The Essential Multitool Buyer's Guide- what do you think?

[rdub934]

I think that when you ask these kinds of questions, like "what do you want to use it for?" or "Do you have any interest in any specific brands?" most people are likely to just look at you, shrug and say "I dunno, I just want a good one just in case."

At least that's been my experience.

Def

That's still something to go off of, though. If nothing else you can then start recommending the flagship-type models from the big guys - Supertool/Rebar, Surge/Wave, MP400/600, PowerLock/PPP.

[Vinjints]

How important is black oxide to you?

Maybe after they've signed up...

[detron]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

[rdub934]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

THIS! Do we, as certified multitool addicts, really need any more invitation to show off the goods than someone asking "what should I get?"

[Grant Lamontagne]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

Been there, done that!

In my younger days I lost two Benchmades trying to help someone decide, so I jeep a much closer eye on stuff now!

Def

[PTRSAK]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

I nominate Detron for the "Enabler" merit badge.

[smiller43147]

I see a pattern to the reply on this topic:
People with specific recommendations, and those who have a couple of questions they would ask first.

I'm in the "Ask them their requirements." camp.

[detron]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

Been there, done that!

In my younger days I lost two Benchmades trying to help someone decide, so I jeep a much closer eye on stuff now!

Def

I see you Jeep drivers try to use subliminal hints to bring others into the pack   

[gregozedobe]

Questions:

Budget
Size
Carry method
Usage
Plain/Serrated edge knife
Screwdriver/Philips/Robertson etc
Awl/other special requirements
File

[Grant Lamontagne]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

Been there, done that!

In my younger days I lost two Benchmades trying to help someone decide, so I jeep a much closer eye on stuff now!

Def

I see you Jeep drivers try to use subliminal hints to bring others into the pack   

 

Autoscrewup strikes again....

Def

[detron]

I usually pack up the vast majority of my collection, and let them play and see what they like.

many times has my backpack been VERY heavy going to work   

Been there, done that!

In my younger days I lost two Benchmades trying to help someone decide, so I jeep a much closer eye on stuff now!

Def

I see you Jeep drivers try to use subliminal hints to bring others into the pack   

 

Autoscrewup strikes again....

Def

I thought that was an excellent mess up!   

[Grant Lamontagne]

One of many that happen to me on a daily basis.....

Def

[WoodsDuck]

If they want pliers, two questions to ask could be: "How much do you want to spend?" and "How much do you want to carry?" Then depending on the answers...

|        | Cheap     | Moderate  | Expensive |
|--------+-----------+-----------+-----------|
| Light  | Wingman   | Skeletool |           |
| Medium | MP600     | Rebar     | Spirit    |
| Heavy  | PowerLock | Surge     | SwissTool |

This is a pretty good way to sort things, but I would like to point out that in the US a Surge costs as much as a SwissTool.

Maybe the ST300 would be a better fit there.

[Sea Monster]

In The Real World, I tell people to get a LM Wave or Rebar -

In my region, they're available everywhere, and with a bit of effort, can be acquired for ~$100, which is about as cheap as you are going to get a Multi of any known brand in this fine land

If they tell me that they are too big or not what they hand in mind I delete them from facebook and put a flaming bag of dog poop on their doorstep suggest a SAK instead.


Online the sky is the limit, and many people use Amazon etc, however my recommendation probably remains the same, they are damn good Multis, and the only people who can really find fault with them is the nutters on this forum, who don't like the shade of the polish, or find other inane issues that your average user just isn't going to notice or care about.

[WoodsDuck]

In The Real World, I tell people to get a LM Wave or Rebar -

In my region, they're available everywhere, and with a bit of effort, can be acquired for ~$100, which is about as cheap as you are going to get a Multi of any known brand in this fine land

If they tell me that they are too big or not what they hand in mind I delete them from facebook and put a flaming bag of dog poop on their doorstep suggest a SAK instead.


Online the sky is the limit, and many people use Amazon etc, however my recommendation probably remains the same, they are damn good Multis, and the only people who can really find fault with them is the nutters on this forum, who don't like the shade of the polish, or find other inane issues that your average user just isn't going to notice or care about.

Those are two of the most solid choices. Great all-around tools for sure.
How expensive is something like a Gerber MP400 over there?

