11th Anniversary AMA! (Ask Me Anything)

[Grant Lamontagne]

Why aren't the fish biting?

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Because you are in a parking lot.  Try fishing in water.  Preferably a lake or stream.  People get upset when you try it in a public swimming pool, although I'd say the game there puts up a heck of a fight.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

which is your favourite multitool brand

If I had to pick one brand to stick with forever, it would probably be Victorinox.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

who is the best looking mod?

That's a tough one.  As you know, we do extensive background checks on potential mods before handing them a big red ban button, because let's face it, you can't trust just anyone with that kind of power.

I will say that at least two of them have appeared in Playgirl magazine and one did nude modeling for the Sears Catalogue, although I am sworn to secrecy as to their identities, so I would say we have the best looking mod staff in the world.

And I'm not allowed to tell you what three of the others did, but in their defense, they were young and needed the money.   

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

do you like babies?

It depends on how they are prepared really.  As a general rule I tend to avoid them.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

are you broody?

Probably.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Red wire or blue wire?


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Actually, modern ordinance defusal doesn't come down to red wire or blue wire- in most cases a high pressure jet of water is used to rapidly disassemble the device so quickly that electronic signals sent from the detonator to the explosive material are too slow to reach their destination and trigger detonation. 

Having grown up on military bases however I have had some amusing experiences, such as in the mid 90's when I was at CFB Borden, a huge training base used by virtually all allied forces.  One day I noticed a bunch of large, unmarked trucks parked at the derelict and soon to be demolished building across the road from our PMQ (Personnel Married Quarters).  As I wondered what they were for, I heard a pop from the building and a loud "Smurf" from one of the trucks and a bomb disposal droid came trundling out of the building, theoretically for a reset.  Apparently someone picked the blue wire, and that kiddies is why it pays to pay attention in class.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Or indeed red pill or blue pill?

Red pill. 

Although I would spend the rest of my life wishing I'd have taken the blue pill, but I am a realist and couldn't pass up the chance to see what things really are like.  I just get down into the mire and muck and wish I could be one of the blissfully unaware people.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it has also warped the Def.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

What is your position on the role of government in supporting innovation in the field of biotechnology?

 

I am now, and always will be against government involvement in just about everything.  That having been said, science is a method of determining how, without stopping to ask why, which is also an important concern.  Just because we can do something, does it mean that we should do it?

For example, Oscar Pistorius was able to compete in both the Special Olympics and the regular Olympics, which is absolutely a marvel of modern science.  It also opens a door that maybe should not be opened.

He was allowed to compete as it was determined that his specially designed running legs did not give him an advantage over other competitors.  How does that work really?  Don't Usain Bolt's legs, genetics, training methods etc give him an advantage over other competitors?  So, given that model and the ability to add mechanical enhancements, isn't it only a matter of time before less reputable contenders refine the design of prosthetic limbs to give themselves an advantage as well?  And then, what is to stop able bodied athletes from performing the same operations, getting rid of otherwise healthy legs in favor of prosthetic that would allow them to compete with the ones formerly known as "disabled?"  After all, it might be easier on them long term to have parts replaced now than to have to endure the issues that plague athletes currently, like joint issues that cause them significant pain that often ends their career, gets them addicted to pain killers and eventually sending them to jail or to commit suicide.

What I am suggesting with this is that maybe, just maybe, in this one instance, a governing body of sorts should be able to oversee these matters and maintain a line of what we should do, versus what we can do with regards to biotechnology.  Science is well capable of finding out how to do things, like improve our bodies, but we need to ask why we aren't already at that level, and the philosophical answers might be staggering- we are currently fouling our own nest with dangerous toxins and yet we aren't ready to leave that nest.  Our abilities are advancing faster than our ability to comprehend the result of our actions, and it's showing.  Some form of restraint is absolutely required.

Def

[JP]

Marvel or DC?

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[Don Pablo]

Macgyver or Batman?

[AlephZero]

Macgyver or Batman?

Pfft, MacGyver obviously... You can always study to be Batman later in Batman University!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Marvel or DC?

