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New batch of Chinese Tools

es Offline ThePeacent

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New batch of Chinese Tools
on: July 08, 2018, 06:01:18 PM
Hello folks.
I got a few new Chinese tools with original designs that I wanted to try out.  :salute:

They are all labeled under the name/brand "Rcharlance:think: but a google search does not provide many links or information. I guess they're mass produced at a factory that does work for different companies and branded accordingly.  :whistle:



They came from the (in)famous G_best website
My favorite so far is the smaller one, the blue colored knife based tool. Here are a few thoughts and size comparison of them (PICS first, overview below)







the ORANGE tool has:
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- OHO blade with them stud. I found ir really hard to open not due to its action but due to the hard access thumbstud that is in an awkward and badly designed position, very close to the handle inhibiting a proper purchase. Right handed opening only, came paper cutting sharp (not shaving)  :twak: It is adjustable via Torx
It has a think linerlock (but engages properly and feels secure)  and it could use a reprofile for better cutting
- flathead locking screwdriver with bottle opener
- Phillips (3D) locking screwdriver
- Can opener
- spring loaded OHO pliers. You push forward the black tab on the handle side and the pliers fly open like a Switchplier.  :multi: They are quick and lock open but I've had problems with mine failing to lock a few times (the locking tab doesn't engage, the jaws do not open the whole arc of motion)
They are noticeably weak and will handle as much as a Skeletool or Wingman even, but not more even though they are big
To close them you slide the tab back and fold them manually against the spring action
- shiny pocket clip for carrying, not too stiff or loose, firm and at a good position for carry  :like:

if you slide the tab to the other side (center position is neutral) you unlock the Phillips and Flathead drivers to fold them

The BLUE tool has
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- slipjoint plain edge blade, similar in thickness to that of a SAK (it's a really good slicer  :)). It's securely held in position and won't easily fold on you, but it's meant as a small utility blade, not a prying tool or hard use knife by any means. Opened via  anail hole (like a nailnick)  :tu: Non adjustable but the action is good and it's centered
- multipurpose can opener with flathead tip, non locking. For light use only, it also has a 6mm bit hole in an awkward position and the nail hole
- seatbelt cutter. This hook cutter is very sharp and slipjoint in action, but firm and cuts very well the materials I have tried  :gimme:
- Phillips driver, non-locking and 2D (like that of the Wingman), again for small tasks and easy torquing with a nail file, very small and barely funcional
- that black protrusion is a spring loaded glass breaker carbide tip. You push it against the surace and the tip shoots out. I've fractured two large frozen legume cans (400grams and 520grams) with the contents inside, by just pressing against them. I guess that had they been empty (without anything behind them like a glass window) and had I put more force into the strike (my arm's power) they would have exploded into pieces  :o
- it is carried by a carabiner system like that on the Crater or Skeletool, works fine and has proven reliable and secure so far

The BLACK tool has
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- locking OHO PE blade, similar to that of the Wave, but less sharp, equally thick, a bit shorter and less wide, does not really cut as well and the grind is a bit worse than those that Leatherman does  ::).

The coating seems like will wear off very quickly (just paint), the action is stiff to the point that I had to loosen up the pivot with Torx, because it was dangerous to open it (your thumb could slide into the blade from the hole  :dwts:). Definitely not on par with Skele, Wingman, Wave or Surge  :surrender:

- non locking OHO saw, again very stiff and hard to open compared to a Wave's SE blade or others. Teeth are sharp, edge length is decent but I guess the steel quality will shine after minimal cutting and it will dull quickly, and the coating will wear off. Luckily it's adjustable via Torx as all the other implements  8)
- slipjoint combination tool of 2D phillips + bottle opener. They should be for medium duty at most, they are not thick or tough
- slipjoint combination tool of flathead + can opener, unsharpened (so I guess it wouldn't work really well  :P, but I also think this cheap teel will easily be sharpened), again they feel relatively weak and applying much torque will result in bending or snapping, also because the implement is so long and slender the torque will have a much bigger leverage effect  :ahhh and there's the opening hole in it, weakening the structure  :to:
- the tool has needlenose pliers with spring action, they open really wide if left on a surface (like the Wingman), they feel medium duty (I'd put them against a Sidekick, Rev or Wingman) and grip well, they are aligned and precise (the tips meet) and I haven't tried the wire cutters (which are scissor/shearing style, not anvil/crushing style) but I'm sure they are light duty given the tool's steel  ???
- the tool attaches via carabiner and it feel solid and secure. The tool is heavy and thick, weighing more than tools of similar size by other companies

as I said my favorite is the blue one because feels the best/most precisely made and it's quite nice in weight, action and toolset, even though I wouldn't trust the glass breaker and I could perfectly live without it   :tu:

Hope you enjoyed the overview, I'll gladly ask any questions I can  :cheers:
« Last Edit: July 08, 2018, 06:02:43 PM by ThePeacent »
My toys:

MTs: Surge (2x), Skeletool CX, Rebar, Blast, Fuse, Micra, Squirt (3x), Wave, Crunch, Mini, Spirit (2x), Pro Scout, MP700 (2x), Diesel, Powerlock, PowerPlier (2x), PocketPowerPlier, Blacktip , ST6 (2x), 5WR, A100

SAKs: Bantam, Executive, Ambassador, Minichamp, Classic Alox, Champion, Farmer, Explorer, Swisschamp, Golf Tool, Wenger Champ, EVO 52, Pocket Tool Chest


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #1 on: July 10, 2018, 06:00:38 PM
I'd love to see the pliers in the orange one.

