I think you have the answer why the nail nick was on the inside. Good discovery! 

It seems that Gerber was fine-tuning the design during early production and there were examples of parts being mixed up as design features changed. 

> Max Stone


Thank you very much !
It's fun to see the history of Gerber's improvements, but it is a hard work. ┐('～`；)┌
I'm glad if my opinion is correct.



UPO 17 / 20
V1.2 with Thick Lanyard







This is a V1.2 model. Both handles have two cut-outs. And the position of nail nicks are correct.
 
I introduced almost same model except the lanyard before.



Upper: V1.2 with thick lanyard (same as above)
Lower: V1.2 with thin lanyard (introduced before)


The turning point of thick lanyard to thin, and one cut-out on handle to two were almost same timing.
So, these two models could be a judgement material when I decide which event was occurred at first.



Upper: V1.2 with thick lanyard
Lower: V1.2 with thin lanyard


Comparison of thickness.

Off topic but, why can't Fiskars bring back that scissors size, with the current spring design!?!? That would make the Pro Scout and Bladeless an even better tool!!! (or even incorporate it to the Basic model by replacing the current openers for the combo tool of the Suspension NXT!)

Off topic but, why can't Fiskars bring back that scissors size, with the current spring design!?!? That would make the Pro Scout and Bladeless an even better tool!!! (or even incorporate it to the Basic model by replacing the current openers for the combo tool of the Suspension NXT!)

Because these were terrible scissors - the later Fiskars scissors were much better. There's a reason Gerber stopped fitting them very early in their evolution of the Mr Pinchies.

Oooh, ok; thanks, Greg. I thought they might have been better.

Oooh, ok; thanks, Greg. I thought they might have been better.

I've never tried them myself but I remember it being said that these were the worst scissors "Fiskars" ever made.  

I've never tried them myself but I remember it being said that these were the worst scissors "Fiskars" ever made.

To be fair I had an idea these might have been designed and made before Fiskars actually got control of Gerber MT production.

To be fair I had an idea these might have been designed and made before Fiskars actually got control of Gerber MT production.

I think I'm right in saying that they did start making them after Fiskars had bought Gerber.  However I also suspect that the moment Fiskars realised what was going on they quickly put a stop to it. 

I have try to cut klinex several times. But I couldn't ! (´Д`|||)





Totally useless... but I really love this shape. (´ε`*)


Now I am preparing next post to introduce UPO 18 / 20. But on the way, I made a new discovery. ('O'*)
So please wait next post just a little.

Just want to say a huge thanks for all your work to this Hiraboo. And of course to all the others that add new informations and keep this thread going 

...
Now I am preparing next post to introduce UPO 18 / 20. But on the way, I made a new discovery. ('O'*)
So please wait next post just a little.

 

Just want to say a huge thanks for all your work to this Hiraboo. And of course to all the others that add new informations and keep this thread going 

100%  great work hiraboo. I look forward to see a group photo of all your Pinchys when you finish showing each in such good detail. 

> All


The honor is more than I deserve.　
Thank you, thank you very much. (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)



UPO 18 / 20
Match and Mismatch Nail Nick Mixed







In previous post, Greg reported the V1.1.5 model.
The features of V1.1.5 are one handle cut-out, matched nail nick on PE blade, and mismatched nail nick on SE blade.





But about this model, the match and mismatch are the opposite.





Looking closely, there is no "GERBER USA" engraved on the PE blade.
Do the blades with mismatched nail-nick have no "GERBER USA" engraving ?
I checked other V1 models.

So I made a new discovery.
In conclusion, there are three types of blades.







Blades variation

---

	"GERBER USA"           Engraved	Nail nick position
・Type I    (upper)	-	inside (mismatch)
・Type II    (middle)	●	inside (mismatch)
・Type III    (lower)	●	outside (match)

---

And about the serrated blades, there are quite the same three variations too.





Type I (Upper), Type II (Middle), Type III (Lower)
The features are the same as in the table above.


I must include these information and revise next chart !


By the way, do you remember I said there are 829,440 models in calculation.
Now we know there are three plain edge blades and three serrated edge blades.
Let's calculate again !

829,440 x 3 x 3
= 7,464,960

Things are getting worse...

By the way, do you remember I said there are 829,440 models in calculation.
Now we know there are three plain edge blades and three serrated edge blades.
Let's calculate again !

