Off-Brand 7 Day Challenge = DeWalt M16

[gerleatherberman]

It has been a while for me since a challenge. But, one thing plagues the normal challenges. It is the fact they involve inherently decent multitools. They're more fun than an actual challenge, so I wanted to do a challenge that might drive me even more insane than I already am. A 7-day off-brand MT badge challenge using the DeWalt M16.


It's bad. There isn't much I can say about this one that is good. It looks good and has decent spring-loaded pliers. That's it. The locking blade is tiny AND a combo edge. The drivers are over-polished and non-locking(I won't be fixing the drivers either for this one). The scissors don't do much and the file is a joke.
I will be carrying a Vic Explorer just in case (which I'm sure it will) the DeWalt fails. I'll also be carrying a 1/4" bit-ratchet w/bits for driver diversity since the DeWalt doesn't have anywhere for a bit adapter.

I'll be starting the challenge today, as of 12:00 on 11-26-2018. It will be the only plier based MT I'll carry with me. Pocket or sheath. It will be accompanied by a crappy incandescent Garrity pocket light to make it more interesting. AND there's more. I will be carrying a box cutter for heavy duty cutting, but will try using the DeWalt blade as much as I can get away with to check edge retention.


The 7-day EDC consists of:
DeWalt M16 multitool.
Vic Explorer SAK.
Stanley box cutter.
Stanley 12' measure.
Bit ratchet w/bits.
10x Swing-out Loupe.
Invicta Pro Diver watch.
Zebra button click pen.
Small chrome zippo lighter.


Please follow along or join in with your off-brand MT of choice for a week. I would be much appreciative. 

[ReamerPunch]

 
I thought that was a decent off-brand tool.
It'll be interesting to see how it holds up, and how you hold up with it.

I've been meaning to do a 30 day off-brand challenge, but there's always stuff in the way. But I am confident in certain inexpensive multi-tools I recently purchased. 
My 7-day off-brand was quite lackluster
What made you choose that one out of the bucketfuls of other off-brands you have?

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you, RP!
I know WAJK didn't talk really bad about it, but I'm not convinced he has a job doing stuff that requires tools. Otherwise he would be harder on the MT drivers. The M16 is baaaad. It makes Ganzo look like Victorinox.

Which tool did you go with for your 7-day, RP?

I chose mine for a reason I wasn't going to mention, but I guess it doesn't make a hill of beans difference if I do.  When I first began collecting MTs(mid 2016), I saw the DeWalt name and assumed they had to be good(back then I was bad about not reading up on stuff). I had seen them at Home Depot for $32 and passed. Amazon at some point had the M16/18 combo for $12 at a time and I ordered two.

I keep one with the C&C collection and one in my "user box." I could have gone with the Schrade TT, Mossy Oak, Workpro, Ganzo, or other decent off-brand. But, for the challenge, I chose the worst tool in my "user box." The M16 should be a challenge to use.

[ReamerPunch]

Gear Obsession also reviewed it, but it was branded Stanley. Still the same tool. And I think I've seen it mentioned here somewhere.
I thought it was at least decent.

I went with my Coast LED multi-tool. What a disappointment it was. Everything is blunt, rounded-off, and terrible. It looks decent, and WAJK also said it was ok, but that's only when you look at it from a distance. Once you try to cut something, or drive a screw, you realize how bad it is. I guess that's the challenge. If you use a good off-brand, like a Bear & Son, it won't be challenging.

[ReamerPunch]

What does off-brand mean, though?
Off-brand means "Not SOG, LM, Vic, or Gerber" to most people, but I think it is not fair to some tools. For me, Bear & Son are not off-brand, nor the USA Tough Tool, or the Multitasker MTs. Those are good quality tools that'll get the job done.

[gerleatherberman]

 
A Bear Jaws would be nice.

I will say that the DeWalt isn't the worst tool I've had, but it isn't much better than the $4 Wal-Mart MT. The tools are outboard, so it has that going for it. But, like your Coast, the tools just spent too much time getting polished.

I'll probably be wishing I had done the challenge with a Bear Jaws. But,  that would just be like stacking the deck. We're going to see if the M16 DeWalt can survive a week in my work environment.

What does off-brand mean, though?
Off-brand means "Not SOG, LM, Vic, or Gerber" to most people, but I think it is not fair to some tools. For me, Bear & Son are not off-brand, nor the USA Tough Tool, or the Multitasker MTs. Those are good quality tools that'll get the job done.

Good point. I have to agree there.
I think off-brand label is best used for "junk tools".
Even Ganzo, isn't quite an off-brand anymore, in my opinion. Technically, I think it means a brand not in the MT mainstream, but like you said, some of those fringe brand tools are good. I like seeing people use the crumby tools and it is time for me to use one.

[gerleatherberman]

Day 1:
Day off, so I'm starting it with a beauty shot.

[ThePeacent]

this will be fun   

and, to me...

off-brand
/ˈɒfbrand
noun

an unknown, unpopular, or inferior brand of retail product.
"with cheaper or off-brand inks you are likely to get less quality"

[Poncho65]

Good luck with the challenge GLBM

[gerleatherberman]

this will be fun   

and, to me...

off-brand
/ˈɒfbrand
noun

an unknown, unpopular, or inferior brand of retail product.
"with cheaper or off-brand inks you are likely to get less quality"

Thank you, TP! And thank you for the clarification.

