A Review of the Original Gerber Multi-Plier

[Max Stone]

A Review of the Original Gerber Multi-Plier (re-post due to image hosting issues)


 Gerber Multi-Plier approx. 1996

Introduction:
Gerber launched its first multitool, the Multi-Plier, in late 1991. With production of some components outsourced, the first few versions were troubled by mismatched parts, such as nail-nicks not lining up with the handle cut-outs, and poorly executed scissors that were quickly replaced with an awl. But even so, there was strong demand, and by 1995 Gerber had taken production inhouse with the final versions of these first-generation Multi-Pliers getting a needle nose option, to take the fight with Leatherman head-on.

All these early Gerber multitools suffered from a design weakness of tight-closing handles that could result in a nasty pinched palm, leading to its nickname “Old Pinchy” or “Mr. Pinchy”. But even with this flaw, Gerber’s sliding pliers design has endured for nearly thirty years, updated in 1998 to include locking tools (called the Multi-Lock), and still sold today as the MP600, along with Gerber’s extended multitool family.

In this review, I will unpack the design elements that made the original Multi-Plier such a successful product, including the compromises the Gerber designers had to make. I will also compare the Multi-Plier to not only a few contemporary tools of the day, but also some modern products.

Why do a review on a thirty-year-old design? It really comes down to relevance. The Multi-Plier may be old, but original models are still used and loved (or hated) by many, and it is one of the few multitool designs that has been in continuous production since the early 90’s. This makes it relevant to both multitool users and collectors alike, and even as a study in Industrial Design for manufacturers.

Concept:
There are only two practical ways to stow pliers inside a multitool; folding or sliding. Folding designs, like Tim Leatherman’s PST that kick started the multitool market in 1983, simply added a pivot to the end of each handle, allowing the handles to fold back over the pliers when not needed. The remaining space is used to store additional folding tools, such as blades and screwdrivers, that pivot from the other end of the handles when needed.

Rather than folding, Gerber designed and patented a sliding mechanism. Instead of pivoting each handle on the pliers, the Multi-Plier’s handles meet at a single pivot point and the pliers slide out independently and engage a locking mechanism, so that the plier’s pivot align with the handle’s pivot and you have a working tool. Like folding multitools, the space behind and to the sides of the stowed pliers are used for storing additional folding tools.


US Patent US5142721A – filed by Fiskars in 1991. Fiskars purchased Gerber in 1987.

There were also less conventional 90-degree folding designs in the 90’s, such Schrade’s Tough Tool and SOG’s ParaTool. And Bear MCG was the first to flip the handles around to avoid the sharp handle edges when you opened their Bear Jaws multitool to use the pliers. This also allowed outside tool opening years before the Victorinox SwissTool or Leatherman Wave were released with this feature.

Both the folding and sliding designs achieved the same result; a way of creating a compact pocket tool that allows the easy deployment of pliers for general purpose use. There are benefits to both designs, however each have their own drawbacks.

So, why did we see so many folding but only one sliding design – was it simply because the folding design was better? Well, contrary to what many people may assume, the patent number stamped on the side of the original Leatherman PST does not relate to Tim’s concept of having a pair of pliers with folding handles. This is because Tim was unsuccessful in patenting this idea, as the patent office said that scissors, which fell under the same hand tool classification, already existed with folding handles. However, the patent office agreed to cover his unique clamping feature and the combination of two kinds of pliers connected by pivots.

For more on this topic, see the post “A better Leatherman, Tim Leatherman?”
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,80241.msg1846015.html#msg1846015




Different folding designs; (1) Gerber Multi-Plier, (2) Leatherman OHT, (3) Leatherman PST, (4) SOG ParaTool, (5) SOG Power Plier, (6) Victorinox SwissTool, (7) Bear Jaws 155

To Flick or Fold?
The most recognizable feature of the Gerber Multi-Plier is the deployment flick. The sliding mechanism is not locked in a closed position, only when open, so the pliers will slide out and lock in a second with just a flick of your wrist.

With a longitudinal folding design, the handles must separate and rotate all the way around and lock each pivot independently. With free pivots, this does support one-handed deployment like a butterfly knife, but it’s not as quick or easy as the sliding system used by the Multi-Plier.

And there’s no denying the benefit of deploying a multitool with one hand. As mentioned in a review of the Multi-Plier in the 1994 Backpacker magazine “…the pliers deploy single-handedly, a factor much appreciated by one editor who was trying to extract a lure from the toothy jaws of a thrashing 15-pound pike.”

Was it enough to make the Multi-Plier the market leader? No. Was it enough to keep the design relevant and marketable for nearly thirty years? Yes. But is it better?

