Silverline LM Crunch clone

[nelson]

I'm a bit of a hater for cheap tools, but took a chance on a Silverline vise grip tool that is a rip off of the LM Crunch and ...given it cost 10 bills its surprisingly good! If i needed a vise grip type tool as an EDC I'd go the LM route, but this is more than adequate for occasional use.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LFVA58/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_1

It's even looks a bit better in real life than the Amazon picture.



Amazon review...
This a blatant rip off of the LM Crunch, but bearing in mind it's ten times cheaper it is a surprisingly good one. The grips are adequate for most jobs but if you really push them to their limits the handles can twist slightly, though they still work and do not fall apart. There are no instructions so if you have never seen a LM crunch you will not know to remove the bottom screw to be able to fit standard hex bits or about the wire stripper built into the grip mechanism. I am an absolute LM devotee and can easily spend £150+ on their tools as EDC but this is a no brainer for a tenner just to have in your tool kit when you need a small locking vise grip. Bad points are the serrated blade, I'd rather have a plain edge, but again this is the way a LM crunch is.

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[AimlessWanderer]

I have the exact same one. I got it as I wanted to play with the idea of a Crunch, and wasn't prepared to splash out for the genuine item only to not like it (as I have done so many times before). It's a very well made tool for a tenner, and anyone wanting a cheapo Crunch substitute would be well served by this. I found it wasn't something that appealed to me personally, and it was worth a tenner to stop me buying the genuine article 

[Metropolicity]

I have the exact same one. I got it as I wanted to play with the idea of a Crunch, and wasn't prepared to splash out for the genuine item only to not like it (as I have done so many times before). It's a very well made tool for a tenner, and anyone wanting a cheapo Crunch substitute would be well served by this. I found it wasn't something that appealed to me personally, and it was worth a tenner to stop me buying the genuine article 

I had my various Crunches apart last weekend and managed to cobble a pocket clip from a Kick by trimming and using the pivot from the Kick.

I'll post some pics when I get it done.

I too have one of these and as a sacrificial tool, it's awesome!! I also have the Silverline Faux Flair and it's not bad, but it dosn't have any of the inside tools. Just a 1/4" driver socket and various random tools.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That looks pretty good.  How does it compare to the real Crunch?  It looks pretty close- usually the plier heads and internal components seem really crappy compared to the name brand versions, but this looks amazingly close to a Crunch, at least in the photos.

If it weren't for the missing markings I'd think this would be a rebranded Leatherman.

Def

[nelson]

I'm always looking hard at the cross head driver in pictures of the cheaper multitools, it's something I really depend on and none of them seem to be able to form a decent one. Even a Gerber suspension has a reasonably formed one.

My work sent everyone a multitool for Christmas this year.. it was a very embarrassing effort for a huge tool company to buy all of its engineers!


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[Lynn LeFey]

These things aren't available in the U.S. on Amazon, it seems. Weird.

[Grant Lamontagne]

If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.

Def

[Metropolicity]

If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.

Def

I normally buy two of these kinds of things, but for some reason I only got one. I would forward it on if I did.

[deputy tom]

That looks like a nice tool. I just converted pounds to USD and that tool is $16.11 . I bought a Leatherman Crunch Pre-owned but un-used. I've used it a few times and am happy with it. I would probably be happy with that tool as well. tom.

[Stew]

Thanks for posting this! I'll be buying one.

I used to have a LM Crunch and sold as needed funds. A vice grip is nice to have though and I'll get one of these for sewing - I struggle to pull the needles through so use full sized vice grips which are a bit cumbersome.

[AimlessWanderer]

If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.

Def

Grant, mine is up for grabs mate  I just got it to play with, and I'd decided within about 30 seconds that a Crunch (genuine or otherwise) is never going to be a user for me.

[gregozedobe]

Thanks for the heads-up.  I have just bought 3 (1 for me, 2 for trades/loaners/gifts). Also freight was a bit much for just one (the perrenial addict's excuse). 

They were less than GBP 10 when I got to check out (approx GBP 8.50).

[Grant Lamontagne]

If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.

Def

Grant, mine is up for grabs mate  I just got it to play with, and I'd decided within about 30 seconds that a Crunch (genuine or otherwise) is never going to be a user for me.

Thanks Al, yoodaman!

Def

[tosh]

I did exactly the same as 50ft - but bought 3.
One for each car and one for the house .

They were reduced to......£6/7 I think, and that's with postage and sheath thrown in too.

