SHOT 2010 - More on the Grappler

[J-sews]

Going into the Shot Show this year, the tool that I was most excited with by far surely had to be the new Gerber Grappler. After all, locking plier multitools don't come along very often, and seldom stick around very long. The Kershaw A100 and the Schrade ST6 have long since fallen by the wayside, leaving only the original Leatherman Crunch to represent the category.


Kershaw A100



Schrade ST6



Leatherman Crunch



Gerber Grappler

The Grappler takes a different approach to the concept by utilizing Gerber's trademark sliding jaw concept. In this case they do it one better though, by using only ONE push button lock instead of the usual two, making it even easier to deploy the pliers with only one hand. Lock up did not seem to suffer any by this change, but more testing will be in order of course.





The retractable sliding jaws makes the Grappler more compact to carry, and although it is still slightly longer when folded than the Crunch, it is much shorter to carry than the fixed jaw Kershaw and Schrade.

Another significant difference among these four locking multitools is the means of jaw adjustment. While the Crunch, Schrade, and  Kershaw have a knurled knob near the pommel, the Grappler has a knob that is housed internally.



Hopefully this will not prove to be a weakness in the design. The adjustment knob is not as easy to access as its end-mounted competitors obviously, and one cannot help but wonder if it will be a source of frustration with cold or oily fingers.

The upside is that an internally mounted knob is better protected than an external one. And for those of you who might be wondering, the knob cannot really be made an larger in diameter and still slide down the handle channel.

We've made plenty of hay here at Multitool.org bashing Gerber multitools for their silly short screwdrivers, and the design department has listened. Notice that none of the blades on the Grappler are housed in the inboard channel, which is totally occupied by the plier head when retracted.



Instead, all four blades are outside openers, liner locking, and of a reasonable length.

There is a half-serrated knife blade to start with, with a thumbstud for one-hand opening. Was I the only one to feel that the thumb stud placement on a few previous Gerbers was incorrect? Maybe too close to the knife blade pivot, making it difficult to flick open? I'm happy to report that the one on the Grappler is just right.




Next up is a combination file/flathead screwdriver. I'm not a big fan of combining a file blade (which must be hard and therefore brittle in order to cut metal) with a screwdriver (which must be tough yet somewhat flexible so it doesn't shatter when being torqued) but when we spoke to the Gerber engineers about this concern, they assured us that the metallurgy and thickness on this one was suitable to both.




I assume a prybar was added to the Grappler because of the unsuitability of prying with the hard file/flathead combo blade. Gerber did it right on this one by including a nail head notch, something that the prybar on their Freehand multitool could probably benefit from as well. (Also the ruler on the Grappler was stamped on the correct edge, something they got backwards on the Freehand)




Last up is this combination can opener/wire stripper, phillips screwdriver blade. I love the length - Gerbers longest phillips ever - but I'm not real keen on the "flat" style. Although admittedly, there isn't really an option on the Grappler to go with the excellent square phillips like they used on the Octane and Strata.




Other observations include a real attention to small details by the designers. For instance, the signature "rattle" that we've come to expect from Gerber sliders has been addressed with the addition of a small latch mechanism. It is a similar set-up to what the Flik has, and it locks the tool up nicely when closed and eliminates the annoying rattle.





All-in-all, the Grappler seems to be a well made first foray by Gerber into the locking plier multitool arena. It has several distinct advantages over its only remaining competitor the Crunch, including faster plier deployment, faster blade deployment, and longer blades and drivers. The only unanswered questions I have about it are in regards to durability and ease of use out in the field, and we won't be able to answer those questions until the Grappler becomes available later this year.


By the way, don't miss Grant's pictures and first impressions of the Grappler in this thread here: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,16682.0.html 

[Benner]

I'm looking forward to this one more and more.

Thanks for the info Bob! 

[jzmtl]

Seems to me the knob could use a sharp diamond knurling instead of the straight line knurling.

[DaveK]

I really think they might have this one right you know Bob.

The Crunch is the only current locking plier multi out there, for one simple reason IMO, and that is the fact that it folds down small enough to make it viable, whereas the the Kershaw A100 was so huge that you may as well have carried a small pair of mole grips with you!

