Switchplier - New vs Old

[AimlessWanderer]

A while ago, Grant was kind enough to let me buy an original Switchplier from him, and I tweaked this to a knifeless load out. I was very reluctant to use and carry it though, due to the well documented weaknesses of the plier head. At the recent UK meet, hiraethus was kind enough to loan me his new Switchplier 2.0 which seems to have grabbed the forum's attention and has been getting very good reviews.

I now have the two side by side to play with and compare, and have been taking pictures and notes to illustrate the changes between the two model, and see just what changes SOG have made in the new release. I'll be doing this over a number of posts, as my PC is not the most stable and I need to do this in bite sized chunks.

First of all, before we start looking in depth, lets have a few piccies of the two tools side by side.

[AimlessWanderer]

As you can see there are several changes between the two versions:

The addition of a pocket clip
New style frame
Different lock arrangement
Different plier head shape/size
Different method of actuating the sprung jaws

And the mine difference for me being the perceived difference in strength of the jaws due to replacing the cast spigot with a hardened steel pin (covered elsewhere on the forum). So far I have not stripped the head assembly down to compare the differences in the lever pins, so for now I'm just looking at the more apparent changes

[AimlessWanderer]

As I've said earlier, I've had the original version for a while, and the first thing I noticed about the new version (other than the aesthetics) was the handle. On the original, it flopped around loosely whereas the newer version has a nice bit of friction which makes a difference to the initial feel of the tool.

Now lets see if I can embed a video from Fartobucket...

[AimlessWanderer]

No I can't  bear with me, and I'll see if I can figure out how to do this.....

[AimlessWanderer]

http://vid748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/50ft-trad/Switchplier%20Comparison/P1040177_zpsgr2lwbkj.mp4

[AimlessWanderer]

Well at least that link is viewable 

Sorry folks, can't get it to embed 

However, as you can see the newer handle doesn't flop about like the old one, but the friction doesn't impare the deployment of the pliers in any way

[AimlessWanderer]

To be continued..... 

[AimlessWanderer]

Bah! 3:30am and still can't get to sleep  so maybe another post or two. Good job I'm not working tomorrow I suppose 

Another difference I noticed was the fact that the pliers head doesn't sit fully recessed into the handles like on the original version





This doesn't affect the ergonomics of the tool when using the inboard implements though. It was a little confusing though, as the pliers are not fully closed in that stowed position (you might be able to see that on the video clip) and it seemed to me they could have made these flush if they wanted to without too much trouble

[AimlessWanderer]

Overall, there is a fairly robust feel to the newer model, though I do feel the lines of the original were more stylish, and I personally preferred the original one piece lock to the piano springs on the sequel.

This doesn't feel like something to rival it's bigger brother, the Powerlock, but it does feel like it is up for moderate duty levels. Considering the fairly small size, it certainly feels like it can tackle more than a Juice or an Octane or Skeletool or other mid-sized tools. This is also reflected in the inboard tools, particularly when you consider that what is inside is exactly the same components as the aforementioned Powerlock.

[AimlessWanderer]

My preferred configuration for the original was knifeless and rather simple, though very capable. The Switchplier (both models) is one of the most ergonomic of all multitools in screwdriver mode, particularly when using the bit adaptor. This also adds a good spoonful of extra function to the small tool package. The Switchplier is also the only tool in my opinion that the scissors work well in, as on all other SOG models, the opposing handle is in the way.



The load out on the 2.0 had far more individual (single thickness) tools.



I really wanted to know if the larger pliers would impede on the bit adaptor, and whether the scissors would still fit, so with hiraethus' permission I got out some Allen keys and got busy

[AimlessWanderer]

[AimlessWanderer]

[AimlessWanderer]

Trying to do this on my phone isn't easy! 

[AimlessWanderer]

The plierheads are an altogether different construction. Not just the shape. Not just the lever pin upgrade. Not just the fact that the sprind is now external rather than hidden within hollow cast pliers. The original model looks like it had an adjustable pivot. This has now just become a standard riveted construction on the latest variant.

[AimlessWanderer]

[AimlessWanderer]

So far, I hope you'll agree, the Switchplier actually looks a very promising tool. They almost had a good tool with the original model, but it was let down by the strength of the pliers, or raster the cast lever pin that makes the pliers work.

After a few years absence, the tool is back and they have learnt from the past, and have taken steps to make this tool far more usable and reliable.






.... but all is not perfect, and this particular specimen has a bit of a problem.....

[AimlessWanderer]

Looking at the pliers in this picture you can see a bit of a gap between the plier head and frame on the right hand side. Stow the pliers, fire them out, stow the pliers, fire them out, and soon the picture looks a little different.



After a few stowage and deployment cycles the spring starts creeping out of the plier head.



