Multitool.org Forum
+-

Hello Lurker! Remove this ad and much more by logging in.


New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?

us Offline trouthunter

  • *
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 467
  • The missing village idiot.
New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
on: January 19, 2013, 06:30:35 AM
So recently I purchased a new Craftsman Multi-tool.  It is a newer design and in my opinion it appears to be to at least some basic tasks around the house or office. 

The tool its self is different from most other multi-tools out there.  The pliers head and tool is opened with a sliding mechanism that allows the plier head to retract in to the handles of the tool and keep the tool closed.  The pliers them self have a good grip and seem solid.  They are also spring loaded.  On one handle there is also precision screw driver with a removable two sided bit.  The bit hold will take the standard precision bits.  Although there is nothing really holding the bits in place so they do fall out.  As with most multi-tools there is a saw blade that is good for cutting off the occasional small branch or two.  On the other handle there is a can opener, bottle opener and standard screwdriver.  All seem more that capable of the job.  It seems solid but has some flex and would not work at all as a pry bar.  Then finally on this handle is a very sharp knife.  The blade its self is also very solid and has a nice polish to it.  It is laser etched with the Craftsman logo.

I have posted some picture for your pleasure.





















ca Offline Landrew

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 624
  • Not yer typical toothless abductee
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #1 on: January 19, 2013, 06:39:54 AM
Chances are, if it has the same lifetime warranty as other Craftsman tools, it won't fall apart any time soon.


gb Offline nelson

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • Posts: 207
New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #2 on: January 19, 2013, 12:24:24 PM
What do they cost?

I'd imagine anything under $20/£15 is cheap. Something you could take a chance buying without it hurting the wallet if it doesn't live up to expectations.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Wake up in the morning and piss excellence  :)           (Talladega Nights)


scotland Offline Gareth

  • Admin Team
  • Point Of No Return
  • *
    • Posts: 36,651
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #3 on: January 19, 2013, 01:10:18 PM
IIRC these are under $20 so seem like a very good price to me.  Very interesting MT I think, especially in that it takes standard precision screwdriver bits.
Be excellent to each other and always know where your towel is.


us Offline radiotecha1234

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • Posts: 136
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #4 on: January 19, 2013, 06:01:08 PM
Looks like a gerber balance to me


us Offline Lynn LeFey

  • Absolutely No Life Club
  • *******
    • Posts: 7,917
  • Any tool is better than nothing. Some not by much
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #5 on: January 19, 2013, 06:08:46 PM
I can only find them around here at $25. I don't know how interested I am at that price. Under $20 might interest me.

Trouthunter, can you give us the weight on this tool?


ca Offline Landrew

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 624
  • Not yer typical toothless abductee
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #6 on: January 19, 2013, 06:21:32 PM
Looks like a gerber balance to me
It does look like that, with a few obvious differences.  Chances are that it may have come from the same manufacturer.


us Offline trouthunter

  • *
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 467
  • The missing village idiot.
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #7 on: January 19, 2013, 06:48:52 PM
I can only find them around here at $25. I don't know how interested I am at that price. Under $20 might interest me.

Trouthunter, can you give us the weight on this tool?

Yeah, the weight is 233 grams or 8.3 ounces.


us Offline rdub934

  • No Life Club
  • ******
    • Posts: 1,991
  • Without POL, pilots are pedestrians
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #8 on: January 19, 2013, 09:13:58 PM
I can only find them around here at $25. I don't know how interested I am at that price. Under $20 might interest me.

Trouthunter, can you give us the weight on this tool?

Yeah, the weight is 233 grams or 8.3 ounces.

Wow, heavy little bugger for what it is. Anyways, if I stumble across one for under $20 it will be mine - oh yes, it will be mine.  :tu:
"I wanna introduce you to a very personal friend of mine. This is an M41A pulse rifle. Ten millimeter with over-and-under thirty millimeter pump action grenade launcher." - Cpl Hicks


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • ********
    • Posts: 17,517
  • I'm not a pessimist, I'm an experienced optimist!
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #9 on: January 19, 2013, 09:25:30 PM
I can only find them around here at $25. I don't know how interested I am at that price. Under $20 might interest me.

Trouthunter, can you give us the weight on this tool?

Yeah, the weight is 233 grams or 8.3 ounces.

Wow, heavy little bugger for what it is. Anyways, if I stumble across one for under $20 it will be mine - oh yes, it will be mine.  :tu:

That is chunky  :o

Trout, could we have a size comparison with a "known" tool please?  :tu:


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


us Offline trouthunter

  • *
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 467
  • The missing village idiot.
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #10 on: January 20, 2013, 01:32:45 AM
So here is comparision of the Craftsman Multi-Tool and a Original PST.





gb Offline AimlessWanderer

  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • ********
    • Posts: 17,517
  • I'm not a pessimist, I'm an experienced optimist!
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #11 on: January 20, 2013, 02:09:03 AM
Excellent, thanks mate  :tu:


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

  • Head Turd Polisher
  • Administrator
  • *
  • Just Bananas
  • *
    • Posts: 65,920
  • Optimum instrumentum est inter aures
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #12 on: January 20, 2013, 12:44:14 PM
I know the ergonomics are better with a lot of these new tools, but it sure seems to add a lot of bulk too.  It would be nice to see designers somehow incorporating more function into the extra size.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline J-sews

  • Admin Team
  • *
  • Absolute Zombie Club
  • *
    • Posts: 23,220
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #13 on: January 20, 2013, 05:27:39 PM
I picked up one of these Craftsman tools recently. It clearly borrows from the Gerber Balance design, but its not quite as refined in my opinion. And there's no real definite evidence that they both came from the same factory. 


