SAK to pliers-based: What did it take for you to switch?

[Smaug]

I'm a SAK guy now, but I WANT to like pliers-based tools more.

When I was an electrical technician and I came across a nut or bolt where I could use the big pliers, I never did it because I didn't want to chew up the head of the fastener. I always went and got a socket set or adjustable wrench or combo wrench.

I did get some use out of the needlenosed pliers, but they're so slippery and heavy, compared to a regular tool version.

Finally, I decided to just carry a needlenosed pliers, adjustable wrench, and six-in-one screwdriver in my back pocket, and a SAK in my front pocket.

Now, I fly a desk and never need more than a Vic Classic. I feel like such a failure around here!

[detron]

I fly a desk too, don't feel bad,  but once in a while,  I can save the day!  though it may be some small think like pulling a tac out of wood.

but I feel good having tools on me,  and they pay off.

today I was able to use both my Charge TTi and my SwissChamp.
some sailors were trying to remove a wood shelf from the wall,  the screws were just spinning and not retreating (they used screws that have no thread on the 2 inches or so closest to the head).  I used the chisel to make a small gouge on one side of the screw, the used the can opener to lightly pry back while the sailor unscrewed it with a drill,  the can opener actually worked well on holding the screw head while allowing it to spin.  this worked great.

then I used the Charge to grab and remove the drywall anchors from another wall before the sailors painted it. 

for me, this was a great day tool wise.


to answer your question,  for me it is not a "switch" to plier based, it is an addition that is added to your carry.  I always have both, and seem to find inventive ways to use the tools in combo.

[getahl]

I fly a desk,  and usually just carry a Classic. Sometimes I add a small folder. Outside of cutting the strap on a box of copier paper,  I just don't use knives much in my job, and the extra room in my pockets means I don't have to sit on my wallet all day.

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[getahl]

I fly a desk,  and usually just carry a Classic. Sometimes I add a small folder. Outside of cutting the strap on a box of copier paper,  I just don't use knives much in my job, and the extra room in my pockets means I don't have to sit on my wallet all day.

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ETA: I'm sure you'll see I like to be prepared, and I can save the day,  and that's fine. Personally, I don't feel the need to save the day with a half pound pair of my on my belt,  when I only use them once a year. Everyone's usage is going to differ.

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[Monrogue]

Basically what Detron said.  I too work an office job, although I get called away from my desk multiple times a day.  Still, if I'm honest, I could likely get by just fine with something like a Compact, and I mostly did during a month long minimalist challenge last fall, with my only failings being once or twice when I happened to need pliers.  However, that's no fun   I occasionally am able to save the day thanks to having a pliers based MT on me, and the SAK handles the typical light daily uses.  Most days though, the majority of use for either is fiddle factor

[Aloha]

I have never seen it as "one or the other" especially for those of you whose jobs have changed.  It's all about best tool for the job, so if that means a Tinker gets the job done then great.  Having a plier based tool in the back ground that has come into play even once per year IMO is worth it.  It does no harm just sitting there, to me it's like having a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, its there IF you need it. 

Having tools that you feel do the job is whats important so if you've found the right combo for you plus a SAK then awesome.  I carry my MT with me on off days and while they dont see much use I feel great having them on me so that what's it about. 

[eddie1115]

If I'm honest, I don't need a plier-based MT on my person everyday.   I do often carry a lighter-duty one (even something small like a Style PS) with my SAK, but I could get by without. 
For the days when I don't carry one, I rely on various "stashed" MTs (car, backpack, desk drawer).

[Aloha]

If I'm honest, I don't need a plier-based MT on my person everyday.   I do often carry a lighter-duty one (even something small like a Style PS) with my SAK, but I could get by without. 
For the days when I don't carry one, I rely on various "stashed" MTs (car, backpack, desk drawer).

I've been carrying a Squirt P4 at home and I really dig this little tool.  I use my MT daily when working but as well when off not all that much.  I have needed it and boy it's great when that happens. 

[magentus]

Although I work in an office I am always getting called out to do odd jobs around the building. Usually my Woodsman and Spirit are sufficient, although I keep my Estwing, block plane and a proper screwdriver handy too.

