SAK Minichamp OR Leatherman Squirt

[kaput]

Just kind of polling which is preffered and why for this keychain sized tool. I'm leaning toward the Minichamp over the Squirt line, simply because I don't have a big need for a(nother) small set of pliers on that size tool.

Thoughts? 

Also, those alox Minichamps look super cool, but the original red CAB still has the toothpick and tweezers. So...

[powernoodle]

I find the Squirt too big for a keychain, but that's just me.  Its fine for the bottom of the pocket, though.

[Kampfer]

I find the Squirt too big for a keychain, but that's just me.  Its fine for the bottom of the pocket, though.

Agree, I would go with a Squirt but not on keychain.

And I would suggest rambler over mini champ. Too many unnesscary stuff on mini champ.

[Poncho65]

Another vote for the Squirt I never carry the P4 but the S4 is carried quite a bit (especially lately) I never keychain carry anything though I like the Minichamp but if I carry a SAK it is normally the Executive or something a bit bigger

[Padre]

I like squirt more, but I think it mostly comes if you need pliers or those tweezers more. Remember that Minichamp cannot hold toothpick AND tweezers at the same time because of the pen. Squirt has better blade, but not by much. Even smaller victorinox might be better. Minichamp has quite a lot of tools and I find some pretty much useless.

[powernoodle]

Too many unnecessary stuff on mini champ.

I totally agree with this.  Though some people find them useful, I could lose the orange peeler, second blade and cuticle pusher.

My answer to this burning issue is PS4 + Manager on a ring separate from the keys.

[Aloha]

Big fan of the Minichamp however I may also be just as big a fan of the Squirt P4.  For keychain carry however neither has made the cut.  I run with my Manager and have been for some time now.   It has not left my vehicle keychain now for years.

[temo]

I have keychain carried squirt for years. It is quite slim. Just good to have some attachment that when use, keys can be removed. Though minichamp is nice as well. And I could say from orange peeler, that was reason why almost purchased one Anyway knives in both are quite small. But ok when nothing else at hand and need to open some package as example. I just need small pliers quite often so for me quite good combination is squirt and some bigger sak where bigger knife.

[kaput]

Thanks everybody for the responses. Sounds like the Squirt is much more preffered than I would have thought. But I understand why. I've had a Gerber dime for some time know and coin pocket carry it with a nitecore for my small edc when I'm pretty sure I'm not going to need anything substantial. And I never really have seemed to use the pliers...

Maybe I should have considered or compared the LM Micra instead? I think I would prefer better scissors as I will always have a big knife and/or multi in addition.  And when I meant keychain sized, I probably won't actually keep it on a keychain. 

As far as useless tools on the Minichamp I do think I like the "orange peeler", if its the same idea or use as the "retail package openers" seen on the dime and wingman? But yeah I do see the second blade and cuticle pusher totally extra.

Sometimes I like superfluous tools too 

[WoodsDuck]

Time for my hot opinions;

First off I want to say Micra > Squirt.
Also MiniChamp > Squirt.

The S4 is my favorite iteration of the Squirt, with the removable tweezers and all, but the Micra is still better overall.

I have keychain carried squirt for years. It is quite slim. Just good to have some attachment that when use, keys can be removed. Though minichamp is nice as well. And I could say from orange peeler, that was reason why almost purchased one Anyway knives in both are quite small. But ok when nothing else at hand and need to open some package as example. I just need small pliers quite often so for me quite good combination is squirt and some bigger sak where bigger knife.

This is a very good idea, if you actually put the tool on your keys at some point. I use a #0 Nite Ize S-Biner most the time.

[ColoSwiss]

To add another factor, how about a Wenger Pocket Tool Chest? Eliminates most of the extraneous tools on the Minichamp.

[Padre]

Micra is in my opinion better than Minichamp.
Squirt is better too.
Between Micra and Squirt I can't tell.

Thing with Minichamp is that it tries too much.
There are much better small SAKs around that are much lighter and smaller than Micra or Squirt, then its another ball game entirely.

