Now I Understand! It all makes sense now!

[gerleatherberman]

OK. To start this topic, I must thank the man who sent a special tool my way. THANK YOU DOUGLAS! I had never touched OR seen a plier based swiss tool before this evening! I was so excited I even had to get my favorite swiss watch out for the occasion(cool story about that one too later). So, I am going to attempt, in the spirit of it, to be objective.  . I am basically in the fleamarket junk business, where I restore antiques for a living and see a lot of crappy MTs all the time. Once in a blue moon I see a nicer MT, like a LM, Gerber, Tough Tool, and etc. I usually buy the nicer stuff for $20-$40 and clean/polish them up and enjoy using them and keeping them nice. BUT, I have never encountered a swisstool. I really don't make enough money to be buying them, but I enjoy it and have no debt.
Tonight I got home from work and there it was, a package from the Longhorn state! I got comfortable and got out my swiss champ to open the envelope. The swisstool was shy at first, inside of the original belt pouch that, for being worn for a long time, looked very good. A high quality nylon for sure!
I took a sip of espresso and gingerly opened the pouch. What I pulled out was a nearly 20yo excellent condition Victorinox SwissTool. I carefully opened each tool to feel the precision that I had noted by looking at the extraordinary tight clearances. I understand now. I understand why a swisstool is THE tool other companies SHOULD be trying to compete with. The tools, all polished, open smooth and lock up perfectly. No clumps, no mess, and a well thought out nail nick system. Each tool has a distinguishable set of and/or function. A precision piece of gorgeous hardware!  The pliers are also finely ground on each side with a beautiful polish and fine teeth. There is no play at all, even after 19 years! I thought the red logo on the side would not be all that attractive, but it looks a lot cooler in person!
It is a fantastic piece of Swiss engineering and has convinced me that Victorinox makes the best MTs there are. It isn't the biggest,  most tools,  or best looking. BUT, it IS the highest quality fit and finish I have ever seen on a plier based MT.
Thank you again, Douglas! Resistance was futile.
I carry the SwissArmyKnight badge with pride! What a fine example of swiss perfection. Just like the 25J automatic swiss movement in the watch I pictured it with.
And I was careful, Douglas! Those knives are sharp! Swiss steel.

[gerleatherberman]

Old dog approved!

[Poncho65]

That is awesome Glad it made it there and that you are now going to get to use it and WTG Douglas

[gerleatherberman]

That is awesome Glad it made it there and that you are now going to get to use it and WTG Douglas

TY poncho!
It is going to work with me tomorrow. The chisel is a tool I have not seen on a MT and I think would come in handy doing furniture repairs !

[Douglas]

That is awesome Glad it made it there and that you are now going to get to use it and WTG Douglas

TY poncho!
It is going to work with me tomorrow. The chisel is a tool I have not seen on a MT and I think would come in handy doing furniture repairs !

Love the photos and Old Dog approval is the best kind.  If you think the chisel on that one is nice you need to get hold of the Spirit.  It's chisel is absolutely awesome.  The only way it would be better is if it were in the Swisstool.  The Spirit is also a top notch tool, far better than any competitors, and more carry friendly, but I still prefer the original.  Its just SO solid.  Hope it meets and exceeds your expections and takes you on some great new adventures.  Congratulations My Friend.

[G-Dizzle]

Glad to see you got to experience a Swiss tool!! Until I handled one, I didn't know what all the fuss was about, but now I know the precision of each tool outshines all other MTs and in the spirit at least they get by far the absolute most utility per ounce without compromising things like screwdriver integrity

[gerleatherberman]

That is awesome Glad it made it there and that you are now going to get to use it and WTG Douglas

TY poncho!
It is going to work with me tomorrow. The chisel is a tool I have not seen on a MT and I think would come in handy doing furniture repairs !

Love the photos and Old Dog approval is the best kind.  If you think the chisel on that one is nice you need to get hold of the Spirit.  It's chisel is absolutely awesome.  The only way it would be better is if it were in the Swisstool.  The Spirit is also a top notch tool, far better than any competitors, and more carry friendly, but I still prefer the original.  Its just SO solid.  Hope it meets and exceeds your expections and takes you on some great new adventures.  Congratulations My Friend.

Thank you my friend!
I knew it would be good, but I didn't imagine just how solid, like you said, it would be. I am used to MTs having at least one thing that had corners cut on it. The swisstool has nothing that seems cheap to me. I am going to start putting a few bucks back each week and save for a spirit as well!
Douglas, as a spirit owner,  do you recommend the extra tool kit, or does that just take away from the streamline on the belt? I know not getting the kit saves weight and money though. 
I noticed how the swisstool you sent does not protrude much at all. Less than the LM Rebar leather sheath by 1/8th of an inch! Pretty awesome.

