Diesel Review

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Hello, here's my review of the Gerber Diesel, which I got from here...
Gerber-Tools.com Dennis is a top bloke to deal with and the service is pretty quick too!

So on to the Diesel...

Build Quality

After a month of very hard usage, where the the Diesel had to help me at work during our refit, being used for the sort of heavy duty tasks that normally you'd only use full size dedicated tools for, jobs like tackling ancient wiring, heavily corroded screws and fixtures and fitting, putting up new heavy duty shelves and cupboards, pulling nails from floor board, so I think it's safe to say that it's earned it's keep this month!

In all that time I've not had one blister or hot spot from using the tool, the ergonomics are really spot on, as is the corrosion resistance, I took it down the woods to practice some bushcraft, and this being Britain, both me and the tool got absolutely saturated!, so after about 3 hours I took it out of its wet cordura pouch fully expecting the worst, but I'm happy to report that all but a couple of light rust spots on the screwdriver's and a very small amount of light rust on the ricasso of the file, it was absolutely corrosion free!

Coming from a country where we get on average 160 days of rain a tools stainless quality's are very important, so well done Gerber and other manufactures please take note!

Pliers

Now these are FUN, if for no other reason you should buy a Diesel just to flick the pliers out again and again, not only is it the fastest deploying pliers out there, it's also truly annoying for the friends, family and workmates around you! if you ever want the Missus to walk out on you get a Gerber multi!

On a more serious note, these are a very good set of pliers that are truly needle nose, and are capable off a great deal of very dexterous work, in fact due to the previously mentioned ergo's you can use them for very long periods before hand fatigue becomes any kind off issue.

The wire cutters worked dependable and without fuss too.

Individual tool's

First up the Screwdrivers, there are three flat heads, one of which is a combo tool, and there's one phillip's too, it's a good mix and I've never felt short of a tool with it, the screwdriver's themselves held up admirably to the abuse I put them through showing no sign of wear other than the inevitable light scratches, and they don't slip off the work easily either.

Some people have complained that the tools lack reach, I personally haven't found it, and the drivers seem a match for most of there competition, but for those who feel the need for a bit more reach or additional drivers, there is a bit kit available for the Diesel bit kit available for the Diesel .

The file I wasn't so keen on, don't get me wrong it's a good workmanlike design, it just lacks a bit of bite compared to some of the competition, having said that for finer tasks it was pretty useful.

The scissors on the other hand are in my opinion the finest scissors to ever grace a multi!, strength , precision and a goodly sized cutting length, what more can you want, they worked excellently on paper, cardboard, fabrics and some very fine wire's too, I was really impressed by these, and genuinely think there the best scissors out there in my opinion!

The saw worked well on green and dry woods of up too 50mm and unlike some designs, your not picking pulped wood out every minute or so too, and it leaves a nice clean cut, so there's less likelyhood of damaging any tree's you cutting too, on hard woods the going was a little slower (as you'd expect) but again it did the job with little fuss.

Now onto the blade, I'm a self confessed knife nut so the blade is something I focus a lot of attention on, and I wasn't disappointed by this one, despite not being made out of one of the latest greatest wonder steel's, it kept it's edge well, and sharpened up easily too, the blade profile is a little unusual being a warncliffe, but this is the ideal blade style to have on a multi, you don't need a great deal of tip strength as your never going to need to pry with it as there are loads of other things on the multi to use instead, what you do need is something that offers unrivalled precision cuts and that's something you only get with a warnie!

The serrations worked well, and because there not mega aggressive, they left relatively clean cuts, but serration's are defiantly not my cup of tea, so please Gerber can we have a Diesel with a straight edge.

Conclusions

This is a well made, relatively inexpensive, fun tool, that will provide years of faithful service, and is well up to hard use and the occasional abuse.

I like a lot off people never gave Gerber much of a look in, but thats all changed with the Diesel, this may be my first big Gerber multi, but it won't be my last!

Recommended

Micky d

[Leatherman123]

Great review!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Great review!

Thanks mate

[Roadie]

Nice review there micky very well said, tis good to see we have you converted to the wonders of Gerber!

Also glad to see that the scissors are much longer than the MP series of tools. I wonder if the tools could be replaced with the ones from the MP series, then you could have one of the plain warncliffe blades from there.

[Spoonrobot]

Nice to hear your thoughts on the Diesel.

I really like the tool myself, it's a wonderful blend of some distinct features that work in harmony. How do you feel the saw compares to other companies offerings? Being the first integral Gerber saw I was a little wary of it at first but after some use I've grown to value it over the blade exchanger.

I sure wish Gerber would go back to putting metal saws on the file, that extra set of teeth open up some options for me.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nice review there micky very well said, tis good to see we have you converted to the wonders of Gerber!

Also glad to see that the scissors are much longer than the MP series of tools. I wonder if the tools could be replaced with the ones from the MP series, then you could have one of the plain warncliffe blades from there.

I don't know as I haven't got a regular MP600 (yet ) but I think the Gerber's bigger in most respects

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nice to hear your thoughts on the Diesel.

I really like the tool myself, it's a wonderful blend of some distinct features that work in harmony. How do you feel the saw compares to other companies offerings? Being the first integral Gerber saw I was a little wary of it at first but after some use I've grown to value it over the blade exchanger.