Charles.


es Offline ThePeacent

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #2 on: July 10, 2018, 06:50:12 PM
I'd love to see the pliers in the orange one.

Charles.

hopefully good enough  :tu:

My toys:

MTs: Surge (2x), Skeletool CX, Rebar, Blast, Fuse, Micra, Squirt (3x), Wave, Crunch, Mini, Spirit (2x), Pro Scout, MP700 (2x), Diesel, Powerlock, PowerPlier (2x), PocketPowerPlier, Blacktip , ST6 (2x), 5WR, A100

SAKs: Bantam, Executive, Ambassador, Minichamp, Classic Alox, Champion, Farmer, Explorer, Swisschamp, Golf Tool, Wenger Champ, EVO 52, Pocket Tool Chest


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #3 on: July 10, 2018, 07:21:59 PM
Okay, that orange tool looks like a copy of the CRKT Bivy. I've been debating a Bivy or a Buck X-Tract for a while. Curious that there's now a copy of that plier head.

How do the wire cutters work on soft stranded copper wire?

Charles.


es Offline ThePeacent

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #4 on: July 10, 2018, 09:02:13 PM
Okay, that orange tool looks like a copy of the CRKT Bivy. I've been debating a Bivy or a Buck X-Tract for a while. Curious that there's now a copy of that plier head.

How do the wire cutters work on soft stranded copper wire?

Charles.

Haven't tested on that yet but for the feel of it they'd be fine for soft/small wire

But nothing serious, as the steel seems rather soft and the construction doesn't inspire confidence (I¡ve crushed a few paper clips with it, bent two metal rods of 2mm  ??? diameter, torqued a few nuts of medium size and opened/closed the mouth/holder of my Dremel a dozen times,

they flex quite a bit and I wouldn't put them through what I put the Surge, ST300, Powerlock or MP600 through by any means  :ahhh
My toys:

MTs: Surge (2x), Skeletool CX, Rebar, Blast, Fuse, Micra, Squirt (3x), Wave, Crunch, Mini, Spirit (2x), Pro Scout, MP700 (2x), Diesel, Powerlock, PowerPlier (2x), PocketPowerPlier, Blacktip , ST6 (2x), 5WR, A100

SAKs: Bantam, Executive, Ambassador, Minichamp, Classic Alox, Champion, Farmer, Explorer, Swisschamp, Golf Tool, Wenger Champ, EVO 52, Pocket Tool Chest


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #5 on: July 10, 2018, 10:36:33 PM
Those are pretty cool, TP! Thank you for sharing. I like the orange Bivy copy. The plier head looks nearly identical to the Bivy pliers. Too bad the blade is strangely positioned.
The black one reminds me of those $5 amazon prime MTs they peddle once in a while. Look good on paper and photo, but the construction/materials are a disappointment.
The blue one is interesting. Too bad there are no pliers, but the cutter hook is decent looking. :)
Pontificating particularly pious positions pertaining to polymorphic paraphernalia. G-Man.


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #6 on: July 10, 2018, 10:53:05 PM
there's a youtube review of the CRKT Bivy where he puts the pliers through torture tests. Pulling out nails sideways, turning stuff, and just generally putting the hurt on them. They did exceptionally well, better than any of the other plier tools he reviewed. (Buck, OUTU, and Blizetec/Newpow). He did stuff I was sure was going to break them, and except for a little loosening up, which he fixed by tightening the pivot screw, he had no problems. I've been kinda hot for the CRKT Bivy tool ever since I saw that. I doubt the copy would do as well, and the Bivy has a truly exceptional blade, so I'm going to grab one of those eventually.

Charles.


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #7 on: July 10, 2018, 11:00:27 PM
To be honest, the Bivy is such a good deal, you don't need a copy of it.  :tu:

It has its' problems, but it is quite well rounded. The phillips driver is not good and the tool locks are really stiff. At least, that was the case, for my Bivy.
Pontificating particularly pious positions pertaining to polymorphic paraphernalia. G-Man.


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #8 on: July 10, 2018, 11:37:15 PM
what was wrong with the phillips driver?

- Edit: I checked amazon reviews. Apparently the CRKT likes to fall apart. Hrm, that's not good.

Charles.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2018, 11:43:30 PM by ChopperCharles »


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #9 on: July 11, 2018, 12:01:44 AM
The phillips driver is poorly formed on the Bivy. Aside from the screws backing out, I can't see the Bivy falling apart. :think:
Maybe people don't pay attention to loose pivot screws?