[Mercury]

I am probably going against my own opinion sometime in the past here, but I would have to say Minichamp over squirt.  I carry one every day and it is a really incredible tool.  The pen alone is worth carrying it for, but having two blades on my keyring really makes this tool worth it. 

That said, the Micra is the king of all keychain scissor tools.  The only scissors I like more than the Micra would be 91mm Vic scissors.  One day I plan on making a single layer Alox Vic Scissor model just for my keys. 

[kaput]

Ok so I'm still kinda tossing these back and forth. And for some reason I think I still need to have one in my life. So, I got the itch, I have to scratch it right?

Quick Q. On the Scissors, which are the best and which are the biggest from the 3?

Micra
Squirt
Minichamp

[Aloha]

To me all SAK scissors are pretty great.  The Squirt scissors are eh IMO unless we are talking S4.  Micra is in a league of its own in to many. 

Micra
Minichamp
Squirt PS4

[Poncho65]

Micra and Squirt have basically the same scissors and they are both bigger than the Mini Champ That being said you can never go wrong with SAK scissors either

I carry the Vic Executive though because I like that size scissor better than what is on the 58mm

[Poncho65]

To me all SAK scissors are pretty great.  The Squirt scissors are eh IMO unless we are talking S4.  Micra is in a league of its own in to many. 

Micra
Minichamp
Squirt PS4

I guess I mean S4 when I am talking about the Squirt I forget about the newer ones

[WoodsDuck]

Ok so I'm still kinda tossing these back and forth. And for some reason I think I still need to have one in my life. So, I got the itch, I have to scratch it right?

Quick Q. On the Scissors, which are the best and which are the biggest from the 3?

Micra
Squirt
Minichamp

Micra: Heavy duty for the compact size. Sometimes likes to bind up on "chewy" materials like paracord if you're not careful about how you cut it.

Squirt: I assume you mean the PS4's small scissors. . . These are the same as the Style PS's scissors I think, so I will go with that. They cut, but they're not as strong as the Micra's or as precise as the Minichamp's. Also the scissors spring is apparently prone to failure. My Style PS hasn't failed in the last 14 months or so that I've had it, so I don't know if this is just bad QC luck for some folks. If by chance you mean the Squirt S4 scissors, those perform very similar to the Micra's, but maybe slightly more precise.

MiniChamp: Small, but high precision. Not good for tougher cutting jobs, like snipping zip ties. Blazes through threads and pretty much any kind of paper. Sharp enough to slide through thinner papers without even squeezing the handle. Probably the sharpest scissors out of the box. Vic's scissor springs are not insanely durable, but they don't usually break under normal use for many years, and they can be replaced by the end user without a service call.

Biggest: Micra and S4 are roughly tied.

Smallest: MiniChamp and PS4 are also about tied.

Best: This really depends on the specific task. If it was me, I'd go with either the Micra or the MiniChamp, and it would be a coin toss because I think they're both really good little tools. If you want the ability to handle heavier cutting jobs, get the Micra. If you want something for clipping coupons or snipping threads, the MiniChamp handles that and more.

That's my two pennies on the subject anyway.

[WoodsDuck]

Looks like I took too long and got ninja'd a little 

I would also like to note that the Micra edges out the S4 in terms of other implements, in my opinion. I like the S4's removable tweezers, but due to all the tools being outside accessible they are smaller than the Micra's equivalents on average.

[Kampfer]

Too many unnecessary stuff on mini champ.

I totally agree with this.  Though some people find them useful, I could lose the orange peeler, second blade and cuticle pusher.

After all the unnecessary stuff removed, you get a Rambler.

[Aloha]

I was a huge minichamp fan but converted to a manager.  I'm still rocking the manager on my vehicle keys with out fail.  The 58mm line scissors are terrific tho being small they do have limitations as noted by Woodsduck.   

I carry the Squirt P4 and minichamp around the home sometimes just to have tools at the ready. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

If you'd said Micra instead of Squirt I'd have gone Leatherman, but since you didn't I have to say Minichamp.  It's a great little knife with everything you could want on it!

