Swisstool spirit....convince me!

[ronin83]

seems difficult to get the ratchet, extension bar, bits set and the pouch for it all separately from the tool so a package deal(plus model) is a must.
Can't actually find the plus ratchet set with the the 'S' version(both blades, no scissors).
Not a bad deal on the s version by itself...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victorinox-3-0223-VICTORINOX-SwissTool-Spirit/dp/B000MLSBQ2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1471020963&sr=8-6&keywords=swisstool+spirit

The butter blade plus ratchet...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/VictorINOX-Spirit-Plus-Swiss-Tool/dp/B000EOVQ5A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1471020963&sr=8-4&keywords=swisstool+spirit

Amazon don't even label them s, x or xc for some reason.
Anyone seen a kit containing the ratchet complete set by itself? Then i could get the s version by itself for now.

Seems i'm always missing out on something either way. Oh man, thought i was decided, but the surge is so complete with nothing but a few extra bits if needed. BTW i'm an electrician and the surge has a crimper 
I do worry about it's lack of smoothness, bits scraping, coming loose etc. Seen lots of quality complaints on leatherman, hardly any on swisstools.

Think i'm being a bit of a indecisive bitch 
but its a lot of money for a little gadget(i know i know it's much more than that.
If only vic did a version with both blades, scissors and removable driver bits.

Oh by the way, a guy at work was given an old wave which has a broken plier tip and doesnt close properly. don't think it's been taken care of, but still...

tomorrow i go out to hunt down some multitools anyway

[Demel]

I'm also an electrician. If your going to be using the spirit for work then I suggest the Swisstool plus. The cutters are better than the Spirits. They still struggle with stranded, but you get more leverage with the Swisstool.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-SwissTool-Knife-Pouch/dp/B00GXMCD8G

[Aloha]

I know this is wrong of me 
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,67341.0.html

Its in terrific shape all ready to go to work.

[Singh]

Leatherman Pros: it has the tool you want.
Leatheman cons:  mediocre fit and finish, iffy quality control, and a tool that will most certainly rust no matter how much you baby it.

Victiorinox cons: not exactly the tool set you want, super shiny finish is great for rust resistance but slippery.
Victorinox pros: superior fit and finish and you'll have to work hard to get it to rust.

I'm of the frame of mind that a MT is no replacement for dedicated tools. An MT is there for when dedicated tools aren't immediately on hand. With that said:

• Removable bit drivers: they get lost. It seems to run contrary to what an MT is meant to be. If I need that much variety in screwdrivers, I go for my dedicated tools. 
• Replaceable wire cutters? If you're using the tool THAT much then maybe you needed dedicated cutters.

Frankly, Leatherman is not worth the money they charge. If the LM fits your needs, I'd buy one used, or look for something similar from some other company.

[ronin83]

ok 100% goin with spirit.
Cant seem to find an S model plus though. Could get stuff separately.....the s model, pouch(which holds everything) and bit wrench with bit holder n bits for £113. Just miss out on the corkscrew/eyeglass driver, but i dont need those.
Is the ratchet better though? Seems more versatile?
can the serrated butter blade be sharpened easy enough?

[Aloha]

I can certainly respect every members experience with any and all tools.  I live in a dry climate and I've not experienced rust on my LMs.  Like any faithful tool user I take care of them, not just my MTs.  My MTs see wet environments and so far not had any problems. 

I will totally agree on the wire cutting and MTs.  There is a great thread regarding wire cutting and MTs somewhere.  A dedicated cutter or dedicated tool for that matter wins hands down vs a MT.  Therein lies the usefulness of the MT which will be on your belt at all time unlike dedicated tools.  If you are a tradesman then sure tools will be at your disposal.   I've seen plenty of guy needing to head to their vehicles or bags to fetch a dedicated tool when a MT could have sufficed. 

As to the bit being lost or misplaced.  I never actually get this one.  If you are use 1/4 bits, sockets, drill bits, etc the same possibility exits.  I've personally not lost a bit yet.  They sit secure in the card and tool.  I say skip the flat bits if thats a cost issue and use the 1/4 bits on hand.  Yes you will need to modify an 1/4 in extender to fit into the bit exchanger or you can buy the bit extender LM offers.

As to the Pros for Spirit, its a bomb proof tool.  High quality with a terrific tool set.  This tools reputation is there for a reason.  The only real con would be its slipperiness. 
As to the Pros for the Surge, its quite a "flexible" tool.  Yes you will need some add ons but no one buys just one driver or socket.  No one just has one saw for every job.  The add ons take this tool from MT to mini tool box.       

[kkokkolis]

You can use the LM bits and extender with the Victorinox Ratchet. That's what I do.