I sure wish Gerber would go back to putting metal saws on the file, that extra set of teeth open up some options for me.

Yeah it does seam a bit of an ommision , as for the saw, well it works as well as the one on the Lm charge, but not as well as the saw on my swisstool as the teeth on that cut both ways and are to a degree self cleaning, so you can go longer between picking bit's out of it

[Benner]

Great review Mike!  Really enjoyed reading it.

I completely agree with the pliers.  I have had to go and get my Gerber just to have a little play. 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Great review Mike!  Really enjoyed reading it.

I completely agree with the pliers.  I have had to go and get my Gerber just to have a little play. 

Just mind that doesn't end in divorce , it's expensive

[hawkchucker]

Just a quick couple ?

I cant tell. Is there a hard wire notch on the cutters.

And do the cutters bypass each other like sissors , or judt come in contact with each other?


Thanks. Great review!!!!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Just a quick couple ?

I cant tell. Is there a hard wire notch on the cutters.

And do the cutters bypass each other like sissors , or judt come in contact with each other?


Thanks. Great review!!!!

No there's no hard wire notch, and the pliers are bypass mate

[ringzero]

Hello, here's my review of the Gerber Diesel, which I got from here...

Great review, micky d!

I got to try out a friend's Diesel for a few hours, using it for several tasks.  I was very impressed with the pliers and with how rugged they felt.  The one-hand pliers would be hard to beat if you were doing a lot of plier-related tasks.

Also, I loved its Wharncliffe blade and scissors.

Overall, the Diesel just felt very capable and tough in my hand, as if were made to handle heavy duty tasks without complaint.

I almost bought a Diesel but got a SOG Powerlock instead, but after reading your review I'm right back to wanting my very own Diesel...

.
 

[Sea Monster]

Do you find the plier sticking somewhat arrogantly from the handles irritating at all?

Reviews can sometimes be hard to judge - Could you do a quick Point Score vs another similar Multi for references sake?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Do you find the plier sticking somewhat arrogantly from the handles irritating at all?

Reviews can sometimes be hard to judge - Could you do a quick Point Score vs another similar Multi for references sake?

I don't find the protruding pliers annoying, but then because of it's size I always carry it in it's pouch on my belt, if it was pocket carry then it might well be a different story

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Hello, here's my review of the Gerber Diesel, which I got from here...

I almost bought a Diesel but got a SOG Powerlock instead, but after reading your review I'm right back to wanting my very own Diesel...

.
 

Good on ya mate , you won't be disapointed

[WhichDawg]

Your comments helped Micky D, thx sir, nice job.
I'm getting one, just waiting for the right sale!

When I tried one out in the store, when I shook it around, it rattled.
All the plastic turned me off, the jaws don't open as much as others
and the protruding needle nose pliers didn't seem right (when closed).

On the positive side, it was fun to pop and I like the tools inside, and it
also fit nice in my hand, and the only way to find out it's lasting properties
is to get one!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Your comments helped Micky D, thx sir, nice job.
I'm getting one, just waiting for the right sale!

When I tried one out in the store, when I shook it around, it rattled.
All the plastic turned me off, the jaws don't open as much as others
and the protruding needle nose pliers didn't seem right (when closed).

On the positive side, it was fun to pop and I like the tools inside, and it
also fit nice in my hand, and the only way to find out it's lasting properties
is to get one!

It's true, it does rattle but thats the price to be paid for having fast deploying pliers, but once the pliers are out and the tool is being gripped, the rattles disapear , seriously once you've had it a week you'd wonder why you ever had any objections to it

As for the plastic, well I'm no great lover of plastic in tools either, but the plastics not under load and doesn't interfere with the operation of the multi so I can live with it

[Benner]

Do you find the plier sticking somewhat arrogantly from the handles irritating at all?

Reviews can sometimes be hard to judge - Could you do a quick Point Score vs another similar Multi for references sake?

I don't find the protruding pliers annoying, but then because of it's size I always carry it in it's pouch on my belt, if it was pocket carry then it might well be a different story

That's why I particularly like my Gerber, it is a blunt nosed one so therefore the pliers don't stick out at all when closed.

It also has no plastic parts.

[WhichDawg]

I know they've gotten better over the years but when plastic is new, it's fine and nice looking,
but over time it gets brittle or too soft and breaks/fails, leaving your stuff useless.

I haven't forgotten all the times my stuff/tools did that (and I don't buy cheap tools, hardly),
so I will always be leary of plastic components in things.

[Benner]

I know they've gotten better over the years but when plastic is new, it's fine and nice looking,
but over time it gets brittle or too soft and breaks/fails, leaving your stuff useless.

I haven't forgotten all the times my stuff/tools did that (and I don't buy cheap tools, hardly),
so I will always be leary of plastic components in things.

Have you thought about getting an older Gerber then?  That's what mine is...


As you can see, no plastic and no pliers sticking out.  No locking impliments though. 

[WhichDawg]

that is nice Benner! I'll still get the newer Diesel, I just won't trust it with my life

[Benner]

Mike has certainly got me interested in the Diesel as well.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Mike has certainly got me interested in the Diesel as well.

Just doing my job