Kirks long term Fit-ness test

[AimlessWanderer]

*shudders*

[enki_ck]

*shudders*

Did you imagine Kirky in a martini glass?

[AimlessWanderer]

*shudders*

Did you imagine Kirky in a martini glass?

... and this time it's YOUR FAULT 

 

[kirk13]

Coming soon in the 29/30/31 October update

- The Fit faces the Cupboard zip tie test
- Kirk reflects on the image benefits of SAKs
- yet more deliveries
- Pocket carry vs belt pouches!

- Thoughts on why people with knives make me nervous

[kirk13]

*shudders*

Did you imagine Kirky in a martini glass?

... and this time it's YOUR FAULT 

 

Could be worse,could be me with a Martini Henry!

[enki_ck]

*shudders*

Did you imagine Kirky in a martini glass?

... and this time it's YOUR FAULT 

 

Could be worse,could be me with a Martini Henry!

Debatable.

[Gareth]

*shudders*

Did you imagine Kirky in a martini glass?

well I flippin' am now!!

 

[kirk13]

So normal(?!) service resumes!

29/30/31 October

To begin with,Cupboard was asking about whether the SAK CT would make a good work EDC for me...

I have tried one,and it ended up being modded into my LightCyber. On paper the idea is good,but I would need to have either an inline or a back tool Phillips to reach those pesky resessed screws. I aim at making a video of some sort to demonstrate the issues I have with the resessed screws...oh and to demonstrate the Cupboard scissors test

For those of you who missed the great Multitool verses Cable Tie test that Cupboard Tom done at the 2013 UK meet,Tom worked his way through every scissor bearing MT or knife to hand on a medium thickness cable tie...

On Tuesday one of my MIA wheelie stands arrived back in store. About a year ago I'd used the SwissTool TaxiDad had sent me to road test to wrap the stand in packing cardboard,held in place with cable ties. This year the work was undone with a Gerber Fit and a LM Mini! This was the first time the scissors have been brought into action( much to my surprise!). The scissors did cut through the plastic,kinda cleanly,but a wee bit painful to do it. There must have been ten to fifteen cable ties,and to have done all with the Fit wouldn't have been an option. Once again,I was very glad to have the Mini to hand! I have spares of the cable ties,so as and when I get the video done,the test will be recreated...sort of!

[kirk13]

29/39/31 continued...

Wednesday seen the long awaited Famous Cola Brand toy lorry diorama arriving After much managerial faffing ,I got a ground floor location for it. Unfortunately, this week is the October school holiday,when all those loving,adorable little...let me stop now,before I get my self into trouble...come to see what Daddy Christmas will be getting demand letters for. I like avoiding the ground floor. I work much higher up in the building,which means only the fit,strong or terminally stupid will find Thier way to my area. The ground floor,however is subject to all and sundry. Knowing I'd need to be there,and not knowing how the diorama would be packed,I popped Lynn LeFeys old Small Tinker into my pocket. I know the terms of the test were to force me to use the Fit,but it has a damn nasty looking blade,and a child heavy area is no place to be flashing a three inch combo blade around! Now...the small blade on a red SAK,well that you'll not only get away with,but get the odd appreciative comment about too! As things turned out,I didn't need either

The other time where this issue of friendliness popped up was last night,where after having dealt with the diorama installation,and the joys of restocking the wheelie stand with fifty billionty matchbox type cars, I felt I owed myself a few moments of enjoyment,by building a die cast car kit to replace one we'd sold out of the display earlier in the day. Unfortunately, the one I chose is suffering issues with its tooling. The holes for the restraint lugs for the back windshield are obstructed by lots of flashing. I had to trim the plastic lugs back by about a mil,front and real,both lugs. Once again,the Fit's blade is not best suited. It's just not what you need for a precision job,removing small lumps of plastic whilst not removing  small lumps of your thumb! Also,I reflected again that a large nasty look blade doesn't get the warm recognition that a SAK does! Some may love Thier Tacti-Cool,but I much prefer my SAK-t-cool!

After a week and half of lomping the Fit around in my pocket,my leg is beginning to hurt. I have an odd perma-bruise on my thigh from spending two years carrying stupidly large key rings in my right hand trouser pocket. It's the main reason anything bigger than a two layer SAK goes into a belt pouch...well that and the fact I have short arms and very deep pockets . I'll see where things stand at the end of the week,but I may have to switch to belt carry next week!

[Grathr]

 

[Gareth]

Hard to come up with something sharp that is as friendly looking as a SAK isn't it?   Great fun so far (or it is from where I'm sitting), keep it up mate.

