Multitool.org Forum
Tool Talk => Cheap and Cheerful (or otherwise!) => Topic started by: nelson on January 13, 2013, 08:02:53 PM
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I'm a bit of a hater for cheap tools, but took a chance on a Silverline vise grip tool that is a rip off of the LM Crunch and ...given it cost 10 bills its surprisingly good! If i needed a vise grip type tool as an EDC I'd go the LM route, but this is more than adequate for occasional use.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LFVA58/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LFVA58/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_1)
It's even looks a bit better in real life than the Amazon picture.
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/6045936bb21ccf602291f2118a36ae49.jpg)
Amazon review...
This a blatant rip off of the LM Crunch, but bearing in mind it's ten times cheaper it is a surprisingly good one. The grips are adequate for most jobs but if you really push them to their limits the handles can twist slightly, though they still work and do not fall apart. There are no instructions so if you have never seen a LM crunch you will not know to remove the bottom screw to be able to fit standard hex bits or about the wire stripper built into the grip mechanism. I am an absolute LM devotee and can easily spend £150+ on their tools as EDC but this is a no brainer for a tenner just to have in your tool kit when you need a small locking vise grip. Bad points are the serrated blade, I'd rather have a plain edge, but again this is the way a LM crunch is.
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I have the exact same one. I got it as I wanted to play with the idea of a Crunch, and wasn't prepared to splash out for the genuine item only to not like it (as I have done so many times before). It's a very well made tool for a tenner, and anyone wanting a cheapo Crunch substitute would be well served by this. I found it wasn't something that appealed to me personally, and it was worth a tenner to stop me buying the genuine article :whistle:
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I have the exact same one. I got it as I wanted to play with the idea of a Crunch, and wasn't prepared to splash out for the genuine item only to not like it (as I have done so many times before). It's a very well made tool for a tenner, and anyone wanting a cheapo Crunch substitute would be well served by this. I found it wasn't something that appealed to me personally, and it was worth a tenner to stop me buying the genuine article :whistle:
I had my various Crunches apart last weekend and managed to cobble a pocket clip from a Kick by trimming and using the pivot from the Kick.
I'll post some pics when I get it done.
I too have one of these and as a sacrificial tool, it's awesome!! I also have the Silverline Faux Flair and it's not bad, but it dosn't have any of the inside tools. Just a 1/4" driver socket and various random tools.
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/14/2yzyba2y.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/14/de7e3e3e.jpg)
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That looks pretty good. How does it compare to the real Crunch? It looks pretty close- usually the plier heads and internal components seem really crappy compared to the name brand versions, but this looks amazingly close to a Crunch, at least in the photos.
If it weren't for the missing markings I'd think this would be a rebranded Leatherman.
Def
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I'm always looking hard at the cross head driver in pictures of the cheaper multitools, it's something I really depend on and none of them seem to be able to form a decent one. Even a Gerber suspension has a reasonably formed one.
My work sent everyone a multitool for Christmas this year.. it was a very embarrassing effort for a huge tool company to buy all of its engineers!
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These things aren't available in the U.S. on Amazon, it seems. Weird.
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If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.
Def
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If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.
Def
I normally buy two of these kinds of things, but for some reason I only got one. I would forward it on if I did.
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That looks like a nice tool. I just converted pounds to USD and that tool is $16.11 . I bought a Leatherman Crunch Pre-owned but un-used. I've used it a few times and am happy with it. I would probably be happy with that tool as well. tom.
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Thanks for posting this! I'll be buying one. :)
I used to have a LM Crunch and sold as needed funds. A vice grip is nice to have though and I'll get one of these for sewing - I struggle to pull the needles through so use full sized vice grips which are a bit cumbersome.
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If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.
Def
Grant, mine is up for grabs mate :tu: I just got it to play with, and I'd decided within about 30 seconds that a Crunch (genuine or otherwise) is never going to be a user for me.
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Thanks for the heads-up. I have just bought 3 (1 for me, 2 for trades/loaners/gifts). Also freight was a bit much for just one (the perrenial addict's excuse).
They were less than GBP 10 when I got to check out (approx GBP 8.50).
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If anyone has a spare they wouldn't mind parting with, I wouldn't mind giving one of these a shot.
Def
Grant, mine is up for grabs mate :tu: I just got it to play with, and I'd decided within about 30 seconds that a Crunch (genuine or otherwise) is never going to be a user for me.
Thanks Al, yoodaman!
Def
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I did exactly the same as 50ft - but bought 3.
One for each car and one for the house :tu:.
They were reduced to......£6/7 I think, and that's with postage and sheath thrown in too.
A few weeks later I managed to get the real deal off gumtree (£30 inc' postage).
TBH, as much as I'd love to knock it (yes, I am a tool snob :D). I couldn't really find any major, serious faults, one was a little stiff, but soon loosened up. I don't doubt for a second it's not the same quality as the Crunch. But cynical me does wonder how close it would be. But there's no way I'm gonna push my real Crunch to breaking point just to satisfy my own curiosity.
It's pretty alarming that Engineering machines, Presses, Dies and so forth can be machined and set up, wages paid, raw materials bought, sheath supplied, packaging too, amazons cut and postage thrown in, plus not forgetting a profit for the manufacturer and all for a measly £6/7, they do normally sell for under a tenner tho'!!
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It's pretty alarming that Engineering machines, Presses, Dies and so forth can be machined and set up, wages paid, raw materials bought, sheath supplied, packaging too, amazons cut and postage thrown in, plus not forgetting a profit for the manufacturer and all for a measly £6/7, they do normally sell for under a tenner tho'!!
Still cheaper than actually investing in the time and creativity and endless prototypes that Leatherman had to do to actually develop this tool from scratch. While I appreciate a bargain too, it is a shame to me when one,s designs simply get copied. Had a company like Silverline taken the concept and changed it, added improvements and features and made it their own tool I'd say fair game.
Tony
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It's pretty alarming that Engineering machines, Presses, Dies and so forth can be machined and set up, wages paid, raw materials bought, sheath supplied, packaging too, amazons cut and postage thrown in, plus not forgetting a profit for the manufacturer and all for a measly £6/7, they do normally sell for under a tenner tho'!!
Still cheaper than actually investing in the time and creativity and endless prototypes that Leatherman had to do to actually develop this tool from scratch. While I appreciate a bargain too, it is a shame to me when one,s designs simply get copied. Had a company like Silverline taken the concept and changed it, added improvements and features and made it their own tool I'd say fair game.
Tony
You are ofcourse quite right sir.
It is a blatant rip off - but isn't that what our far eastern friends specialize in??
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It is the same, agreed.