[gerleatherberman]

Glad to see you got to experience a Swiss tool!! Until I handled one, I didn't know what all the fuss was about, but now I know the precision of each tool outshines all other MTs and in the spirit at least they get by far the absolute most utility per ounce without compromising things like screwdriver integrity

Thank ya!
It is almost hard to imagine a company making something so precise and making any money doing it. The other big companies cut so many corners. Like you said, the screw drivers usually suffer. The finish suffers too. My satin finish tools rust 10x worse than my few polished tools.
Time to start saving for more Victorinox stuff! 

[Douglas]

" in the spirit at least they get by far the absolute most utility per ounce without compromising things like screwdriver integrity"

Gdoolittle Nailed it with that one.  Yes G-MAN I do recomend the ratchet set, not the break over bar.  I have not gone a day in 10 to 15 years without mine near by if not on my side.  I carry it with my Swisstool X every day at work and use the ratchet set almost as much as the MT.  The two most used tools I have.  As an equipment and refrigeration tech I have a lot of tools. I have made one mod for it - not to it.  I picked up an ordinary magnetic bit holder, put in my drill cut off the extra length and groved it to fit the ratchet, trimed the top of the red plastic bit case for it to fit.  Oh ya, there is one other mod. I don't carry the cork screw but still wanted to have the eyeglass screw drvier that just happens to fit in the ratchet handle as a screw driver handle.  So I drilled a 1/16th diameter hole just deep enough into the ratchet handle to be able to turn the eyeglass driver over and store it in the ratchet. 
Wonder if those would qulify for a merit badge if I started a thread on them, after all they are MT mod's right.  The ratchet set is a MT isn't it?

[Douglas]

Oh forgot to answer the second part of your question.  Yes the ratchet set does add some girdth to the set, but not enough to be with out it for me.. I have seen on here where some others differ in their opinion though.

[Aloha]

Old Dog approved, love it. 

Glad to see the tool arrived safely.  Victorinox really did an outstanding job on the Swisstool.  I can tell you the tool is no shelf queen and is as tough as they come.  I cannot wait to hear more about your usage and further thoughts. 

Douglas    you sir deserve 

[Douglas]

Thanks every one.  I just feel this is what comunity is all about.  Love all the cool stuff I see and learn here.  Until I got my custom leather pouch for my EDC and just had to find a place to show it off where others would understand, I had no idea what I was missing. 
  I caried a Victorinox or Wanger growing up and got a Leatherman Wave in my 20's.  Fell in love with the idea of plier based tools and the "pocket knife" became a thing of the past.  I was quickly dissapointed as the Wave just could not hold up to what I demanded of it.
Then in '98 I stumbled into the Swisstool at Sam's Club  (of all places) and fell head over heals in love.    I have expected more of that tool than any tool should ever endure and it has always pulled through with flying colors..  All that to say, I do my best to make conversions  when ever given the opportunity. 
Now I am coming back full circle as I learn of all the things I never knew existed (Alox, etc...) but MUST have.  I belive there is a thread about bad influances on here some where that I may have to join. 
Again THANKS every one.
The info, stories and humor you all post are worth every bit as much to me as the tools we all love so much.
G-Man keep the tails wagg'n, uhmm Stories coming about your new adventures.

[Mechanickal]

Welcome to the club!

Got my own Swisstool X dirt cheap second hand about 4 years ago as it was covered in epoxy.
Managed to polish it all off and it's looking great now.

Also got a Spirit in the meantime and it's better then one can imagine.

Enjoy your new tool, it'll last you a lifetime!

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice work Douglas, and congrats GLBM. Will we be seeing Swiss or Victorinox incorporated in your username anytime soon? 

The Swisstool was the first "proper" multitool I ever bought, and people wonder why I give Leatherman a hard time  I have now sold it, and progressed to the Spirit X for my Swiss plier contribution. Nothing against the Swisstool, but the Spirit suits me better 

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you all for the information and comments!
I've been sick a couple of days, but will be enjoying using the swisstool asap!
I know what I need to start saving for now.

[Douglas]

Thank you all for the information and comments!
I've been sick a couple of days, but will be enjoying using the swisstool asap!
I know what I need to start saving for now.

G-MAN, 
Do you have any ADVEVTURE photos yet?
Hope your enjoying the new TOY  tool.   

[gerleatherberman]

I have used it a bunch of times, but nothing I thought was story worthy yet. I got to work in my tool room today, so I barely used it today. But, tomorrow I am working away from the tool room at work, so I am sure it will get a workout! And a photo or two. 
I won a spirit on a auction site, but it says July 13th as the delivery date. 

[Barry Rowland]

  old dog!!!

[Douglas]

old dog!!!

Let him carry it for a while and he'll realize he has become a walking tool room. 
Many times " like she said" it's just easier to whip it out. 

[gerleatherberman]

 
"Yo gurlll, wanna see my swiss steel?"

Seriously  though, the swiss need to invent a power drill MT. If anyone could do it, it would be them.

[gerleatherberman]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I felt it is relevant for what is coming.

