One Piece Tools I don't like

[Grant Lamontagne]

Ever since Peter Atwood popularized chunks of titanium with notches cut out of them there have been a number of folks trying to jump on the bandwagon.  Some, like our own Ray Kirk, have been successful because they created something useful.  Others have created what I believe to be junk. 

I hate to be totally negative about things (unless it's Schrade/S&W/Taylor BS, in which case I enjoy ripping into them) but these tools are just ineffective and I'd hate for others to get sucked into them because they have fancy names or are made from fancy materials.  Not all notched chunks of fancy metals are the same. 

Mission Critical Parasite PV1:



Cool name, and looks like a cool design, right?  This one is in steel and retails for around the $70 mark.  As a pry bar it barely passes muster as the head on it is pretty thick, making it hard to get under things.  The bottle opener sides don't quite reach the lip of any of the bottles I tried it on, and the handle, while comfortable, is completely hollow.  Sure it's comfortable, and when you factor in the cool jimping it provides an excellent grip for you to use the functions that don't function.   

I didn't even get the kydex sheath that is supposed to come with it.

Flud P38.5:



This particular version is called "Knapped Titanium" because it looks like it was chiseled out of a solid block.  Very raw, cave-man-ly, and yet still sleek, sexy and high tech because of the titanium.



I bought this one directly from Brian for about $60 if memory serves.  This was a while ago, so I may be hazy on the details.  What I'm not hazy on is that this thing is useless.  Before I go any further I should point out that David Bowen has one as well and he really likes it.  So, in this case it might be user error, or it may simply be the differences that arise from hand made tools.

There are several issues with it as far as I can see, including the fact that titanium is a poor metal for screwdrivers, and this has two of them.  The Phillips head is well formed, but I don't imagine it would survive much use.  The bottle opener must have been a collaboration with Mission Critical because it is also useless at grabbing a bottle cap.  It does however function as a can opener, although the can then looks like you let out your inner caveman and ripped open the metal with a reasonably sharp rock.  Here's Dave's photo to illustrate:



The square notch thing on the flip side is a mystery to me.  I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a bottle opener (you know, since the other side doesn't work on bottles) or a specific purpose wrench... I don't know.  Anyways, The only thing this is good for is mutilating cans, and I can think of a pile of other can openers I'd reach for long before I reached for this one.

By the way, both these guys have accounts here and I welcome any comments they may wish to make to challenge my claims.  If the issues I'm having are user related, please let me know and I'll happily correct them.

On the other hand, one of these days I may also make a video of my attempting to get some use out of these things.  I have some other One Piece Tools I don't care for somewhere- as I did them up I'll update this thread.

Def

[JAfromMn]

I was really into one price tools .

I've used many different one piece tools by different makers and non hold a candle to what a small crescent wrench can do for way way less money.

I know its not nearly as cool looking but it works so much better and for about 1/3 or less the price.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Until you need to open a bottle! 

Def

Sent from the place I sent it from

[Syph007]

Cool topic!

I dont see the appeal to most of them, but people buy them, so who knows.  It always seemed like an arbitrary rule to a contest.  ok.. it must do x, y and z.. and wait for it.. it must be ONE PIECE!

A SAK is similar size and weight to alot of them, but its not one piece.. but why does it need to be?

[JAfromMn]

Until you need to open a bottle! 

Def

Sent from the place I sent it from

you know I always carry a multitool.

it opens a beer just fine 

[Jailbird]

My favorite one piece tool to date is probably the cheapest, the Brewzer. I've had a few Atwoods, and a few others and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. I was almost afraid to use the Atwoods because of the "value", and the others were just so so. The Brewzer lives on my keys and does everything I need.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

[Grant Lamontagne]

Cool topic!

I dont see the appeal to most of them, but people buy them, so who knows.  It always seemed like an arbitrary rule to a contest.  ok.. it must do x, y and z.. and wait for it.. it must be ONE PIECE!

A SAK is similar size and weight to alot of them, but its not one piece.. but why does it need to be?

It took me a while to warm up to one piece tools.  I'm hardly an aficionado, but I think I've passed novice level.  The thing about one pieces is that they are relatively easy to design, relatively cheap to produce and they fetch a good price, which is why there are so many more of these than there ever was of folding plier tools. 

Look at the average plier tool- it's made with casting, metal stamping, grinding, mechanical fasteners and a couple of dozen moving parts and sells for around $60.

The one piece tool segment is usually just waterjet cut, occasionally with some grinding and/or a o-ring or two and you can charge $60 for it.

Def

[jzmtl]

The one piece tool segment is usually just waterjet cut, occasionally with some grinding and/or a o-ring or two and you can charge $60 for it.

And none works as well as the widgy pry bar I paid a few bucks for. Seriously I've opened metal doors with broken lock with it.

I've tried a few of them but always go back to my little pry bar.

[Steinar]

I really like one-piece tools, there's something about the lack of moving parts, I think. That said, I have never encountered any credit card form factor one-piece "survival cards" being anything else than amusing ways of cutting your hands while trying to open a bottle. (And don't get me started on their "cutting edges" and "saws".) 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have nothing against one piece tools.  I judge them pretty much by the same criteria I judge anything else.  Does it work?  Is the price reasonable?  Is it comfortable and/or convenient to carry and use?

