Pocket Powerplier: Old Vs. New

[Lynn LeFey]

I got an old PPP off of ebay for cheap, and thought I'd compare it side-by-side with my new(er) model.

Markings on the handles, with patent number on new (at top) versus 'patent pending' on the old (at bottom). Also, the new one is held together with allen head screws, where the old has hex nuts.



Reverse side, the only real difference is that the new version has a lanyard ring fold-out.



Opening up the pliers, the old plier head is stamped 'SOG', and 'USA'. The new ones aren't stamped with USA. The old plier head is maybe 3mm shorter than the new, and looks like a lot of that is spent on a larger area for the wirecutters. there are other differences, but they apply more generally to the whole tool, so I'll cover them below.


Tool loadout:


The blade on the new PPP is longer by a millimeter or two. Both are chisel ground and partially serrated.

Instead of the combo flathead/caplifter of the new, the older PPP has just a plain flathead.

The only tool that seems more-or-less unchanged is the phillips, same on each. However, the new is marked 'phillips' while the old is marked 'SOG'.

The files seem to have the same level of aggressiveness to them. the old version has a rounded tip, while the new one has a flat tip, intended for use as a large flathead driver.

The old PPP has a hawkbill can opener, fairly similar to the can opener on the Leatherman PST. The new version has a more victorinox shaped can opener, with small flathead on the tip. I've found that SOG's new can opener utterly sucks. I'll test the old version later today, but it should be fine.

The tools not in common: The old had a small flathead. The new has an awl.

With the old style can opener, the tool needs to use another tool slot for the small flathead driver, but doesn't need a separate bottle opener. The new style can opener has a built-in small flathead, allowing for the addition of a (very good) awl. However, it compromised the strength of the flathead by combining it with the caplifter, and adding a nail nick. As the new version of the can opener is terrible at opening cans, I prefer the old style, and the solid flathead, which would be the primary pry tool.

Overall. The older tool looks more polished. I don't mean 'made better'. I mean literally polished. All of the tools are shiny, almost like they're chrome plated. The tool marks on the newer tool aren't present. I suspect that would add up to better rust resistance. The plier head on the new tool has a much more precise tip to the pliers, and more refined dentitions on the plier jaws.

And, by the way, both have the same slant to the plier head I mentioned here:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=49932.0

I wonder, looking at the old PPP, if there were either legal issues of copying the Leatherman PST, if they changed the tool loadout to differentiate themselves from their competition, or if they honestly thought the new loadout was an improvement.

All I know is that I now have both tools, and the wrenches needed to take them both apart, and pick the best of both, should I wish.

So, there might be a hybrid PPP in my future.

[Monrogue]

Great comparison Lynn   I wasn't even aware of there was an older version.  I am curious to see your hybrid PPP should you make one

[kirk13]

Have a look at 50ft-trad's Paladin 510/PST2 hybrid as well

[Lynn LeFey]

I tested the can opener at lunch, and it worked fine. MUCH better than the current version.

Kirk, any chance of a link to the Paladin 510/PST II hybrid? I'm lazy, and don't want to look it up.

[kirk13]

And you expect me to do something?!

Let me see....

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=30918.msg516921#msg516921

[Lynn LeFey]

Very kind of you.  Thanks. 

And, interesting loadout.

[kirk13]

Neil's son's one is interesting too!

[Lynn LeFey]

Another note on a difference that I noticed. If you look at the second picture in my original post...

The cut-out made to form the backspring on the fold-out tools is different, but only on one side. The side of the tool with the lanyard attachment on the new version has much shorter 'cuts' into it for the backspring. This makes the retention stronger on the newer version.

[NutSAK]

IMO, SOG has ruined their inner tools throughout the years.  The tools available today are thin and virtually ineffective compared to the original ones.  Already mentioned is the move away from the very effective combo can/bottle opener to the individual ones, and the thick, v-grind blade on my old Paratool puts the thin, chisel-grind blades of today to shame.

Sorry to bring so much negativity.  I could go on, as there is just so much I dislike about most of SOG's designs. 

I enjoyed your comparison regardless.

[Lynn LeFey]

Don't feel bad about the negativity. I'm largely with you.

I think I figured out what I want, which is a PST II with a SOG plier head.

But, in fact, the entire style (PST, PPP, etc.) is more or less outmoded by more modern designs. I think the only benefit they have is being very slim/lightweight. But the Leatherman Rebar is an improvement without too much weight gain.

So... I'm not sure if it's worth building a better PPP for my tastes.

[NutSAK]

Don't feel bad about the negativity. I'm largely with you.

I think I figured out what I want, which is a PST II with a SOG plier head.

I'm at odds with the plier head too...  On one hand, the compound leverage is awesome, until you have to open the pliers wide, then the handles are too far apart to grab with one hand...

But, in fact, the entire style (PST, PPP, etc.) is more or less outmoded by more modern designs.  I think the only benefit they have is being very slim/lightweight. But the Leatherman Rebar is an improvement without too much weight gain.

And the Rebar isn't really leaps and bounds forward in design, is it?  When comparing the Rebar/ST300 and the Pulse/ST200 (circa 2000) the improvements are minimal.   They have better locks, a replaceable cutter and some notches cut in the handles for better blade access.  It's basically 14-year-old technology that is still competitive, with only slight improvement.  While that series of Leatherman has progressed over the years, OTOH, it seems to me that the PPP/Powerlock designs have actually regressed, or at best stayed the same.

[kirk13]

I think I figured out what I want, which is a PST II with a SOG plier head.

So... I'm not sure if it's worth building a better PPP for my tastes.

  beater PST 2 off eBay?

[Monrogue]

Don't feel bad about the negativity. I'm largely with you.

I think I figured out what I want, which is a PST II with a SOG plier head.

I'm at odds with the plier head too...  On one hand, the compound leverage is awesome, until you have to open the pliers wide, then the handles are too far apart to grab with one hand...

That is my main issue with my PPP.  I love fiddling with it, opening and closing as it's so smooth and I love the action of it.  However, for actual use, if I need to open the pliers up wider, it becomes a two handed operation, which isn't very convenient.  I suppose if you have larger hands/longer fingers, it may not be quite as much of an issue, but there is still a point where it would become one.