Modular pocketknife

Wootz · **on:** February 24, 2013, 01:40:46 PM

What the heck?

http://www.quirky.com/products/35

nuphoria · **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2013, 01:44:51 PM

Yezz, been discussed and actually had the chance to play with one at a meet up.

Liked the concept, hated the thing in reality!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2013, 04:50:04 PM

As with many things, it is a great idea on paper, not so great in practice.

Def

Sent from a digital multitool

Gareth · **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2013, 08:26:46 PM

It wasn't cheap when it first came out either! Horrible, horrible thing.

Metropolicity · **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2013, 06:08:51 PM

I have NO clue why the pivot had to be so large. It really serves NO purpose.

Gareth · **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2013, 06:40:01 PM

I wondered the same thing mate. The only thing I could come up with is the fact you are supposed to be able to unscrew the two halves of the pivot with a couple of coins, the over sized pivot certainly gives you plenty of leverage and lets you used a large coin. But could they really have compromised the design quite so badly for such a minor reason?

Ombudsman · **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2013, 07:17:18 PM

I think we need to look at the history of the product to see how that pivot size developed...

The original concept of the Switch was known as the "Multi Tool Karambit"

Here are some early prototype designs:

After some iterations the dual tool layout was ditched but the pivot remained...

BTW last time i checked the Switch was no longer available

Gareth · **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2013, 09:01:00 PM

Very interesting mate, thanks.

The unutterable shame if the whole things is that it is an immensely cool idea, but the execution is just plain BAD.

Tiny and often unusable components that inspire no confidence whatsoever and horrible ergonomics. $:-\$

Metropolicity · **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2013, 12:33:55 AM

Quote from: Gareth on March 05, 2013, 09:01:00 PM

Very interesting mate, thanks.

The unutterable shame if the whole things is that it is an immensely cool idea, but the execution is just plain BAD. Tiny and often unusable components that inspire no confidence whatsoever and horrible ergonomics. $:-\$

Very much so. I'll stick to cobbling Squirts together

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2013, 12:59:41 AM

Quote from: nuphoria on February 24, 2013, 01:44:51 PM

Yezz, been discussed and actually had the chance to play with one at a meet up.

Liked the concept, hated the thing in reality!

+1

I felt really bad when I got to see one in real life. I was handed in by one of our members who said it wasn't very good as he handed it over. I opened the box, cracked up laughing and handed it back. Thankfully he wasn't offended and saw the funny side

It's AWFUL

Outback in Idaho · **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2013, 03:14:06 AM

Wait till you see one of these modular multitools...

Steinar · **Reply #11 on:** March 10, 2013, 06:16:47 PM

firiki · **Reply #12 on:** March 13, 2013, 12:11:26 AM

Chako · **Reply #13 on:** March 13, 2013, 12:48:05 PM

OMG...that is insane enough...that I am in love with the brick.

I have the Switch. The large pivot does allow a finger to get in there...makes holding the ungainly thing a little easier. I bought it simply because it is off the top nutters. I have a weak spot of the weird and wacky MT designs out there.

Edit: Thanks for the heads up...I just bought one off of eBay.

Wootz · **Reply #14 on:** March 13, 2013, 02:51:06 PM

Quote from: Chako on March 13, 2013, 12:48:05 PM

OMG...that is insane enough...that I am in love with the brick.

I have the Switch. The large pivot does allow a finger to get in there...makes holding the ungainly thing a little easier. I bought it simply because it is off the top nutters. I have a weak spot of the weird and wacky MT designs out there.

Edit: Thanks for the heads up...I just bought one off of eBay.

Get your camera out, mate!

Chako · **Reply #15 on:** March 14, 2013, 02:39:42 AM

That I will when it gets here. Not expecting much though lol.

Here is my original write up on that Switch.

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,28349.0.html

Chako · **Reply #16 on:** March 19, 2013, 12:46:51 AM

Guess what just came in the door today...

Lends new meaning to "Don't play with your legos".

Yes, it is about as bad as it looks.

lowtech · **Reply #17 on:** March 19, 2013, 12:01:03 PM

but does it stack with LEGOs?

firiki · **Reply #18 on:** March 19, 2013, 12:24:08 PM

The orange cat could be me, asking WHY, oh why, would someone make these Swiss Bricks. Buying them I get it but making them? WHYYY???

Outback in Idaho · **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2013, 12:29:07 PM

Still in

that he had bought them.

Is okay, least they are real.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #20 on:** March 19, 2013, 01:20:50 PM

Quote from: firiki on March 19, 2013, 12:24:08 PM

The orange cat could be me, asking WHY, oh why, would someone make these Swiss Bricks. Buying them I get it but making them? WHYYY???

Don't know why, but that reminded me of Peter Cook in The Princess Bride

firiki · **Reply #21 on:** March 19, 2013, 07:56:26 PM

@ 50ft-trad, thank you for the piece of information

gregozedobe · **Reply #22 on:** April 13, 2013, 02:49:38 PM

Quote from: Chako on March 19, 2013, 12:46:51 AM

Guess what just came in the door today...

(Image removed from quote.)

Yes, it is about as bad as it looks.

I couldn't resist, I just had to buy some. However, after handling them I think they are actually slightly worse than they look (that was a surprise). However, I bought them because they were brightly coloured and a silly idea, and they have met both those expectations

I would hate to have to rely on them to actually do anything

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #23 on:** April 15, 2013, 11:03:09 AM

Would I be right in thinking that's the least size efficient multitool ever (size vs function)? Certainly blows away the Gerber Keystyle which was probably a contender before

gregozedobe · **Reply #24 on:** April 15, 2013, 11:44:31 AM

I love the way threads are permitted (encouraged ?) to go off on interesting and un-related tangents in this forum, makes for much more fun. So given that caveat, here is my contribution to a (hopefully amusing) off-topic continuation:

Quote from: 50ft-trad on April 15, 2013, 11:03:09 AM

Would I be right in thinking that's the least size efficient multitool ever (size vs function) ? Certainly blows away the Gerber Keystyle which was probably a contender before

Possibly. In the interests of scientific comparison I assembled my SwissBrick into all its full design glory and measured away.

in cm: 4.5 x 1.1 x 6.4 = 31.68 cubic cm

there are 4 tools so 31.68 / 4 = 19.8 cubic centimetres per tool

But then comes a small piece of subjective judgement. I have arbitrarily decided to divide by a "functionality factor", with:
1.0 being full functionality equivalent to a good quality, well designed dedicated tool,
0.5 being usable but not the best for the task, and
0.0 every single tool being totally unusable in any and all imaginable circumstances.

After a quick perusal of each tool I have allocated a "functionality factor" of 0.1
I really, really wouldn't want to rely on any of the tools to do much at all. The LED is pretty feeble, and it is significantly better than the metal "tools" on the rest of the bricks.

The result is (according to my back-of-the-envelope figuring) .....

19.8 / 0.1 = 198 ccm per tool

So, get out your most useless and bulky MTs and start measuring and calculating ......

Chako · **Reply #25 on:** April 15, 2013, 12:39:48 PM

You know, we should open a Swiss Brick owners club.

gregozedobe · **Reply #26 on:** April 15, 2013, 01:11:03 PM

Quote from: Chako on April 15, 2013, 12:39:48 PM

You know, we should open a Swiss Brick owners club.

It might be somewhat "exclusive" ..... let's see, there's you, me, Multimat and

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