829,440 x 3 x 3
= 7,464,960

Things are getting worse...

It's a bit scary to think about just how many variations there are in the "Mr Pinchy" world alone (and I have 3 boxes full of them !      )

> Greg


3 boxes ?
I heard you store your collection in 3 cargo containers.
(　 Д )　⊙ ⊙



UPO 19 / 20
Black V1







To be honest, black V1 model is not Unidentified Pinchy Object.
It was reported by gerleatherberman before. And I put it in the previous chart.
Finally I got this, so this time I will introduce my black V1.





Both handles have only one cut-out, and both blades have mismatched nail nick ("GERBER USA" engraved on). This model is classified as a V1.1.
V1.1 is the same as the V1.0 except for the "FIRST PRODUCTION RUN" etching. So GERBER seemed to produce the black model very early on.





I tried to cut Kleenex again, using the black scissors. But I couldn't cut it again.

 

It's a pity. I think with a bit of some tuning those scissors could have worked 

> Greg

3 boxes ?
I heard you store your collection in 3 cargo containers..

 

That's a slight exaggeration, I've only got  96 Mr Pinchies     I will admit the missus insisted I spread all the boxes out a bit  ( I think she was worried about them being too heavy in one spot and going through the floor ....    )

    

> McStitchy


I gave up the adjustment. (T▽T)
This scissors is not something to use, it's something to enjoy watching.



> Greg

7,464,960 - 96 = 7,464,864
I will advise your wife that her husband has no intention of stopping the collection.
(￣∀￣*)



UPO 20 / 20
Matt Finished P-1 Pliers







There are many variations of Mr. Pinchy. Among them, I think the V1 models with a beautiful mirror finish are exceptional. Not only the surface finish, but also the pliers head is made very conscientious.
Therefore, I had thought that the mirror finished surface and the P-1 pliers were inseparable attributes, until I found this matt finished P-1 model.





And this one also have pre-production utility blade. It is rare but several times I find this type of utility blade on ebay. As I mentioned before, I think it is proper that this type may be named "early type", not "pre-production".

It is difficult to distinguish between P-1 pliers and P-2 in the pictures, on an auction site for example. I will point out some differences to determine the P-1 and P-2 pliers.



Right to left;

• P-1 pliers, mirror finished, V1
• P-1 pliers, matt finished, UPO 20
• P-2 pliers, matt finished, V2

The order is the same in the pictures below.


They are very similar!

You can see a little difference between them when closed position.





The root of P-1 pliers looks thick and the tip looks thin. And the whole looks more like a triangle.
Ah...I think it is hard to understand.





The number of pliers "teeth(I don't know their real name)" is also different.
P-1 pliers have 11 "teeth". On the other hand, P-2 pliers have 5 "teeth".

The most characteristic is the side view.





Looking at the P-1 pliers from the side, it looks like a needle-nose.
On the other hand, P-2 pliers looks like a blunt-nose.

I hope you find this information useful.

The number of pliers "teeth(I don't know their real name)" is also different.
P-1 pliers have 11 "teeth". On the other hand, P-2 pliers have 5 "teeth".

I hope you find this information useful.

Excellent, interesting & useful info hiraboo, thank you 

How would you classify a V1.? Mr Pinchy with no teeth on the pliers at all (yes, completely smooth) ? 

I'm pretty sure it was a prototype or pre-production tool as it also has a file machined into a long skinny awl.  The seller was the son of an ex-Gerber employee, and I have purchased several oddities from him over the years.

Oh, till now I thought Mr.Pinchy pliers were all the same thickness at the tip until the needle-nose appeared with v5 

> Greg


Wow toothless, it's so funny ! Σ(~ロ~;)

It seems that there are other prototype components as well.
For example;
・The long screwdriver Gareth reported in the "New for 1992" thread.
・The hoof pick ? Go Army, Beat Navy reported in this thread before.

I don't know how to classify them. I think it's the only one. It is an unclassifiable treasure. (○´∀`)b



> McStitchy


Oh yes, I am surprised too. Σ(ﾟ口ﾟ;)//
P-1 pliers don't seem to be strong enough. So it seems they quickly improved the pliers.
 


