Should the next generation of mutitools have adjustable spanners?

Steel Blade · **on:** December 19, 2006, 11:05:51 PM

Looking up some of the older posts I can see some concerns about lack of innovation recently. Also some posts are concerned that in this hi-tech era there are less and less things that can can be fixed with muti-tools. The Leatherman Charge bit holder and the Swiss Army Knife Cybertool are in some ways bridging technologies that cope with the multitude of new screwdriver and allan bit sizes available now.

Apart from the Spyderco Wrench and a few Chinese knock offs there appears to be no implement that copes with various nut and bolt sizes, the Crunch is more a dedicated tool rather than an implement.

On the market in tool shops you can see adjustable cam wrenches, some of them quite slim. Don't you think that it is about time we had this, or a slimmed down crescent wrench on our multi tools?

Regards

Steel Blade

PS I know about Def's early Swiss multi tool with the hexagonal cut-outs, I was thinking of something more adjustable.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2006, 11:17:09 PM

That was actually a Chinese knockoff tool, which actually does have some interesting features, including the hexagonal cutouts.

A small adjustable wrench would be a great idea, as would a mounted ratchet tool like the seperate one that is available with the Spirit, and/or the ratcheting screwdriver on the Victorinox Sport Ratchet. I'd love to see those types of things in a tool. Much of what we are seeing is a single new implement, or a plier redesign, but then just attaching all the same old tools inside.

Def

Fred · **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2006, 12:00:17 AM

Shame on you for supporting those third world laborers!

Seriously I think it's just a matter of innovation costing money, and as was pointed out before, the tool market is dwindling, at least a little bit. many manufacturers have dropped out of the race and left only the "big guys" and a horde of cheap knock offs to duke it out. The guys that are left have to strech each dollar as far as it will go to stay afloat and so the lack of innovation for certain things is left out. think about it, how much better of a can opener do people really need? how much better a saw can they make? how much can they improve on a knife blade, awl or flathead? and why should they? those things all work fine and no one buys a multitool for it's excellent can opener

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2006, 12:08:17 AM

Interesting point... that is very possible, and quite likely. That would also explain why there are only two typical can opener designs, one bottle opener design etc... Of course, as I pointed out on SOSAKOnline, the saws may look similar but not all saws are created equal...

http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=115&Itemid=35

Def

J-sews · **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2006, 04:07:26 AM

Wow, great shootout article! I hadn't seen that one before. Very interesting.

Re: Adjustable Spanners,
I'm sure the Loggerhead Immix isn't what you had in mind Steel Blade, but I find it refreshing to see a new concept hit the market every now and then.

Link: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,174.0.html

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** December 20, 2006, 12:07:34 PM

That is a really cool looking tool- is there a slot somewhere we aren't seeing for the screwdriver bits or do they have to be gripped in the adjustable head?

Def

plowboy · **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2006, 04:34:52 PM

The Vic Cybertool was mentioned early in this thread. I took a look at it in the 2006 Vic catalog and it seems to have many capabilities. My question is how sturdy is the Cybertool? Will it stand up to using the bits on difficult to loosen fasteners?

Maybe the Swisstool Spirit Plus with the bits is more suited to heavy work. I assume that different Torx (and other) bits could be added as needed.

I'll check the Swiss forum to see if the Cybertool is discussed.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2006, 08:54:10 PM

Not yet, but if you check out SOSAKOnline you will find a great review from Damota.

http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=142&Itemid=35

Def

damota · **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2006, 10:13:45 PM

Quote from: plowboy on December 20, 2006, 04:34:52 PM

The Vic Cybertool was mentioned early in this thread. I took a look at it in the 2006 Vic catalog and it seems to have many capabilities. My question is how sturdy is the Cybertool? Will it stand up to using the bits on difficult to loosen fasteners?

Maybe the Swisstool Spirit Plus with the bits is more suited to heavy work. I assume that different Torx (and other) bits could be added as needed.

I'll check the Swiss forum to see if the Cybertool is discussed.

It is great for what it is intended for. I would not use it for trying to shift rusted up screws on a car

The Philips on board are a #0,#1,#2 so just intended for the average screw found round a computer or other electrical component. To help loosen tight screws the driver locks at the half open stage to give extra leverage. The bits I believe are 4mm mini bits (I am open to correction) and if they are you can get them in the States and Europe but I have not found any here in the UK.