Balance is smaller and fits in my hand (and in my pocket) better than the Craftsman









Gerber sliding mechanism is slick and quick to use, because the slot it rides in is "parallel", and offers no resistance. Craftsman slider runs in a tapered slot, and tends to "wedge" the further I slide it forward. This would probably be something the user would get accustomed to over time, but still.......points to Gerber :salute:








Pliers themselves however are longer and thicker on the Craftsman tool. Makes the Gerber pliers feel sorta cheap and flimsy in comparison:







Both tools have four folding tools, but the selection is entirely different. One similarity is the hex driver, but oddly enough the larger Craftsman tool uses a tiny little hex bit, whereas the smaller Gerber tool uses a larger 4mm hex bit.

In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


ca Offline Landrew

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 624
  • Not yer typical toothless abductee
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #14 on: January 20, 2013, 05:31:29 PM
I see a bit of a Fiskars look to it.


us Offline J-sews

  • Admin Team
  • *
  • Absolute Zombie Club
  • *
    • Posts: 23,220
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #15 on: January 20, 2013, 05:36:24 PM
If I were to bet, I'd say it was definitely "inspired by" the Balance, but not made by the same people or in the same factory or anything like that.
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


cy Offline dks

  • *
  • Absolute Zombie Club
  • *********
    • Posts: 21,691
  • Bored
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #16 on: January 20, 2013, 07:15:46 PM
I know the ergonomics are better with a lot of these new tools, but it sure seems to add a lot of bulk too.  It would be nice to see designers somehow incorporating more function into the extra size.

Def

Wenger should be first... Ranger??
Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

[ Knife threads ]  [ Country shopping guides ]  [ Battery-Charger-Light threads ]  [ Picture threads ]


us Offline Lynn LeFey

  • Absolutely No Life Club
  • *******
    • Posts: 7,917
  • Any tool is better than nothing. Some not by much
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #17 on: January 20, 2013, 07:49:50 PM
J-sews,
Great comparison. Thanks! :salute:

Grant... yeah, I'm with you on the added weight thing. Inefficient use of space and mass on tools that are by their function intended to save space and mass makes me a little crazy.


scotland Offline Gareth

  • Admin Team
  • Point Of No Return
  • *
    • Posts: 36,651
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #18 on: January 20, 2013, 07:59:41 PM
Great shots Bob, very helpful. :salute: 
Be excellent to each other and always know where your towel is.


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • ********
    • Posts: 17,517
  • I'm not a pessimist, I'm an experienced optimist!
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #19 on: January 20, 2013, 08:02:58 PM
Great shots Bob, very helpful. :salute:

Absolutely! Cheers Bob  :cheers:


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


Offline mikekoz

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 635
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #20 on: March 08, 2014, 08:00:12 PM
    Does the Craftsman have locking tools/blades? I know this thread is old, just am hoping somebody still owns one!! I saw this today, but Sears wanted $30.00 for it which I thought was a bit much.


Offline mikekoz

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • Posts: 635
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #21 on: March 09, 2014, 02:48:27 AM
Found my answer...it does not have locking tools! Will probably not be adding this to my collection!


us Offline n4vgm

  • *
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
    • Posts: 367
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #22 on: March 09, 2014, 03:42:29 AM
I'm more interested in the Gerber after this review. Something to "research" at work tomorrow. ::)


us Offline jerseydevil

  • Admin Team
  • *
  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • *
    • Posts: 10,459
  • Join us! Embrace the Flicky Faith!
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #23 on: March 09, 2014, 03:53:29 AM
I'm more interested in the Gerber after this review. Something to "research" at work tomorrow. ::)

The Balance is a nice tool.  There are several good reviews of it on here, especially the one by 50ft-Trad.  It does have its fans here, and I'm one.  It's my favorite small plier-based tool.  :tu:
There's no such thing as "Too pretty to carry".  There's only "Too pretty NOT to carry"...... >:D


Offline kerwin

  • Newbie
  • *
    • Posts: 16
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #24 on: March 30, 2015, 01:01:14 PM
If anyone is interested, the victorinox cybertool bits fit the driver on the craftsman tool. They are a bit shorter, but fit fine.


ch Offline Etherealicer

  • Admin Team
  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • *
    • Posts: 12,028
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #25 on: March 30, 2015, 04:00:44 PM
Both tools have four folding tools, but the selection is entirely different. One similarity is the hex driver, but oddly enough the larger Craftsman tool uses a tiny little hex bit, whereas the smaller Gerber tool uses a larger 4mm hex bit.
(Image removed from quote.)
Wait, does that mean Victorinox CT bits, fit into the Gerber Balance? Thought that the Balance has some odd sized bits.

So the balance has a 4mm and a 1/4" bit driver?
It wouldn't be the internet without people complaining.


ch Offline Etherealicer

  • Admin Team
  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • *
    • Posts: 12,028
Re: New Craftsman Multitool Cheap or Not?
Reply #26 on: March 30, 2015, 09:03:40 PM
Both tools have four folding tools, but the selection is entirely different. One similarity is the hex driver, but oddly enough the larger Craftsman tool uses a tiny little hex bit, whereas the smaller Gerber tool uses a larger 4mm hex bit.
(Image removed from quote.)
Wait, does that mean Victorinox CT bits, fit into the Gerber Balance? Thought that the Balance has some odd sized bits.

So the balance has a 4mm and a 1/4" bit driver?
did some digging: No they won't :cry:
It wouldn't be the internet without people complaining.


 

Donations

Operational Funds

Help us keep the Unworkable working!
Donate with PayPal!
March Goal: $300.00
Due Date: Mar 31
Total Receipts: $379.86
PayPal Fees: $19.62
Net Balance: $360.24
Above Goal: $60.24
Site Currency: USD
120% 
March Donations

Community Links


Powered by EzPortal