Sadly these two tools above are really not very good.  I have to say though, if I was to boil it down to dollar vs function, the $15 Superior Titanium Shark is very hard to beat, and probably only surpassed by the Shard, which is half the price.

Just because I'm posting these in this thread doesn't mean I don't like them.  I think these are OPT's done right.





Effective, easy to carry and cheap enough to replace if they get lost, stolen or broken.

Def

[bmot]

I have nothing against one piece tools.  I judge them pretty much by the same criteria I judge anything else.  Does it work?  Is the price reasonable?  Is it comfortable and/or convenient to carry and use?

Sadly these two tools above are really not very good.  I have to say though, if I was to boil it down to dollar vs function, the $15 Superior Titanium Shark is very hard to beat, and probably only surpassed by the Shard, which is half the price.

Just because I'm posting these in this thread doesn't mean I don't like them.  I think these are OPT's done right.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

Effective, easy to carry and cheap enough to replace if they get lost, stolen or broken.

Def

Don't forget the PocketWrenchII Very capable tool

[Grant Lamontagne]

Absolutely... except I don't actually have one of those, believe it or not!   

Def

[Mr. Whippy]

I bought the Brian Flud P38.5 also. I agree with you Grant.

The can opener works, but damn! it's nasty.  Bottle opener?  It's easier to use the edge of the counter.  The Phillips and standard drivers do work very well, but again, like you, I don't like Ti drivers.

I have to disagree with the pocket adjustable crescent wrench comment.  While they do work (most of them), they are bulkier and sometimes the skinny flat one piece tools are easier to use and have better access.

I'd give the nod to a small vise grip over a small crescent because they are thinner than most crescent wrenches.

My favorite one piece tools?

Pocket Wrench II
Leatherman Piranha (excellent prying and both metric and standard wrenches)
Atwood Prybaby/Atwrench
Atwood Funnybone (no prytip)
Atwood Crypto (open end wrench instead of the closed wrench of the Prybaby)

I'll try to get pictures later...

[ducttapetech]

I like the some of the one pieces(MTO coin one of the best), but love my 4" cresent wrench more. But I carry a multi for the other stuff. My cresent is handy as hell when I have bolt and nut that needs tighting or loosened.

sent from Ducttapetech's mobile device

[Mr. Whippy]

PocketWrench II



PocketTool X



Atwrench


Prybaby (with PocketTool X and Robot tool  )


Funnybone

[Grant Lamontagne]

Which ones don't you like Nate?

I could probably get into some of the Atwoods, but I hate paying huge secondary market prices and I have no desire to get into the shuffle for primary pricing, so it'll probably be a while before I ever own one.

Oh, and make sure the Bosslady never sees you using her new counters to open a bottle!   

Def

[Mr. Whippy]

Which ones don't I like?

The P38.5 is atrocious.

That Robot tool has a couple nice features but the ears will eat the palm of your hand.

Actually, I don't find the Shard very helpful.

Any Titanium tool rates very poorly for me.  Too easily damaged.

Of the Atwoods, I hated the Chigger (Some loved it, I found absolutely nothing it did well except take up space).  This is near heresy but there are better sharp tools than some of the Atwood sharps.  Some of them (like the Fixer) is downright dangerous.  Of the Atwood sharps, the Son of Prythings (and Mini versions) are very nice.  The Sharktooth and Snakebite are nice too.

I recently traded away a Booger, because I just couldn't see ever using it.

[ducttapetech]

It's not that I don't like them, a multi has more options and my cresent is a little thicker and doesn't dig into my hand when using a lot of force.
I'm a lot like you on some of them because of the price. You can get a sweet multi or Sak for the same price, if not cheaper in some cases.

sent from Ducttapetech's mobile device

[Syph007]

Ive tried 3 or 4 one piece tools out of curiousity but the only one I kept was a pocketwrench II... and then I bought a 2nd.

[Mr. Whippy]

If you ever have to remove electrician's staples off of electric cables but don't want to damage the cable, the narrow pry jaw on the PocketTool X is PERFECT.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Now there's a handy tip if ever there was one!

Def

[Raukodur]

Ive tried 3 or 4 one piece tools out of curiousity but the only one I kept was a pocketwrench II... and then I bought a 2nd.

king of the one piece tools 

[JAfromMn]

I thought the Gerber shard was going to be one of my favorite one piece tools until I tried carrying and using one.

we should start a new topic

one piece tools we really like and why

[jzmtl]

Absolutely... except I don't actually have one of those, believe it or not!   

Def

The head honcho of MULTITOOL.org doesn't have one of the most popular one that's available everywhere, oh the humanity... 

 

[dks]

Nails are just pins made to look tactical... Hate them...

(just wanted to be in the thread...    )

[ducttapetech]

 
 

[enki_ck]

Absolutely... except I don't actually have one of those, believe it or not!   

Def

The head honcho of MULTITOOL.org doesn't have one of the most popular one that's available everywhere, oh the humanity... 

 

And to think he was poking me not too long ago that the LeeValley store is only 5 miles from his house.

Go get one.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah yeah....

Def

Sent from a digital multitool

[Goatlord666]

gotta get a pocket wrench II soon...

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah, I'm sure I will, I just haven't done it yet!

Def

Sent from a digital multitool