Utilikey discrepancy

Grant Lamontagne · **on:** March 26, 2008, 03:24:12 PM

Multitools are like poetry
Find one like the Utilikey
Analyze the discrepancy
Then post the pictures and get down to what the issue really is!

I got a new Utilikey yesterday from Guillermo- thanks buddy! Out of the three pack that he sent me, Utilikey, Smart-Clipper and Screwz-All, the Utilikey was the only one I already had. Since I had a couple of new tools to weigh out, I decided to add them to the Comparative Multitool Weight Chart on the Multitool Encyclopedia while I had them handy. I put the Utilikey on the scale without thinking and noticed that there's about a half a gram difference in weight between what I had listed, and what the scale was currently telling me. This morning I pulled out the scale, dug up both Utilikeys and found a few other differences I thought were interesting and thought I'd share.

As you can see, the two models look virtually identical, with the exception of the stamps. The older model says:

"SWISS-TECH
UTILI-KEY
UST"

While the second one says:

"SWISS+TECH
UTILI-KEY"

Here's the readouts from the scale:

Older model:

Newer model:

Of course the "older model" and "newer model" designations were originally just in my head, meaning the older one I had and the newer one, but then while taking these photos I noticed something else:

In addition to the difference between the stamps on the outside, there are numbers stamped on the inside- a 2 on the older one, and a 4 on the newer one. Does this mean 2nd generation and 4th generation? Different batches? Different manufacturing plants? That last one makes more sense when one looks at the package.

Swiss*Tech tools used to be manufactured in the US, as you can see from the markings on this old Micro*Tech:

I always wondered how it could be Swiss and still be made in the USA- I know the story, it's a Swiss designer who emigrated to the US, blah blah blah, but I always felt that it should be one or the other. Well, now there's one more country involved as this scan of the package shows:

Inside my official Windows Paint crudely drawn oval, you see the infamous words "Made in China" which would account for many of the differences we see here.

The UST on the first one is very likely a US manufacturing stamp, and the numbers 2 and 4 could stand for different generations of tools, which would help during warranty and repair work, as well as tracking quality issues and so forth.

At the risk of upsetting some folks by pointing out that Swiss*Tech is made in China, I would also like to point out that there is apparently no difference in quality, and that .5g is about the weight of the average guitar pick (I weighed out a Jim Dunlop .88mm at exactly half a gram) so that's pretty insignificant. Still- it makes an interesting comparison, doesn't it?

Def

Ging · **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2008, 04:05:10 PM

Strangly mine says "SWISS+TECH UTILI-KEY" but is marked with a 2.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2008, 04:54:52 PM

Interesting... anyone else got a Utilikey they can check?

Def

Benner · **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2008, 05:34:23 PM

Mine is the same as the one you have marked with a 4.

David Bowen · **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2008, 08:04:47 PM

same marking as Ging's.....no number?

David

ToolManTim · **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2008, 11:14:06 PM

Mine looks just like the one you have with the 4, except it doesn't have any number. Also to note, mine was a recent purchase, within the last month, and I cut it new out of the clam (it came packaged as part of the 3-piece Micro Emergency Tool Set). I'll see if the package is still around, but I think it may have already been thrown away.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2008, 11:22:53 PM

That's how mine came too.

Def

Stormdrane · **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2008, 11:57:36 PM

My oldest UTILI-KEY, from when they first came out, is marked 'LKL Patents Pending' with no numbers. The other two, one with gold ti-ni coating, were purchases a few years ago, 'Made in USA' was on the packaging, and they have a # '1' on them. All have UST(Universal Survival Tool?) on them. I tried to weigh them, but my digital scale is set up for packages up to 36 lbs and only does the grams in increments of 5, so they each showed 15 grams instead of somewhere between 10 and 15. The one's I've seen in the clam packs at Target have 'made in China' on the package.

The only place I've seen the newer model with the nail file/cleaner and wire cutter/stripper instead of the knife blade is Amazon.com, so I've been waiting for the price to get to the under $10 range before I get one.

J-sews · **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2008, 01:34:34 AM

Crud.

I never noticed that before. All three of mine were apparently made in China.

jzmtl · **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2008, 02:49:07 AM

That probably just mean the tin box is made in china.

parnass · **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2008, 04:58:46 AM

My wife's says "SWISS+TECH UTILI-KEY" and is marked with a 4. It is not marked UST. It is one or two years old.