[shibafu]

What could make me switch would be a pliers-type tool with a decent-sized, non-locking, outside opening knife blade (legal for UK EDC) with a backspring at least as strong as a 91mm SAK.  The LM Juice is the nearest I've found so far, but the blade on that is too narrow and thick to be a good slicer and the backspring is soft.

[Toolslinger]

I fly a desk as well and started on the opposite end of the spectrum with a Leatherman instead of a SAK. I tried modding my tools to get everything I needed into one package. When that didn't work, I tried going full SAK (2 in fact to get the tool coverage and combinations I wanted). That didn't work either. What does work is pairing a Leatherman with a SAK to cover and complement each others tool sets. Throw a flashlight and lighter into the mix and I can tackle a surprising amount of stuff. The nice thing about my current setup is that it all fits in my pockets instead of on my belt like I used to do.

[firiki]

I'm a SAK person myself (alox flavour in particular though I'm highly appreciative of Vic Huntsman and Hanyman models).

I have a desk job too but the need for some minor repairs/maintenance or general duty McGyvering can occur anytime anywhere. So I stashed a Vic Spirit in my bag for those times I might need a pair of pliers or better leverage or want to be able to thourougly clean the tool afterwards.

[detron]

I fly a desk as well and started on the opposite end of the spectrum with a Leatherman instead of a SAK. I tried modding my tools to get everything I needed into one package. When that didn't work, I tried going full SAK (2 in fact to get the tool coverage and combinations I wanted). That didn't work either. What does work is pairing a Leatherman with a SAK to cover and complement each others tool sets. Throw a flashlight and lighter into the mix and I can tackle a surprising amount of stuff. The nice thing about my current setup is that it all fits in my pockets instead of on my belt like I used to do.

I have started dressing "business tactical"  I wear a shirt (sometimes a tie) and my pants are 5.11 Taclite pro pants. 
I do not use the cargo pockets daily, but leave them empty.  however, if I am sent out on a mission, trace fiber, network cabinet install, whatever, I have some extra storage.  the back pockets are deep, and the wallet goes lower, so you do not feel like you are sitting on it at all.  the first day I kept checking that I had not lost it.

the front pockets are reinforced where a pocket clip would sit

then there is a knife pocket on the mid-upper thigh on one side, and a small MT pocket on the other side.

since I do some non office work, I like that they are rip-stop, water and grime-repellant, and double or triple stitched.  I can also put knee pads in from the inside

[Smaug]

I have started dressing "business tactical"  I wear a shirt (sometimes a tie) and my pants are 5.11 Taclite pro pants. 

Those are great. My favorite work pants are Columbia ROC (Rugged Outdoor Chino) (link) but the material quality has slipped over the years, they have rear patch pockets, and they're still $35 locally. They were originally cotton canvas, but now are something else that is second rate.

I might get a pair of those 5.11 and see if I can get by with cargo pockets.

Someone is really missing the boat on work pants. We need some without any patch pockets, made of a soft, rugged, wrinkle-free fabric, but still with a decent amount of pocket room.

[Toolslinger]

I fly a desk as well and started on the opposite end of the spectrum with a Leatherman instead of a SAK. I tried modding my tools to get everything I needed into one package. When that didn't work, I tried going full SAK (2 in fact to get the tool coverage and combinations I wanted). That didn't work either. What does work is pairing a Leatherman with a SAK to cover and complement each others tool sets. Throw a flashlight and lighter into the mix and I can tackle a surprising amount of stuff. The nice thing about my current setup is that it all fits in my pockets instead of on my belt like I used to do.

I have started dressing "business tactical"  I wear a shirt (sometimes a tie) and my pants are 5.11 Taclite pro pants. 
I do not use the cargo pockets daily, but leave them empty.  however, if I am sent out on a mission, trace fiber, network cabinet install, whatever, I have some extra storage.  the back pockets are deep, and the wallet goes lower, so you do not feel like you are sitting on it at all.  the first day I kept checking that I had not lost it.

the front pockets are reinforced where a pocket clip would sit

then there is a knife pocket on the mid-upper thigh on one side, and a small MT pocket on the other side.

since I do some non office work, I like that they are rip-stop, water and grime-repellant, and double or triple stitched.  I can also put knee pads in from the inside

5.11 Taclite Pros are awesome. I wear them daily during the warmer months (like today ).

I stash my cell phone in the mag pocket, MUT in the knife pocket, wallet goes front right, flashlight is clipped front left along with my SAK on a dangler, BIC goes in the bottom of the left front pocket with the keys. Cargo pockets are kept empty just in case.