Dave

plowboy · **Reply #9 on:** December 21, 2006, 01:41:49 AM

Thanks Damota and Def. I'll check the review on SOSAK. It sounds like it may not be as robust as I would need around the farm.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #10 on:** December 21, 2006, 02:10:36 AM

I grew up near alot of farms in Manitoba and to be quite honest, any SAK will handle much of the work there. However, few, if any hand tools will handle the heavy equipment and other big stuff you are likely to encounter.

I am assuming you are an agricultural farmer since chicken farmers don't do alot of plowing! I'd say as a dirt man you'd probably be better off with a good solid multitool which would be better suited to maintaining equipment. If you spend alot of time opening bags of feed or herding cattle then I'd say a good pocket knife like a SAK would be more in line with what you would need.

Either one will serve you faithfully for a long time, but if I was back on the Prairies working the wheat fields, or picking tobacco in Tillsonburg I think I'd go for something like the SwissTool or Surge.

Course, that's me- I haven't been on a farm in probably 15 years or so and I imagine alot's changed since then!

Def

J-sews · **Reply #11 on:** December 21, 2006, 02:54:53 AM

More re: Adjustable Spanner tools

Another wrench-multitool is this one from the German design firm of Troika:

Link: http://www.troika.de/extern/detail_en.php?id=16489

I haven't found them for sale anywhere in North America though.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #12 on:** December 21, 2006, 03:09:17 AM

Now that's an interesting looking tool!

Def

Steel Blade · **Reply #13 on:** December 21, 2006, 10:15:32 PM

I have found over the years never to underestimate German design but that thing sure looks strange, not the compact multi-tool idea we are used to.

What I had in mind was something lightweight that would fit in like another pull out tool in the knife and file section. Perhaps like the Swiss do it with their knives allowing two slot thicknesses for thicker tools, I appreciate that may only handle smaller nut sizes, but I come across these all the time. Anything bigger would still require a specialized tool, which is what happens most of the time in practice anyway.

inkster · **Reply #14 on:** December 22, 2006, 02:25:17 AM

Quote from: Fred on December 20, 2006, 12:00:17 AM

Shame on you for supporting those third world laborers!

Seriously I think it's just a matter of innovation costing money, and as was pointed out before, the tool market is dwindling, at least a little bit. many manufacturers have dropped out of the race and left only the "big guys" and a horde of cheap knock offs to duke it out. The guys that are left have to strech each dollar as far as it will go to stay afloat and so the lack of innovation for certain things is left out. think about it, how much better of a can opener do people really need? how much better a saw can they make? how much can they improve on a knife blade, awl or flathead? and why should they? those things all work fine and no one buys a multitool for it's excellent can opener

Fred Barney loves you O0

J-sews · **Reply #15 on:** December 22, 2006, 03:22:30 AM

Quote from: Steel Blade on December 21, 2006, 10:15:32 PM

What I had in mind was something lightweight that would fit in like another pull out tool in the knife and file section. Perhaps like the Swiss do it with their knives allowing two slot thicknesses for thicker tools, I appreciate that may only handle smaller nut sizes, but I come across these all the time. Anything bigger would still require a specialized tool, which is what happens most of the time in practice anyway.

OOPS! Sorry, I thought you were asking about wrenches with fold-out blades. Now I understand; you were talking about a plier multitool with some kind of a fold-out wrench. Guess I should try to read more carefully next time.

Ironically, I was just asking about a fold-out wrench on a Wenger Evo SAK in another thread: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,481.msg5762.html#msg5762

Steel Blade · **Reply #16 on:** December 22, 2006, 10:23:46 AM

I have been looking at that one also. That Evogrip range is interesting. I was just wondering if they could make a flat metal adjustable tool with a couple of sliding plates. more wrench oriented than pliers. There are a few cam operated universal spanners in the tool shops nowadays.

J-sews · **Reply #17 on:** December 23, 2006, 03:09:10 AM

I remember seeing this old knife a while ago. It was so unusual, I saved a picture of it. Check out that folding monkey wrench! I'm not sure how useful it would be, but it sure is unique.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #18 on:** December 23, 2006, 03:10:13 AM

Now that is really cool! Any info on that one, or are you just teasing?

Def

J-sews · **Reply #19 on:** December 23, 2006, 03:53:20 AM

Quote from: Defender on December 23, 2006, 03:10:13 AM

Now that is really cool! Any info on that one, or are you just teasing?

Def

If I have to suffer, then everyone else should have to suffer too!

I saw this one listed at an online knife auction site..........three days AFTER the auction had ended! Arghh! The only description was "Verjoux C V, Made in France."

(I could tell you what the ridiculously low selling price was, but that might retrigger some repressed anxieties of mine, and I'd have to go back in for therapy again.)