However is Siverline or the company that ordered these or the company that sells them, amazon, Chinese owned too? Silverline seems to operate mainly in the Uk. I have bought some tools from them before.
It is easy to blame the Chinese, but who asked them to make it?
I suspect that being sold on Amazon uk they must have some sort of agreement with LM to make the product, or the patent is not valid in the UK, as direct copies like that are not often seen on mainstream online shops or regular shops.
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I'm just guessing that these must be the same tools that were being sold under the Jack Pyke name a few years ago. If so then I have to agree that the quality is really good given the low cost, not as good as a Crunch for sure, but still perfectly usable.
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I'm just guessing that these must be the same tools that were being sold under the Jack Pyke name a few years ago. If so then I have to agree that the quality is really good given the low cost, not as good as a Crunch for sure, but still perfectly usable.
I'm pretty sure you're right mate. I had seen your Jack Pyke one briefly at the first meet I went to, and decided to get this one as a try to give it a better evaluation. Like you say, there'll be compromises over the original but still worth a tenner - it's just the design does nothing for me at all, and I was pretty much instantly underwhelmed by it. I'm sure it would be a great tool for the right person though
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I found a version of their Faux PST on their web site. Sells for $10 on Amazon
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/SilverlineFAUXPST_zps7966a678.png)
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I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs.. :think:
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I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs.. :think:
Also available from Amazon UK.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32
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I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs.. :think:
Also available from Amazon UK.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32)
Congrats, Millhouse. :2tu: Welcome to the club.
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Thank you.
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I found a version of their Faux PST on their web site. Sells for $10 on Amazon
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/SilverlineFAUXPST_zps7966a678.png)
That doesn't look as much up to the job. I think most of us would never need a crunch EDC, but as a small set of grips for the tool bag or for most of us into MTs it's a way to try out a crunch cheaply :)
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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A few guys in my work have bought one and I ordered a spare one for the workshop...
Seems we started a bit of a rush on these.
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I would like to get my hands on one, but I can't figure out what the shipping to Denmark costs.. :think:
Also available from Amazon UK.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-PL20-12-in-1-Multi-Plier/dp/B000LFTG72/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1358200247&sr=8-32)
Thanks mate, but it was the Crunch clone I have to figure out the shipping for. :)
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Should we move this thread in to the new Cheap tools section? :)
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Should we move this thread in to the new Cheap tools section? :)
That seems the logical place to me :tu:
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I'm doing it... they can punish me if they like >:D
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I'm doing it... they can punish me if they like >:D
:rofl:
you bring a certain something to the forum Nuph !
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I'm doing it... they can punish me if they like >:D
:rofl:
you bring a certain something to the forum Nuph !
Yezz, I've heard similar :whistle:
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Should we move this thread in to the new Cheap tools section? :)
We have a cheap tools section?
...oh, so we do :)
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.. and here you are :D
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I'm doing it... they can punish me if they like >:D
Funny, I thought the punishing went the other way around... oops, wrong site!
:whistle:
Def
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...just made order for 3 of these tools, the price is was so cheap that I'll have to see how they are. I just love the LM Crunch and it's my edc so maybe I'll give these for my friends as a gift if the quality ain't too crappy. :tu:
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I need more friends like you ! :D
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I need more friends like you ! :D
Word.. :D
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i found this Faux Flair through Google. Might have to break down and buy one.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/FauxFlair_zps8f674387-1_zps244f638c.jpg)
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Interesting- those look like Fiskars type scissors found on Gerber models. :D
Def
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i found this Faux Flair through Google. Might have to break down and buy one.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/FauxFlair_zps8f674387-1_zps244f638c.jpg)
Care to share? I have a faux flair but it's more tool than cool.
How's that for puns!
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That is an odd fish!
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I had the one with the bit holder, and rapidly disassembled it only to discover it wouldn't go in the tool I had intended ... but it's in storage for future deployment :)
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i found this Faux Flair through Google. Might have to break down and buy one.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/FauxFlair_zps8f674387-1_zps244f638c.jpg)
Care to share? I have a faux flair but it's more tool than cool.
How's that for puns!
Sent you a PM
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First one of three arrived today. Well...what to say - this makes me somehow sad.
Finishing ain't as good as LM Crunch, let's say its 8,5/10 - pretty close anyway. And how does it work? This is the sad part - there is not much difference between these, jaws ain't as sharp but that's it. It can handle same amount of force, it doesn't seem to twist or bend. It feels just like the Crunch, if I handle them eyes closed the only difference is that clone feels more tight and opening ain't so smooth - as newer tool should.
LM Crunch is about 120 € and this one was like 10 €. What should I think?
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LM Crunch is about 120 € and this one was like 10 €. What should I think?
Cheated ??
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i found this Faux Flair through Google. Might have to break down and buy one.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/FauxFlair_zps8f674387-1_zps244f638c.jpg)
Care to share? I have a faux flair but it's more tool than cool.
How's that for puns!
Sent you a PM
Are those side-cutters or funny scissors? A multi-tool with both pliers and side-cutters, which is also compact and light is something I've been looking for.
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i found this Faux Flair through Google. Might have to break down and buy one.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/FauxFlair_zps8f674387-1_zps244f638c.jpg)
Care to share? I have a faux flair but it's more tool than cool.
How's that for puns!
Sent you a PM
Are those side-cutters or funny scissors? A multi-tool with both pliers and side-cutters, which is also compact and light is something I've been looking for.
No pic.
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First one of three arrived today. Well...what to say - this makes me somehow sad.
Finishing ain't as good as LM Crunch, let's say its 8,5/10 - pretty close anyway. And how does it work? This is the sad part - there is not much difference between these, jaws ain't as sharp but that's it. It can handle same amount of force, it doesn't seem to twist or bend. It feels just like the Crunch, if I handle them eyes closed the only difference is that clone feels more tight and opening ain't so smooth - as newer tool should.
LM Crunch is about 120 € and this one was like 10 €. What should I think?
Could this be a contender for the best full size MT for under a tenner?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Recieved mine today, already used it to hold some steel while taking my dremel to the steel to make a mini pry bar, very happy with it, mine cost me £6.45 plus postage, absolute bargain
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Recieved mine today, already used it to hold some steel while taking my dremel to the steel to make a mini pry bar, very happy with it, mine cost me £6.45 plus postage, absolute bargain
It's definitely not a tool for sticking in a drawer to forget about. I've been carrying my Wave as EDC, but the Silverline is in my tool kit and I've been using it daily to hold components I'm soldering.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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First one of three arrived today. Well...what to say - this makes me somehow sad.