[Smaug]

Oh, and regarding stashing MTs around, I've taken to doing that too, even though it means they don't get much use.

My original SwissTool is in my wife's glove box.

My Leatherman Surge is in my glove box.

My Victorinox Skipper is in my courier bag that I carry to work.

I think I'm going to try pocket-carrying the Juice S2 again this weekend. It is pocket-sized, and with a great tool set, but I recall it being quite heavy...

[AimlessWanderer]

Circumstances. I carry what suits my needs.

If I don't find myself needing pliers in a certain role, I drop them from the carry, if I find myself caught out, I add them again. I always like to have some form of light, blade, and scissors. Everything else varies

[sawman]

Sometimes, I will go out without the Rebar but still have a Style CS and Rambler on me as well as other keyring gadgets. It depends on my anticipated needs. Sometimes I'm a little ambitious toward needing a Rebar and sometimes not.

[ToolJoe]

I've tried carrying plier based mt's in the past and never found them to be comfortable and too bulky. Too big for pocket carry also. I've ventured away from them and carry a Vic Tinker or a Leatherman C33T and that usually covers most of my needs. A Vic Hercules and two pairs of actual pliers (slipjoint and linesman) are stashed in the glovebox of my car for bigger tasks. They seem to handle it okay. Also, I have a little tool kit consisting of a pair of Vise Grips, electricians scissors, 6 in 1 screwdriver and a utility knife stashed under the backseat.

[lister]

SAK, LM-minitool, problem solved. 

[Kampfer]

Life in modern cities, if everything goes as planed, average people don't need any knives or tools normally other than a screw driver.

I carry gadgets to prepare for the unexpected, so there you go.

[cody6268]

Not having full size pliers and wire cutters when I needed them.  We use rebar binding wire for almost everything around here, and sometimes it might be too tightly twisted to unwire, and when I needed to cut it, all I had was a 91mm SAK. 

A couple months ago, my grandfather was mowing hay, and needed to cut a low hanging telephone line from a  run down abandoned house to get it out of the way.   At the time, all I was carrying was a Victorinox Craftsman and a beat up Klein Sheepsfoot (well, actually a hawkbill) Slitting Knife.   I couldn't, of course, use those miniature pliers/wire cutters, so I had to resort to the metal saw/file combo.  Took me forever to get it cut!    I also ended up doing damage to the teeth of the saw as my Craftsman is an older one with the case hardened file/metal saw combo.   

I typically carried dedicated pliers and wire cutters at the time that I already had, but they were bulky and weighed probably more than even a Super Tool!

I had various plier-based inexpensive tools, but all were of rather poor quality and poorly thought out layout. It led me to dislike pliers based multitools altogether.   


Hearing bad things about modern Leathermans was why I chose older models. I bought two Leathermans, a PST II for everyday carry and an original Super Tool for the added saw and awl (lacks the scissors, but I do have the PST II) for work and outdoor use.  And yes, there are moments outside of the farm when I need pliers and wire cutters, such as those pain in the neck wire ties used in packaging larger products these days.  Nine times out of ten, I just cut them.   

[Sea Monster]

I carried a SAK since I was a sprog, moving to a Multi was part of having a job that required more options, but not wanting to fill my pockets with the entire contents of the work truck (pockets are for muesli bars and gum)

For me Multis are called "Warranty Voiders", and you have to make that call - Can I reasonably expect to fix this with a Multi, or do I need proper tools?

Pulling staples out of an unhappy shredder - Multi
Adjusting the carby on the bike out riding - Multi
Wiring up battery chargers and inverters - Possibly the "right" multi, but you might be pushing your luck.
Installing a new water pump - Better get the toolbox.


I am getting closer and closer to being behind a desk full time, but I am sure I will still carry a full size multi for the things that crop up.

[danilo]

I tried one.

[ironraven]

The word "switch" implies you did A, then stopped doing A to do B. In that case, never!

Instead, I say "add". A Compact or Climber with a LM ST300 or Rebar, with a small pry bar and a flashlight, will give you pretty much all the tools you need for EDC.