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Marvel.

I am very impressed with the current Marvel movies, although I haven't picked up a comic in years.  I have a few issues with the way they are changing the comics, but the movies seem to be largely in line with the comics I enjoyed as a kid.

DC on the other hand seems happy to crank out any old crap that is convenient, regardless of how badly it ruins their characters.  DC has (arguably) the top two most popular characters (Batman and Superman) in the world, but doesn't have much else beyond that.  Yes, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern are pretty famous too, even before their movies, but they just aren't on the level of Batman and Superman- nowhere near it in fact.

The most annoying bit about the crap DC movies is that DC does have great story lines they could draw on and really stand toe to toe with the Marvel Universe- the Flashpoint Paradox series is one great example.  Imagine a parallel world where Bruce Wayne was killed in the alley instead of his parents and it drove both his parents over the edge- his father becoming a violent alcoholic Batman that would make the Punisher shy away, and his mother going completely around the bend and becoming the Joker.... meanwhile, the government finds Superman as a baby before the Kents do, and instead of being raised in a proper, loving home that instills proper values, he is raised in a lab, as a test subject, with little to no human contact, and, as his powers develop, he is subjected to intense red sun radiation to keep him from escaping.  This creates a wild, emaciated Superman, with barely any understanding of any of the things Superman is known for, animalistic even, with all the power and none of the restraint.

The Son of Batman series on Netflix is another great example of what DC could do- it turns out that ten years ago, while he was a drugged up prisoner of Ras Al Ghul, Batman impregnated Ras' daughter Talia, and now, ten years later she drops the willful and highly skilled boy in Bruce's lap and disappears, and he has to try and harness the boy's aggression and teach him that killing people isn't acceptable, despite him being taught that from birth.

The Death and Life of Superman would also make a great series of movies- I'd love to see a real Doomsday on the Big Screen, and Knightfall, where Batman is crippled by a highly skilled and chemically enhanced enemy would also be awesome.  The Dark Knight Returns would be another good one.

So why do we get treated to Ben Affleck's juiced up Batman, trying to kill Superman, only to stop and become his friend instead because their mothers have the same name?  WTF were they thinking?

So, yeah, Marvel.  If DC sucked because they sucked, I'd have more respect for them for at least trying.  Unfortunately, they have some perfect stuff ready to go, but instead they just serve up steaming piles of smurf and expect me to fork over $17 for it.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Macgyver or Batman?

Neither- I don't care for either actor portraying either of them.  They seem to have completely missed the point on both cases.

Now, if you want to talk Micheal Keaton or Christian Bale versus Richard Dean Anderson, we could be on to something....

Def

[Don Pablo]

Macgyver or Batman?

Neither- I don't care for either actor portraying either of them.  They seem to have completely missed the point on both cases.

Now, if you want to talk Micheal Keaton or Christian Bale versus Richard Dean Anderson, we could be on to something....

Def

FYI, I meant Richard Dean Anderson. I've only seen the first two episodes of the new series.
And the Batman actor can be whomever you like. 

[Outback in Idaho]

  What was the 11th post from the very beginning of the MTO board? 

[derekmac]

What was your favourite argument with yourself here?

[Outback in Idaho]

 Have there been any real contenders in the multitool market that sort of fizzled away over time?

[dks]

Dr Who - Male or Female?

[Grant Lamontagne]

  What was the 11th post from the very beginning of the MTO board? 

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,2.msg20.html

Complete with typo. 

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

What was your favourite argument with yourself here?

I don't recall any specific argument with myself in the early days.  I know I did, as that was how you generate conversation and suck other people in, but I don't recall any specific discussions I had with myself.  These are the earliest posts of Fred, my most public and prolific alter ego:

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=profile;u=4;area=showposts;start=300

You are welcome to check for yourself....

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Have there been any real contenders in the multitool market that sort of fizzled away over time?

Do you mean manufacturers who couldn't make it despite serious potential?

If so, there was the Metperial tool, but that didn't fail because it was the ultimate and best tool ever, it was humanity that failed it for not being awesome enough to properly appreciate it.   

