Rebar vs. Swisstool.

[Mercury]

I EDC a rebar, and I use it very hard.  My only complaint is the file sucks.  It's too aggressive and really just snags the edge of whatever metal you are trying to file with it.  Pretty much any other file is better (Been a Machinist for years, I have a million files).  Other than that, the Rebar is a fantastic hard use tool.  It's easily in the same class as the Swisstools.  For some reason the Swisstools have this cult following that would have one believe they are God's gift to the tool world, but honestly they are just good tools, nothing more.  I actually don't care for the phillips on any of them, I've rounded way too many off them off with normal use.  The flat drivers shouldn't be polished either, for me they tend to slip out of slots way too easily.  Other than that, I love the Swisstools and I do plan on getting another Spirit X one day, but I doubt it will remove any of my Leatherman's from my belt. 
I sincerely wish Leatherman would adopt the Chisel into their line for once.  That's a hell of a tool to have in a MT!



Say what you want about rusty ol' Leatherman, but I have never seen anyone in person carrying a Swisstool.  I'm not bashing them, but tradesmen here where I live don't even know they exist.  There are 18 Building Maintenance Engineers in my department.  7 carry Leatherman(myself included), 2 carry a SOG, one carries a gerber, one carries a Winchester cheapo, one carries a kershaw select fire, the rest carry nothing but a pair of channelocks and a klein ten in one. 


Let the beatings begin, I know they're coming!!   

Probably cuz you live in the US.
Victorinox is the most sold in europe. Atleast ten times more than lm, maybe fifteen or twenty.

For me both the rebar and the swisstool x are decent tools.
They both do the job.
But the Swisstool is just a bit better, and that is the reason why i edc it.
They fixed the things that annoyed me on the rebar= winner

That's a very accurate and fair reply.   

[BASguy]

I EDC a rebar, and I use it very hard.  My only complaint is the file sucks.  It's too aggressive and really just snags the edge of whatever metal you are trying to file with it.  Pretty much any other file is better (Been a Machinist for years, I have a million files).  Other than that, the Rebar is a fantastic hard use tool.  It's easily in the same class as the Swisstools.  For some reason the Swisstools have this cult following that would have one believe they are God's gift to the tool world, but honestly they are just good tools, nothing more.  I actually don't care for the phillips on any of them, I've rounded way too many off them off with normal use.  The flat drivers shouldn't be polished either, for me they tend to slip out of slots way too easily.  Other than that, I love the Swisstools and I do plan on getting another Spirit X one day, but I doubt it will remove any of my Leatherman's from my belt. 
I sincerely wish Leatherman would adopt the Chisel into their line for once.  That's a hell of a tool to have in a MT!



Say what you want about rusty ol' Leatherman, but I have never seen anyone in person carrying a Swisstool.  I'm not bashing them, but tradesmen here where I live don't even know they exist.  There are 18 Building Maintenance Engineers in my department.  7 carry Leatherman(myself included), 2 carry a SOG, one carries a gerber, one carries a Winchester cheapo, one carries a kershaw select fire, the rest carry nothing but a pair of channelocks and a klein ten in one. 


Let the beatings begin, I know they're coming!!   

I'd say that's pretty a pretty accurate assessment in the fact that most (US at least) tradesman likely carry a Leatherman over a Vic.  However, price point is far and away the determining factor in choice.  Most guys are happy getting the lowest cost US made tool they can and don't over analyze choice.  Most guys that carry around a multitool, in my experience, when you ask them about it they don't even know what model it is. 

[anditsgone]

I EDC a rebar, and I use it very hard.  My only complaint is the file sucks.  It's too aggressive and really just snags the edge of whatever metal you are trying to file with it.  Pretty much any other file is better (Been a Machinist for years, I have a million files).  Other than that, the Rebar is a fantastic hard use tool.  It's easily in the same class as the Swisstools.  For some reason the Swisstools have this cult following that would have one believe they are God's gift to the tool world, but honestly they are just good tools, nothing more.  I actually don't care for the phillips on any of them, I've rounded way too many off them off with normal use.  The flat drivers shouldn't be polished either, for me they tend to slip out of slots way too easily.  Other than that, I love the Swisstools and I do plan on getting another Spirit X one day, but I doubt it will remove any of my Leatherman's from my belt. 
I sincerely wish Leatherman would adopt the Chisel into their line for once.  That's a hell of a tool to have in a MT!



Say what you want about rusty ol' Leatherman, but I have never seen anyone in person carrying a Swisstool.  I'm not bashing them, but tradesmen here where I live don't even know they exist.  There are 18 Building Maintenance Engineers in my department.  7 carry Leatherman(myself included), 2 carry a SOG, one carries a gerber, one carries a Winchester cheapo, one carries a kershaw select fire, the rest carry nothing but a pair of channelocks and a klein ten in one. 


Let the beatings begin, I know they're coming!!   

I'd say that's pretty a pretty accurate assessment in the fact that most (US at least) tradesman likely carry a Leatherman over a Vic.  However, price point is far and away the determining factor in choice.  Most guys are happy getting the lowest cost US made tool they can and don't over analyze choice.  Most guys that carry around a multitool, in my experience, when you ask them about it they don't even know what model it is. 

