Darrell of RoBoT Metalworks kindly sent me a RoBoT TooL for evaluation. For the uninitiated, the RoBoT TooL is a new entry into the one piece tool market. The RoBoT TooL distinguishes itself from other tools in this segment of the market by having a combination bottle opener AND can opener and a combination debarker, tinder scraper as design features.
Here's a shot of the RoBoT Tool with two other well known one piece tools, an Atwood Prybaby Roid edition and a PocketTool X Piranha.
Thickness wise, it is the thinnest of the three tools:
This makes the prytip less steep and easier to get into narrow spaces:
So, I carried this tool all weekend and gave it a pretty good workout. The tools consist of:
7/16 wrench and pin wrench (antenna),
small Phillips (ear)
standard flat driver (ear)
1/4 hex driver (left eye)
acetylene B wrench (right eye)
oxygen wrench (mouth)
debarker/tinder scraper
combo can/bottle opener (With integral large Phillips driver)
pry tip
Of these tools, the ones I actually use regularly are the drivers, can and bottle opener and pry tip.
Let me start with the highlights:
1. Flat driver: If there's enough clearance to use this flat driver, it is the BEST flat driver of any flat tool I've used. Despite the thinness of the tool, the wedge shaped driver keeps it from twisting. The shape of the tip allows for high torque with minimal slipping.
Here's a picture after the weekend's work:
2. Combo Can/Bottle opener: As a bottle opener it is excellent. It is extremely grippy and allows easy opening due to the length of the tool's fulcrum. The only downside is the tinder scraper, which does dig into the hand a bit. But where this tool really shines is the can opener. I used this on normal cans AND the large #10 green bean cans. Yes, it would be slow for the large can. Yes, I had to use a glove on the big can (due to the tinder scraper and the "ears") BUT it effectively opened the can--better than the Wenger opener on the big cans:
This is an amazing feature. After working on 3 different cans, the opener shows no evidence of wear.
Additionally, the corner of the opener works extremely well as a 2D Phillips driver. It is actually more effective than the small Phillips driver.
Next, the pry tip: I used this to help remove some seriously stuck pins on the tractor. There was a tiny crack to work with. Too small to effectively get the Atwood or PocketTool X tools in. It was a screwdriver tip or the RoBoT TooL. The RoBoT TooL did great and showed no evidence of flexing in the process. The only downside are the pokiness of the "ears" when working with it. In one instance, the antennae strafed the palm of my hand pretty good, but wearing a glove helps a lot.
At this point, I will say that the small Phillips driver and the 1/4 wrench/driver works fine but there are other 2D Phillips that work better and the 1/4 driver could use a system to retain bits.
I tried out the debarker and tinder scraper. I must say, while it worked (slowly), I think even the smallest pocket knife would be massively more effective. For the amount of discomfort that the tinder scraper causes in can opening and prying, I think the RoBoT TooL would be better off without it.
Opinions:
1. I like the compactness. The ears don't cause any problems in pocket carry.
2. The can opener is "the Bomb". no other tool has it and this one works great.
3. The flat driver is outstanding, if you have the clearance to use it.
4. The large Phillips driver is very good
5. The bottle opener is very good.
6. Based on what I use, I would prefer if the oxygen wrench, acetylene B wrench and tinder scraper were replaced with a graduated wrench (either like the Pocketwrench II or in the style of the Atwood Prybaby) instead.
After the weekend of work, the RoBoT TooL is no worse for the wear:
In summary, if a can opener is part of your intended uses, this is the ONLY one piece I know of with that particular feature and it works very well. This is a very promising tool with a completely different take on the one piece tool.
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