I can't think of any crowdsourced or small manufacturer produced tools that haven't made it to be honest.  Most of the small stuff is ok, but nothing really mind bending or special.  I would love to see some of the Russian tools like NOKS made available here as I think there is some potential there, and I would like to see some of the bigger names pay a little closer attention to what they are doing.

Most of the fizzled away stuff fits into one of two categories IMHO- small stuff that just wasn't useful enough to warrant survival or big stuff from companies that should know better.

For example, one company (I won't mention names) is doing some great designs, but it falling apart horribly when it comes to manufacturing those designs.  Another company (again, not mentioning names) can't seem to come up with a decent, reasonable idea these days and is rehashing the same stuff that was largely useless last year, like they are all out of ideas.  Another company is in the same boat, but doesn't seem to be even rehashing old ideas, they seem content to just draw different pictures on their designs each year, and yet another couple of companies have a great design but couldn't give a rat's hindquarters about them.

I don't think that answers your question, but it's the best answer I can give.  There are lots of great ideas out there, just very little proper execution, and too many bandwagon jumpers that think they can cut some notches out of a hunk of titanium and sell it for $150, or just slap some generic hardware store functions into a set of cheapo pliers and pretend they are revolutionary.

There's an art to multitool design and many folks are just trying to photocopy a Rembrandt and expect the money truck to start rolling up to their houses.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Dr Who - Male or Female?

I'm not a huge Whovian, but I believe the new Doctor is female.  It's been in all of the papers, I am surprised you hadn't heard about it.

Def

[dks]

does Ganzo sell more multitools than Leatherman?

[Grant Lamontagne]

does Ganzo sell more multitools than Leatherman?

Probably- neither company keeps me up to date on sales figures for some reason.

Def

[dks]

wrangler or renegade ?

[dks]

Which is your favourite multitool site and/or forum?

[Grant Lamontagne]

wrangler or renegade ?

Wrangler.  The Renegade is just a Fiat 600 with extra hideous sheet metal bolted onto it.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Which is your favourite multitool site and/or forum?

Facebook?

 

Def

[ThePeacent]

On the topic of other manufacturers other than the Big 4, I have some comments:

- two very nice companies that lost it were CRKT and Schrade. Both had excellent ideas, nice designs and concepts but failed to push them further and they could have become big hits in the MT world.
CRKT had the excellent Zillas, the Guppie and many others, and Schrade had the most excellent Vise Grip series, the Tough Chip and classic USA made Tough Tool.
So sad that the former stopped attempting at the Multitool world, and didn't up their quality control a bit or reduced the price, and the latter went to China and started rebranding OUTU, Jakemy and Chinese designs and tools, while crapping the quality of their biggest seller, the Tough Tool, and forgetting about the so unique Vise Grip collabs.

- Ganzo could have a lot of potential, they've already established their base in the knife and folder community, and have proven how they can come up with original designs and non-cloned quality folders, so why the hell don't they step up from the generic, classic Chinese multitool and offer a competitive budget option as an alternative to Leatherman's entry tools, or SOG Chinese made MTs?

- There is also the Buck X-Tract, Piranha Tool and other multis originated in China, with curious or useful designs, but without much success due to lack of sellers and distributors. If some stores stopped selling the $5 multis at 10-15 or 20 dollars and offered these instead they'd sure have success, better sales and returning customers

- It saddens me that great companies and big makers try out and come with an excellent design and concept, but stop production and never try again. i'm specially mentioning Kershaw and their A100, which was a clever, quality and useful concept and nowadays you only have to see the prices they get on the secondary market, even in used condition, to realise how much the people liked them.

Knowing that KAI sells so so many knives, especially their budget ones, and has distribution at Wallmart, Cabelas and the biggest stores I'm sure they could have much success and sell lots of tools if they came up with a proper MT, competing even with the LM Wingmans, Sidekicks, Gerber Suspensions etc. sold in the very same places.

[Outback in Idaho]

 Any chance of a version 2 of the Limited Edition SOSAK MTO multitool? Cannot seem to find a photo of it anymore...