Kutmaster Realtree and Wrenchhead photo comparison

[gerleatherberman]

Just a photo comparison of the Kutmaster (China versions) Realtree and Wrenchhead versions.
The Wrenchhead sheath has an extra area for a few sockets, but is much more poorly constructed than the Realtree sheath.
The Realtree has a satin finish, and the Wrenchhead has a grind-polish finish. Tools are a bit different (see photos).

[gerleatherberman]

Pics

[gerleatherberman]

Pics

[ThePeacent]

some models are decent tools for a cheap MT 

[gerleatherberman]

some models are decent tools for a cheap MT 

(Image removed from quote.)

Indeed, TP!
Ganzo and Workpro are my favorite "c&c" brands, but the China Kutmaster stuff is growing on me. The only thing, that is useless, is the wire cutter on both of mine. But, the tools themselves, are well made.

[ThePeacent]

some models are decent tools for a cheap MT 

(Image removed from quote.)

Indeed, TP!
Ganzo and Workpro are my favorite "c&c" brands, but the China Kutmaster stuff is growing on me. The only thing, that is useless, is the wire cutter on both of mine. But, the tools themselves, are well made.

on mine too 

also if you cut something that grabs the jaws and then try to open them, mine get loose and the lower handle gets misaligned (opening in a wide arc getting away from the fixed handle) because the screw that holds it in place is weak 

[gerleatherberman]

I can see that happening. While it is the same design as the early ones, basically, but the materials are weaker.

[ChopperCharles]

The wire cutter sucks on the Wrench Head.  So.... fix it! Get out the smallest flat file you have. Open the jaws wide and hold them in a vice. Gently, carefully, and lightly file an edge onto the cutters. Both sides. DON'T FILE TOO MUCH MATERIAL AWAY. There is not a lot of overlap for the cutters. I file at a slight angle  so the cutters dig in a bit instead of hitting the wire completely flat. Once you've filed the cutters so they're completely shiny from edge to edge, you're done. Don't file any more, because you want as much overlap as possible.  You will not be able to file the entire cutter, and that's okay. Just file as much as you can get to. Doing this, I was able to get them to cut stranded wire and zip ties. Not always perfectly, not always in one cut... but they're WAY more useful than before.

I love the Wrench Head because of the T-handle driver configuration. That makes absolute perfect sense to me, it's what really makes the tool. Now if I could just replace the spark plug gap tool with scissors out of some other multitool, I'd be super stoked, and maybe the weird awl blade with a wood saw, while I'm at it.

Charles.

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you for the info, CC! I have done quite a few top-to-bottom MT restorations, so my complaints are from an objective viewpoint.
To be honest, I really don't use fixed-plier MTs, because I am so used to folding/sliding plier designs. I see how they are very useful though.

Maybe one day I'll try using a fixed plier MT. Who knows? I said I'd never collect fixed plier MTs(my collection of fixed pliers is small, but growing).

[gerleatherberman]

I have been playing with the U.S. made Multimaster and will say that it is quite a bit better than the Wrenchhead and Realtree tools. It doesn't have quite as many bells and whistles, but the jaws open MUCH wider than the wrenchhead and realtree. The toola are a bit crisper in quality as well. Yeah, it doesn't "T-handle", but how much do you trust the channel steel of the wrenchhead and realtree bit driver handle?
 The Multimaster has a solid steel bit driver handle.
The MM has a better "tool lock" sstem as well. The solid handle has a bar that lands in notches in the blade tangs. The wrenchhead and realtree depend on bent sheet steel to stop the tools from folding back up.

The MM has minimal handle splay, but has enough space not to pinch too bad.

Pics with other fixed-head MTs.

[ChopperCharles]

Cool. I've got a multimaster on the way as well.

I used a folding multitool in the past and absolutely hated it. Every time I tried to put any force onto a nut, the handles bit into my palm and fingers. I might one day try one with the tools opening on the outside (so that the backrpsings are nice and smooth when I use the MT as pliers... but honestly I'm really liking fixed-plier based tools. They're not my EDC. I usually carry a swiss army knife, Newpow, or OUTU on my person. (or some combination thereof). The fixed plier tools are great for one thing. One-hand plier acquisition. Especially when I'm welding, I want to be able to open my belt pouch and grab a pair of pliers, and not have to fiddle with opening something to get them. I also like a nice big, beefy plier. I don't really care how much it weighs or how portable it is, because it's not an EDC.

The multitool aspect is nice too, because let's face it: I have CRS. (Can't Remember Smurf).  I can walk from the rolling toolbox to the workbench, get distracted for a moment, and the tool that was in my hand has completely disappeared. So having an MT with file, drivers, pliers, etc on my belt is nice. I can either search for the screwdriver for 45 minutes or just whip out my MT and be on my merry way

It's also really useful to have in a motorcycle tool bag or in the glovebox. Goes really well with a tubeless tire repair kit. Big beefy pliers pull out the nail, or the phillips driver unscrews the screw that's in the tire. Then I use the kit to plug the hole, and the blade of the MT to cut the sticky strings off. Little dinky pliers do not work well for nails and screws stuck in tires, lemmetellyou.

So yeah, I like the fixed tools a lot, they work for me.

Charles.

[gerleatherberman]

I have grown to like the fix tools quite a bit, but I agree, they are less EDC capable.
I use my LM Surge many times everyday and I can't think of a fixed plier tool that would take its' place.
I do need blunt nose pliers quite often, so I carry an early Gerber Multi Plier in my back pocket.
Seems to me, a good first non-fixed MT, would be a Gerber MP600. Those come in needle nose and blunt nose. Pliers are one-hand accessible on that one too. The construction allows the pliers to be used hard and not poke into your palm.

[ChopperCharles]

FYI, I happened upon a second wrench head, and the cutters are much much worse than my original copy. I'll call them "deformed", as they don't even come close to sliding beside each other. There's already a 1.5mm gap between them, so they're never going to cut anything. Honestly I bought the second copy for the better sheath and extra bits, to put my multimaster in when it gets here, so no real loss. That said... yeah sad to say avoid the Wrench Head. I love the t-handle driver utility, but without cutters that work for soft wire, it's not suitable for my use.

Charles.

[gerleatherberman]

I think you'll like the MM. I know I wish I had spent the wrenchhead and realtree money on a MM to start with.