Swisstool?

[aikon2014]

So Im starting to become interested in getting a Swisstool, probably a Swisstool Spirit X. But I have some questions.
How are the pliers? How is the QC, is it better than Leathermans right now?
The rest of the tools I am sure will be just fine.

[classicrock]

So Im starting to become interested in getting a Swisstool, probably a Swisstool Spirit X. But I have some questions.
How are the pliers? How is the QC, is it better than Leathermans right now?
The rest of the tools I am sure will be just fine.

You're gonna love it. For sure.

Sent from my A37f using Tapatalk

[Mechanickal]

The pliers are needle nose, no cap crimper and work just fine.
The cutters have a hard time cutting stranded wire though. They usualy need 2-3 cuts on that.
QC is always spot on. You'll notice when you hold it.
Furthermore it has one of the highest tool density in it's size range.

EDIT: need pics, just ask.

[aikon2014]

What "worries" me is the precision on the pliers and the resistance when opening and closing. I personally prefer a little tighter, but as long as the precision is there with zero and I really mean ZERO play, it's fine.

[Mechanickal]

What "worries" me is the precision on the pliers and the resistance when opening and closing. I personally prefer a little tighter, but as long as the precision is there with zero and I really mean ZERO play, it's fine.

You expect anything other then zero play?

They're the builder of SAKs!

[Don Pablo]

What "worries" me is the precision on the pliers and the resistance when opening and closing. I personally prefer a little tighter, but as long as the precision is there with zero and I really mean ZERO play, it's fine.

You expect anything other then zero play?

They're the builder of SAKs!

If you’re used to LM, the Swisstool will seem like it’s made by the gods.

[MrWilson]

I own both a LM Wave and Swisstool. I like them both and each has its strengths and challenges.

LM Wave
+ toolset
+ pliers
+ smaller than the ST, making it easy for belt carry (at least for me)

The only challenge I find with the Wave is I have to maintain it because of rust. Need to wipe off moisture, debris and oil it occasionally

Swisstool
+ toolset (i miss the scissors though)
+ superb material quality, heavy and tough stainless steel only from Victorinox
+ shiny (can be used as signaling mirror in survival situation  )
+ not easy to rust

Downsides is its heavier than Wave (but I might be wrong). Its longer than the wave, challenging as a belt vertical carry for me (maybe if I can carry it horizontally). So most of the time my ST stays in the bag unlike the Wave. Finally, I do have some play with the pliers. I don't know if its poor quality that I need to send it back to Vic but it doesn't bother me.

I EDC the Swisstool for months last year. But this month I decided to EDC the Wave in a nice leather belt pouch.

[Fuzzbucket]

Put it this way... in regard to quality, Swisstools don't embarrass themselves when put into a toolbag full of high-end pro tools like Wera, PB Swiss Tool etc... 

[ThePeacent]

also have in mind that some people can't legally carry OHO blades (Wave) or locking blades (Swisstool), 
that the Swisstool's nail nicks might be hard to grab and thus be difficult to deploy the tools (unlike the Spirit, and the reason I gave my big Swisstool away and kept the Spirit  )



bear also in mind that the Swisstool/Spirit has no clip, and the big one is quite bulky and square. There are different versions of each too, check them out (straight edge, serrated blade, scissors...)

But can't go wrong with any of those if you want ot try them, and they are quite re-sellable in most places

[Gath]

I have 2 Spirits an had 1 more and 2 Swisstools I've given or sold to family, and I haven't noticed play in any of those.

[jaya_man]

I find I like the the plier heads of the Swisstools more robust to LMs and have yet to see them break...

Their not as needle nose as LMs but I like it that way... Here’s some info about the plier head construction...

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=2463.0



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Don Pablo]

Put it this way... in regard to quality, Swisstools don't embarrass themselves when put into a toolbag full of high-end pro tools like Wera, PB Swiss Tool etc... 

And you could see Brad Pitt posing for a SwissTool ad, its that fancy. 

[Douglas]

I broke the Pliar handles on three OG Waves in one year, but have never broken the Pliars or handles on eitor the Swisstool or Sprit.  I must admitt I have broken the file and Screw driver/ bottle opener.  That being said, the Swisstool/ Spirit are the Wera's of MT's and the Wave is the Stanley version.  Both will get the job done.

[ezdog]

Same story here,I kept breaking Leatherman tools and while they did replace them I am much happier not breaking the in the first place?
Always carried Gerbers since the beginning and had the original Swiss Tool since they came out but it is pretty huge overall although clearly higher quality than the others too so when I got wind of the Spirit X and grabbed on I have been satisfied since!

It is one of thise things that you have to just try before you really understand.

I am looking at the Centerdrive right now too but if its not broke why fix it?
Maybe because I really do want to have them all!!!

[gregozedobe]

Just buy a Spirit, they are very well designed and made    Just opening them up or deploying a tool tells you how good they are (they feel like a precision instrument).