I say it is a good deal, because it has a large reputable company behind it. It is also priced about the same as decent copies. So, when you need a replacement, you aren't stuck searching the Earth to find who made it.
Pontificating particularly pious positions pertaining to polymorphic paraphernalia. G-Man.


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #10 on: July 11, 2018, 12:15:15 AM
Here are some crappy pics of my Bivy. You can see the flat head/bottle opener is well done, the spike is o.k, but the phillips is awful. :facepalm:

Pliers are cool though. However, the size of the plier head is silly, considering the low-leverage handle system. :)
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Pontificating particularly pious positions pertaining to polymorphic paraphernalia. G-Man.


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #11 on: July 11, 2018, 12:26:15 AM
I see people on Amazon talking about the phillips snapping off as well. Would have been better if they replaced the marlin spike with a real phillips driver, and made a half-width marlin spike instead.

Charles.


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #12 on: July 11, 2018, 12:56:49 AM
Yeah, I would not use the phillips for anything more than light duty.
The plier deployment is strong and smooth. At least it is on my example.  :)
Pontificating particularly pious positions pertaining to polymorphic paraphernalia. G-Man.


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #13 on: August 30, 2018, 05:11:57 PM
How easy is that orange clone to open and close the pliers? Meaning, how stiff is that switch? I finally got my Bivy, and am really disappointed with it. With my Outu, I can flick the pliers open all day. With the Bivy, two or three times and my thumb hurts. Four or five and I'm in serious pain, and can't open it with my thumb anymore. It's just far, far too stiff.

Also, what search terms would I use to find that orange knife? I'm having a hard time finding one on the 'bay.

Charles.


au Offline ReamerPunch

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #14 on: August 30, 2018, 06:36:09 PM
I see people on Amazon talking about the phillips snapping off as well. Would have been better if they replaced the marlin spike with a real phillips driver, and made a half-width marlin spike instead.

Charles.

Just writing 'multitool bit set' in Amazon gets a few results of this design.


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #15 on: August 30, 2018, 07:03:28 PM
I see people on Amazon talking about the phillips snapping off as well. Would have been better if they replaced the marlin spike with a real phillips driver, and made a half-width marlin spike instead.

Charles.

Just writing 'multitool bit set' in Amazon gets a few results of this design.

Unfortunately not for me. I see the NewPow and Blizetec style knives, with the fold-out pliers, but not the Bivy clone with switchblade pliers.

Charles.


au Offline ReamerPunch

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #16 on: August 30, 2018, 07:19:19 PM
oops, I think they're all the same design, but not the Bivy clone. Darn.  :facepalm:
I'll look into it tomorrow.


us Offline ChopperCharles

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #17 on: August 30, 2018, 08:56:08 PM
That said, I have the newpow knife and it’s pretty good. The blade needs regular sharpening but the fit and finish and ergonomics is there. The bit adapter works really well with no jiggly play, and the pliers are adequate and the wire cutters exceptional. They’re far lighter duty pliers than those in the Bivy, though. And they take two hands to open.

Charles.


es Offline ThePeacent

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Re: New batch of Chinese Tools
Reply #18 on: August 31, 2018, 02:07:11 PM
How easy is that orange clone to open and close the pliers? Meaning, how stiff is that switch? I finally got my Bivy, and am really disappointed with it. With my Outu, I can flick the pliers open all day. With the Bivy, two or three times and my thumb hurts. Four or five and I'm in serious pain, and can't open it with my thumb anymore. It's just far, far too stiff.

Also, what search terms would I use to find that orange knife? I'm having a hard time finding one on the 'bay.

Charles.

note that I haven't had many spring loaded plier tools (Switchplier, Bivy, etc.) but this one is easy and smooth.
I can open it and close it using the switch a dozen times without hurting, it's not stiff at all

Note 1: after I mangled the pliers on the metal strip on my trip they won't ever open fully with the switch and I have to use both hands to get them to lock open  :P but fortunately they aren't misaligned or broken (yet  :ahhh)
Note 2: the an opener, bottle opener and Phillips are unlocked via the same sliding button but on the opposite direction, and these are hard to actuate and stiff, I have to put lots of finger pressure to unlock them  :think:

I'd search for "Rcharlance" tools on Google, being the website "Gear" and "Best" all written together the source I've bought them from  :salute:
My toys:

MTs: Surge (2x), Skeletool CX, Rebar, Blast, Fuse, Micra, Squirt (3x), Wave, Crunch, Mini, Spirit (2x), Pro Scout, MP700 (2x), Diesel, Powerlock, PowerPlier (2x), PocketPowerPlier, Blacktip , ST6 (2x), 5WR, A100

SAKs: Bantam, Executive, Ambassador, Minichamp, Classic Alox, Champion, Farmer, Explorer, Swisschamp, Golf Tool, Wenger Champ, EVO 52, Pocket Tool Chest


 

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