Some Guppie thoughts *With handy graph.

[Spoonrobot]

I'm a little late on this one, it was supposed to be in my hot little hands sometime last year but I can get so lazy. Oddly enough I managed to acquire this Guppie merely by asking a poster if I could have it. Kudos to kitkat over at EDCforums for the freebie. 

Let's start with the graph:

Overall the Guppie is fairly useful. The adjustable wrench is effective on smaller bolts and the centerline bit driver allows more torque to be delivered to a fastener than most butterfly multis. Testing criteria for this was; I screwed a screw into hardwood as far as I could with my Blast and then used my Guppie to finish it off. The Guppie is great at driving screws and is more comfortable than a lot of other tools. The knife blade, although non-locking works for light  tasks. Opening is not as smooth as a regular folder but is possible to do several times a day with comfort. The bit holder/light makes pocket clipped carry a little uncomfortable and there is not other way to carry bits so it's kind of a pain to figure out how to carry the tool without taking it apart.

It is nice that the LED light can be flipped to face both the wrench end or the driver end. I have cause to use my multis in the dark quite often and this is a nice feature. And for some reason the bits for the Zilla and the Guppie are not interchangeable, not quite sure why this compatibility wasn't a no-brainer.

There are a few problems; the adjustable wrench has about 1/8" of wobble so the routine for interacting with a bolt is to adjust the wrench to the general size, put it on the bolt and then tighten the barrel so the wrench is tight. It's kind of a pain and looks like it could be alleviated by making the adjust barrel bolt slightly larger.

I had the Guppie mailed to my former workplace and when I went to pick it up was suprised at how well it was received by my friends. The gadget-ness seems to pull people into the tool. I don't know if anyone would carry or use it but they did like to play with it. Next tool that gets sent there goes with an admission price, I had the tool out  for less than a minute before it was requisitioned to tighten a vent on the beverage cooler and then passed around.



















My "under the sea" shot. 


Overall I like the tool. I carry it a few days a week and plan to do so for quite a while. The overall form factor is problematic with the bit holder jutting out the side and all but I'm not sure if there is a fix for it since on-tool bit storage wouldn't work with this tool. If nothing else it's unique and interesting, gadgetness is still a huge draw for me.

[BIG-TARGET]

One definate advantage the Guppie has or the Leatherman, is that the bits are universal standard

[J-sews]

Spoonrobot's back!


Nice write-up and excellent pictures as usual sir!

One quick question though; the bits on my Zilla and Guppie are completely interchangable...? Are they not on yours?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Nice to have you back- and agreeing with me!

The bit holder awkwardness and the loose wrench jaw were the biggest drawbacks I found as well.  One thing I thought that might work, although I haven't really tried it yet is to get rid of the bit holder and squeeze a bit kit into a flashlight case or some other carrier that you have handy.  Without the bit holder, the Guppie is very easy to carry, either in a pocket with the clip or snapped on to a belt loop.

Def

[Spoonrobot]

Thanks for the kind words. I am still figuring out the whole light box thing but I believe my problem is that I am too cheap to spend 20$ on proper lamps. 

One quick question though; the bits on my Zilla and Guppie are completely interchangable...? Are they not on yours?

My tools are at my house but I'll double check again, I wrote this a few days ago when they were in front of me. I remember the bits from the Zilla being too big for the Guppie's holder and driving positions. Perhaps the previous user switched them out? I check and then email if they actually don't interchange.

Re: The Bit Holder.

I carried it on my keys for a while and tried just breaking it off and putting it in my pocket but it feels so wrong to separate the two items. Logic need not apply here.

[J-sews]

Nice to have you back- and agreeing with me!

The bit holder awkwardness and the loose wrench jaw were the biggest drawbacks I found as well.  One thing I thought that might work, although I haven't really tried it yet is to get rid of the bit holder and squeeze a bit kit into a flashlight case or some other carrier that you have handy.  Without the bit holder, the Guppie is very easy to carry, either in a pocket with the clip or snapped on to a belt loop.

Def

Re: The Bit Holder.

I carried it on my keys for a while and tried just breaking it off and putting it in my pocket but it feels so wrong to separate the two items. Logic need not apply here.

Why do I get the feeling that a previous similar discussion eventually led to the Get-A-Way Driver......

[BIG-TARGET]

Spoonrobot's back!


Nice write-up and excellent pictures as usual sir!

One quick question though; the bits on my Zilla and Guppie are completely interchangable...? Are they not on yours?

Yes.

[WhichDawg]

such an odd tool, I gotta get em!

[Roadie]

Good to see you back Spoon! And nice review there, i'm gonna have to pick one of those up seeing as they are legal to carry over here!

[Benner]

I have overlooked this tool, but it actually looks pretty handy. 

Ryan, we should look into getting some sent over. 

[Benner]

Is the Guppie available in more than one finish like the Zilla?

[J-sews]

Is the Guppie available in more than one finish like the Zilla?

