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The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring

us Offline Lynn LeFey

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The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
on: January 19, 2013, 04:31:05 PM
Back in late 2011, our local Home Depot hardware store had a little 2-pack with a lockblade knife and multitool for $3, branded 'Coast'. I like cheap MTs, but even by my (shockingly low) standards, this tool was bad. So, I took it over to some friends house, and their then 8-year-old son comes looking at it.

You ever see that 'Oh My God, WANT!' look on a kid's face, and fail all attempts to resist? So, with the parents' permission, he gets that thing, and I utterly forget about it.

So, last night, I'm showing off some stuff to my friends (actually trying to convince my friend to upgrade her EDC stuff), and their son comes in... with that Coast MT. It is BEATEN, and worn, and man, looks like it's lived a life of adventure. And he's telling me how it's been working for him.

For $3, I got the tool and the knife. I kept the knife, so I figure that thing cost $2. That's like the cost of a soda. And he LOVES it. And, apparently, he actually is the tool using type.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #1 on: January 19, 2013, 05:00:08 PM
He's obviously been handling it responsibly so that's a good thing.

This is the other important reason I felt we needed a cheapo forum- I know a lot of people that can't live without their multitool but they'd never spend the money on a Leatherman or other name brand.  In some cases they have been using cheapies for years and in other cases they simply spend another $5 every so often and buy a replacement.  After all, there are a lot of people out there that won't spend ~$75 on a pair of pliers with an attached utility knife.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Swiss Man

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The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #2 on: January 19, 2013, 05:03:48 PM
Soon he will be on the forum, staying up all night reading and writing reviews spending his money on a fix he can't beat. He will be like one of us
Good job Lynn.

In all seriousness you probably started him on a road to self assurance and problem solving. That is a wonderfully thing. 


us Offline powernoodle

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #3 on: January 19, 2013, 05:09:51 PM
Swiss Man, your avatar just gave me amnesia.  Could you repeat that?


us Offline Lynn LeFey

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #4 on: January 19, 2013, 05:21:57 PM
His dad (my friend) is a do-it-yourself kind of guy. We all helped rebuild their garage. So the dad set a real example for his son. The son picked up on that, I think. And, the boy's grandfather was a math teacher, and hiker, and generally the 'go out and do stuff' kind of man.

I was certainly happy to do some small part in introducing the boy to the joy of tool use.

I do think he's shown reasonable responsibility, and interest, so I'm seriously considering finding him a good upgrade.

In this case, the budget MT was great, because for low cost, it becomes a test bed. Will it be used at all? Will the child be able to keep from losing it? With they do dumb things with it (like stab their brother/sister, or stick it in a light socket).

Anyway, I am just so very pleased. What I thought was going to be pointlessly blowing a few bucks turned out to be a wise investment.  :tu:


ca Offline wndrstrck

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #5 on: January 19, 2013, 05:27:32 PM
He's obviously been handling it responsibly so that's a good thing.

This is the other important reason I felt we needed a cheapo forum- I know a lot of people that can't live without their multitool but they'd never spend the money on a Leatherman or other name brand.  In some cases they have been using cheapies for years and in other cases they simply spend another $5 every so often and buy a replacement.  After all, there are a lot of people out there that won't spend ~$75 on a pair of pliers with an attached utility knife.

Def

I'm with ya on the cheapo forum too  :tu: I love my Leatherman's but am always on the hunt for some cheaper tools with decent build quality.
"To be prepared is half the victory" Miguel de Cervantes


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #6 on: January 19, 2013, 09:49:45 PM
 :rofl: I read the title and thought this thread was going to very rude  :-[ :-[

Lynn, I thought you were going to give us a review on the "perfect" tool from the "other" thread  ;) >:D :whistle:

For those who don't get the gag ... http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,37019.msg607083.html#msg607083

 :angel: :angel: :angel:


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Offline hiljentaa

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #7 on: January 20, 2013, 03:14:03 AM
Awesome story. :)

I still remember the multi tool my Dad gave me when I was younger. I loved that thing - went with me on all of my adventures into the woods.

I really wish I still had it, just for nostalgia's sake - it got lost in a move.


ca Offline jekostas

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #8 on: January 21, 2013, 01:14:21 AM
Coast actually has some decent stuff (Tekut is their OEM in China).  Also, they have a lifetime warranty on most, if not all of their tools/lights and their warranty department was very easy to deal with.


us Offline Lynn LeFey

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #9 on: January 21, 2013, 01:21:35 AM
While that's nice to know, I think I'd pass on shipping a $2 multitool off for refurb... which would cost me about $5.

I am looking into better options for replacement. I think the kid has shown both responsibility and interest enough to warrant a 'real' tool.


ca Offline jekostas

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Re: The most joy a $2 MT could ever bring
Reply #10 on: January 24, 2013, 07:18:09 PM
Well, I'll tell you how my warranty experience went, you can judge whether it's worthwhile or not:

Had a Coast flashlight, just a little 3 watch battery dealie with a 5mm LED and integral reflector with no lens.  Not expensive, but I liked it.  Anyways, the head unscrewed and fell off somewhere so I sent an e-mail asking for a new one, with a picture of the light as it now existed.

They couriered a new one to me from Portland in 2 days, and it probably cost them substantially more to ship the package to me in Canada than anything was worth.  Heck, they even threw in two sets of batteries.

Any company willing to go to that length is alright in my book.


 

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