Even though it says DeWalt, it is known to be sold under the Stanley Fatmax line as well. I guess that qualifies it to not have a true "brand"?

Good luck with the challenge GLBM

Many thanks, Poncho!

[Wspeed]

I will follow your challenge
have fun and good luck GLBM 

[gerleatherberman]

I will follow your challenge
have fun and good luck GLBM 

Awesome! Thank you, W!

[Wspeed]

Are you going to try and use all of the tools 

[gerleatherberman]

Are you going to try and use all of the tools 

Absolutely, Sir! 

I have used the Phillips a couple of times and aside from it having some polish-slipping, I could torque down on it fairly well with no flex. Maybe it'll be better than I had assumed. I've gotten so spoiled with LM's strength, Vic's prettiness, Gerber's flicky pliers, and SOG's compound leverage. Hopefully the Dewalt will do a good job and give me a new appreciation for the tools we  use most of the time. 

[Wspeed]

What are the pliers like do they look strong 

[gerleatherberman]

I'll ltry and get a photo of the pliers today.

I woule give the pliers a 6/10 right now. But, that score is pretty good considering how high the bar is set for MT pliers these days.

[Wspeed]

Cool look forward to see the pics 

[gerleatherberman]

  Wspeed!

Day 2:

Here are some photos(with plier pics as promised) using the M16 opening a very rusty stain can(my new can ran out). The big flat driver seems to work ok. I may sharpen the driver tips a bit after this week.
The chest I've been working on has gotten the last coat of stain and will be ready for a clear coat in a few days.

[Wspeed]

Thanks GLBM 
The pliers look ok quality
But that drawer box is just 

[gerleatherberman]

Thanks GLBM 
The pliers look ok quality
But that drawer box is just 

You're certainly welcome and Thank You, W!
Indeed. It is looking quite good so far. I was hesitant using such a light finish on it, because of the drawer fronts being "lesser" quality grain cuts, but the erratic grain patterns are proving to be a positive. 

[gerleatherberman]

Testing the cutter section of the pliers. It is anvil style with notch at base for harder/thicker material(like coat hanger), similar to the LM Wingman/Sidekick and Gerber Suspension series. They tend to be a little more rugged, but little less precise than bypass cutters. However, that said, the testing mediums were: 20-2 electrical wire, 16-2 electrical wire, and old(thicker) coat hanger. Each one was cut twice in the order of:
1)Coat hanger
2)16-2 wire
3)20-2 wire
4)Coat hanger
5)16-2 wire
6)20-2 wire
I didn't cut a big nail(thin nails are OK), like some people, because that is silly and pointless abuse(IMO of course).
These mediums are similar to real-world usage. After cutting, the 'paint' that is used on the black parts of the plier head on the cutters was removed where the cutting was done, but no structural damage or denting occured. Cutters get a PASS on all three. The thick handles made the coat hanger fairly comfortable to cut. No "chewing" was required. The cutters work as they should. The pliers were one of my presumed good points of the tool. I'm glad they didn't disappoint. More tool testing to come later.

[ReamerPunch]

 
The cutters work.

[Wspeed]

Nice testing GLBM 
Glad to hear that the pliers did the job 

And testing big nails is abuse

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you, RP and W!

Rereading my earlier post, I hope my statements about nail cutting weren't offensive. I sometimes struggle to convey certain thoughts. 
I am now remembering a lot of members do these nail cutting things.
I get why people want to cut hardened nails with their MT. Kind or like Tim Leatherman standing on the handles of a tool to cut a nail. A sign of phenomenal resilience. But, as daily users of tools, people should know that this act will ruin cast pliere heads. You wouldn't do that with a dedicated 6" or 8" set of needle nose pliers cutters, and those are usually drop forged(a bit tougher).

[Wspeed]

No offence taken 
I do agree with what you are saying
I think cutting a big nail should only
be done in a emergency if it’s needed 
But just for testing is not something I will do again 

[Poncho65]

Glad the cutters work I have only tried cutting a 16 penny nail once with a MT It was the Core and it cut it no problem ( I just had to use my foot and body weight to accomplish this ) no nicks in the cutter and it cut the nail rather cleanly from what I can remember

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you, W and Poncho!

Indeed, a Core could probably cut into a planet. I love that plier head 


Day 3:
Driving a screw with the phillips. Slippery for sure, but did the job with considerable effort. Some of it had to do with the screw head being a #2 and the DeWalt driver being #1/#2 in-between.



Swapped the box cutter for my beater knife, but will still be using the M16 blade when possible. And traded the Garrity light for my Maglite, because the Garrity was too long for the sheath.

[ThePeacent]

well I bite and cut my nails daily with my teeth and they're still there, that ,must mean they're tougher than pliers and cast steel 

that chest looks    and that HD pic with the Gerber and Light is just 

[gerleatherberman]

well I bite and cut my nails daily with my teeth and they're still there, that ,must mean they're tougher than pliers and cast steel 

that chest looks    and that HD pic with the Gerber and Light is just 

I believe the nail story

Thank you, TP! I'm loving the upgraded camera on my new cheap-phone.

[Wspeed]

  good one TP