Leatherman Style VS. Victorinox Classic SD, a revisit

[Kampfer]

First of all, Grant already did a good detail comparison between these two keychain tools five years ago, the conclusion came to be “Not impressed”, his word. Before we start beating dead horse again, I highly suggest you read that through.
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=25084.0 

I am agreeing with everything he wrote except Grant DID missed one key factor in the comparison and led to the “NOT IMPRESSED” verdict, and that is the reason I am paying a revisit to the debate.

Here we go.
Enter our contestants, Leatherman Style & Victorinox Alox Classic SD.
Both have the exactly same tool selection, disregarding the fact that Style has Tweezers and standard Classic SD have Tweezers & tooth pick.



Since they are both keychain tools so let’s attach them to key ring, note that the Style is significantly thicker that Class SD.

[Kampfer]

So far so good, let’s start using them.
First up, scissors.
Not bad, both can get the job done. 

[Kampfer]

Second, screwdriver.
Style works well 

Using the Classic's screwdriver is a very annoying task, as the keys keep rotating around the screw as it goes. 

[Kampfer]

Third, knife.
Style did a fine job, no problem there at all. 

The Classic SD is so clumsy in knife mode it is almost un-useable. 

[Kampfer]

My own conclusion: Classic SD might be a better tool but Style is definitely a better tool to use.
The problem of Classic SD lays where the keyring is located. I am not sure why Victorinox can't just position all three implement pivots at one end of the tool while keyring on the other, that would really solve the problem.

I also like to take a moment to thank eddie1115 for his generosity gifting me the Style for this review.

[Kampfer]

I prefer Vic Classic over style myself.

Sometime we really need to look at things again from a different perspective. 

[Kev D]

I've just got a style, it's a great little keyring tool 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I agree- I think a different perspective is invaluable with stuff like this, and I am glad to see you challenged what I said before.

But, I have one point to make to defend my position as to which tool is superior, and that is this:

The Classic is still in production, and the Style isn't.   Whether it is a better tool or not is immaterial if you can't obtain one easily when you need it. 

Def

[Kampfer]

Victorinox Classic SD dominated world's keyrings decades before Style came around 2010 and will continue to do so.
Most people would buy one just because it is a "Swiss Army Knife", and would be glad have a knife or driver when one is needed, a little awkwardness wouldn't bother them much.

Many good MT from the past were discontinued for one reason or another.

With the abundance of multitools and SAKs I have available to me I get to be a bit choosy on things, and it's a direct result of that choosiness that I say all of this.  Not every tool suits everyone's needs.

I agree and that is why I am doing this comparison. 

The Style is going to replace my father's Alox Classic, as he brought to my attention that how clumsy it is in knife mode.

My wife has a Alox Classic on her keys as well, but she only uses the knife for 1~2 seconds each time, she never noticed the awkwardness.

[eddie1115]

So I have a Rambler which gets more a bit more use than my Classic.  The Rambler has the blade going the other way, which helps.  But the drivers are still clumsy, like you showed.  But the Rambler doesn't get carried that often either; if it did, I would definitely have tried the Style more.

[Kampfer]

I thought about buying an Alox Rambler (for the extra driver) for a long time, but never pulled the trigger because I didn't like to spend $50+ on a clumsy driver.

[Poncho65]

It is a good point Kampfer I never have any tool on a keychain so I never would have known that Wished the Style was still in production but that is the way things are sometimes

Great comparison

[Kampfer]

My father was the one who told me how clumsy his Classic is, but when I offered him the Style, he refuse to give up the Classic. He became very attached to the beauty of Alox and willing to deal with the awkwardness .... very weird . 

Then I quietly replaced my wife's Classic with Style, ... as soon as she got in her car, "When is my SAK? I want it back".

Victorinox really done something right I can't even explain it. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm glad your entire family agrees with me! 

Def

[Kampfer]

I'm glad your entire family agrees with me! 
Def

We, sons of Kampfer, being of relatively sound mind and body, hereby entreat the powers that be to consider us for membership in good standing in the Swiss Army Knights and promise to place no knife before our trusty Swiss Army till rust do us part.
(Image removed from quote.)

I guess we are a family of

[Kev D]

I have a spinner link between the style and key chain split ring, it makes it easier to turn. I would be a good idea for the classic as well to make it less clumsy though how much better it makes it would be debatable given the direction some of the tools open

[Huntsman]

This is a really interesting point Kampf
Although I have had a Classic for ages, usually on a key ring, and never had any problems
Although my main use of the tool is the scissors (nail trimming) so would not experience this problem!!

Here is a Classic with its clothes off



The springs are all identical in the Classic/58mm line - Even the keyring spring is the same internally - as you can see - It just has the key ring loop as an addition on the end.
It is such a clever design. The thin tools (blade/nailfile etc) have a spring each, the thick tools (scisssors/combi) use two springs

Normally the knife and nail file/SD are on the bottom - So they open over the keyring as you have shown.
But the knife could easily be built the other way, with the scissors on the bottom - opening over the key ring, which presumably would be better as no need to rotate the scissors.
And the knife/SD opening over the other end - so rotation (and cutting) would be easy, if you had keys on the ring!