Finishing ain't as good as LM Crunch, let's say its 8,5/10 - pretty close anyway. And how does it work? This is the sad part - there is not much difference between these, jaws ain't as sharp but that's it. It can handle same amount of force, it doesn't seem to twist or bend. It feels just like the Crunch, if I handle them eyes closed the only difference is that clone feels more tight and opening ain't so smooth - as newer tool should.
LM Crunch is about 120 € and this one was like 10 €. What should I think?
You could choose to think LM ripped you off, or you choose just to think you got a humongous bargain with the Silverline :) It really is an very impressive tool for the money. Didn't suit my needs though, so mine has been packaged up and posted off to a new home :)
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Does anyone know where to pick these up for US customers besides ordering from Amazon.co.uk with their crazy shipping charge?
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i found this Faux Flair through Google. Might have to break down and buy one.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p561/trouthunter7/FauxFlair_zps8f674387-1_zps244f638c.jpg)
Care to share? I have a faux flair but it's more tool than cool.
How's that for puns!
Sent you a PM
Are those side-cutters or funny scissors? A multi-tool with both pliers and side-cutters, which is also compact and light is something I've been looking for.
It is a scissors, it seems to cut paper with ease.
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Does anyone know where to pick these up for US customers besides ordering from Amazon.co.uk with their crazy shipping charge?
Do what I did- buy it from a Brit who didn't care for it! :D
Def
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You could choose to think LM ripped you off, or you choose just to think you got a humongous bargain with the Silverline :)
Good thing is that I got mine from MTO for 40-50 bucks, so it doesn't hurt. :D And I'm a LM fanboy so it wouldn't matter anyway to get ripped.
But...if I'm just comparing these two as a tools, forgetting all brand/pirate-stuff - I could pay 5-10 bucks more for genuine one but that's it. Oh, there is some problems with Silverline clone which I have spotted now but let's get back to them later - to keep this thread alive. :D
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Does anyone know where to pick these up for US customers besides ordering from Amazon.co.uk with their crazy shipping charge?
Do what I did- buy it from a Brit who didn't care for it! :D
Def
anyone want to sell me one? Or buy one then ship it my way? I really do want one of these.
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My Silverline Crunch clone arrived today. Excellent value for money at GBP 8.48, but shipping charges added a fair bit extra to the landed price (GBP 13.87 for 3).
The locking pliers grip strongly and it doesn't feel at all flimsy. The tips of the plier jaws are very well aligned.
The 1/4 hex bit driver is a bit loose for some bits (some can be shaken out, others hang in there).
It has a positive lock for the tools when in the open position.
The philips driver needed a slight bit of re-profiling on the tip (cue diamond file).
The adjustment screw for the width of the locking jaws is a bit loose.
The cutting blades in the pliers won't cut paper.
Overall I'd rate it as functional but not highly refined, but much better than other tools that I've paid similar money for.
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I've had a couple of weeks use out of this tool now. I'm past the point of taking it easy on it in case it breaks and have been using the grips quite heavily.
I ended up on a very cold ferry dock in Belfast today and the pic below shows it holding some small bolts for cutting. Sadly the file was fairly useless for cleaning off the burr on the bolt and I had to fall back on my a surge file for that, but ultimately it's about clamping and its doing an admirable job
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/5b3d573b068d4e6a500b3a0fc4c0fad9.jpg)
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Good stuff Nelson. :tu: Oddly enough I was just using my Jack Pyke branded one to strip down a tap and replace the washer (faucet to our American friends). Not even close to a heavy job but it's one of the first times I've felt the need to use it.
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Here it is on eBay for U.S seekers, ships from England. $27 though don't think it's worth it to me. Maybe someone else though.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silverline-589688-Self-Grip-Multi-Tool-/350700453734?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a7603f66
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Mine arrived in the mail today safe and sound. I have to say that while I have yet to use it for anything, it feels somewhat nicer than the Crunch. I do have to qualify that though- I have only got one Crunch and it was used when I bought it and the Silverline model is brand new. Therefore it feels nicer than a tool that has a fair number of miles on it.
The inner tools seem a little less solid than the Crunch ones, but overall, for the price this one seems quite nice. From what I've seen so far, I'd take one of these for anywhere under $20 and consider myself happy. For $27.... maybe, maybe not. Let me get some use under it and I'll report back.
Its amazing how closely they have managed to copy the Crunch though. If Silverline (or whomever the manufacturer is) can crank these out at less than $10 a pop and achieve 80-90% of a Leatherman, why can't Leatherman produce these and sell them for under $40? Given how good this is for how little money, I would find myself cautioning people about wasting money on a Leatherman.
Def
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Mine arrived in the mail today safe and sound. I have to say that while I have yet to use it for anything, it feels somewhat nicer than the Crunch. I do have to qualify that though- I have only got one Crunch and it was used when I bought it and the Silverline model is brand new. Therefore it feels nicer than a tool that has a fair number of miles on it.
The inner tools seem a little less solid than the Crunch ones, but overall, for the price this one seems quite nice. From what I've seen so far, I'd take one of these for anywhere under $20 and consider myself happy. For $27.... maybe, maybe not. Let me get some use under it and I'll report back.
Its amazing how closely they have managed to copy the Crunch though. If Silverline (or whomever the manufacturer is) can crank these out at less than $10 a pop and achieve 80-90% of a Leatherman, why can't Leatherman produce these and sell them for under $40? Given how good this is for how little money, I would find myself cautioning people about wasting money on a Leatherman.Def
LOL :rofl:
Be hopes you're not expecting an invite to Tim's garden party this year Def!!....Tim --> :rant:
As for the silverline clone - I'll echo your thoughts, I've got three scattered about, all get used and all still working!!
Can't say fairer than that :tu:
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Mine arrived in the mail today safe and sound. I have to say that while I have yet to use it for anything, it feels somewhat nicer than the Crunch. I do have to qualify that though- I have only got one Crunch and it was used when I bought it and the Silverline model is brand new. Therefore it feels nicer than a tool that has a fair number of miles on it.
The inner tools seem a little less solid than the Crunch ones, but overall, for the price this one seems quite nice. From what I've seen so far, I'd take one of these for anywhere under $20 and consider myself happy. For $27.... maybe, maybe not. Let me get some use under it and I'll report back.
Its amazing how closely they have managed to copy the Crunch though. If Silverline (or whomever the manufacturer is) can crank these out at less than $10 a pop and achieve 80-90% of a Leatherman, why can't Leatherman produce these and sell them for under $40? Given how good this is for how little money, I would find myself cautioning people about wasting money on a Leatherman.
Def
Well,
To give a counter position: When you pay full fare for a Leatherman, you also are purchasing their warranty process. Seeing how I've sent back a Charge ALX twice and received good as new (and possibly brand new) tools, I would say that their price is a bargain.