[AimlessWanderer]

It does sound like it's becoming a bit of a struggle, mate. Have there been any redeeming features about it so far in your work role, or is this just not an well suited tool for the role? Tool wise, the Fit is a Balance with a torch instead of pliers, so coupled with the Mini Tool I'd have expected a little less in the frustration department    though I can still see that box busting would be a chore - a bit like trying to slice an apple with an axe 

Appearance wise, is it just your perspective of what other people might think, or have you received any adverse comments/looks about the Fit from onlookers?

[kirk13]

Al,funnily enough,the Fit is less of a chore to carry than what it was. Coworkers have been very positive about it,in a way they've never been about my usual SAKs/MTs. As to the look of the thing with the blade deployed,it's almost like its a self-confidence issue. Most often on the shop floor,I'll use the Boxer,which being a pruning blade lacks any sort of spear point....its stealthy. The Fit is just blatant. I dare say in a hardware store or some such it wouldn't be an issue.

The Balance,on its work outings,just felt a lot more poised. The broad blade was more useable. I would like to see the Fit's slim drivers on a Balance though!

[Farmman]

Sorry this is not going as well as you would have liked.  However there was possibly a small clue you could have picked up on at the start of the test.  If you hold the tool at eye level and slowly rotate it you can clearly see it says Gerber on it!
That said I joined in the spirit of your test last night, I carried a dime.

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

[Farmman]

Just musing on the Legendary Blade thing in relation to my dime and you thoughts on the blade on offer here, perhaps the mistake we are making is in believing they mean this in a good way.

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

[AimlessWanderer]

Just had a look at a couple of pics online, and I see what you mean about the difference in blade shape - the Balance does look a slightly more "public friendly" shape. That was one of the things I liked so much about the MP700 - the blade did everything I needed, but looked sufficiently "cute and cuddly" for onlookers 

Interesting to hear there's positivity from your colleagues

Sorry this is not going as well as you would have liked.  However there was possibly a small clue you could have picked up on at the start of the test.  If you hold the tool at eye level and slowly rotate it you can clearly see it says Gerber on it!
That said I joined in the spirit of your test last night, I carried a dime.

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

You're not still championing their overhyped, overpriced, underperforming neighbours are you by any chance mate?

[kirk13]

 
Farmman vs 50ft-trad

HAND BAGS AT DAWN

 

[Farmman]

I know, that old fashioned belief of mine that tools should not disintegrate with use:-) .
  In actual fact owing to the ultra sheepy nature of my work place,I now mainly carry a sak

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[Farmman]

Farmman vs 50ft-trad

HAND BAGS AT DAWN

 

surely that should be flat caps at dawn

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

[AimlessWanderer]

Farmman vs 50ft-trad

HAND BAGS AT DAWN

 

surely that should be flat caps at dawn

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

Release the whippets 

[Farmman]

Farmman vs 50ft-trad

HAND BAGS AT DAWN

 

surely that should be flat caps at dawn

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

Release the whippets 

allow me to finish the quote
Release the whippets of war and cry 'ey up

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

[AimlessWanderer]

I know, that old fashioned belief of mine that tools should not disintegrate with use:-) .
  In actual fact owing to the ultra sheepy nature of my work place,I now mainly carry a sak

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

Disintegrate?  You mean .... rust? 
Granted, the Diesel I got recently does seem to be giving Leatherman a run for their money on that front 

[AimlessWanderer]

Farmman vs 50ft-trad

HAND BAGS AT DAWN

 

surely that should be flat caps at dawn

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

Release the whippets 

allow me to finish the quote
Release the whippets of war and cry 'ey up

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

 

[CanadianLMfan]

 

[Farmman]

So come on kirky, has it broke yet?

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Tapatalk

[kirk13]

No,not yet,would you believe! And even more surprisingly,neither have I!

Full update later

[CanadianLMfan]

No,not yet,would you believe! And even more surprisingly,neither have I!

Full update later

 

[kirk13]

1-2 November

Very little to report from Friday and Saturday...

The Fit's scissors were fully up to the job of cutting the cellathane wrapping on a mini quiche( all we are saying,is give quiche a chance!).

On Saturday the Fit had a fairly major fail. We sell a range of fairly excritable RC helicopters. One of the demo ones bust its landing skids. The four screws are not dissimilar to those holding watch casings together. To be honest,I just went straight in with the Alox Rambler...there's very little the 58mm combo tool won't work on. Having safely removed three screws,I thought I'd best be thorough and try the Fit...even its small Philips was just too big!

In trying to replace the screws,I lost a screw trying to use the Fit Definitely a FAIL!

Sunday saw me off at the first round of the Southern Hunters HFT Champs...and no,I didn't take the Fit!

[CanadianLMfan]

 

[Nhoj]

Poor Gerber, whoever designs their philips drivers doesn't usually do a good job