Def

[kaput]

Thanks to all you guys for the information and personal experiences.

Ok so I'm still kinda tossing these back and forth. And for some reason I think I still need to have one in my life. So, I got the itch, I have to scratch it right?

Quick Q. On the Scissors, which are the best and which are the biggest from the 3?

Micra
Squirt
Minichamp

Micra: Heavy duty for the compact size. Sometimes likes to bind up on "chewy" materials like paracord if you're not careful about how you cut it.

Squirt: I assume you mean the PS4's small scissors. . . These are the same as the Style PS's scissors I think, so I will go with that. They cut, but they're not as strong as the Micra's or as precise as the Minichamp's. Also the scissors spring is apparently prone to failure. My Style PS hasn't failed in the last 14 months or so that I've had it, so I don't know if this is just bad QC luck for some folks. If by chance you mean the Squirt S4 scissors, those perform very similar to the Micra's, but maybe slightly more precise.

MiniChamp: Small, but high precision. Not good for tougher cutting jobs, like snipping zip ties. Blazes through threads and pretty much any kind of paper. Sharp enough to slide through thinner papers without even squeezing the handle. Probably the sharpest scissors out of the box. Vic's scissor springs are not insanely durable, but they don't usually break under normal use for many years, and they can be replaced by the end user without a service call.

Biggest: Micra and S4 are roughly tied.

Smallest: MiniChamp and PS4 are also about tied.

Best: This really depends on the specific task. If it was me, I'd go with either the Micra or the MiniChamp, and it would be a coin toss because I think they're both really good little tools. If you want the ability to handle heavier cutting jobs, get the Micra. If you want something for clipping coupons or snipping threads, the MiniChamp handles that and more.

That's my two pennies on the subject anyway.

Great write up. Really helps me. I appreciate you taking the time. If they still made or I could get a squirt s4 I think the choice would have been made or at least allot easier. Maybe I'll take a peak around or try and find a used one.

I want the scissors to be useful. I can cut threads with a knife for the most part, and I don't cut coupons (although I really should  ). I was hoping for scissors to be used for small light materials, but my expectations may not be aligned perfectly with a tool this size.

I guess I don't know what I want, or I want it all...? 

[kaput]

If you'd said Micra instead of Squirt I'd have gone Leatherman, but since you didn't I have to say Minichamp.  It's a great little knife with everything you could want on it!

Def

Thanks. You know how when you ask a question but you're not really getting the answer that you wanted  . I feel this way with the minichamp. Not too many votes for it, which I see both sides.

But I think that's because allot of people find the extraneous implements on the minichamp superfolous. How many words did I just make up there... 

But I like the two blades. I can find a specific type of task for each. And again, I feel like that orange peeler can be used like a retail package opener, someone correct me if I'm wrong. That little butter knife thing (cuticle pusher) I may either use as just that (butter knife, not cuticle pusher), or fashion it into a small awl.

*did I just fully talk myself into a minichamp or what!?   

[WoodsDuck]

Used S4s can often be found on ebay for decent prices. Though the finish is usually pretty beat up.
As for the more unusual tools on the MiniChamp; I have many times used the cuticle pusher to scoop lip balm from those little tins. I like having the second blade, and it's a Wharncliffe shape which adds more cutting utility. As for the "cut-and-picker" blade;

[kaput]

Thanks. Perect, as id hoped. I just watched a video Recently with someone using it to open a pill bottle wrapper and take the cotton out. And peel an orange. To me, I can do those just fine with my hands. But opening a clamshell package however... 

That will come in handy. 

[Poncho65]

When it comes down to it I don't think you would be disappointed in any of the choices you had listed

[HarleyXJGuy]

Both.

You're welcome.

[magentus]

Both.

You're welcome.

I never thought the day would arrive when I agree with Harley, and this is the second time already today! I reckon Harley has been replaced by a pod (about time too).

Get both.

[firiki]

I'll just leave this here

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,56952.msg1023542.html#msg1023542

I miss Jothra