Gerber crucial came in today,lots of pics.

[John]

This is from the give away started by Mike and shipped from Bob  

First I'll start with the funny part,on opening the package I noticed the Gerber has three methods of carry carabiner,pocket clip and sheath so what's funny   this, maybe I got lucky  



The crucial comes with minimalist tools there're just four:main blade,carabiner/cap lifter,philips screw driver and flat bladed screw driver.
I have to say both screw drivers failed the first task I gave them tho would you be unscrewing a plug out in the field,I doubt it but that's one thing I like about my SAK CT-41 it works at home or out in the field  

here's a picture comparing the two philips drivers,I could get the gerber driver to work but it had to be held at 90 degree to the handle.





The main blade is SS I'd hazard a guess and say it's 440 but I would not bet my life on it,the blade is the crucial's strongest point IMO it locks up well and has no play what so ever it feels very secure,I would call the main blade a rescue kinda blade for cutting rope or seat belts in an emergency.The blade came sharp enough to shave arm hair but it could be a tad sharper "it snagged a little" especially if you intend to keep it for emergency situations  anyway you could always re-sharpen it with shapmaker or simlar. Also I have tried the main blade wearing thick gloves and had no problem opening the main blade one handed  




The carabiner at first glance looked to be aluminium but on testing I found it to be steel so it should hold up lifting bottle caps,I don't have much faith in the carabiner gate tho it feel weak to me so you would have to be careful with that.On the other hand the clip feels very strong and secure when clipped to a pocket.

Picture showing all tools,




Clip and sheath which BTW was not included according to the packaging  

Actually the sheath is very well made it's padded and made of ripstop nylon I believe it can also be carries vertical or horizontally for low profile  



Now we come to what IMO really lets the crucial down the pliers   well I said I'd be honest  
There's daylight between the cutting anvils   I tested them with some ordinary household flex they didn't cut all the way through maybe the inside end of tips could be ground down a little to get rid of the gap   also don't expect these pliers to undo wheel nuts   I would say they're good for light to medium tasks I think y'all know what I mean  

Here you can see the orange packaging through the cutting anvils,



Picture inside the jaws be careful what you use these for and they should last note:at the thickest part the plier head is only 5.17 mm thick.



The Gerber crucial is a small multitool it weighs only 5.25 oz or 150 grammes 90 mm long closed and 20 mm thick including clip,it's a nice size IMO

small enough I can cover it all within my hand  


another comparison,

CT-41 hey he shows up a lot in my posts well he did help me win the crucial   and the crucial.





Ok guys a quick conclusion this is not a heavy duty tool but more a occasional use i.e put in your back pack,car or for backup in an emergency and forget about it until you need it,they would also make great gifts for someone entering the mutitool world IMO a good medium entry tool.Yes there's better out there but! for the $30+ you can get these for it's not bad and better than no tool at all,the only thing really letting this tool down is the gap between the cutting anvils Gerber needs to sort that out and fast

Thanks again guys it's been fun  

[PyroJames]

Nice review and pics!     The gap between the anvil cutters is disappointing but the Crucial still looks good and I'm dying to get one to try for myself.

P.S. - Knowing Gerber, the blade is most likely 420-440. 

[Gareth]

Good, honest review John.

[cliosguy]

thanks for that review mate great pics BTW

[AHB]

Good review, John..  I really like the Phillips comparison 

[John]

Somehow I forgot the flex cutting picture   to myself  

I did try guys really! but it would not cut it   well I'm not confused really! but I believe it can be remedied,not ideal I know but!!! it can be done 



while I'm here lets add a nicer pic  


EAR! dudes! listen up the Gerber crucial comes with a life time warranty,now go buy one and put it in your backpack,glove compartment, you hear?   it's not a bad back up multi  



[edit]anyone have a iron?    

[John]

@screwtape? would you like me to fix the plier gap before I send to you? let me know  

[edit]too late done! 

[Benner]

Great review mate. 

I think you have saved me a few quid as well.

[Screwtape]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap 

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou 

[AHB]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap 

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou 

I DARE YOU...  