[Outback in Idaho]

  Victorinox needs that extra tool to use bits?   Never lost a bit myself. Even have a sheath filled with 3 cards and a bit extender - that I don't carry. It's in the cubby.

  Surge, is good if you're a skinny lil' fart or muscle bound & having a butt to hold the belt up and counter the Surge weight.

  As for replaceable cutters, way I look at it is they are less prone to create plier-jaw mashing in case a wire gets stuck or mashed the metal the wrong way. Beats taking a file to it and removing the burr that was created to get the pliers to function normally again. But when one files the burr down the cutting surface is that much more sacrificed. In that, having a replacement option saves having to either deal with the issue or sending the tool back in for pliers replacement.

[temo]

Spirit has a good set of fixed tools. And vic solution if you want to carry more screw drivers is seperate bit driver. Also there are keychain drivers example from gerber for torx and hex needs. So question is do you want to carry tens of drivers or happy with fixed tool having most common tools. But I agree you easily think what if I need that or that and with adapter MT could handle all situations. In practise I carry only tool and if having clear need I know I take bits and adapters to carry.

[ronin83]

Im set on the spirit now. It's just whether to settle for the complete ratchet set with the butter blade or get the s version and some extras separately

[Zed]

The spirit is a great choice,I started with a 1st gen wave in 98 and since stumbling onto this forum many years ago I've tried out pretty much every mt out there,I kind of left the spirit as my last quest as thought it would be where my mt adventure would end,well I was right  for me the original wave and the spirit are my favourites, but the spirit pips it to the top,it's a fantastic mt, super smooth and solid as you would expect from victorinox,you have made the right choice 

[kkokkolis]

I used it today for sewing/repairing my EDC bag. I passed the needle many times through the strap whith ease, using the pliers instead of my fingers. Very easy and the handle made it very precise and comfortable.

[Millhouse]

The Spirit is my favourite MT.

I've carried one in work since 2008, and can't see myself using anything else.

Couldn't get on with the butter blade though, so I have the Spirit X. So good, I now have 3 X's and 1 S.

[Shalom]

I can only offer my experience with the Spirit. I won one here in a GAW a couple of years back. I can't fault it at all. Working where I do I have a lot of small DIY'ish jobs on a daily basis and the Spirit has coped with it all - I rarely need to take another tool out with me. Aside from the excellent array of tools, the fit and finish is perfect. As other posters have mentioned, all the tools are accessible from the outside, the handles are comfortable in use and the crowning glory for me is the butter blade. I wish it was available in a stock 91mm frame - it's so useful.

Here's a pic to seduce you to the dark side:
WP_20160810_022 by magpie2112, on Flickr

Is that a Passenger ( in yellow ) in the photo ? I love that model !

[Zed]

Oh and it's sexy looking 

[Grass]

A bit late to the party... but I regard the Spirit, SwissTool and LM Surge as addressing three different weight/convenience points; from lightest  to heaviest. I would like a Vic equivalent of the Surge, which is a heavy, strong beast of a thing (with the replaceable cutters, of course!).

The LM Wave point seems closest to the SwissTool. I had rusty pretty well from new on my Wave, oiled the hell out if it and eventually gave it to a LM loving friend. The black oxide Surge is so far, so good, though.

I concur with all the other comments on the quality of the Vic versus the Leatherman. This extends far beyond the rust. There is nothing like the Vic quality; the Spirit and SwissTool *feel* like Vic products - like they are closer relatives of a SAK than identical looking multitools.

On my end... the Surge is in the house for serious work/abuse; the SwissTool RS is in the car for random uses (last used to pull rusty nails out of some wood at a friends place) and the Spirit X is not currently in use (such seems cruel, it's a great mt, but a little too heavy to pocket carry).

[magentus]

I can only offer my experience with the Spirit. I won one here in a GAW a couple of years back. I can't fault it at all. Working where I do I have a lot of small DIY'ish jobs on a daily basis and the Spirit has coped with it all - I rarely need to take another tool out with me. Aside from the excellent array of tools, the fit and finish is perfect. As other posters have mentioned, all the tools are accessible from the outside, the handles are comfortable in use and the crowning glory for me is the butter blade. I wish it was available in a stock 91mm frame - it's so useful.

Here's a pic to seduce you to the dark side:
WP_20160810_022 by magpie2112, on Flickr

Is that a Passenger ( in yellow ) in the photo ? I love that model !

Thanks! It is a Passenger I modded and replaced the small blade with an in-line awl from a 93mm alox model.