So the question is ........ 'Why did Vic make it the way they made it?'   !!

[Kampfer]

Good info Huntsman, I never see the side before

If I have the skill to mod SAK I would take all theClassic apart and rearange the tools.

[Kampfer]

I have a spinner link between the style and key chain split ring, it makes it easier to turn. I would be a good idea for the classic as well to make it less clumsy though how much better it makes it would be debatable given the direction some of the tools open

(Image removed from quote.)

One solution I see is install a carabiner on Classic so it can be deattach when use, but that would increase the risk of losing the tool.

[ReamerPunch]

One solution I see is install a carabiner on Classic so it can be deattach when use, but that would increase the risk of losing the tool.

I had my Micra on a lobster claw clip, and when pulling my keys out of my pocket I managed to involuntarily open the clip and the Micra fell off. I was impressed by the Micra's damage resistance, it fell on concrete but there were no signs of the fall. Still, I ditched the clip and now have it on with split rings. If I have to detach it it takes a few seconds more, but for the most part it stays on my keys, and it is much safer to have split rings. 

[Kampfer]

The battle of titans continues, I removed the scale on Style, and gave it a mirror polish throughout.
It is now lighter, thinner and handsomer.

[eddie1115]

Nice work!

[kkokkolis]

I have mine (a Minichamp actually) inside the sheath. The seath is attached to the keys. I remove the SAK from the seath before using it. Sometimes I remove the attached Ladubug also, if it annoys me.
Oh, the Minichamp Lite has many more tools/functions than the Style.

[Kev D]

The battle of titans continues, I removed the scale on Style, and gave it a mirror polish throughout.
It is now lighter, thinner and handsomer.

Very nice 

Have you replaced the rivet/pin with a hollow one?

[Kampfer]

The battle of titans continues, I removed the scale on Style, and gave it a mirror polish throughout.
It is now lighter, thinner and handsomer.

Very nice 

Have you replaced the rivet/pin with a hollow one?

No, the rivet holding springs to the receiver is removed, a split ring is in place as lanyard bail

[pfrsantos]

This is a really interesting point Kampf
Although I have had a Classic for ages, usually on a key ring, and never had any problems
Although my main use of the tool is the scissors (nail trimming) so would not experience this problem!!

Here is a Classic with its clothes off



The springs are all identical in the Classic/58mm line - Even the keyring spring is the same internally - as you can see - It just has the key ring loop as an addition on the end.
It is such a clever design. The thin tools (blade/nailfile etc) have a spring each, the thick tools (scisssors/combi) use two springs

Normally the knife and nail file/SD are on the bottom - So they open over the keyring as you have shown.
But the knife could easily be built the other way, with the scissors on the bottom - opening over the key ring, which presumably would be better as no need to rotate the scissors.
And the knife/SD opening over the other end - so rotation (and cutting) would be easy, if you had keys on the ring!

So the question is ........ 'Why did Vic make it the way they made it?'   !!

Have you tried switching one of the springs, so all the implements open in the same direction? Could it work?

I don't know why the Classic and most 58 have the blade opening to the keyring side and the Rambler has it opening to the other side. It makes the Rambler so much more easy to use.

[pfrsantos]

I thought about buying an Alox Rambler (for the extra driver) for a long time, but never pulled the trigger because I didn't like to spend $50+ on a clumsy driver.

I believe you can get the celidor Rambler for half that price. Not so thin, but you can take out the scales or replace them with thinner ones made by you.

[Oxford_Guy]

I thought about buying an Alox Rambler (for the extra driver) for a long time, but never pulled the trigger because I didn't like to spend $50+ on a clumsy driver.

I did buy a burgundy Alox Rambler from Swiss Bianco, never regretted it, though I don't keep it on my keychain, but in a little leather slip made by Geoff Wood, which fits nicely in my coin pocket, keeps fluff out of the knife and protects the scales. The Rambler's layout is much better than the Classic SD, I have an Alox Classic, but hardly ever use it as don't like the knife being at the keyring end, and the Alox version is actually too thin IMHO, the Alox rambler is just a bit thicker, but easier to grip.
Also, I use the extra bottle opener/phillips screwdriver tool probably more than even the scissors, mostly for the screwdriver, it's such a useful size, especially when working around computers.

[alexTOOL]

Third, knife.
Style did a fine job, no problem there at all. 
(Image removed from quote.)
The Classic SD is so clumsy in knife mode it is almost un-useable. 
(Image removed from quote.)

Please Kampfer, it only takes 5 seconds to remove the classic from the keyring!   

[Kampfer]

Third, knife.
Style did a fine job, no problem there at all. 
(Image removed from quote.)
The Classic SD is so clumsy in knife mode it is almost un-useable. 
(Image removed from quote.)

Please Kampfer, it only takes 5 seconds to remove the classic from the keyring!   

Detaching the tool from keyring to use it is not the design intent.
Be realistic , 5 second to take it off, 5 seconds to put it back on for every time?
How many people will do that?