-up by the way! I've said it before, and I'll keep on saying it, the Swiss really know how to make a good tool !

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I completely agree too. The swisstools are just that good. SOGs are second for me though, I like them quite a bit. Leathermans are pretty low for me on the quality list after all of mine rusted, and gerbers dont even count to me.

qwotchi · **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2012, 01:36:57 AM

Great stuff, Kirk.

In the next couple of days my first SwissTool should be arriving in the post, you've got me even more excited about it now!

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2012, 01:58:30 AM

Nice write up John

The Victorinox tools are certainly in a class of their own. My only Swisstool in a CS Plus which has far better scissors than the Spirit, and also comes with the bit wrench. For me it's a bag carry item though, and of the two it's a Spirit you'll find on my person. They aren't necessarily the best tool for all users and all scenarios, but on the whole their design and quality blows everyone else off the pitch

My next favourite is probably Gerber (at the moment) as they have produced some tools that work really well for me, followed by Wenger then Leatherman. SOG did impress me with the Paladin PT-510, but that seems to have been discontinued, and they've had some rather embarrassing quality issues of late with the PowerDuo and the SOGfari

I found the Spirit's looks very odd at first too, but it didn't take me long to adjust ... and I still have three of them compared to one Swisstool

theonew · **Reply #11 on:** November 06, 2012, 02:02:39 AM

The Spirit X would be my answer to that age old question of 'if you could only have one'? But since I'm allowed to have two it doesn't get carried all that much

Accujohn · **Reply #12 on:** November 06, 2012, 02:07:44 AM

I like the Jaguar comparison on the swisstool... Perfect.

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2012, 03:04:19 AM

I had a Leatherman Wave and the Spirit X, and I have to say that it wasn't a blow-out, but a very marginal win for the Spirit X. Just my opinion. In fact, the Wave wins in a few categories, just not overall (for me). If I'd had rust issues my opinion might have changed, but I had no such problems, and I'm not likely to where I live.

I don't have a Swisstool, and I can't imagine needing a tool that big, but I'm sure it's a great tool.

I LOVE to weight and range of function on the Spirit X. It is exactly what I want; a broad range of tools in a pretty small package. It adds easy access, very secure lock-up of tools, good ergo. And yeah... I totally dig the sheath too.

Pignut71 · **Reply #14 on:** November 07, 2012, 12:16:52 AM

I always remember the first time I set eyes on my SwissTool X (it was 2nd hand, as new, from a member on here).

I was blown away, just loved the look, feel, quality and as has been said above how smooth all the tools deploy. After a week or so I decided I "needed" a Spirit X so arranged to have Tim (felinevet) ship me one whilst I was on holiday in Florida earlier this year, needless to say I love this too. One criticism of the Spirit for me though is the lack of a lanyard ring or pocket clip. Appreciate there are solutions but it would be perfect if it was part of the tool from new.

Atb, Jon.

Vladimir · **Reply #15 on:** November 07, 2012, 07:27:24 PM

I just love how the SwissTool sounds when you open it.

Gareth · **Reply #16 on:** November 07, 2012, 07:36:53 PM

I'm not sorry I own more than a few Leathermans and Gerbers, but it's my Spirit X that I hold most dear. In fact I've been carrying my LM Fuse mod for the last while but I suspect I'll be changing over to my Spirit X tomorrow thanks to this thread.

michael_86 · **Reply #17 on:** November 07, 2012, 10:54:12 PM

Hey chaps, thanks for influencing my decision on my first multi have gone for the Victorinox Spirit Smooth Blade Swiss Tool. I was going to buy it from the U.K amazon site for £80 pounds, but went on the german.de amazon site and it was £20 pound cheaper that including p&p in case anyone was interested.

Regards.

Gareth · **Reply #18 on:** November 07, 2012, 11:03:43 PM

I don't think you'll regret it Michael.

michael_86 · **Reply #19 on:** November 07, 2012, 11:10:36 PM

qwotchi · **Reply #20 on:** November 08, 2012, 12:50:37 AM

Gareth · **Reply #21 on:** November 08, 2012, 08:05:16 AM

Pignut71 · **Reply #22 on:** November 09, 2012, 04:09:11 PM

Quote from: michael_86 on November 07, 2012, 10:54:12 PM

Hey chaps, thanks for influencing my decision on my first multi have gone for the Victorinox Spirit Smooth Blade Swiss Tool. I was going to buy it from the U.K amazon site for £80 pounds, but went on the german.de amazon site and it was £20 pound cheaper that including p&p in case anyone was interested.

Regards.

Good choice Fella'

Remember, forum rules state you must report back once you have it and show pictures.

Enjoy, Jon.

gustophersmob · **Reply #23 on:** November 09, 2012, 07:16:34 PM

Good choice, you won't regret it!

The hardest part for me when I got my 1st Spirit was getting over the

and shiny and actually using the dang thing. Once you do, you realize it can hold up to a lot!

Dunc · **Reply #24 on:** November 24, 2012, 10:52:28 AM

Kirk that was a nice write up

Back in the early days of multitool.org I done a lot of threads on the Swisstool and Spirit and I'm sure I must have convinced a shed load of members to part with their hard earned

Much like most of Victorinox products the Swisstool/Spirit range has become a timeless classic.
I too remember the first time I saw a Swisstool , it was many years ago in the window of a Gun shop in Norwich. My first thought was "shiny" and then " I must have one"

Probably the most significant multitool I ever bought, it opened my eyes to just how good Victorinox was.

When I first saw the Spirit a was a little disappointed with how it looked in the closed position ,I didn't like how the handles flared out at the top $:-\$ Over a short time this changed. While I don't carry the Spirit all the time as I like to rotate a lot of my multitools I find that when I open the drawer and take the Spirit out of its sheath my heart rate goes a little quicker and a faint smile appears on my face , much in the same way ( I would imagine) someone who owns a special classic car of motor bike when they open the garage door

Out of all the Multitools I've ever owned the Swisstool/Spirit are the only ones that I am 100% that they won't fail on me, I carry a Wave frequently because of the one hand opening blade and quick release lanyard when I'm working on the rivers but I've had enough failures ( broken bits and broken frame being the worst) to have this niggling away at the back of my mind.

Now for the bad points

just about every Swisstool I've had has blade and plier play but to be honest this had never got worse or made any difference at all. On the other hand its very rare to find a Spirit with blade play but they do tend to have plier head play which while they are very good hard wire cutters they do let themselves down a little on thinner wire but you can still get by with them ok.

Styerman · **Reply #25 on:** November 24, 2012, 02:39:14 PM

I've owned Swisstools ( 2 ) , and Spirits (2) . If I could only have one , it would be the Spirit X , 95% of the capabilities of the Swisstool , less weight and bulk .

That said , there are no bad choices , just that Spirits feel like steel bubbies in the hand .

Chris

ICanFixThat · **Reply #26 on:** November 24, 2012, 08:30:35 PM

Great write up! I was sold on the Spirit quite some time ago. To me it was the new SwissChamp, and the New SwissTool in one package.

Just don't know why they don't make the 'S' version any more; if they can produce so many SAK models I would think they could keep just a few Spirit variations alive.

The Road Tour Edition was really great as well, love that coating on the handles.

cargobrian · **Reply #27 on:** November 25, 2012, 01:17:20 AM

The spirit RT is what I have in addition to the Swisstool and standard spirit.

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