Gerber MPT vs Leatherman PST

[Lynn LeFey]

I suppose you all get how in this multi-tool obsession, one thing leads to another. Sometimes slowly.

I've had PSTs off and on, but never had a Gerber MPT 5 until recently. I read a book on the pocket knives of the U.S. Military, and was greatly saddened by the frankly badly written end portion haphazardly mentioning a few multitools, and not once mentioned the MPT 5. In fact, while i remembered that Gerber made it, the exact model name escaped me, and took me a while to find. Luckily, I found this article on some 'obscure' site...
http://wiki.multitool.org/tiki-index.php?page=MPT

Some place called 'multitool.org'... whatever THAT is.

I had been reading the book to try to track back the origins of the Mil-K General Purpose Pocket Knife. Rather unsuccessfully, I might add.

So, anyway, I'd never had a MPT, and decided if I was to claim any great knowledge of what came after the Mil-K as far as military issued gear, I probably ought to get my hands on one and see what it was like. Well... my only real source for these was going to be ebay. I have NEVER seen one 'out in the wild'. You can find PSTs in almost literally every pawn shop and flee market. I don't recall seeing one of these even at gun shows, and the prices for them on ebay, over several months of watching were ridiculous.

Then, after diligent searching, I found one pretty cheap, because someone listed it only as 'Gerber Multitool'.

And here I am, to give a short overview of the Gerber MPT, specifically as it compares to the Leatherman PST, since it beat the PST out to win the government contract to be issued to the military.

The one sentence takeaway: The MPT is a 'Mil-K'ed version of the PST. Somewhat more rugged, and MUCH less refined.

Starting with size, the frame of the MPT is about 1/4" longer, and the plier head is somewhat larger. The PST weighs 5.28oz, (150g) compared to the MPT at 6oz (170g)


The rolled handle edges make applying heavy grip to the pliers much less terrible, but then they didn't round the back end, creating sharp(ish) corners on the back side. Improvement, but not as much as it could have been. While the MPT looks absolutely unused, the plier head has enough play that the wire cutters are no good for thin stranded wire. The PST I compared it against was crusted with rust when I saved it from a pawn shop, and wire cutters on it are still better. The handle splay is not overpronounced, and the jaws grabbed securely onto bolts even up to half an inch, still allowing me to get a decent grip on the tool. This puts them about the same as the PST, but more comfortable with very high force.

While the frame is a bit longer, the tools themselves are either the same size or smaller on the MPT than on the PST. The blades are the same length...


While I don't think it's necessarily endemic to all the MPTs, the backspring on the side of the tool with the blade was so soft that the blade didn't really 'lock up' in the open position. And that is a 'Bad Thing' (TM).

Continuing the trend of short tools, the MPT's phillips is extremely short compared to the PST.


However, while it's shorter, it's also a LOT more robust. The PST's phillips under high stress will have rotational torquing of maybe 10 degrees at high force, where the phillips of the MPT is absolutely rock solid. Same with the flathead, but to a lesser degree. Also, the flathead on the PST has VERY precise edges, and bites into screws well. The MPT's flathead is overly rounded.

There is a problem of placement of the can opener on the MPT. If you look into the blade end of the handle, with pliers pointing away from you, can openers work best when in the left-most tool slot, where the can opener is in the middle. It works fine on normal size cans, but as the can circumference increases, it's harder and harder to hook the rim, because the tool's handle is in the way. This is the kind of stupid error I usually only see in cheap multitools, and is so easily remedied that it shouldn't even ever happen.

It becomes clear when compared to the Gerber Multi-plier, that the MPT uses a large number of the same components.


The PST has an awl. The MPT has a thing CALLED an awl, but... it's more like a stupid clip-point chisel ground short blade. It is WAY too wide to make anything like a precise hole in anything. I have no idea what they were thinking, except again, it's certainly more robust

I'd be hard pressed to call the MPT a straight up 'knockoff' of the PST. It changes enough that it's kind of it's own thing, or at least something of a successor. In some ways, it shows improvement, like the rolled handles for better comfort in plier configuration. In other places, it seems that a measure of function was sacrificed for durability, as with the drivers and the awl. And in almost every way, it looks like operations of manufacture were optimized for cost savings. When combined, these are what i meant when i say the tool was the 'Mil-K' version of the PST. It's the same feeling I got from the Camillus Mil-K demo knife.

I don't hate the MPT, but I don't like it as much as the PST. For all it's flaws, at least the PST was innovative. I'd prefer a Gerber Multi-Plier or (much moreso) an MP400 or MP600.

Now, saying that I don't 'like it' as much, I might still prefer to carry it over a PST in some circumstances. Like into combat. Which I will never go into. So... effectively, never. Still, I DO think there was some measure of success in 'ruggedizing' the PST into the MPT. All in all, I think the tool stands out ONLY as (as far as I know) the first issued multitool to the U.S. Military.

[Poncho65]

Excellent write-up and pics Lynn

Two great one's to go head to head with

I have watched the MPTs go for silly money on Ebay as well but I have also watched a few auctions that I missed at the end and almost regret not throwing a low ball bid on as they went for cheap

[gerleatherberman]

Great write-up, Lynn! Thank you for that!

The MPTs were going for so little at one point last year, I was able to buy a pair of unused MPTs for $30 shipped. One BO and one SS. Both with original leather sheaths. Not sure what spurred the price hikes. Mine have plier play as well, so that is likely a common issue. But, both of mine have great spring tension on the tools when open.
There are several variations as well, but I only have the later versions. Someone else may have all of them and can chime in with the differences.

[Lynn LeFey]

Thanks, guys. 

Great write-up, Lynn! Thank you for that!

