Repairing a Multi-Tasker?

[ThePeacent]

Hello peeps, 
I was going through my Gerber (and similar) multitools today and noticed that my Paul Chen Multitasker had somehow broken, 
I am sure it's not the first time you see this breakage as it shares the sliding buttons with the MP series 



Basically the metal screw that holds the plastic tabs at the sides has broken through the plastic mold and sunk into the rails.
Now it's impossible to slide the tabs and open the scissors, as it doesn't get further than 2/3rd of the way of the handles 



Any help or solutions would be appreciated, I tried to get the screw out, push, press, grab, pinch and other methods but it won't come out of the rails    and I'm a bit upset by this.

Thank you very much

[Wspeed]

would it be to much work to make one out of aluminium 

[ThePeacent]

would it be to much work to make one out of aluminium 

maybe not but first I have to take off the screw!! 

[Sam Lim]

would it be to much work to make one out of aluminium 

maybe not but first I have to take off the screw!! 

Take off the good screw.. Then u can open the handle and get to the bad one?..

[Wspeed]

Good thinking Sam 

[ThePeacent]

will do this afternoon, but that doesn't solve the issue of the broken Plastic tabs that cause the screws to fall out 

[ThePeacent]

Ok, so I pulled the tab out and unscrewed the screw that was not sunk in the rail. 

As soon as I did that the center piece between the screws (the one you push to slide the tab) went flying two meters in the air and the spring below it too,    obviously if it could be pushed and it returned to it position afterwards, it had to have a spring inside or beneath 

I spent two minute searching for the two pieces     and finally separated the sheas head from the handle, took out the screw and when asembling back I thouht that now that the tabs were broken the scres would fall inside again, so I had to find an alternative,
now, don't laugh please 

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I used a different screw at the top, with a thumb stud in the end, to aid in the pulling/pushing o the tabs (I've had trouble in the past with not enough purchase and slipping off  ) and added a metal washer to the current bottom screw so that the head cannot get past it and fall inside the rail. I discarded the broken plastic tab, it was unusable  :megaslap

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Works smoothly and locks open, and closed. 
The other side still holds but I'll eventually do the same

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It is also a non-issue regarding space and comfort, as I carry it clipped in wide sheaths, pouches or ample pockets.
easy fix 

[SteveC]

Good job !  It's always exciting when piece start flying   

[Wspeed]

Nice one TP 

[gerleatherberman]

Thanks for explaining the thumb screw, TP. I did laugh a little, until I read why.
Glad you got that interesting tool back into fighting shape.

[ThePeacent]

thanks folks, it was really easy- 
But, it looked really hideous and I knew the other tab would break sooner or later (rather the first one) so, since I needed some distraction to ignore food cravings this late evening I got to it again. 

I took the two tabs and screws out (none went flying this time  )
Before that, this was the modded tab and the unmodded tab's appearance:

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now I put both factory screws on each, and added four washers (one to each screw) to do the same function as the plastic tab, that is, retaining them over the rail so they don't fall out of the tool, or inside the rail 

Here you can see the screw with an allen key put to it, the broken plastic tab, and the center button with the spring 

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This is all that falls out once you unscrew the tab, except for the washers

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The assembly is: first you put the center button in the shears head, and put a metallic washer on top (this washer has to be underneath the handles, inside the rail

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then you close the handle until it touches the shears head (the piece that slides in and out), then you put the two screws on the shears head (there are three holes on each side of the sliding head)

This time the washers are inserted into the screws previous to putting them in the central piece, and these washers have to be on top o fthe handles, outside of the rail, to prevent the screws from falling inside 

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Now it will open and close smoothly, lock in both positions, and slide without issues, and the screws won't fall inside thanks to the washers outside the handles, while the sprung button won't fall out thanks to the washer inside the handle 

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excuse my poor wording but I find it hard to talk in a technical language in English  Hopefully the pics did help and this info will be ere for anyone having issues in the future with their MPs or sliding multi tools 

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[SteveC]

Great job TP !

[gerleatherberman]

That looks excellent, TP!

I have a Flik with a broken slide clip, but the two-stage engagement mechanism for the pliers makes using washers a bit tricky. After seeing how well your multitasker worked out, I may try to fix the Flik again.

[Wspeed]

Excellent job TP

[Poncho65]

Great fix Peacent 

[Sam Lim]

That plastic thing is real flimsy. I am going to do it on my ninja shears also.. Sometimes we just think too complicated fixes. When a couple of washers will fix it properly. Nice TP! 

[ThePeacent]

thanks peeps,
I hope this helps anybody having trouble with their flick tools