665ae · **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2008, 05:57:28 AM

Ugh... now you guys are gonna make me get up and find mine... I have to know what it says now!

One sec...

Mine says "Swiss+Tech Utili-Key" and also has a 4 on it...

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2008, 12:19:42 PM

Bob- do you have any more info on that variant on top?

Def

Ging · **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2008, 01:13:56 PM

Quote from: Defender on March 27, 2008, 12:19:42 PM

Bob- do you have any more info on that variant on top?

Def

I think that is the Utilikey XT. There is a video of it being used here - http://home-solutions.hsn.com/swiss-tech-microplus-ti-and-utili-key-xt-multitool-set_p-3821264_xp.aspx

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #14 on:** March 27, 2008, 01:33:38 PM

Cool, thanks.

Def

WhichDawg · **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2008, 09:09:09 PM

that would be a good "trivial pursuit" question; Where is swiss tech made? (flip card over) "China"

J-sews · **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2008, 01:17:02 AM

Quote from: Ging on March 27, 2008, 01:13:56 PM

Quote from: Defender on March 27, 2008, 12:19:42 PM
Bob- do you have any more info on that variant on top?

Def

I think that is the Utilikey XT. There is a video of it being used here - http://home-solutions.hsn.com/swiss-tech-microplus-ti-and-utili-key-xt-multitool-set_p-3821264_xp.aspx

Yup, what the man from Sheffield said.

ducktapehero · **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2008, 01:33:06 AM

Yay!!! My Swiss-Tech keychain pliers are made in the USA!!!!

J-sews · **Reply #18 on:** March 30, 2008, 08:46:20 PM

I must say that while I'm disappointed to see Swiss-Tech moving some (or all?) of their production overseas, at least they managed to still produce a quality tool. I've owned one Utiti-Key for over a year and never realized it was made in China until now.

Teofilo · **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2008, 02:34:39 AM

A swiss tool made in China? I'll never buy that!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2008, 03:45:12 AM

I always thought that it was funny when it said SWISSTECH USA... Make up your mind!

Now it seems they are more confused than ever... but at least the quality is still good. I can't see a difference between the two I have.

Def

GMArthur · **Reply #21 on:** April 02, 2008, 02:15:04 PM

I don't have a utilikey but I do have a guess about the different numbers that are stamped on. I'm guessing that the press that stamps out the part has multiple dies so that for every punch of the press multiple pieces are produced. So there could be four dies and every time the machine cycles four pieces are made. The dies are marked with a number so that during quality control checks if a problem is found they can go directly to the bad die, rather than trying to figure out which of the four is producing the out of spec parts. I've worked on many machines like this. I could be wrong... it has been known to happen, just ask my wife.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #22 on:** April 02, 2008, 03:10:55 PM

Another interesting possibility...

I thought we were supposed to be answering questions, not asking more?

Def

Benner · **Reply #23 on:** April 02, 2008, 05:58:36 PM

Perhaps we should shoot them an email and ask?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #24 on:** April 02, 2008, 06:35:22 PM

Actually I just called and spoke to them. They are researching the answers for me and will get back to me as soon as they can. In the meantime, I did find out that all the tools are currently made in China, but she couldn't peg down an actual year in which they moved out of the US. That's one of the tidbits of info that I'll get when they get it.

Def

Benner · **Reply #25 on:** April 02, 2008, 06:36:33 PM

Lets hope they are as helpful as the guys at Vic.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #26 on:** April 02, 2008, 06:42:25 PM

That's why I like to call and harass once in a while- it's harder to avoid a phone call than an email!

Def

Benner · **Reply #27 on:** April 02, 2008, 06:52:12 PM

Remind me never to give you my phone number.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2008, 06:53:10 PM

I have free long distance in North America... I'd have to pay to talk to you and I'm way too cheap for that!

Def

Poncho65 · **Reply #29 on:** April 11, 2008, 04:07:04 AM

Just bought a utilikey this weekend and it's made in china also (the demo they had was made is US as well as the rest of Swiss-Tech line in demo all US)and doesn't have any kind of number on it. still a very nice addition to my keychain without any noticeable weight addage seems to be well built as well.

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