[greenbear]

Mr recent experiences suggest the the Swisstool has a better build quality that its Leatherman equivalent and, I would suggest, the pliers are more robust. However it is a case of "personal preference" and I sure others would say differently to me.

I am ten years into a Swisstool now and with regular use the only sign of wear is a slight loosening of the pliers.

[aikon2014]

It sounds interesting, if nothing else, a nice tool for my collection. However it have to wait a little, I just ordered a Swisschamp. I wanted one since I was a kid and saw a friend that had one, but it took me so many years before I got one myself. So swisstool is down on the priority list since I have to savor my Swisschamp first 

[tango44]

I preffer my Spirit over any Leatherman.
Leatherman customer service is excellent.
I have never use the Victorinox customer service, because theirs have never fail on me!
The swisstool X is car tool!
Enjoy!

[Nix]

The Swisstool is great, tight tolerances. However, I'd give the nod to LM for their replaceable cutter heads. The LM's are a bit more crude in comparison to the smooth and refined Swisstool, but they still seem to set the standard. 

 

[Mechanickal]

The Swisstool is great, tight tolerances. However, I'd give the nod to LM for their replaceable cutter heads. The LM's are a bit more crude in comparison to the smooth and refined Swisstool, but they still seem to set the standard. 

 

True... true...

And I can only admit that I love the Charge...

[gerleatherberman]

Only problems I've had with the SwissTool and Spirit is that you really need to keep it away from fine dust environments. I did the  SwissTool and Spirit challenges and now both tools are very difficult to open/close the tools. I work around lots of saw dust, paint particles, metal dust and general dust. After just a few weeks, it became apparent no amount of penetrating sprays or oils were going to get the pivots clean. Since Vic saved a few cent using rivets on the pivots, you cannot disassemble and the Swiss low-tolerance construction is not forgiving of fine particles.
Also, my Spirit suffers from a slightly twisted frame after mild torque was applied. Handles are misaligned from something I do everyday with other tools.
Vic steel is somewhat softer than other brands. This helps cut down on broken tools/pliers. They tend to bend and twist before they snap. The polished tools also don't allow as much force to be applied, so where a hollow ground st300 flathead might break, the Vic flathead will have slipped out of the screw before that amount of force is applied.
Both of my SwissTools also have flattened plier teeth (not too bad, but my other tools don't have that doing the same functions ).
The wire cutters are pretty small (borderline useless) as well.

There are a lot of nice thing to say about the SwissTools, but the die-hard fans have already covered those. I will never get rid of my Vics, but I don't mind criticizing something I actually do like. The OG SwissTool still sees time on my belt, but I would never say it is the best at anything in the MT world. The polish of the SwissTool and Spirit are nice and nearly rust proof, but  that has its' downsides. Slippery and scratches show up more noticeably.

In the end, which MT you like best is subjective. You really need to try a broad array of tools before deciding. Asking others to tell you about what they like best is like asking which car you should buy.

[Thunderpants]

In their defence, I think those Swisstools could be quite a challenge to reassemble if disassembling them was easy. Not like a simple folding blade Spyderco with just a handful of parts.
I think if you use the wire clippers for copper wire, they're fine. Trying to snip iron nails with them is probably to be avoided from the outset.

[gerleatherberman]

In their defence, I think those Swisstools could be quite a challenge to reassemble if disassembling them was easy. Not like a simple folding blade Spyderco with just a handful of parts.
I think if you use the wire clippers for copper wire, they're fine. Trying to snip iron nails with them is probably to be avoided from the outset.

Indeed! Quite possible they'd be difficult to reassemble for most people. Good point!
My standard of wire cutter is based mostly on 16-2, 16-3, 18-2, & 18-3 lamp, computer and small power tool wire cutting, stripping, and crimping. I generally like cutter that will cut a 16-3 insulated cord with one cut.
I would never cut nails with an MT. Not worth denting the cutters.

[dks]

I have a few swisstools but always end up carrying and using LM ST300s. 

Despite the inferior (see useless) file of the ST300 I am not worried about scratching it, whereas the swisstools look too pretty to use.

[gerleatherberman]

I have a few swisstools but always end up carrying and using LM ST300s. 

Despite the inferior (see useless) file of the ST300 I am not worried about scratching it, whereas the swisstools look too pretty to use.

You've not had the pleasure of using a newer SOG file, have you? THOSE are useless. The ST300 file is just not aggressive compared to the file on the Vic Spirit or LM Rebar (too aggressive for some uses ).

[dks]

no, its just plain useless, and this from a company that had diamond files years earlier, but I still like the LM ST300.

I have never been able to cut or file anything with them.

[ToolJoe]

I got a Spirit a year ago and have not carried anything else since nor have I considered something else. Get one and don't look back! 

I put mine through the ringer at work and it cleans up nice if I need to go to a fancy function.