Gerber Dime: Initial impressions

[Singh]

I  was wanting to get a pair of keychain pliers to play around with. So decided to try a Gerber Dime for grins & giiggles.


Initial impressions:

I was surprised at how small the tool actually was. Yeah, I know it's a keychain tool, but it's TINY.

 

• Tools were very stiff and gritty when deployed, even though it is new and heavily oiled.  The grittiness left after I worked the tools a bit, but they still deploy rather stiffly. Definitely not the buttery smooth action that I get with Victorinox, but that was expected.
• Knife Blade: knife was a tad dull but sharpened to shaving-sharp with a just few passes of an accusharp. I like the convex blade because its shape is better suited for cutting.
• Tweezers were a joke: They couldn't pluck a hair.
• Scissors: unable to to the fine cutting that my Vic Classic SD can do, such as trimming fingernails or hangnails. I tried cutting flat and round shoelace and the scissors "gummed" them without cutting anything. They managed to cut paper just fine. I think anything fibrous or flexible would challenge these scissors. Stick to stiff things that won't cause the Jaws to "gum" and you should be fine.
• Package opener. Now here is a nifty little idea. It zips right through packages. I see this tool getting lots of use.
• Pliers (the main reason I got this tool was for the mini pliers): We have a winner! The most impressive thing on this tool. The pliers are very well done because, unlike the tweezers, the pliers could pluck a hair! Nice spring action. Pliers fold & unfold with a nice snap; this tool will not flop open.
• Wire cutters:  I couldn't find a wire to cut, unless I wanted to ruin something that works.
• Bottle opener: works very well. And the fixed bottle opener helps get a grip to open the pliers on this tiny tool.  Nice touch.
• The two screwdrivers: the 2d phillips and the flat driver both work well.  Nice to see that Gerber has moved away from rounded-edge drivers. The drivers here have nice crisp edges that grip the screws, but not as sharp as the LM Juice drivers that can cut the daylights out of you when you deploy them. A FILE on the short phillips driver? Please. Too small for anything useful.
• The colored scales seem to be done well,and give the tool a nice polished appearance. The anodizing seems to be thicker than old Gerber keychain tools? It looks like it might hold up well. Time will tell.

Overall a nifty little tool.I think Gerber did a decent job on this one. The main tool (pliers) are very well done.

All but two of the tools are useful.The only disappointments were the tweezers and scissors.

The finish is good,  it seems better than the old keychain Gerber I had a few year ago.

Package opener is a fantastic addition to this little keychain tool.

For the price-point, I don't think you could do better than a Dime.

If teeny scissors are you main concern on a keychain tool, I'd get a Vic Classic or a LM Micra.
But if your main concern is having teeny pliers, the Dime should do nicely.

[Mr. Whippy]

Your opinion is very similar to my own. The pliers are very nice and I love the main blade and package opener.  The bottle opener is simply top notch.

[Gareth]

thanks for your thoughts Shamus.

[Singh]

I got some more use out of the package opener. My wife was fumbling with some clamshell packages (and trying to open them with a steak knife).  I causally plucked them from her hands and zipped through them with the package opener.

"Huh", she said, "Well that worked really well."

[Grant Lamontagne]

I scoffed when I first started seeing the package openers thinking that a knife or scissors were just as good.  Then I started using package openers because it seems like everything comes in a clam pack these days and I really started to appreciate them.  I think this one (also available on the Octane) is about the best one out there.

Def

Sent from a digital multitool

[powernoodle]

The cutters are more like unsharpened pinchers.  I think was it Lynn (?) who took a file to them and sharpened them up?  In their current form, they are more akin to the unsharpened "pinchers" on the Wingman.  I haven't used them, but they look like a little sharpening wouldn't hurt them.

Like everything else, whether you like the Dime or not is relative to something.  Compared to a handful of nothing, they are great.  And versus the functionality of a Swisstool, not so much.  But they certainly can have a role in the pocket, backpack or keychain.  I like them enough to own all three colors.

[Lynn LeFey]

The cutters are more like unsharpened pinchers.  I think was it Lynn (?) who took a file to them and sharpened them up? 

Yep, that was me. It took like three minutes with a file. And they work reasonably well now.

I'm running the Dime on my keychain right now, and it's handled everything I've needed since I put it on there.

[nuphoria]

Getting more tempting to get a Dime now... hmmm

[AimlessWanderer]

Getting more tempting to get a Dime now... hmmm

Surprised you haven't got one yet  They make a great little combo with the Brushed Stainless Pocket Tool Chest you know 

[Mr. Whippy]

Getting more tempting to get a Dime now... hmmm

Surprised you haven't got one yet  They make a great little combo with the Brushed Stainless Pocket Tool Chest you know 

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I really like that second shot.  Very cool.

I've been carrying my Dime lately and must say, I really like it.  Great small blade.

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks Nate  That shot is a few months old now, and there's a bit less green on that Dime now 

[jerseydevil]

That just gives it a nice, well-used appearance.  My Balance is getting to be the same way.....

[nuphoria]

Hmm... too much redundancy for me.

Still might have to get one though!

[AdmSlc]

I had the chance to get one for $10 and decided against it. I've been disappointed by every Gerber MT I've ever owned.

[Gareth]

I had the chance to get one for $10 and decided against it. I've been disappointed by every Gerber MT I've ever owned.

which Gerber's have you tried mate?

[PTRSAK]

I saw a Dime "in the flesh" first time last Monday and was amazed at just how small they actually are. It would make a Micra look positively chunky.

I have no "need" for one, but now I want a red Dime, just because they look cool.

  there's my OLSSS flaring up again.  (Oh Look Something Shiny Syndrome)

[Cupboard]

My Dime arrived today.

The good point: the pliers open and close with a nice snap.

The bad points:

• There is so little oompf to the teeth on the file you might as well not have it. I'd be OK with one that short if it actually did any filing but there's no bite to it at all.
• I know it's new, but I shouldn't break a nail trying to open the tools
• I know it's a Gerber, but I shouldn't be able to run my finger up and down the blade with some pressure

The LM Squirt is far better built, is far more satisfying to hold and looks a lot more finished than the Dime. However, my Squirt has gone walkies and the Dime is half the price of a Squirt. I'll give it a quick sharpen (it will be very coarse) and it will get some pocket time over the next few weeks when I can't carry anything better. We'll see how it hold up!

At the moment I think it's probably worth about half what the Squirt is, which is what I paid for it. The thing is, it's only going to be occasional use so can you really justify over £30?

ETA: wrt the stiffness, it's a red one so shouldn't have the issues with the black finish either.

[Cupboard]

If that much metal comes off every time I give it a quick sharpen the blade isn't going to last long! 

It's the first time I've seen large bits of filings come off with my current sharpener, the last time I saw that sort of thing was on my Fleatherman when I could shave metal off the blade with the el cheapo sharpener I had at the time.

[Gareth]

That's interesting, I'd not noticed any real issue with sharpening the blade.  Mine did come pretty dull as well though.  What sharpener are you using mate?

[Cupboard]

Lansky sharpening system.

I wasn't forcing the stone on to the blade or anything, but there was a lots of residue on both side after even just a few passes.

[Gareth]

Lansky sharpening system.

I wasn't forcing the stone on to the blade or anything, but there was a lots of residue on both side after even just a few passes.

Interesting.   I have to admit my bench stone is pretty manky, so if it was leaving lots of steel behind there is a good chance I'd not have seen it.