Ganzo G103 Multitool

Biker_Bob · **on:** April 20, 2016, 07:50:05 PM

Bought from Amazon UK for £15.95 (I'm sure they'll be cheaper in other territories).
It comes with a decent pouch which is stiffened to give it form and which has a small pocket inside to hold the bit set and adaptor.
The tool itself is quite large and heavy, certainly when compared to a PSTII.
Out of the box it's quite stiff, I slackened the pivot bolts off a little so that I could get the implements out without wrecking my nails. I also oiled it as the pivots were dry. The knife blade is ground on both sides and is pretty keen as it ships, it also takes an edge pretty well.
The tool complement is reasonable, I'd have preferred it if the square tool that takes the bit adaptor had been shaped to make a philips on the end (as I saw on a winchester tool), because then you wouldn't necessarily have had to take the bit set with you all the time.
The pliers are spring loaded and very nicely profiled, the action is smooth and the tips line up perfectly.
I have found that when stress testing the bit driver, undoing an M8 allen bolt, the washers between the tools compressed a little which resulted in the tools becoming wobbly. I nipped up the pivot and the wobble is gone, so for the first few uses expect to keep adjusting the pivots until the washers are flattened out and then the problem shouldn't re-occur.
For UK residents this tool is EDC legal, the blades don't lock and they're on the outside of the handles.
I think it's sufficiently well made that I've carried a few times as my only MT and left my Leatherman tools at home.
I've ordered a couple more for the sake of it.

NetsNJ · **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2016, 11:43:05 PM

How do you find the backsprings? Do the drivers fold on you, or stay open? If they stay open is it because of a tight pivot or because of the backspring?

I generally like the Ganzo tools but tool retention seems like their Achilles heel.

Biker_Bob · **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2016, 09:34:52 AM

The backspring is OK, not brilliant, not crap.
The drivers are arranged as on the later PSTII, so as you apply force you're effectively pressing them against the backspring.
The weakest part I think is the tool retention when closed. The backspring does hold them closed, but not very firmly so it's best to adjust the pivots to provide enough friction to stop them flapping about.
When closing the tools up, there is a lot of pressure from the backspring, then when the tool flips over the backspring acts to push the tools partially closed, then requiring just a final push to seat them into the handles - it's quite a satisfying action.
I forgot to mention, the combined bottle opener and can opener is a very good design which works very well.
The Awl is not so good, basically being just a chisel ground stump of a knife, you can make holes with it, but it lacks the angled cutting face like the ones you get on the Victorinox SAKs.

ReamerPunch · **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2016, 01:29:16 PM

Quote from: Biker_Bob on April 21, 2016, 09:34:52 AM

The Awl is not so good, basically being just a chisel ground stump of a knife, you can make holes with it, but it lacks the angled cutting face like the ones you get on the Victorinox SAKs.

$:-\$
A bad awl is worse than no awl. I've been looking at Ganzo tools for a couple of months. They're inexpensive, so I might get one to see for myself. A lot of people like them. They seem to be the best off-brand multitools.

Thanks!