Style PS - hoping for box opener or other swaps for a Style P

[gement]

I want something very close to a Style PS for hiking and general pocket purposes, but then it turns out I want to throw out half of what it comes with. 

The base requirement is balancing minimum footprint with maximum pliers. For hiking, I will carry less terrible tweezers and less terrible folding sewing scissors, so those can both go. I am choosing to carry a more usable knife separately (pliers are campkit, knife is just-in-case lanyard). Around town, nail clippers meet most of my scissor needs and I don't need tweezers in my pocket. That leaves... the pliers (not negotiable) and the file with the tiny screwdriver tip. It really takes the multi out of multitool.

Back when I carried a Leatherman PST for a decade, the vast majority of my uses were pliers, using the knife to slice cheese, and using the knife to open shipping boxes. I can make other arrangements for cheese. However, I still reach for my missing PST whenever I need to open an Amazon box. (Edit: Clamshells, too. Clamshells are evil and even the knife was never any good on them.) I'd like a real screwdriver/prybar, too.

I am completely new to modding and could use either links for further research or personal experience on what I can raid for parts to fit into a Style PS and what might meet my goals. (Alternately, if I have missed another pliers tool under 3 oz that has non-sucky pliers and something like my desired feature set, I will take it under advisement. I would accept one with an extra knife on it, I am just trying hard to avoid tool cruft and there is a lot of tool cruft out there.)

tl;dr My ideal swap out for the scissors would be a medium or large flat screwdriver suitable for light prying, with a box opener or clamsheller on the side of it. What are my options to get one or more of these features?

[tommywp]

Have you thought about the leatherman Mini? Pliers, file/driver combo and a small blade that could handle clamshells...nothing else. It's discontinued njt one can be had on eBay.

[MusicMen]

Squirt parts fit nicely.
Also with some filing/grinding Dime parts fit.

[T14]

Squirt parts fit nicely.

+1

Squirt parts are drop-in replacements. Attached is a picture of my little "Style ES" mod.

For me, the squirt frame turned out to be far more ergonomic than the style frame. I would advise you to track down a used squirt p4 and just use that. The squirt E4 has better scale tools though, but the E4 plier head is not all that general purpose unless you deal with electronics regularly.
Cheers

-tom

[T14]

I am also betting that you could make some victorinox parts fit. I am thinking of 91mm backscale tools, or even stuff from the 58-74mm range.
it would require access to a drill press for pivot hole enlargement, though.

[BePrepared]

I believe I've seen a mod using the Gerber Dime package opener into a LM Squirt.  Or else people grind down and existing tool into a package opener.  The latter may be easier as it does not require taking apart a tool, especially the riveted Squirts.

[gement]

Squirt parts fit nicely.

+1

Squirt parts are drop-in replacements. For me, the squirt frame turned out to be far more ergonomic than the style frame. I would advise you to track down a used squirt p4 and just use that. The squirt E4 has better scale tools though, but the E4 plier head is not all that general purpose unless you deal with electronics regularly.
Cheers

-tom

Thanks everyone. This is a great list of options. I didn’t know about the Squirt P4, and it looks ideal in its own right; if it isn’t, it also looks like the most painless source for parts, so I will start there. I will report back if I end up Frankentooling anything interesting!

Oh look, a gently used one on eBay for twelve bucks. Onwards!

[T14]

Oh look, a gently used one on eBay for twelve bucks. Onwards!

That's the spirit 

[Aloha]

Being a huge fan of the Squirt P4 I can highly suggest this tool.  I am curious tho what you do end up with, mod or otherwise 

[Breezy12]

Being a huge fan of the Squirt P4 I can highly suggest this tool.  I am curious tho what you do end up with, mod or otherwise 

I am also curious to see how this turns out...

I did a Squirt mod a few months ago... I originally planned on putting the package opener from a Gerber Dime in there (like MusicMen mentioned), but then the project shifted gears and ended up being more of a hybrid between a PS4 and S4. I do like the tool selection on the P4 though. I wonder if the awl could be sharpened a bit and work as a package opener.

I might have to give it another go. I have found that a Squirt or Style fits comfortably in the 5th pocket of my jeans... and a knifeless version would give me a good excuse to give my folders some pocket carry time.

[gregozedobe]

Being a huge fan of the Squirt P4 I can highly suggest this tool.  I am curious tho what you do end up with, mod or otherwise 

I'm another LM Squirt P4 fan, in fact it is the only MT/SAK that I EDC (I do usually have larger MTs close at hand most of the time).  The size, shape & weight is excellent for pocket carry.

If you want to mod a Squirt it might be worth looking for a PS4/ES4 with torx screws rather than the more common rivets.  But be prepared for a lengthy search, they aren't put up for sale very often.

[gement]

Being a huge fan of the Squirt P4 I can highly suggest this tool.  I am curious tho what you do end up with, mod or otherwise 

As requested, an update now that I have hammered on this tool for a month or so.

I love my P4. I have zero interest in modding it now that I own it. After working it over repeatedly with WD-40 and 3-in-1... I was impressed at how many grass fragments could fit in those joints... it works like a dream.

The pliers are great and, as advertised, do not suck.

The two tools stripped out for the scissors in the PS, the awl and the glasses screwdriver, have both gotten extensive use. The awl especially has been a fantastic marlinspike for some knotwork I've been doing. Do not try to tighten a monkey fist knot without a marlinspike, it will end in tears.

Box opening is handled by dragging the edge of the file as a serrated edge, or by the knife, depending on what kind of tape it's sealed with. (The tape with thread in it responds better to the file "saw.") And since I have the knife anyway, I am less likely to decide on a separate utility knife for hiking purposes. Because it's already there.

Thanks everyone for your advice on this. I would never have found the P4 without y'all, and even with modding, I'm pretty sure the other models I had in mind would never have made me happy.