Do they actually care?? really?

[tosh]

Well that post up in the general section from samjam is exactly the scenario in which I think multitool manufacturers are  missing the point.

Go up and have a read.....

So.........    ?? Exactly..... There actually isn't one!!
There's loads (i.e 99% of 'em) if you just want to phaff.

But that scenario Samjam describes really calls for proper pliers, not god damn needlenose..... Why? Why on earth do they keep ramming the same smurf down our throats, why can't they just go and build a proper workhorse of a tool that can actually hold its own?

Ridiculous, thirty years on and we're still phaffing about with halfassed needlenose....

If you're reading this leatherman, I would like to know the technical reasons why the surge has never been offered with blunt nose pliers.

Hmmm, I bet the surge is  just real handy in precision techinal work, given the heft of the beast!

Idiotic.

[Zed]

I use the surge pretty hard and oddly prefer the needle nose pliers, handy for fiddly jobs,if i really need hefty pliers ill walk to my tool bag,the point of these pliers is multi use,but i agree more options would be nice,

[sawman]

I'd like to point out that Gerber has offered blunt nose pliers in their MP600 line.

[enki_ck]

I'd like to point out that Gerber has offered blunt nose pliers in their MP600 line.

As has SOG and Bear Jaws

http://wiki.multitool.org/tiki-index.php?page=Super+Bear+Jaws+156

http://wiki.multitool.org/tiki-index.php?page=ToolClip

and a few other models too.

I'd love to see more models with blunt pliers too though. Maybe as an option.

[tosh]

The Mp600 blunt nose are fantastic. But that's it!, the rest is (in my eyes) just a compromise. The knife blade is a joke. The scissors puny (but sharp). No decent length on the saw blade, internal tools a pig to deploy.

SOG?? Which blunt nose? Or are you meaning the discontinued line?
Bear Jaws blunt nose...yes please . But again let down by internal tools.

The 2 that really stand out are the swisstool and surge. Both are easily beefy enough...just the silly plier head design. Just doesn't make sense.

[captain spaulding]

I see a modded MT in your future. 

[Lynn LeFey]

I thought I remembered a blunt-nose mod someone did (Metro maybe?) to a Surge.

I know it's not stock, but still.

I can't smurfing find that thread on the mod to save my life, now. Grrr....

[tosh]

I see a modded MT in your future. 

You're probably right

I'm holding out that they may actually see sense. Otherwise I'll just create what ever I like regardless of how it looks.
The bottom line here, is that I would pay good money for a proper tool - I'm talking about  real tools here, not silly gadgets.

I love MT's and SAK's but there just isn't one that I can actually put faith in.

Yes, yes I'm still carting the balance around, its 50-50 sometimes it works sometimes it don't. Pretty pointless as most of them are in real life situations!

[tosh]

I thought I remembered a blunt-nose mod someone did (Metro maybe?) to a Surge.

I know it's not stock, but still.

I can't smurfing find that thread on the mod to save my life, now. Grrr....

Was it the wave with its rebar snout chopped off?? Looked great, would look even better if it were the surge!

[Lynn LeFey]

I honestly don't remember now. Maybe?

[tosh]

I honestly don't remember now. Maybe?

Was it blue     

[Lynn LeFey]

It was definitely blue. Or red. Or a plain metallic silvery... yellowish purple.

[tosh]

Is this it?

[captain spaulding]

Is this it?

Never seen that one before. Blunt Nosed and Coated handles. 

[Aloha]

I had wondered the same thing as well especially on the bigger MT from LM,  at the very least offer a choice on the big boys.  this is why I enjoy the swisstool because of the bluntish plier, glad this was brought up.     

[detron]

not to mention a blunt nose plier also means you can have longer inside tools.

[CanadianLMfan]

What is wrong with the needlenose pliers?

[Aloha]

What is wrong with the needlenose pliers?

nothing at all.  its about having an option on their heavier duty tools IMO. that would be a great addition to the line and honestly partly why I don't own a larger non retired larger tool.  needlenose is fine on my wave an smaller LM tools but id benefit from a choice on the big guys.  my swisstool was well received by me because of their bluntish pliers.     

[detron]

What is wrong with the needlenose pliers?

Too many times I have noticed the bolt head was about 5 mm away from a flat surface behind it.  meaning I could not grab it with the regular plier area, and could only use the needlenose.

I am no engineer, and I am sure the cons of this will out way the pros, I imagine a blunt nose that has needle nose pieces that could be added on.

like if the blunt nose had threaded hole, and the needle nose pieces had a threaded protrusion, then you have both as needed, simple remove the needlenose when they are in the way, or just leave them at home, and have the option in the future to revert back to needle nose. (even if they are somewhat weakened by the connection method)

[Magic Bus]

More choice would be nice of course, but as others have said the Swisstool is most of the way there. Then again I reckon that manufacturers just go with what they think we prefer 

[zoidberg]

I thought I remembered a blunt-nose mod someone did (Metro maybe?) to a Surge.

I know it's not stock, but still.

I can't smurfing find that thread on the mod to save my life, now. Grrr....