[ronin83]

Thanks everyone.
Trying to find a means of getting the s version plus.
Amazon are sneakily selling the s version alone quite cheap but without a pouch.
I'd need the L wrench n bits, and the plus version pouch. Can only find the plus pouch by foreign sellers on amazon.

Or get the standard butter knife n scissors version with everything and deal with it. Good prices around for that.

Isn't it a bitch to sharpen a serrated blade though??

[Aloha]

Thanks everyone.
Trying to find a means of getting the s version plus.
Amazon are sneakily selling the s version alone quite cheap but without a pouch.
I'd need the L wrench n bits, and the plus version pouch. Can only find the plus pouch by foreign sellers on amazon.

Or get the standard butter knife n scissors version with everything and deal with it. Good prices around for that.

Isn't it a bitch to sharpen a serrated blade though??

It can be.  The right ceramic rod or diamond rod will help tremendously.  Great thing about serrations is they cut well beyond the pointy tips getting dull.  Eventually those tips will round but I've only seen one knife with severely rounded tips. 

To the L wrench and bits offered by Vic, would you consider a comparable mini ratchet set?  There are several on the market that might also fit the bill.  There are some great threads on mini ratchets and L wrenches       

[ronin83]

I'd consider a different mini ratchet set, in fact i need one for work really, but that's a seperate matter. I want the L wrench set to fit in the vic pouch with the spirit, in separate slots so they don't scratch.  It's gotta be the vic set

[Zed]

I don't actually mind the butter blade as less lethal looking,plus I generally carry a separate slipjoint 👍

[ronin83]

I don't actually mind the butter blade as less lethal looking,plus I generally carry a separate slipjoint 👍

yeh i mean i do want that blade too, think it'd be useful, more so than tiny scissors anyway. Cutting is what knives are for right?
FFX are doing the butter blade plus(L wrench version) at £79! It's more like 120 usually. Not sure with them guys tho, they sell stuff they don't have in stock and things like that.

[Kampfer]

When I carry the Spirit, I will always have a plain edge folder with me, the serrated butter blade fills the void.

[jaya_man]

Found this video on youtube... Thought I'd share it.




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[Outback in Idaho]

Thanks everyone.
Trying to find a means of getting the s version plus.
Amazon are sneakily selling the s version alone quite cheap but without a pouch.
I'd need the L wrench n bits, and the plus version pouch. Can only find the plus pouch by foreign sellers on amazon.

Or get the standard butter knife n scissors version with everything and deal with it. Good prices around for that.

Isn't it a bitch to sharpen a serrated blade though??

It can be.  The right ceramic rod or diamond rod will help tremendously.  Great thing about serrations is they cut well beyond the pointy tips getting dull.  Eventually those tips will round but I've only seen one knife with severely rounded tips. 

To the L wrench and bits offered by Vic, would you consider a comparable mini ratchet set?  There are several on the market that might also fit the bill.  There are some great threads on mini ratchets and L wrenches     

  Serrated is easy with the right sharpener.

[ronin83]

Cheers.
The ratchet...i don't like the fact that the bits can push straight through. I mean it renders is pretty useless for gettin screws out of tight spaces cos u have to apply downward pressure for 'bite' and that's the main reason i need a mini ratchet.


I can see u take ur sharpening seriously lol

[jaya_man]

The Vic ratchet bits have notches that would prevent them from going all the way through the ratchet... As shown below:



Add an extension to the exposed bit, then you would have some sort of additional pivot for leverage.




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[ronin83]

The Vic ratchet bits have notches that would prevent them from going all the way through the ratchet... As shown below:

(Image removed from quote.)

Add an extension to the exposed bit, then you would have some sort of additional pivot for leverage.

(Image removed from quote.)


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The previous video clearly shows that tge bits can push all the way through with pressure.
I'm talking about using it in a tight space where u cannot use even a stubby screwdriver, that's where mini ratchets come in to play.
Imagine u only have a couple inches between the surface with the screw in it and the surface above it.
I know it sounds rare, but believe me in my job it's happened loads.

I've ordered a spirit S, pouch and wrench/bitholder as separate items. I've even found somewhere to order the corkscrew/glasses driver if i need it.

[jaya_man]

Tested it on mine... It doesn't slide through that easy compared to the vid... Maybe over time...

Anyway, congrats on your purchase... Love to see some pics once they arrive. Cheers...


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[Aloha]

I have the Vic L wrench and like it quite a lot.  I ended up finding a nice cheap L wrench that is pretty nice as well.  The nice thing is you can use the Vic L wrench at both ends.  For recessed screws you can add an extender to the L wrench which would give white a bit of reach.  I've also used mine with sockets.   

Disregard the LM bit extender it's all I had close at hand.