The MPTs were going for so little at one point last year, I was able to buy a pair of unused MPTs for $30 shipped.

Wow. That's an amazing price. I thought I'd done well with this one, but not THAT well.

I don't know what the deal is. I sat and watched for almost 2 months, and every one I saw was ridiculously expensive, like $75-150. Then this one shows up, and a few days later, another for a little more than this one.

[SteveC]

I just missed a BO version today that went for $20

[gerleatherberman]

Lynn,
These are the two I purchased. These don't have the large flathead or lanyard(might be why they were so cheap). But, are essentially the same otherwise.
I wish Gerber still made those sheaths though!

[Lynn LeFey]

I just missed a BO version today that went for $20

Ah... sorry to hear. I had been watching ebay like a hawk to find mine, so I know your pain.

Lynn,
These are the two I purchased. These don't have the large flathead or lanyard(might be why they were so cheap). But, are essentially the same otherwise.
I wish Gerber still made those sheaths though!

Those sheaths are NICE! 

[Poncho65]

+1 those sheaths are awesome

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a pile of MPT's that I have been sitting on for years now.  I suppose if folks are interested in them then I should dig them out and list them in the store. 

Thanks for the write up on them Lynn- it is cool to see Gerber beat Leatherman at their own game!   

Def

[SteveC]

If anyone is looking for one of those leather sheaths

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GERBER-BROWN-WEAVE-LEATHER-FOLDING-KNIFE-SHEATH-5/173140638703?hash=item284ffc7bef:g:suQAAOSwbPNad02z

[ToolJoe]

Never knew the MPT existed. 

[Lynn LeFey]

Never knew the MPT existed. 

They don't get discussed much. I only had a vague recollection of them, and like I said in the first post, had to go dig for the name of them when i wanted to buy one.

[ThePeacent]

Lynn,
These are the two I purchased. These don't have the large flathead or lanyard(might be why they were so cheap). But, are essentially the same otherwise.
I wish Gerber still made those sheaths though!

I don't know why but those sheaths scream "Crocodile Dundee" to me 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Never knew the MPT existed. 

They don't get discussed much. I only had a vague recollection of them, and like I said in the first post, had to go dig for the name of them when i wanted to buy one.

It seems like I am about the only one that ever talks about them.   

No one seems to like them, which is too bad as they are a cool tool, and, if nothing else, are a cool part of multitool history, and therefore one piece that every collector should have in their collection.

A short synopsis of them is that there was a military contract calling for a folding plier tool, not a sliding head one, and Gerber banged out the MPT and beat out Leatherman for the contract, with a tool profile that was virtually created by Tim Leatherman.  That must have really stung, but it raises some other cool questions, such as what multitools would look like today had the folks at Gerber not rejected Tim Leatherman when he brought his Mr. Crunch to them initially?  Considering that Leatherman and Gerber are the top two brands (at least for plier based multitools, sorry Victorinox) and their competition has largely pushed the industry forward, what would we have for multitools today?

It was Gerber's response to the sheet metal edged handles that got them on the sliding head design path, which in turn spurred Bear to turn the handles 180 degrees (which eventually became the SwissTool and Spirit), Schrade to turn them 90 degrees, Buck to make them fold sideways and SOG to add gears and gear covers.  Would all of those designs have happened had Gerber and Leatherman not been going head to head?

It's hard to say, but the actual history is pretty cool, and the MPT is a way cooler multitool than anyone really gives it credit for. 

Def

[Lynn LeFey]

I thought I'd point out another issue in testing it.

The most pocketable name-brand full size MT I've ever had was the PST.

However, the SECOND most pocketable was the MPT.

Like the PST, it has a really flat form when closed. The added length doesn't really affect (back) pocket carry, and the slight protrusion of the rolled edges don't add to the thickness greatly.

[McStitchy]

Great writeup Lynn 

I'm really enjoying your reviews. Are you working on a book named something like "A Multitools Military History" ?

From my experience the military issued gear is not always the best. It often seem to be compromised by the cost factor.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop at MTs 

[Lynn LeFey]

Great writeup Lynn 

I'm really enjoying your reviews. Are you working on a book named something like "A Multitools Military History" ?

From my experience the military issued gear is not always the best. It often seem to be compromised by the cost factor.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop at MTs 

As for writing a book. Jeez, at this point, it feels like I ought to. 

As for cost and military gear... yeah. That's the downside of when someone says 'By the way, whatever you get, you have to get for 250,000 people'. At that point, the acquisitions folks start staring REAL hard at every cent. The other part of it being 'Whatever you get that breaks, you're going to need to pay for the replacement of it as well.' This optimizes TWO priorities. One, low initial cost, and TWO, ruggedness. Everything else falls far behind in light of those priorities.

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice comparison Lynn. I have had both of those tools, and to be honest, I wasn't particularly overwhelmed with either of them. The MPT was more comfortable to use, to some extent. However, I recall the cut out areas for nail nick access felt a bit pokey. Still an improvement over the thin edges of the PST though. I also didn't mind the supposed awl. As you rightly say, it's a poor shape for an awl, but as a scribe or scraper, it does save you knackering up more valued tools for dirty/abusive tasks. I also preferred the Gerber plier head with the better main gripping area. Shame about the stubby Phillips. Which would I prefer to carry? The Sideclip! If I did have to choose between just the PST and MPT, I think the Gerber would win out.

[Lynn LeFey]

As you rightly say, it's a poor shape for an awl, but as a scribe or scraper, it does save you knackering up more valued tools for dirty/abusive tasks.

And I honestly need the scribe/scraper/general beater blade more than an actual awl, so... may it IS an improvement?