I'm not a fan of the Crunch in general. Mainly because the tools aside from the locking pliers are really a compromise. I have to carry another MT to go with it. If I'm going to do that, I'd just as soon carry a small Vise-Grip with a MT and get the speed/convenience of the it.
BUT if I DID EDC a Crunch, I am sure I'd have broken it a few times by now. ::)
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True, however, there is one thing that kind of offsets the warranty service, and that is the price. Depending on where you got it from you could get three to five Silverline tools.
I'm not suggesting people should buy this instead if a Leatherman as the Leatherman price includes the design process, which Silverline obviously isn't funding, but I do have to say that this is about as good as a copy can get. I'm really impressed with it.
Def
Sent from my Motorola Atrix digital multitool.
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I'd seen the Silverline on Amazon for a couple of years and the price was what stopped me buying it, as a £10 multitool is almost guaranteed to be garbage. I only bought it eventually out of curiosity as I'd never handled a charge.
I think this thread has since boosted their image, its probanly the best of the cheap tools on here and as a gripping tool for the price it is excellent, but the Philips driver and File are just ballast.
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Glad it got there safe Grant :tu: My problem with it, was that is was a really excellent copy of a rather average and frustrating tool. The copy is excellent, especially considering the price. I just don't like the Crunch :-\ I much prefer the Schrades
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The PST clone was my first MT, I got it from Woolworths for about £3 including a sheath.
It sort of worked... it was very uncomfortable to use the pliers, the screwdrivers were on the wrong side of the pivot so when you lent on them they folded rather than pushing themselves in to the back stop and the steel that the blade was made out of was a joke. I had a basic tungsten carbide sharpener at the time and when you tried to sharpen it, you got little curls of steel coming off the blade like when you're planing wood.
However, it prompted me to buy a LM Kick and later a Wave so it's all good.
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That's the divisor, isn't it? For some folks cheapo tools are a way to find out that having an array of tools with them is a good thing and they eventually trade up. For others the disappointment of starting with a cheap tool sours them on all multitools and they just don't feel the need to move ahead.
For others, cheap tools are just that- a cheap tool. The Silverline Crunch is perfect for those types- it's a handy, well made tool that probably won't let them down, at least not for the things it's meant for. As Al pointed out, it's a great copy of a very limited tool, but it is still a good tool in it's own right.
Def
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Depending on where you got it from you could get three to five Silverline tools.
LM Crunch is about 160 USD here and I paid about 13 each for my Silverline clones - what does that make? 1 original LM or 12 clones...let me think...
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Well, the original Crunch is indeed better than the Silverline, but certainly not 12 times better! :ahhh
Def
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That's pretty much the maths I ended up with too. It's not very often the cheapo is better value than the big name brand, but I think this one definitely ticks that box
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Houston, we have a problem. Silverlines cutters are not doing their job - there is too much flex and cutters will spread away from each other. Check out your - do I just have all bad apples or is it common problem? :think:
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Houston, we have a problem. Silverlines cutters are not doing their job - there is too much flex and cutters will spread away from each other. Check out your - do I just have all bad apples or is it common problem? :think:
You're right. Just tried them and they cut 2.5mm electrical wire fine, but they spread when I tried to cut a coat hangar wire and didn't cut it at all.
As a comparison the wingman didn't cut the coat hangar within my hands pain threshold and the charge, PPP and Diesel snipped it like it was nothing.
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/3f9fd21338eb367299a702c0f8c0d5c4.jpg)
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/f42be0b3e4bd4cebb831d163990f40ca.jpg)
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/0cbb120d21079d8801905c7127c6874c.jpg)
I mentioned before the file isn't up to much, the rest of the tools are good at the price, but to me this was always just a cheap foldable vise grip which it does admirably... still worth a tenner?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Yep - it's still a good too. I'm afraid there is not much to do with this problem, tightening does'nt help. It's a shame because material of pliers seems to be pretty good, I have really used a force to see if it will break but it really holds up well. I think that the file aint much worse than what the genuine Crunch has - it's just too short and pattern ain't too agressive.
1 of my 3 Silverlines has also a problem with the lock of tools - it doesnt hold. Other two are just fine, I guess the corner of that locking clip is just too rounded. Anyway, this tool is my edc at the moment, I used to carry Crunch but I want to see how will this clone make on long run.
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I'm a bit of a hater for cheap tools, but took a chance on a Silverline vise grip tool that is a rip off of the LM Crunch and ...given it cost 10 bills its surprisingly good! If i needed a vise grip type tool as an EDC I'd go the LM route, but this is more than adequate for occasional use.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LFVA58/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LFVA58/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_1)
It's even looks a bit better in real life than the Amazon picture.
Amazon review...
This a blatant rip off of the LM Crunch, but bearing in mind it's ten times cheaper it is a surprisingly good one. The grips are adequate for most jobs but if you really push them to their limits the handles can twist slightly, though they still work and do not fall apart. There are no instructions so if you have never seen a LM crunch you will not know to remove the bottom screw to be able to fit standard hex bits or about the wire stripper built into the grip mechanism. I am an absolute LM devotee and can easily spend £150+ on their tools as EDC but this is a no brainer for a tenner just to have in your tool kit when you need a small locking vise grip. Bad points are the serrated blade, I'd rather have a plain edge, but again this is the way a LM crunch is.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
After a few months of owning the Silverline Crunch clone, I'm interested in knowing your views on it. There are still selling for £9 on Amazon UK, but I have a chance to buy the Leatherman Crunch (Dated 2003) for £63. Is the Crunch worth £63 as a collector's piece? Why was Leatherman not able to patent such unique design in the first place?
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Hi there MT.O. I am a new member, long time lurker. I am a hardware design engineer (electronics) with a penchant for classic motorcycles. :cheers:
I bought 4 Silverline faux crunchs ((crunches?)SLFC) as soon as I saw the price. Rather good for the money but it is still flawed in quite a few ways.
Pros:
1. It comes with a lifetime warranty from SL if you register within 30 days of purchase.
2. It costs less than a round of beers.
3. The vice grips are actually rather nice. (As I would expect when it is a direct rip off a quality product!)
4. Nice positive feel to the lock mechanism.
5. The blade can be easily modified to be UK legal.
6. It is made of mild steel (I think) so I magnetised it :D This also means it can be welded.
Cons:
1. The wire cutter is plain rubbish.
2. The ancillary tools are poorly thought out.
a. Do I really need 3 kinds of flat screw driver?
b. Why is the medium screw driver not also a can opener (like a SAK)? There is plenty of room.
c. The file is meh.