 

[John]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap  

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou  

Oh the CT-41 stomps the Gerber IMO in many ways IMO it's very hard to beat   now all I did was tickle the tips on the plier with cutting paste and a fine file NO! harm was done crucially  

[Screwtape]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap 

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou 

Oh the CT-41 stomps the Gerber IMO in many ways IMO it's very hard to beat  :salute:now all I did was tickle the tips on the plier with cutting paste and a fine file NO! harm was done crucially  

Groan 

[John]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap 

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou 

Oh the CT-41 stomps the Gerber IMO in many ways IMO it's very hard to beat  :salute:now all I did was tickle the tips on the plier with cutting paste and a fine file NO! harm was done crucially  

Groan 

Is that the same as boring   

[John]

Lets be clear guys the flats i'm talking about are only 4 mm long,
there was no notching in this area it was completely flat 
Pleae don't groan? it's even better now! 

[Gareth]

Lets be clear guys the flats i'm talking about are only 4 mm long,
there was no notching in this area it was completely flat 
Pleae don't groan? it's even better now! 

Don't worry, by the looks of it it needed doing.  Wire cutters that won't cut wire aren't much use.

[hawkchucker]

Thanks for the review. I will keep my comments on the tool clean, but It tells me to buy another Lowes Kobalt tool instead of this one for stashing around.

[Leatherman123]

Excellent job, mate!

It's not a tool for me, but I am sure it will be popular!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Great review mate

Glad it made it to you ok

[John]

Great review mate

Glad it made it to you ok

Thanks Mike it's gone to screwtape now! lets see what he thinks,I take it you heard about the cutting anvils? 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Great review mate

Glad it made it to you ok

Thanks Mike it's gone to screwtape now! lets see what he thinks,I take it you heard about the cutting anvils? 

Not ideal is it

[John]

Great review mate

Glad it made it to you ok

Thanks Mike it's gone to screwtape now! lets see what he thinks,I take it you heard about the cutting anvils?  

Not ideal is it

Well I got it to cut fine wire in the end but! I had to use a file it's a lot better but I'm waiting for a   from Chris just now  

I think I'll hide for awhile  


[edit]Oh and I will add I hold no one here responsible for that,the tool comes  in cam shell packaging the sealed type so really know way of knowing unless you open it up,luck of the draw I guess  

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Well at least you've saved a lot of folks some money if nothing else

[Gadget Guy]

Well at least you've saved a lot of folks some money if nothing else

I'm going right out and I'm going to.......

























Run right past the display! 

[John]

Well at least you've saved a lot of folks some money if nothing else

I'm going right out and I'm going to.......




















 




Run right past the display! 

    No worries  I've left strict instructions to screwtape to pass it on to you,

I'll stump up the shipping of course 

[Gadget Guy]

Well at least you've saved a lot of folks some money if nothing else

I'm going right out and I'm going to.......




















 




Run right past the display! 

    No worries  I've left strict instructions to screwtape to pass it on to you,

I'll stump up the shipping of course 

 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I think this deserves a wider audience in the review section

[ducttapetech]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap 

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou 

I DARE YOU...  

 

You know you need a Ct41.

[J-sews]

Thanks for the honest review John. Clearly the Crucial is not the right tool for everyone.


One point to make though about the limitation you found with the length of the phillips screwdriver; I'm guessing the designers intended it to be used with the tool in the "stretched" position. This gives the screwdrivers a lot more reach (although still not as much as needed for some recessed screws)

[damota]

Cracking review, I'd be interested to know how you fixed the cutter gap 

I do however have a strange desire to go and look at cybertools now thou 

I would not bother, I have just got the Crucial to replace both the Recoil and my Cybertool. The Crucial is ideal for electrical work the Phillips you use with one arm sticking one way with the other pointing in the opposite. Used like that the Crucial has a heck of a reach. The one thing the Crucial has over the  Cybertool is its ability to use a addon ¹/₄" bits set, you get a good magnetic holder rubber gadget that holds nine bits and the holder and a pouch made to take the bits and the tool (the Crucial does not have a pouch) for under £10. Of course you can get any of the specialized bits you may use easily on the web were the Cybertool uses more hard to get 5mm or is it 4mm double ended bits and I doubt if you can get the choice security bits you can get in  ¹/₄". Unlike other Gerbers the bit holder fits on the flat screw driver so the contact between with the magnet is a bit stronger. The pliers are pure electricians,  they may hold a nut while you use a spanner or socket to tighten up but you wwould be asking for trouble if you used them as engineers pliers.
The scales on the Cybertool are not made for the workshop and are rather fragile and easily chip.

Dave