As far as I know they just have the one finish style available. 

[scrappy]

very nice graph. I ordered the original guppie but the junior seems to small to use.

[Benner]

Is the Guppie available in more than one finish like the Zilla?

As far as I know they just have the one finish style available. 

That's a shame.  An all black one would look pretty good.

[J-sews]

Is the Guppie available in more than one finish like the Zilla?

As far as I know they just have the one finish style available. 

That's a shame.  An all black one would look pretty good.

Agreed. Plus they would be less prone to corrosion than the bead-blasted stainless is.

[Spoonrobot]

I think I deserve a rolleyes for this one.

The Zilla bits are longer than the Guppie bits but they interchange completely, as J-Sews stated earlier. Not quite sure why I thought the opposite.

Zilla on bottom, Guppie on top.


Zilla bits in the Guppie holder and Guppie bits in the Zilla holder.


I too would like a black Guppie, it's interesting design and form factor just begs for different finishes to catch the eye of the would be multitool aficionado.

[gadgetman7]

Well CRKT may not have the fit and finish of Leatherman or V-Nox but you have to give them credit for inventiveness. I have one of these but haven't used it very much. I just ordered a Zilla Jr. I'll see if I like that better.

[J-sews]

The new Lumabiner from CRKT is being made in a variety of colors. I wonder if they'll do the same with the Guppies?

[Mr. Whippy]

Yes, I'm resurrecting this thread (it is Good Friday afterall).

Over the last few days, I've been doing the servicing on my bikes.  Nothing complicated--Oil change, Final drive oil change, coolant change, chain adjustment, fuel filter change, etc.  I did the whole service with my Guppie (and a few bit adapters). 

It is an EXTREMELY useful tool.  The adjustable wrench is actually as good as my Craftsman adjustable wrench.  The design of the bit driver is brilliant.  One can apply a LOT of torque when necessary.  The form is compact enough to get into fairly tight spaces too.

I've found pocket carry works best for me when I use the clip to a back pocket.

I've been pairing it up with the Charge ALX.  On the bikes, I was able to do everything with just the Guppie.

Good tool!

[J-sews]

Cool!

I must admit that I've never given my Guppie a full workout. My need for toolage runs more along a plier vein than a wrench one. So it's good to see that yours is giving good service

[Spoonrobot]

I haven't seen my Guppie in a while but I still think that it would have been a better idea to ditch the carabiner and fill that space with the bits and light section instead.

Although I must admit that I never got the ol' 'biner love. I mean, does anyone really like a 4-5 ounce tool hanging from wherever? And the whole "But look! It opens bottles too!" marketing gimmick a few companies have been trying to pull is annoying as well.

Figure this tool company, I have a tool that is made of steel, has one plier section and numerous other corners and I am still woebegone on how to open such a complicated device as a bottle cap? Just let me sit there and rot with my unopened beverage. But no! They think we demand guidance and a big honking, otherwise useless section of tool to accomplish a task that can generally be completed by pretty much any other item invented, ever.

Best case idea is to put a dang lanyard hole on the tool, and then I could just use whatever sort of clippy thing I wanted without it being a poorly thought out and doubly poorly placed integral item.

I've got a new black Guppie in the line-up for purchase though. Touche CRKT, touch.

[Benner]

Cool!

I must admit that I've never given my Guppie a full workout. My need for toolage runs more along a plier vein than a wrench one. So it's good to see that yours is giving good service

I haven't either.    It's one of those tools that I want to carry but just can't find a slot for it.

[Mr. Whippy]

Well, I continue to be impressed.  I've started carrying it clipped to a belt loop.

Last night, I had to troubleshoot a fuel starvation problem on the small diesel tractor.  I completed the entire repair (fuel line, fuel filter and fuel line bleed) with just the Guppie.  I had my Charge on hand just in case, but it was unneeded!  Even the flashlight was useful!

[gafftapegreenia]

I love the Guppie. It's the perfect way to round out a tool selection. I just want wider jaws!

This thread reminds me, the BO Guppies should be available soon.

[Benner]

I love the Guppie. It's the perfect way to round out a tool selection. I just want wider jaws!

This thread reminds me, the BO Guppies should be available soon.

Wider jaws would be a huge bonus.

[Medic82]

Nice pics!

[Mr. Whippy]

I love the Guppie. It's the perfect way to round out a tool selection. I just want wider jaws!

This thread reminds me, the BO Guppies should be available soon.

Yes.  If the Guppie could take up to a 15 mm bolt head (9/16) it would be perfect.  Might have to make the tool significantly bigger/heavier though.  Hafta change it's name to Tuna or something...

[Benner]

"Sea Bass" sounds a bit more manly. 

[nuphoria]

Can't they cram a saw in to it somewhere and call it a swordfish? 

[Mr. Whippy]

Can't they cram a saw in to it somewhere and call it a swordfish? 

It's got a lovely little blade...