3. There is no ruler stamped on the side!
4. The screw is a bit rattly. (Perhaps this is because they have used an M6 and the original crunch, being American had an imperial pitch threaded bolt hole? I don't know)
5. The pivot bolt is just not quite the right length. If you do not have loc-tite your only option is to torque it up, This squeezes the handle together making it extremely hard to get the little tools out.
I have addressed the problem with the pivot bold by replacing the male part of the pivot bolt with an M3.5 countersunk screw. This allows the pivot to be properly torqued up but leaves the tools noce and loose but perfectly stable when in the locked position.
I have addressed the rattly adjuster screw with an M6 SS hex head bolt. The thread seems to be a slightly better fit.
I think I may make the following modifications to one of my SLFC:
1. Make the blade UK legal.
2. Ditch the lanyard loop ::), phillips screwdriver, file and medium screwdriver. Put a tiny rare earth magnet in the handle and store a small flat head/phillips screw head hex bit in the space.
My recommendation is to buy as many as you can while you still can at the absurdly low price of £8.50. I would feel extremely annoyed if I lost a SS leatherman that cost me ~£100, only mildly miffed if I lost a SLFC.
After playing with my SLFC I really want the real deal. It would be nice to have working wire cutters but the lame selection of tools in the handle kind of puts me off. Also I do not know what leathermans policy is on honoring warranties in the UK. Secondary to that is the price, in the UK we are charged more for everything. 1$!=1£, stop ripping us off multinational companies!
The cheapest place I have seen to buy a crunch is through ebay. There is an American seller who charges £40+~£15 shipping and in addition to that, unless he will play nice there is also a 20%+£8 tax and administration charge.
Does anyone know where to get a new/almost new crunch in the UK for a reasonable fee?
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'Buy as many as you can, while you can.....'
Are you thinking Leatherman has taken out a law suit against Silverline and they will withdraw it from sale? Can anyone tell me how Silverline can get away with such blatant infringement on copyright?
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Silverline get away with it because they are not in any way a manufacturer. They simply import cheap tat from China. Some factory has ripped off the leatherman design then either approached or been approached by Silverline. Silverline are presumably always on the lookout for more low cost stuff to add to there 'line'.
Buy as many as you can because it is a good item for the price and with any grey market rip-off item from the east the supply is questionable. This year the factory may be making SLFC, next they might be making knockoff bicycle parts. Although in the case of knockoff bicycle parts I imagine it is more the case that once the run of 10,000 items the customer asked for has completed they just feed their production line with lower quality materials and stop rejecting all but the worse defective items. After your customer has paid for the tooling of the production line (the expensive bit) and you have the staff to make 10,000, it costs very little to make another 10,000. It is the cost of shipping out your manufacturing costs to the east. As soon as it is made in China you have lost control of your product. Although this is not really the case with leatherman as they are manufactured in the USA(?).
There is no copyright issue possibly because; 1. The crunch has 'pat pending' stamped on the side which means the patent has not been fully granted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_pending). 2. China does not give a rats *ss about western patents. 3. The American patent system does not extend to the EU (thank goodness). This possibly goes some way to explaining why they are hard to get hold of in the states. If you tried selling them in the USA you would get lawyer stomped in about 10 seconds.
Don't get me wrong, this is a knock off and of no where near the same quality of the real thing. I in no way condone the quick buck mentality that goes behind making cheap knockoff tools but if you think I am going to spend nearly £400 on LMC (car, motorbike toolkit, pocket, house) that I cannot even keep in my pocket due to silly UK laws, you would be mistaken.
Look at it this way, before I would NEVER have bought a crunch before. Now I have seen how good this cheap a** knockoff is it is not a question of if I will buy a real one but when!
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I just read through All these posts and now I want one :ahhh
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me too Paul ! :ahhh
at that price i don't think i can NOT buy one :whistle:
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Don't get too excited chaps. It's a very cheap copy of a tool which is very limited in function and frustrating to use in my opinion. By all means get one to play with, but I got rid of mine pretty quick, and I'm just REALLY glad I hadn't forked out for the genuine article.
It's a good tool to see if you like the format, but I doubt it's a tool that would suit most people in use - too much faffing about and not enough function. Unless you actually NEED locking pliers, this will almost certainly be lost at the back of a drawer in a short space of time. Again, just my opinion :)
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Don't get too excited chaps. It's a very cheap copy of a tool which is very limited in function and frustrating to use in my opinion. By all means get one to play with, but I got rid of mine pretty quick, and I'm just REALLY glad I hadn't forked out for the genuine article.
It's a good tool to see if you like the format, but I doubt it's a tool that would suit most people in use - too much faffing about and not enough function. Unless you actually NEED locking pliers, this will almost certainly be lost at the back of a drawer in a short space of time. Again, just my opinion :)
I've been thinking along the same lines myself. I'd like to try one out some day just to see how it works but I don't see myself using it. I have enough of drawer fillers already. ::)
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I've got one since a few months now, and I can only share xt60043f's opinion.
I use it as a bike tool as I go to work each day that way, and it has always been a reliable tool. It's been through rain, dirt and grease, and it still works great.
The medium and philips screwdrivers are indeed useless, and the wire-cutters won't cut mutch. And, as the original item, it would benefit from a can-opener instead of the extra screwdrivers. Someone a bit skillful could adapt a can-opener on it I presume. The blade is easy to remove, a good point as this tool is sold in the UK.
The lifetime-warranty isn't important to me as I leave the UK in 2 weeks but it shall be noted that the conditions are rather strict : "This guarantee does not cover damage caused by abuse, misuse, modification, accident, or fair wear & tear".
And as 50ft-trad underlined, one must keep in mind that's not the average multitool either, and should be considered only if you need locking pliers.
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I'm glad Al decided to get rid of his as quickly as possible since it ended up in my hands somehow....
I agree with what everyone is saying though- that this is only about 70-80% as good as the Crunch, which is a very limited market tool to begin with. Still, at about 10% the cost of the Crunch, it is a great deal.
Def
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as my old Dad used to say "it might come in handy if you find a use for it !" :facepalm:
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I have just figured out why the SFLC plier head does not swing fully into the body.
If you look on this image:
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/6045936bb21ccf602291f2118a36ae49.jpg)
You can see there is a dent between the silverline print and the big circular pivot for the plier. This is not present on the real crunch.
(http://zprepared.com/zblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/leatherman_crunch.jpg)
So there you have it! There is silverline's innovative feature! This is their improvement to make it a distinguished product!
But seriously, if they had put the dent on the other side of the same handle, in the same location, it would have stopped the plier head being recessed so far into the pivot handle and allowed it to close nicely. This would probably allow it to be 'flipped' like the leatherman.