[Sea Monster]

How expensive is something like a Gerber MP400 over there

If you can find one (much fewer stockists) They're price-comparable at full retail. (mid to high 100s)

but as they are signicantly less common, it's harder to grab one during a fathers day/stocktake/EOFY type sale.
Swisstools are almost never on any decent sale, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a SOG.

I'm not sure who the importers/distributers are, but they need to sort themselves out .
Unless you have your heart set on a Gerber for mysterious reasons, and are willing to pay for it, there's no reason to buy one over a LM.


(With the AUD vs USD at the moment, there's not much reason to buy anything American. We're getting hosed here)

[Alan K.]

My advice is this:  All multitools have pretty much the same basic set of tools and the premium brands are of a known quality so it doesn't matter what you get to start with as you will soon discover what you like and what you don't like in the tool.  So, go to some pawn shops and look in the knife case and if it says Leatherman, SOG, Gerber, or Victorinox, and it is cheap, buy it.  Carry and use whatever you bought for 3 to 6 months and then then decide which features were important to you and which features you didn't like or found lacking. Then go out and buy a tool that has more of the features you liked or improves on the features you found lacking.

[Kampfer]

It takes high level of commitment to EDC a full size pliers base MT, therefore I don't gift them out unless I know they will be carry (I learned my lesson). So far my brother and uncle (both handyman) carry ST300 and Skeletool, two good friends of mine carry Wingman, my apprentice carrys Charge AL, and couple of my employees carry Rebar, they all love the tools I gift them and carry them daily.

[Fortytwo]

It takes high level of commitment to EDC a full size pliers base MT, therefore I don't gift them out unless I know they will be carry (I learned my lesson). So far my brother and uncle (both handyman) carry ST300 and Skeletool, two good friends of mine carry Wingman, my apprentice carrys Charge AL, and couple of my employees carry Rebar, they all love the tools I gift them and carry them daily.

This is a really good point, there's a reason (besides the price) that the Classic is so common for advertisement. I got one for a friends birthday recently because at the size it's fairly likely to be carried and used (would have preferred a Rambler since the cap-lifter is such a useful tool but that's not available locally).

[Kampfer]

A classic in hand is more useful than a Surge at home.

[Poncho65]

A classic in hand is more useful than a Surge at home.

Yep, if you don't have it then it is useless if you need it Most regular people have the chance of carrying a Classic over almost anything

[Kampfer]

A classic in hand is more useful than a Surge at home.

Yep, if you don't have it then it is useless if you need it Most regular people have the chance of carrying a Classic over almost anything

That is why it is called Classic.

[Sea Monster]

Most regular people

Bran for breakfast will probably help you more with that than some Assisted Opening D2 steel NASA Approved Anti-Infrared Blood of Conan infused multitool.


Maybe the rest of the world is less, I want to say "Amish", and I feel I can get away with it, because there'll be no Amish people on a web forum to correct me 

But if men are wearing the belts to hold their trousers up, the way god intended, there's no reason they can't carry a full size multi. (can also be put in a sporran)

If for some reason you don't wear trousers, I'm sure you've got a bag, satchel, car glovebox, or bra(We all know that's where you hide your keys and lighter, let's not make a big deal of it) you can stash a multi in.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Don't bra carry a Leatherman.  You will get rust issues from boob sweat.

Def

[jday2727]

Don't bra carry a Leatherman.  You will get rust issues from boob sweat.

Def

Are you speaking from experience?

[dks]

How about lower undergarment carry?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Don't bra carry a Leatherman.  You will get rust issues from boob sweat.

Def

Are you speaking from experience?

Trust me, you really don't want me to answer that!   

Def

[Alan K.]

I buffed my Gerber multi plier with Flitz metal polish with teflon when I got it around '94 or so, and I reapplied some Flitz at least once this century that I can remember, and it has never rusted.  I think I could get away with bra or undergarment carry.

[Poncho65]

I buffed my Gerber multi plier with Flitz metal polish with teflon when I got it around '94 or so, and I reapplied some Flitz at least once this century that I can remember, and it has never rusted.  I think I could get away with bra or undergarment carry.

SO is that a MT in your pocket or are you just happy to see me

Yeah dks and prfsantos must be wearing off on me and yeah I know

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That's what she said 

[dks]

stay far away from those pervs