A few weeks later I managed to get the real deal off gumtree (£30 inc' postage).

TBH, as much as I'd love to knock it (yes, I am a tool snob  ). I couldn't really find any major, serious faults, one was a little stiff, but soon loosened up. I don't doubt for a second it's not the same quality as the Crunch. But cynical me does wonder how close it would be.  But there's no way I'm gonna push my real Crunch to breaking point just to satisfy my own  curiosity.

It's pretty alarming that Engineering machines, Presses, Dies and so forth can be machined and set up, wages paid, raw materials bought, sheath supplied, packaging too, amazons cut and postage thrown in, plus not forgetting a profit for the manufacturer and all for a measly £6/7, they do normally sell for under a tenner tho'!!

[Heirphoto]

It's pretty alarming that Engineering machines, Presses, Dies and so forth can be machined and set up, wages paid, raw materials bought, sheath supplied, packaging too, amazons cut and postage thrown in, plus not forgetting a profit for the manufacturer and all for a measly £6/7, they do normally sell for under a tenner tho'!!

Still cheaper than actually investing in the time and creativity and endless prototypes that Leatherman had to do to actually develop this tool from scratch. While I appreciate a bargain too, it is a shame to me when one,s designs simply get copied. Had a company like Silverline taken the concept and changed it, added improvements and features and made it their own tool I'd say fair game.

Tony

[tosh]

It's pretty alarming that Engineering machines, Presses, Dies and so forth can be machined and set up, wages paid, raw materials bought, sheath supplied, packaging too, amazons cut and postage thrown in, plus not forgetting a profit for the manufacturer and all for a measly £6/7, they do normally sell for under a tenner tho'!!

Still cheaper than actually investing in the time and creativity and endless prototypes that Leatherman had to do to actually develop this tool from scratch. While I appreciate a bargain too, it is a shame to me when one,s designs simply get copied. Had a company like Silverline taken the concept and changed it, added improvements and features and made it their own tool I'd say fair game.

Tony

You are ofcourse quite right sir.
It is a blatant rip off - but isn't that what our far eastern friends specialize in??

[dks]

It is the same, agreed.
However is Siverline or the company that ordered these or the company that sells them, amazon, Chinese owned too? Silverline seems to operate mainly in the Uk. I have bought some tools from them before.
It is easy to blame the Chinese, but who asked them to make it?
I suspect that being sold on Amazon uk they must have some sort of agreement with LM to make the product, or the patent is not valid in the UK, as direct copies like that are not often seen on mainstream online shops or regular shops.

[Gareth]

I'm just guessing that these must be the same tools that were being sold under the Jack Pyke name a few years ago.  If so then I have to agree that the quality is really good given the low cost, not as good as a Crunch for sure, but still perfectly usable.

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm just guessing that these must be the same tools that were being sold under the Jack Pyke name a few years ago.  If so then I have to agree that the quality is really good given the low cost, not as good as a Crunch for sure, but still perfectly usable.

I'm pretty sure you're right mate. I had seen your Jack Pyke one briefly at the first meet I went to, and decided to get this one as a try to give it a better evaluation. Like you say, there'll be compromises over the original but still worth a tenner - it's just the design does nothing for me at all, and I was pretty much instantly underwhelmed by it. I'm sure it would be a great tool for the right person though

[trouthunter]

I found a version of their Faux PST on their web site.  Sells for $10 on Amazon

[AHB]

I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs..

[Millhouse]

I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs..

Also available from Amazon UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32

[enki_ck]

I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs..

Also available from Amazon UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32

Congrats, Millhouse. Welcome to the club.

[Millhouse]

Thank you.

[nelson]

I found a version of their Faux PST on their web site.  Sells for $10 on Amazon

(Image removed from quote.)

That doesn't look as much up to the job. I think most of us would never need a crunch EDC, but as a small set of grips for the tool bag or for most of us into MTs it's a way to try out a crunch cheaply


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[nelson]

A few guys in my work have bought one and I ordered a spare one for the workshop...

Seems we started a bit of a rush on these.


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[AHB]

I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs..

Also available from Amazon UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32

Thanks mate, but it was the Crunch clone I have to figure out the shipping for.

[nuphoria]

Should we move this thread in to the new Cheap tools section?

[gregozedobe]

Should we move this thread in to the new Cheap tools section?

That seems the logical place to me 

[nuphoria]

I'm doing it... they can punish me if they like