The Crunch however suffers from one major irritation and that is how fiddly it is to assemble. First you need to slacken the adjuster screw, then open it, click it together and how often have you found that when you think you're ready to go, the damn thing detaches on you?

The Grappler, despite the small adjustment knob appears to do away with this irritation, at the expense of being slightly less compact - I think I could persevere with it given the obvious advantages the tool brings overall.

Also, the blade etc on the Crunch isn't great, given that the cutting edge has the other handle, and the adjustment knob between it and whatever you're trying to cut! You can seperate the handles to use the blade more effectively as with the old "PST" butterfly openers, but it's uncomfortable and awkward. The Grappler's external OH blade looks vastly superior.

And yes! I find the thumb studs on the Suspension, Flik etc extremely difficult to use effectively. They are far too close to the blade's tang to give enough leverage to open comfortably, so it's great to see Gerber have sorted that out too.

I can see from the pictures that the Phillips looks like the same old, same old - but from what you've shown us there - it looks like a fair trade off to me.

I remain excited about this one, and can't wait to get my hands on one.

Thanks for sharing it with us Bob!

[Benner]

Any indication on pricing Bob?

[Gareth]

I does look an exciting and excellent tool Bob, thanks for the walk through.

[DaveK]

Any indication on pricing Bob?

I nearly asked that, but then realised I don't really care. I'm having one anyway

[J-sews]

Any indication on pricing Bob?

Nothing believable. The Gerber website shows $104, which is definitely too much IMO, but it also shows $107 for a black oxide Diesel and $92 for a standard MP600. Given that both those two can be had for HALF that amount, my guess is the Grappler will be available somewhere in the $50 to $60 range.

[Benner]

Sorry, didn't think to look on the website (we have to play around as we only get Gerber-UK).  That sounds pretty good.  Will be in the £60-£80 catergory here then I expect.

[DaveK]

Sorry, didn't think to look on the website (we have to play around as we only get Gerber-UK).  That sounds pretty good.  Will be in the £60-£80 catergory here then I expect.

Yeah - Like I'd buy it in the UK 

[WH867]

Any plans for a blunt nose version?       

[cliosguy]

I really think they might have this one right you know Bob.

The Crunch is the only current locking plier multi out there, for one simple reason IMO, and that is the fact that it folds down small enough to make it viable, whereas the the Kershaw A100 was so huge that you may as well have carried a small pair of mole grips with you!

The Crunch however suffers from one major irritation and that is how fiddly it is to assemble. First you need to slacken the adjuster screw, then open it, click it together and how often have you found that when you think you're ready to go, the damn thing detaches on you?

The Grappler, despite the small adjustment knob appears to do away with this irritation, at the expense of being slightly less compact - I think I could persevere with it given the obvious advantages the tool brings overall.

Also, the blade etc on the Crunch isn't great, given that the cutting edge has the other handle, and the adjustment knob between it and whatever you're trying to cut! You can seperate the handles to use the blade more effectively as with the old "PST" butterfly openers, but it's uncomfortable and awkward. The Grappler's external OH blade looks vastly superior.

I can see from the pictures that the Phillips looks like the same old, same old - but from what you've shown us there - it looks like a fair trade off to me.

I remain excited about this one, and can't wait to get my hands on one.

Thanks for sharing it with us Bob!

i cant not possible agree more with you

[Freudian Frog]

Thanks for the information! As everyone else on this forum I am excited!

[Mike 56]

I am going to buy as soon as they cone out i found a place that is taking pre orders 46.00 so your about right on the price.
Mike

[Mr. Whippy]

This is the first Gerber to intrigue me since the Evo 650.  Really like the overall design. 

[westllen]

Thanks for all the pic's and the helpful information I'll have to pick up one or two of them, very interesting design. I always had a sweettooth for the lock gripping multitools.


Jules

[nuphoria]

It's an ugly beast!

However, it looks like a rather useful ugly beast 

[Santos]

3 days to go to february! 

[MultiMat]

Looks great  Bob.

I am most keen too nab one , need to save for OS holiday  .

Maybe I could sneak a purchase in prior too the MT acquisition embargo kicks in