Was it the wave with its rebar snout chopped off?? Looked great, would look even better if it were the surge!

Was it my one Lynn?    More pics over here.

[captain spaulding]

Anyone know the name of the Gerber that has interchangeable pliers heads.

[captain spaulding]

That Surge is SWEEEEET!!!   

[Gareth]

Anyone know the name of the Gerber that has interchangeable pliers heads.

That would be the MP650.

[Gareth]

Tosh, I'm wondering what specific tasks you are doing, so regularly, that having the semi-needle nosed pliers are being a PITA? 

I use MT pliers every single day at work and, while there have been one or two occasions where the pliers shape has been an issue, far more often they have been a boon.

Yes, options are good, and I really like the blunt nosed MP600 I have, but I'm really struggling to think of the last time I needed them.

[tosh]

Anyone know the name of the Gerber that has interchangeable pliers heads.

That would be the MP650.

They do come up..... But it always seems everybody else wants them too! 

[tosh]

Tosh, I'm wondering what specific tasks you are doing, so regularly, that having the semi-needle nosed pliers are being a PITA? 

Hi Gareth

Basically, I just don't ever need needlenose, not ever. If I'm grabbing something then its usually because I can't administer the same force by hand.
At work I mainly use M8, M10 & M12 nuts & bolts. Or bending steel that's got knocked out of shape. Prior to that scenario, when I was shopfitting - which covers an enormous spectrum.  Building studded walls building partition walls, drylining, hanging doors, suspeneded ceilings, fitting counters, assembling office furniture and so on and so on. Almost never have I ever had the need to use needlenose pliers.

Personally, unless its something really fiddly i.e electrician, computers, data com etc etc. I just don't know where the needlenose design fits in.

And TBH I ain't gonna stand there in front of all the lads looking like some sort of geek phaffing about with a multitool that is clearly out of its depth just to satisfy my own personal self satisfaction from using them. The bottom line Gareth is, at work I need to work and so do my tools. And if they can't do the job, then they'll stay at home.

Note : it speaks volumes about leathermans (And victorinox and SOG)  faith in their own tools that they dare not create proper bluntnosed pliers! I wonder what they are scared of? No doubt thousands of the damn things coming back for warranty work!

[Lynn LeFey]

Was it my one Lynn?    More pics over here.

I think it probably was.

Sorry if I attributed it to Metro, but any time there's a mod I'm thinking of, it's a fair chance it's his, so maybe I was just playing the odds. 

I honestly don't remember it having cera/dura coated handles, so I'm guessing this actually was it.

[bmot]

Was it my one Lynn?    More pics over here.

I think it probably was.

Sorry if I attributed it to Metro, but any time there's a mod I'm thinking of, it's a fair chance it's his, so maybe I was just playing the odds. 

I honestly don't remember it having cera/dura coated handles, so I'm guessing this actually was it.

I think (but not sure at all) Metro did one with orange handles.....

[zoidberg]

Was it my one Lynn?    More pics over here.

I think it probably was.

Sorry if I attributed it to Metro, but any time there's a mod I'm thinking of, it's a fair chance it's his, so maybe I was just playing the odds. 

I honestly don't remember it having cera/dura coated handles, so I'm guessing this actually was it.

I think (but not sure at all) Metro did one with orange handles.....

Destructocon, awesome but not blunt nosed. I have no problem with my hacks being mistaken for Metro mods...

Tosh, I'm wondering what specific tasks you are doing, so regularly, that having the semi-needle nosed pliers are being a PITA? 

Hi Gareth

Basically, I just don't ever need needlenose, not ever. If I'm grabbing something then its usually because I can't administer the same force by hand.
At work I mainly use M8, M10 & M12 nuts & bolts. Or bending steel that's got knocked out of shape. Prior to that scenario, when I was shopfitting - which covers an enormous spectrum.  Building studded walls building partition walls, drylining, hanging doors, suspeneded ceilings, fitting counters, assembling office furniture and so on and so on. Almost never have I ever had the need to use needlenose pliers.

Personally, unless its something really fiddly i.e electrician, computers, data com etc etc. I just don't know where the needlenose design fits in.

And TBH I ain't gonna stand there in front of all the lads looking like some sort of geek phaffing about with a multitool that is clearly out of its depth just to satisfy my own personal self satisfaction from using them. The bottom line Gareth is, at work I need to work and so do my tools. And if they can't do the job, then they'll stay at home.

Note : it speaks volumes about leathermans (And victorinox and SOG)  faith in their own tools that they dare not create proper bluntnosed pliers! I wonder what they are scared of? No doubt thousands of the damn things coming back for warranty work!

In general I don't think multitools really belong on the worksite.
I do carry a couple in the truck but they are only used if other tools can't do the job.

I think the brands go with pointy pliers because it covers both bases for the mall ninjas.

Here is my most biased opinion.
Most people don't own a multitool.
Of those that do, most complain about misaligned handles.
Of those that do, most don't carry them.
Of those that carry, most don't use them.
Of those that use, most do so badly or are plan abusive.
Of those remaining, most will rather use the right dedicated tool for the job.