After maybe a dozen times of being stowed and fired, this is what can happen



The spring pops out completely!

 

Now the spring will fairly easily coax back on with some pressure with you're thumb, and if you give the spring a little poke back in each time you deploy them this doesn't get to the pop out completely stage, but this shouldn't happen at all. SOG's quality demons strike again!

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm currently in talks with hiraethus about this tool possibly stopping with me, in which case I don't mind attempting to strip the plier head assembly down, and do a bit of jiggery pokery to stop this happening, but.....

COME ON SOG!!!! This is potentially you're best tool that you've released to the market for a while. Don't let something sloppy like this spoil it. You need to look into this guys 

[Monrogue]

Great in depth review/comparison Al   I'm curious about this one, although I'll admit it would be more for fiddle factor fun considering the limited use my MTs get.  Bummer about that pin popping out though....

[AimlessWanderer]

Great in depth review/comparison Al   I'm curious about this one, although I'll admit it would be more for fiddle factor fun considering the limited use my MTs get.  Bummer about that pin popping out though....

Thanks mate 

To be honest I really feel there is more to this tool than just fiddle factor. When you consider that individual tools are readily available, and SOG actually support their customers modifying their tool, you can set the tool up with the tools you need and have a multitool that's custom built for your requirements.

The spring leg coming out is a real shame, but hopefully if this tool ends up staying with me, I might be able to remove the spring and crink the leg over so it stops in better

[Monrogue]

True, it does appear capable, and if it had scissors, it would be a good standalone basic MT for me.  Maybe SOG will correct that spring leg issue if they realize it is indeed a problem?  I don't know if they make revisions if improvements are found to be necessary. 

[AimlessWanderer]

The complication with SOG is their products tend to be manufactured in a far off land, so they have less control over the quality aspects as they are trying to resolve issues remotely. There's also the lag from raising the issue to fixing it, and the number of items that will have rolled off the production line in the meantime.

Hopefully this is a rogue one that slipped through, but unless there's a washer missing in mine or something like that, there is a chance that this isn't a one off occurrance.

It'll be interesting to hear from the other members who have one to see if they spring on theirs stays tight to the bottom of the groove or also creeps to the outside

[Omar Rapace]

True, it does appear capable, and if it had scissors, it would be a good standalone basic MT for me.  Maybe SOG will correct that spring leg issue if they realize it is indeed a problem?  I don't know if they make revisions if improvements are found to be necessary.

Or could this be an isolated problem? I've deployed mine hundreds of times and I still have to see the spring popping out.

[Etherealicer]

Wow, thanks for that comparison.

Quick question. Do these cogs around the pliers head serve a function or are these style elements (larger black ones and the finer silver ones)?

[bmot]

Question:


Is my analysis of the pocket clip placement right, in that it will fire off the pliers every time you move, if you clip it in your pocket?

[AimlessWanderer]

Wow, thanks for that comparison.

Quick question. Do these cogs around the pliers head serve a function or are these style elements (larger black ones and the finer silver ones)?

Purely cosmetic. The only function they serve is to make it slightly less comfortable in screwdriver mode than the original version 

[AimlessWanderer]

Question:


Is my analysis of the pocket clip placement right, in that it will fire off the pliers every time you move, if you clip it in your pocket?

I've not had a misfire yet, but in fairness it's not riden in the pocket much, and I haven't used the tool in anger yet.

I will say though, that the switchplier doesn't deploy with the gender altering ferocity of the Gerber Recoil. So even if you did suffer "premature ejection" you're highly unlikely to be changing the way you walk 

[AimlessWanderer]

True, it does appear capable, and if it had scissors, it would be a good standalone basic MT for me.  Maybe SOG will correct that spring leg issue if they realize it is indeed a problem?  I don't know if they make revisions if improvements are found to be necessary.

Or could this be an isolated problem? I've deployed mine hundreds of times and I still have to see the spring popping out.

That's good to hear! 

[hiraethus]

Nice work, fiddy!  Great that you've been able to get the scissors in and I like the tool set you've chosen.  Shame about the spring popping out - didn't do that to me but always looked like it might.  I felt it was a good tool - particularly the size, ease of accessing the pliers and the clip - but the access to the internal tools was difficult and the wire cutters were poor.  Great to see something different to the butterfly style folding pliers that's so common too.

[Monrogue]

True, it does appear capable, and if it had scissors, it would be a good standalone basic MT for me.  Maybe SOG will correct that spring leg issue if they realize it is indeed a problem?  I don't know if they make revisions if improvements are found to be necessary.

Or could this be an isolated problem? I've deployed mine hundreds of times and I still have to see the spring popping out.

That's good to hear! 

+1
Hopefully this is the case

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