True, they walk in a store, see an MT and think hey that could come in handy sometimes.

I the states probably most of the times there are Leatherman tools in the store.
Europa most of the time Victorinox.

That will be a huge factor in the edc carry of the average man, they wont make and account on mto and have disscusions about it. just buy it, some times get it as gifts from people who also have no knowledge about mt's.

[Top-Gear-24]

Here in Belgium most people refer to any plier-based tool they see as being a Leatherman, even my Spirit or Swisstool ...

Walk into a store, and the chance that you're going to find a Spirit or Swisstool is about 5%, while you have a 95% chance of finding a Leatherman there.  But when you're looking for a pocket knife, it's the other way around.  Most people here don't even use the word pocketknife (zakmes in dutch) instead they will refer to it as being a Swiss Army Knife (Zwitsers zakmes in dutch), even my Leatherman Crater or Expanse ... 

Just to show that most people don't know anything about multitools, and if they own one, it's just because they found it in a store, someone gave it to them as a gift, or someone they know had one and told them how awesome it was.  Most of the time they will own one tool which they will use twice a year, and they don't even know there are other tools out there ...

In my humble opinion, both Leatherman and Victorinox have pros and cons, and I will carry either of them, depending on what I'm going to need them for.  Most of the time it will come down to this:  when I'm going to do some work around the house, I will pick a Leatherman (mostly my ST300),  I'm going to use the phillips and the wire cutters (both superior on the Leatherman tools), and the chance of my tool getting wet is close to zero.  When I go out camping/hiking I will carry my Spirit or my Swisstool, because I'll probably don't need the phillips and wire cutters that much (and when I do, the ones on the Swisstool or Spirit will also do the job), I will however need a pair of scissors, a good can opener, etc.  And the fact that I don't need to worry about my multitool when I'm getting soaked in the rain all day is also nice.

And some times I will go crazy and carry a Rebar or ST300 along with a Vic Explorer or Swisschamp ...   

I do think the Vic tools have better fit and finish, and since Leatherman tools are more expensive here than Vic tools, I do expect them to be on par with the Vic tools when it comes to fit and finish.  For example, if I could buy a Rebar over here for the same price you guys in the States buy yours, I would not mind the small fit and finish "problems" on it.  But I guess you guys would not like it either if you payed 145 Euro (about $160) for a OHT only to find you can't close the saw without having to push it to the inside while closing it.

Long story short, I like both brands, and which one is best for you all depends on what you're going to use it for  .

[Mercury]

I carry my Vic explorer or swisschamp with my Rebar all the time!!!  Fantastic combo.  And I agree with most of your post, I think the Swisstools do a fantastic job in their own right.

[anditsgone]

Here in Belgium most people refer to any plier-based tool they see as being a Leatherman, even my Spirit or Swisstool ...

Walk into a store, and the chance that you're going to find a Spirit or Swisstool is about 5%, while you have a 95% chance of finding a Leatherman there.  But when you're looking for a pocket knife, it's the other way around.  Most people here don't even use the word pocketknife (zakmes in dutch) instead they will refer to it as being a Swiss Army Knife (Zwitsers zakmes in dutch), even my Leatherman Crater or Expanse ... 

Just to show that most people don't know anything about multitools, and if they own one, it's just because they found it in a store, someone gave it to them as a gift, or someone they know had one and told them how awesome it was.  Most of the time they will own one tool which they will use twice a year, and they don't even know there are other tools out there ...

In my humble opinion, both Leatherman and Victorinox have pros and cons, and I will carry either of them, depending on what I'm going to need them for.  Most of the time it will come down to this:  when I'm going to do some work around the house, I will pick a Leatherman (mostly my ST300),  I'm going to use the phillips and the wire cutters (both superior on the Leatherman tools), and the chance of my tool getting wet is close to zero.  When I go out camping/hiking I will carry my Spirit or my Swisstool, because I'll probably don't need the phillips and wire cutters that much (and when I do, the ones on the Swisstool or Spirit will also do the job), I will however need a pair of scissors, a good can opener, etc.  And the fact that I don't need to worry about my multitool when I'm getting soaked in the rain all day is also nice.

And some times I will go crazy and carry a Rebar or ST300 along with a Vic Explorer or Swisschamp ...   

I do think the Vic tools have better fit and finish, and since Leatherman tools are more expensive here than Vic tools, I do expect them to be on par with the Vic tools when it comes to fit and finish.  For example, if I could buy a Rebar over here for the same price you guys in the States buy yours, I would not mind the small fit and finish "problems" on it.  But I guess you guys would not like it either if you payed 145 Euro (about $160) for a OHT only to find you can't close the saw without having to push it to the inside while closing it.

Long story short, I like both brands, and which one is best for you all depends on what you're going to use it for  .

I agree about the price/quality.
A leatherman st300 is about the same price as the Victorinox Swisstool.
If the leatherman was half the price, about 50 euros it would be fair.
But for 100 euros you should expect a tool that has no flaws.

[leathermon]

Price difference is eye opening, it's true that they are both great brands with pro's and con's. You can see how price (that varies in the part of the world your in) determines which one you buy.