Later today I am expecting one of the latest versions of a SwissTool X. One with the cutters reversed, SS precision cut file and fatter pliers heads. I am quite excited about it and still thank Douglas for his original gift of the OG SwissTool(1998 version), that added Vic as a brand I keep in the ever-growing MT collection. I have since bought an OG SwissTool RS as well. Both are fantastic tools. I have also acquired two Spirits and like them a lot, but just find the bigger SwissTool to be my favorite of the two models. Likely, because I prefer thicker tools for gripping comfort.

Since I made this thread, my opinions have changed, some better and some worse. However, I still like Vic's pliers-based MTs quite a lot(some assume my criticisms of the SwissTools to be born oit of fandom for other brands, but that isn't realy the case). Not my absolute favorite, but the SwissTool is in the top five of my favorites. I have my little subjective issues, so may be this thread could be proof that I have never been a SwissTool denier, and generally have the highest feelings about tools I haven't used yet. Since using both the SwissTool and Spirit, my views have altered and it has made it easier for me to objectively look at the tools themselves.

 
Here's hoping the modern SwissTool X is a winner.

My old pug passed last year, but we'll see if our new fur baby approves of another SwissTool.

[comis]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I felt it is relevant for what is coming.

Later today I am expecting one of the latest versions of a SwissTool X. One with the cutters reversed, SS precision cut file and fatter pliers heads. I am quite excited about it and still thank Douglas for his original gift of the OG SwissTool(1998 version), that added Vic as a brand I keep in the ever-growing MT collection. I have since bought an OG SwissTool RS as well. Both are fantastic tools. I have also acquired two Spirits and like them a lot, but just find the bigger SwissTool to be my favorite of the two models. Likely, because I prefer thicker tools for gripping comfort.

Since I made this thread, my opinions have changed, some better and some worse. However, I still like Vic's pliers-based MTs quite a lot(some assume my criticisms of the SwissTools to be born oit of fandom for other brands, but that isn't realy the case). Not my absolute favorite, but the SwissTool is in the top five of my favorites. I have my little subjective issues, so may be this thread could be proof that I have never been a SwissTool denier, and generally have the highest feelings about tools I haven't used yet. Since using both the SwissTool and Spirit, my views have altered and it has made it easier for me to objectively look at the tools themselves.

 
Here's hoping the modern SwissTool X is a winner.

My old pug passed last year, but we'll see if our new fur baby approves of another SwissTool.

Sorry to hear about your pug, but looking forward to your review.  You mentioned the swisstool is no longer the most favorite, but amongst the top 5.


Just curious what will be your most favorite now?  And what's in it that suits you better than the swisstool/spirit?

[gerleatherberman]

Sorry to hear about your pug, but looking forward to your review.  You mentioned the swisstool is no longer the most favorite, but amongst the top 5.


Just curious what will be your most favorite now?  And what's in it that suits you better than the swisstool/spirit?

Thank you very much, comis!

Honestly I am not to sure about the order of the top 5 favorites at the moment, but will give it some thought for sure!
Perhaps we can start a top-5 thread at some point.

[Aloha]

Your top 5 will be interesting.

[Huntsman]

Nice work Douglas, and congrats GLBM. Will we be seeing Swiss or Victorinox incorporated in your username anytime soon? 

Gerleathervicbermanox   

Keen to hear your dislikes/gripes on the ST now!!

[gerleatherberman]

Your top 5 will be interesting.

Thanks, Aloha!

Gerleathervicbermanox   

Nice one, Huntsman!

Keen to hear your dislikes/gripes on the ST now!!

Thanks, Huntsman!
Should be fun.

[Aloha]

Things change in the hobby aspect and day to day use of these tools.  I was a big fan of the Swisstool vs Spirit.  My go to has always been the Surge/Wave more the Charge these days.  I just like the format and OHO and bit holder/blade exchanger too much among others things. 

I'm not sure what changed from me carrying my Swisstool on weekend work.  I'll have to think on that.  I have been carrying my Spirit more than ever.  I like so much about this tool.  I've made some modifications to my OG Surge and Mini Surge ( chisel ) to reflect it.  I have plus kits for both Swisstool and Spirit but they IMO are not part of the tool per se.  To me they are more add ons.  The bit extender and bits could very well be viewed similarly I understand. 

I have grown to really like the Spirit more than I did.  I keep a Swisstool in my house tool box and garage.  I keep a Spirit in my hike pack.  I like the tools a lot but I might just be more of a fan boy of LM Charge/Surge and in general than I like to think  .   

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you for the insights and comments, Aloha!

I began my MT journey with Gerber tools, and while I still love my Gerber tools, LM tools gave edged them out in primary carry for themost part.

My main work carry consists of(when not trying new tools and doing challenges):

LM ChargeTTi w/21pc bit set(for 42 drivers), Victorinox Explorer(extra drivers and loupe), Gerber Multi-Plier(OG pinchy for the ultra compact blunt pliers), and SOG CrossCut 2.0(compound leverage scissors for veneer cutting and such).

On the up-side, that carry reflects some of the best aspects of the big-brands. Off-day carries vary wildly though. The Spirit sees a good deal of pocket time, paired with the SOG CrossCut.

[Douglas]

INTERESTING.
Will be watching.

[Butch]