UPO Extra Edition
Two Types of FPRs


I have thought that "FIRST PRODUCTION RUN" meant "the first production lot". In other words, I have thought they produced FPRs under the same situation, assembling same parts.
So I have thought all FPRs were exactly the same.

Oh, I was wrong. They didn't say that it was the first lot.
Do you remember that I mentioned there are sub types of blades in previous post about UPO 18 ?
The blades of the FPR have the mismatched nail nick. The blades with the mismatched nail nick classified into two types, depending on the presence / absence of the "GERBER USA" engraving.
Therefore, there may be at least two types of FPRs.


It is not my fantasy...







Upper: FPR, "GERBER USA" engraved on both blades
Lower: FPR, nothing engraved on both blades
The position of the "FIRST PRODUCTION RUN" marking seems to be slightly different.


This time I revised the chart including these two types of FPRs.
Sorry I made you wait.



GERBER MULTI-PLIER Pinchology 6th Edition



Please right click to download.

↓PDF version here.

Excellent work! Thank you Hiraboo 

 

Newish to the forum and thought I'd join in on the fun.  Here is my Mr. Pinchy that I have slightly modified and love using. I have had this thing since early to mid-90s if my memory serves me correctly.

Welcome VJ 
Cool mod on the can-opener 

Looks lkke a version 4.1 Mr.Pinchy to me which puts it to the mid to late 90s in my estimation.

And my newest tool...I believe it is the version 5 from what I have read on the forum.

Cool ! 

 

About Gerber Multi–Plier Timeline


As you know, there seems no clear evidence to determine when the subtypes of Mr. Pinchy were manufactured. I also had given up thinking about the timeline.
But I overlooked something important.
Now I will try to guess the timeline.



About Gerber Patent


Gerber Multi-Plier were related to at least two patents, US 5,142,721 and US 5,212,844.
Here are the first pages of these patents document.



Patent US 5,142,721
POCKET TOOL WITH RETRACTABLE JAWS
Filed Mar. 8, 1991
Date of Patent Sep. 1, 1992



Patent US 5,212,844
POCKET TOOL WITH RETRACTABLE JAWS
Filed Jul. 28, 1992
Date of Patent May. 25, 1993


Usually there is some time lag among filing the patent documents and authorization.
Between this time lag, most manufactures will indicate “PATENT PENDING” and caution other rivals not to make similar items. After the patent authorization, they will get the patent number and indicate it proudly.

Of course Gerber did that. So I need to look up the patent indication / mark closely.
OK, let's go.



M-1

PATENT
PENDING


Term,
From the first production to the patent US 5142721 authorized date.
Start ~ Sep. 1992


M-2

U.S. PATENT NO.
5142721


Term,
From the patent US 5142721 authorized date to the patent US 5212844 authorized date.
Sep. 1992 ~ May 1993



M-3

U.S. PATENT NO.
5142721 / 5142844
Gerber mistyped “5212844” as “5142844”.


Term,
From the patent US 5212844 authorized date to the day when the M-4 type patent marking was appeared.
May 1993 ~ Nov. 1995?



M-4

U.S. PATENT
5142721
5212844
PAT PEND


It suggests the existence of a third patent. But I could not detect it. I need to take another way to approach.



Reference: A box of MP600 D.E.T.
Related patents; US 5,142,721; US 5,212,844; US 6,088,860; 5,946,752; 610,520,260; 6,305,041; DE 29708077.6; DE 692232120.9; EP 0653975; FI 108621.
Is there what I'm looking for?


The M-4 type patent marking was appeared with V5. Fortunately, I think I can guess when V5 was newly released. Needle-nose pliers were one of the features of V5, so some sellers might have introduced it as the new model of Multi-Pliers in the advertisement.
Yes, I found such an advertisement in a Japanese magazine.



Nishimura, N. (Eds.) (December 1995). "Advertisement of knives shop CREEK," Knife Magazine No.55 (Vol.10 No.6), p39. Japan: KK World Photo Press


This magazine was published on Dec. 1, 1995 in Japan. So, I think V5 was sold at least on Nov. 1995.

Term,
From production of V5 model to the end.
Nov. 1995? ~ end


Summary

   Start ~ Sep. 1992

   Sep. 1992 ~ May 1993

   May 1993 ~ Nov. 1995?

   Nov. 1995? ~ end