Winchester brand multitool

[Faiaoga]

For Cheap and Cheerful, allow me to recommend the Winchester brand of multitools sold in hardware stores,  Not the highest quality but good value for the price.

I have a small multitool (only about 3 inches closed length) by Winchester for $12 with Cordura nylon sheath that has worked well for about two years.  It has spring-loaded pliers that fold into the handle (Leatherman pattern pattern) the usual assortment of screwdriver bits and knife blades and has comfortable plastic handles in a fake walnut pattern.  The tool did a decent job fixing a malfunctioning toilet tank in a dormitory room when no other tools were available. 

My 3 inch version is the smaller one that is branded Winchester,  A larger version is available, but I have not used it.  Does anyone else have experience with these inexpensive tools?

[RimfireNZ]

I've just gotten rid of a Winchester one I had in a drawer. It was hands down the worst multi tool I've used.

Mostly because it was badly thought out and you'd pinch your hand and give yourself blood blisters every time the jaws slipped. Hurts like a smurf.

The quality was pretty awful too. I wouldn't even give it away as a gift because I knew the recipient would just hurt themselves with it.

It was one of these ones.

[Faiaoga]

The Winchester tool you show is different than the one I have.  As I stated, m Winchester multitool is not the greatest but it does work for basic tasks - I am happy at a $12 price.  Could it be (as I suspect) that the Winchester name has been slapped onto more than one tool?

[Higgins617]

Hahahahaha different brand, same hand crushing characteristics. That Winchester looks like an exact knock-off of the Mr. Pinchys. Allbeit with an updated plier head. They just don't learn

[gregozedobe]

The Winchester tool you show is different than the one I have.  As I stated, m Winchester multitool is not the greatest but it does work for basic tasks - I am happy at a $12 price. Could it be (as I suspect) that the Winchester name has been slapped onto more than one tool?

Yes.  Winchester currently put their brand on a lot of different MTs, many (almost all or all ?) at the budget end of the market.

[Chako]

I have always wondered if these Winchesters were made by Gerber's low end Carolina Tools division. That would make the most sens to me.

[gregozedobe]

I have always wondered if these Winchesters were made by Gerber's low end Carolina Tools division. That would make the most sens to me.

I believe they are.  When I compare the tools they look very similar (except for the pliers - or is that the Renegade version I am thinking of with the fishermans pliers ? ).

[Dem]

I've got one of these, another Winchester. I found it rather good for a cheap tool.

-Tools all lock (like an original supertool)
-Phillips isn't awful
-Pliers are sturdy and cut hard wire fine.

-Pliers don't open as far as I'd like
-The blade needs sharpening.
-It has a fish scaler/file combo. While I guess that's the king of fish scaler hybrid tools... well, it's still a fish scaler.
-The entire tool is ridiculously large. It's as long as a full sized MT,  but considerably thicker/higher.

Really though, not bad for what it is.

Dem

[Higgins617]

I'm glad it works for you! Looks fairly Suspension-esque to me(especially the plier heads). Possibly furthering the idea that they are produced by Gerber's low quality end?

[Dem]

Enh, the suspension style design is really common in Chinese-made MTs (I'm pretty sure Ganzo was using it before Gerber was.) I don't have a suspension, but I do have a G301 (close to the same tool,) and the Winchester is quite a lot bigger than the Ganzo. Pretty sure it's just another Chinese-sourced MT.

I dunno if 'works for me' is how I'd describe it, though. 'Works for the price,' maybe .

Dem

[Faiaoga]

Dem (Reply #6) shows an item that is different than mine.  Again, it seems that Winchester seems to be only a brand name, not a special model.  Still, I find my 3 inch $12 model to be adequate for light work.