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Just received my Silverline Crunch - such amazingly quick service from Amazon UK. Looks fantastic and similar to the Leartherman Crunch except for the little notch mentioned above. The only issue I have is the tool does not close completely flush (2nd picture), and there is slight up/down play on the locked blade.
Very pleased for £9.10
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Amazingly quick ??? It took them a week to deliver mine. Literally a week. They had not even dispatched them till 3 days after I placed the order. I suspect it is a ploy to get us to pay for Amazon prime...
Woot, I now have a UK legal to carry SLFC!
2 minutes with Dr File and...
Before:
(http://i.imgur.com/yKm5NEoh.jpg)
After:
(http://i.imgur.com/DuT0ACZh.jpg)
The blade 'sticks' in position like a non locking SAK but does not NEED the lock clip pressed to put it back, just a firm push. It is now a non-locking knife and thus legal to carry in the UK. The nicest aspect of this is the fact I would have the handles closed to use the knife anyway so there is no chance it could close on my fingers anyway.
Still, if a jobsworth copper wanted to take it he would find some reason to get you under section 57 of the 1984 'I don't like the look of your face sonny' act.
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I have just figured out why the SFLC plier head does not swing fully into the body.
If you look on this image:
(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk140/buchos400/6045936bb21ccf602291f2118a36ae49.jpg)
You can see there is a dent between the silverline print and the big circular pivot for the plier. This is not present on the real crunch.
(http://zprepared.com/zblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/leatherman_crunch.jpg)
So there you have it! There is silverline's innovative feature! This is their improvement to make it a distinguished product!
But seriously, if they had put the dent on the other side of the same handle, in the same location, it would have stopped the plier head being recessed so far into the pivot handle and allowed it to close nicely. This would probably allow it to be 'flipped' like the leatherman.
The copy is actually exactly as it should be, with the notch only on the left side of the tool and not present on the right side. Your comparison pictures have the tools seen from different sides.
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The picture of the leatherman is from both sides.
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My LM Crunch has exactly the same notches, really
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I just looked at some images on the net, it would seem the picture I linked to is unique in that it does not have the bump between the pivot and the stamped leatherman logo. So the image is perhaps of an early model or a prototype?
None the less, I tried to remove the bump with a hammer and a punch. Unfortunately I do not have a 'round the corner' punch so I could not get a decent hit on it. I then drilled it out with a 3mm drill. The SLFC now closes in a similar fashion to the real one. i.e. the plier jaw sticks out one side and the 'clip in' pivot bump sticks out the other. I can now flip it open like the videos as well! whereas before, it was just too stiff to get the head out with one hand.
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Well it seems Silverline no longer list this item on their web site :o
Discontinued!
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Well it seems Silverline no longer list this item on their web site :o
Discontinued!
you smurf ! you've dragged me down off the fence
I've just ordered from Amazon , even though I'm pretty sure I don't need it :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh
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Well it seems Silverline no longer list this item on their web site :o
Discontinued!
you smurf ! you've dragged me down off the fence
I've just ordered from Amazon , even though I'm pretty sure I don't need it :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh
Nonsense, everyone needs more tools!
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Well it seems Silverline no longer list this item on their web site :o
Discontinued!
you smurf ! you've dragged me down off the fence
I've just ordered from Amazon , even though I'm pretty sure I don't need it :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh
It's gone up to over £10. If it is discontinued by Silverline for whatever reason, it will in itself become a collectors piece! It's a no brainer. Why pay over £100 for a similar tool, which is essentially only a very flimsy vise grip!
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I think this discussion has doubled the value of the Silverline Crunch! We should be entitled to some sort of commission for that! :D
Def
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hennypenny: £9.95 on Amazon UK atm
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hennypenny: £9.95 on Amazon UK atm
I would always buy direct from Amazon, it's only 18 pence more at £10.13
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Just received my Silverline Crunch - such amazingly quick service from Amazon UK. Looks fantastic and similar to the Leartherman Crunch except for the little notch mentioned above. The only issue I have is the tool does not close completely flush (2nd picture), and there is slight up/down play on the locked blade.
Very pleased for £9.10
Can anyone suggest how I can make the tool close completely flush? If you study the picture closely, you'll see the two halves do not come together completely. It closes on the left of the pic, but there is a slight gap on the right .
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First, get the biggest hammer you own....
Def
Sent from a digital multitool
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I have the exact same one. I got it as I wanted to play with the idea of a Crunch, and wasn't prepared to splash out for the genuine item only to not like it (as I have done so many times before). It's a very well made tool for a tenner, and anyone wanting a cheapo Crunch substitute would be well served by this. I found it wasn't something that appealed to me personally, and it was worth a tenner to stop me buying the genuine article :whistle:
I had my various Crunches apart last weekend and managed to cobble a pocket clip from a Kick by trimming and using the pivot from the Kick.
I'll post some pics when I get it done.
I too have one of these and as a sacrificial tool, it's awesome!! I also have the Silverline Faux Flair and it's not bad, but it dosn't have any of the inside tools. Just a 1/4" driver socket and various random tools.
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/14/2yzyba2y.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/14/de7e3e3e.jpg)
Eric,
I can see your Silverline Crunch also has the same problem as mine, which is the two halves do not close completely flush. As a modder, can you see how this problem can be fixed? Please don't say "a big hammer!". I'm sure you'll have a more ingenious solution than that.
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I think you have to accept the limitations of the tool. It is cheaply made and thusly does not fit together so nicely. On saying that, if you use a rifler file, you can clear up some of the casting marks on the mechanism where is mates together at the large plier pin. In addition to that, if you file a little off the dent next to the large pin (as mentioned above) it can close in the same way as the real crunch. By close in the same way I mean the plier head will extend out of the side and the pin clip will extend out less.
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mine still isn't here :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh
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I told you. Literally a week.
On saying that, I ordered from OGB tool store. They were dispatched the same day,arrived the day after next. I honestly think amazon are being slow on purpose to encourage us to buy amazon prime.
I do not mind paying shipping, I do mind waiting 72hours before they even dispatch my stuff!
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popped out for half an hour and when i got back the postman has left a 'card' to say he couldn't deliver a "small parcel" !!! can't go to the postoffice to collect it till the morning , i don't even know if it is IT :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh
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Royal fail FFS. :facepalm:
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I didn't buy mine from Amazon, ordered Saturday arrived Monday :mail:
It closes properly and seems generally decent. It did have some random green/blue fibrous stuff stuck round the pivot which I had to remove?! Is the lock bar incredibly stiff for other people? Some of the "tools" are nigh on impossible to get out. Good things I've got a proper MT for them!
Now I think I've got to sign up for Silverline's warranty.
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The tool seems to loosen up over a couple of days, a little oil might help.
I replaced the pivot bolt with an M3.5 SS countersunk screw, that provided a tiny amount of extra clearance that allows it to open/close nicely.
I just received my Silverline Faux Flair today. It is the worst piece of crap I have ever bought. I cannot believe I paid actual money for it. It literally fell apart as I opened it for the first time, the handles did not line up and the spring in the plier head pinged out to never be seen again.
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retrieved 'my' parcel from the Post Office..... and it's a prom dress ! FFS ! (not ordered by me honest ! it's my youngest daughters :facepalm:)
still waiting patiently then :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh
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That is nothing. My Amazon 'prime' SOG powerlock is now 2 days late. :twak:
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FYI. the dress actually came from China, and was only ordered 13 days ago ! not bad, i wonder if the 'crunch clone' gets here from England any quicker ?
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Wait, I thought you are in England?
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I am ! but that means nothing to the mail service :facepalm:
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That is nothing. My Amazon 'prime' SOG powerlock is now 2 days late. :twak:
2 days late is nothing to fret over. I ordered a book from the US back in February. Waited, waited and waited some more. I finally contacted the seller and they gave me a refund, then after 70 days the book finally turned up :facepalm: And I've read of much longer delivery delays for MTs on this site.
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Yeah but they 'GUARANTEED' it would arrive next day, then PROMISED it would be sent on a 9AM service yesterday.
You know what it is like when you are jonesing for a new MT!
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IF it's any consolation xt60043f (sorry don't know your 'proper' name ?) the Powerlock is well worth the wait :tu:, although i don't supose that does help much :rofl:
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I get packages from China faster than anywhere else except within Canada. In fact, I get things from the opposite side of the country (about 5,000 miles) within a couple of days, but things from New York (less than a thousand miles away) take a couple of weeks and things from China take 3-4 days, five at the most. The UK takes about a week usually.
And they wonder why people aren't buying local and prefer to deal in Asia!
Def
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"it's here....!"
"it's here ... !"
:mail:
well it might be going back :facepalm: while it looks a great bit of kit for the money. actually quite well made from what i can see. the blade/drivers/file etc. don't seem to 'lock' into the closed position :think:
they lock lovely in the 'out' (deployed ?) I'll try and get a clear pic on here, after a bit more of a fiddle, see if it can be put right :whistle:
but I'll have to eat my words 'Royal Mail' & Amazon dispatch fairies :tu:
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FYI. the dress actually came from China, and was only ordered 13 days ago ! not bad, i wonder if the 'crunch clone' gets here from England any quicker ?
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Wait John,breath...and :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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"it's here....!"
"it's here ... !"
:mail:
well it might be going back :facepalm: while it looks a great bit of kit for the money. actually quite well made from what i can see. the blade/drivers/file etc. don't seem to 'lock' into the closed position :think:
they lock lovely in the 'out' (deployed ?) I'll try and get a clear pic on here, after a bit more of a fiddle, see if it can be put right :whistle:
but I'll have to eat my words 'Royal Mail' & Amazon dispatch fairies :tu:
:ahhh :cheers:
When you say 'don't lock', is the locking lever being jammed up by something (one of the metal tool separators) or is it a bit stiff and not being pushed down by the spring?
//still waiting for my SOG PG :twak:
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i'll try and describe without pics, not sure if they'd show the problem very clearly anyway.
when the blade (or diver/file) is deployed they lock up VERY possitively, with a pleasant 'snap' and feel rock solid.
but the tools still in the the handle still wobble in and out. the locking groove on the opposite radius, by the pivot, seems to be twice as wide as it needs to be :think:
(does that make any sence ? it does in my head but that doesn't always mean the rest of the world understands)
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Doesn't sound like that would affect performance, and was possible done purposefully to ensure that the deployed tool locks up without impairment. If the other groves were closer and a tool was slightly out of position inside and not noticed by the user, the deployed tool may fail to lock (again unnoticed) and fold in use leading to a cascade of colourful annunciation
EDIT: That's my 5555th post :P
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And now they sent the me the wrong SOG.
I am so disappointed. :(
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i saw your post, what are you most disappointed about ? I'm no expert, but looks like the 'latest' model to me ??? i think the piano locks came and went, because they weren't that good ? i have an old powerlock (that has been owned and used by a few members here) and that style of lock works pretty well !
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Hope this shows the 'play' in the locked tools
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From your pictures it very much looks like the lock clip is not engaging with the notch in the back of the tools. Are you able to look inside and see if you have a malformed tool or perhaps one of the spacers has become dislodged and rotated around?
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Did you solve your closing lock issue Taxi Dad?
Here I have reground the rather naff sheeps foot, chisel ground, serrated blade to a more conventional double flat grind/serrated combo blade. Excuse the crappy bevel, this is the first time I have ever re-ground a blade. It is sharp enough to do the whole cutting paper in the air thing. It will probably become a more traditional straitback point as the tip gets worn off.
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looking good :tu:
still not sorted my wiggle problem, watch this space !
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Is there anywhere to buy these in the states?
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I do not think so, well not officially. Leatherman's patents are probably quite enforceable on their home turf. The best you could hope to do is to set up a deal with someone in the UK.
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It currently cost £10 (US$15) on Amazon UK, but the postage to the US from the UK will be another £5, so would you be willing to pay £15 (US$23) for it, when you can probably get a used original Crunch in the US for almost similar price?
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I'd pay $25 for one of these, but then I'm a hard core Multitool junkie and I love oddities like this one, so I may be a bit biased!
Def
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
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I'd pay $25 for one of these, but then I'm a hard core Multitool junkie and I love oddities like this one, so I may be a bit biased!
Def
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
I've just doubled checked the postal charge, and it will cost £7.20 (approx. US$11), due to the weight. I'm willing to help anyone who wants this tool to get one bought & posted for absolutely no profit. Just pm me. Same goes for the Silverline Waiters multitool (faux Flair).
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Just got mine today, some thoughts ...
Well, the locking pliers work great, nice design, good fit and finish, neat and compact. As a compact folding locking plier it is great - the rest of it is not so good! Surprised to say people have said it is 90% a LM because that says little for LM Crunch quality TBH. The blade is really so small and crappy with deep serrations (more like a bread knife) as to be unusable. Worse though the pivot is poor quality (very loose on mine) and the small very oddly shaped washers between the tools all get in the way to stop the blades locking or locking very randomly. Additionally the locking lever bar is milled at an angle so again does little to lock.
Mine is back to Amazon for replacement to see if they are all like this - happy to fettle it to get it working better but want to see if I just got a lemon first.
As a £10 locking plier it is great but as for the other tools they are a kind of anti-bonus...
:D
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It sounds like you got a total lemon.
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Here is an Italian ebay seller who sells the crunch knock-off. It looks like he also provides shipping to USA for only 6 Euro!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MultiTool-Pinza-Multiuso-in-Metallo-con-Accessori-Multifunzione-mod-2000-/200721532605?pt=Utensili_manuali&hash=item2ebbef86bd (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MultiTool-Pinza-Multiuso-in-Metallo-con-Accessori-Multifunzione-mod-2000-/200721532605?pt=Utensili_manuali&hash=item2ebbef86bd)
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Here is an Italian ebay seller who sells the crunch knock-off. It looks like he also provides shipping to USA for only 6 Euro!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MultiTool-Pinza-Multiuso-in-Metallo-con-Accessori-Multifunzione-mod-2000-/200721532605?pt=Utensili_manuali&hash=item2ebbef86bd (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MultiTool-Pinza-Multiuso-in-Metallo-con-Accessori-Multifunzione-mod-2000-/200721532605?pt=Utensili_manuali&hash=item2ebbef86bd)
Just a word of caution. My dealings with Italian sellers on ebay (twice) have not been the most straight forward.
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To be fair he does have over 22000 feedback.
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It sounds like you got a total lemon.
I got the replacement today, much better.
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It sounds like you got a total lemon.
I got the replacement today, much better.
Good to hear that you are happy now. So, what is your assessment of the %ge of Crunch functionality now you have a non-lemon ?
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Much the same really! I cannot comment on quality compared to a LM but the locking plier element is handy but nothing a £5 'normal' Chinese locking plier (or Molegrip as we say here) would do.
It's kind of useful to fold it up and fun to play with but this is not an EDC and for me was bought to keep in my Land Rover alongside other tools 'just in case' as well as the lust for trying a 'Crunch' but thank goodness I didn't pay the silly LM price for this. I'm a big LM fan and owner of 6 LM's but the clone at £10 is priced right - I wouldn't spend £15 on one and as for the real thing at £111 in the UK...
:think: ::) :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
As for the other tools they may be useful in an emergency and are a bonus but fiddly to extract. As mentioned the 'breadknife' is so so...
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Can these be found in US?
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Can these be found in US?
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They were on amazon uk, but I recently had a look and couldn't find them. So whether they've ceased production I can't say. But I'm pretty certain they'll be available online someplace.
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The LM Crunch is my favorite full sized multitool, but it is quite expensive. I would love to have a couple extra of these to keep around. Unfortunately, for 20 Euros (including shipping) that makes it about $27-28 and I might as well just buy another used one of ebay.
Maybe if I could get 2 or 3 of the knock off Crunches in a package and shipped together it would be a better deal.
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The Italian seller listed above still has a few left. 27 dollars shipped to the US is still cheaper than a used crunch but I would rather pay a little extra and get the crunch. If it was available for 20 or less i would say to for it.
27 is just too much for a knock off to me.
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The faux crunch has some shortcomings.
--The file is not hardened. This makes it practically useless for filing metal.
--The wire cutter is smurf. It cannot cut a coat hanger (the de-facto MT wire cutter test).
--The 'grooves' on the plier jaw grip surface are poorly formed.
If you can get a real crunch, second hand at a slightly more expensive price, I would go for the real one every time.
However if you want a mostly working disposable crunch, the faux crunch is OK.
I have actually come around to the bread knife...
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Anyone seen these available recently? Amazon don't have any and neither does ebay. I can't justify a crunch but a modded silverline would be a great addition to my lightweight tool box :)
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Available here
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MultiTool-Pinza-Multiuso-in-Metallo-con-Accessori-Multifunzione-mod-2000-/200721532605?pt=Utensili_manuali&hash=item2ebbef86bd
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The tool box also has them for £12.57 hope there is some left after xmas :tu: sorry cant do a link :-\
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Getting quite a bit of use out of my cheapo crunch clone, mainly clamping with little use of the other tools (always got a quality MT with me too). The file has been fine on small brass fittings, but pretty useless on anything more ferrous.
It's still good for the money tho, so good that I've put my real LM Crunch in the EDC Swap section as I don't use it at all :)
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Anybody else bought one from the Italian ebay seller? It's taken 16 days for him to update to shipped status. I really hope it didn't actually take him this long to ship it out.
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Finally got it in the mail today. Took him half a month to actually ship it out and then half a month in transit. The one from the Italian ebay seller has no markings or printing on the tool. It comes in a cardboard retail box that says fosco industries. The lanyard ring doesn't have enough room to be folded in with the rest of the tools. I can force it in but then the rest of the tools are jammed up and need a screw driver or something to pick them back out.
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Is this a Crunch Clone Clone? :)
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Is this a Crunch Clone Clone? :)
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How many iterations does it take to make it completely useless?
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Is this a Crunch Clone Clone? :)
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Since silverline doesn't manufacture the tool and from looking at the pictures, I would say what I have is the exact same tool as the silverline but without the silverline name printed on it. Just did a search and found more sources for the fosco version
http://www.airsoft-online.nl/en/fosco-industries-2482831.html#.Uu3rLGd8O70
http://www.bikers-store.fr/fosco-multi-tool-2000,p-342178.html
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Mine is still working fine but TBH I only use the locking plier facility, not the other tools.
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Getting quite a bit of use out of my cheapo crunch clone, mainly clamping with little use of the other tools (always got a quality MT with me too). The file has been fine on small brass fittings, but pretty useless on anything more ferrous.
It's still good for the money tho, so good that I've put my real LM Crunch in the EDC Swap section as I don't use it at all :)
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LOL...why don't you use the Crunch, have a nice set of pliers AND tools, and have the cheapo around for a backup? :think: I bring this up because you said you carry a quality MT around also. Would the Crunch by itself do everything you want?
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Keep in mind that the first version we saw of this tool was branded as 'Jack Pyke', so the fact it's now no longer branded as Silverline isn't that big a surprise. :)
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I ordered one from the Italian ebay vendor. It took just over two weeks to arrive - just after Christmas 2013. Supplied in a nylon/polyester case packed in a cardboard box the thing is branded "Fosco Industries" Art No. 2000.
Build quality falls well below that of a genuine Leatherman Crunch. I have never owned a tool that felt so gritty when new. After thorough cleaning with WD40, drying and then lubricating with silicone grease it now is adequate.
The self gripping pliers now work reasonably well, only time will tell how well the stonewashed stainless steel tool will wear.
For £10 + delivery this tool is okay but not great.