There’s no escaping the elephant in the room; the palm pinch. A design limitation of the original Multi-Plier sliding system is that the handles remain closed after deploying the pliers. At first, this appears a harmless design quirk. However, it’s possible for the pliers to slip off something you are squeezing down on, pinching the flesh as the handles close on your palm.

Another design quirk is the necessary loose tolerance between the pliers and handles needed to allow smooth deployment. The resulting characteristic rattle is unwelcomed by many users, as is the play when the pliers are deployed. But don’t let the rattling mislead you. The Multi-Plier is as tough as nails, sometimes described as the AK-47 of multitools.

So, is it better to flick? There’s no denying the robustness of the design, the comfort of the rounded handles, the satisfying fiddle-factor, or the almost subconscious speed with which it can be deployed. And I love the original blunt nose design that tucks away in the handles. It feels solid and confidence-inspiring in the hand, and many users swear by its ability to soak up years of abuse. But ultimately, there were too many design compromises and the 1998 Leatherman Wave took the all-round functionality of the multitool to a new level that Gerber was unable to match.


Gerber Multi-Plier deployment methods

Pliers first:
Multitools are all about compromises. Like a jack of all trades, a multitool cannot replace a single-purpose tool designed for a specific task. But the convenience of carrying one tool to do one hundred different tasks far outweighs this shortcoming, most of the time.

As a plier-based multitool, the Multi-Plier makes no excuses for putting the pliers front and center compared to the other tools hidden away in its handle. This is a legacy of many multitools of its era, but it does mean that some tools are quite handicapped because of this.

The Multi-Plier’s handles are wider than the pliers, allowing longer tools, such as blades, files and scissors, to overlap with the pliers when stowed. Furthermore, the space behind the retracted pliers is used for additional folding tools. But with only an inch of clearance, these tools are limited to a stubby Phillips, one flat driver, a small bottle opener and lanyard loop. While the stubby drivers are undeniably short, it does mean they are less likely to fold back on the user’s fingers, a common problem with the drivers of the Leatherman PST it competed with at the time.


 Multi-Plier vs. PST folding tools

Tool access on the Multi-Plier is rather rudimentary. The long outer tools have nail nicks and are easy to access, but it’s a case of just diving in with your fingertip to retrieve any of the other tools. There are no bushings between the tools, so tool clumping is standard. But I have managed to adjust the spring tension and pivots so that I can open the blades without any other tools following.

There’s an unfinished feel to some of the folding tools. The large flat has rounded corners, the surface treatment is inconsistent, and the scissors were so bad that Gerber had to quickly replace them with an awl, later replaced with a file. But the PE (plain edge) and SE (serrated edge) blades are well-designed and hold a good edge. And while they do not lock, the bottom handle forms a natural finger guard when the blades are deployed. Unfortunately, this design layout (also common with the PST), means that it is impossible to use either the PE or SE blades parallel to a flat work surface. A common limitation pointed out by users.

The excellent file in my sample was made by Simonds Industries Inc., one of the best manufacturers of files in the USA at the time. Mine would have been made in their Newcomerstown facility. However, this plant closed in 2006 and Simonds moved file production to South America, probably explaining why Gerber ended this relationship.

http://Multi-Plier PE blade and Simonds file

But the star of the show remains the pliers, especially in their original blunt-nose format. While there’s play between the plier’s head and the handles, the plier’s pivot is rock-solid, and the alignment and machining of the jaws is perfect. There’s no hard-wire notch, but the cutters have a close fit that will snip paper. And while it’s not a needle nose, the squared tip provides a sharp corner, and the first ridge at the tip of the jaws is higher, supporting quite delicate work if needed.

And while there’s valid criticism of the pinching handles, a by-product is that for the same degree of handle splay (compared to other multitools), the plier’s jaws open further, much further, allowing larger items to be gripped with more hand pressure due to this geometry.


 How jaw opening stacks up: SOG Power Plier (geared), Leatherman Wave, Gerber Multi-Plier.

So, while I can give my Multi-Plier example a positive review for its pliers, blades and file, it gets a fail for the ridiculously short large flat and Phillips drivers. I’m also disappointed that Gerber failed to add a fine screwdriver to this model, as found on the PST. There’s a wide spacing washer on one pivot that is a waste of valuable space.

[Max Stone]

(Part 2 of re-post)
Comparisons – then and now:
In its day, Gerber’s Multi-Plier was aimed squarely at the PST and Leatherman’s market dominance. In its favour, the PST was smaller, lighter, had longer drivers (including a fine flat), and an awl. The Multi-Plier was certainly stronger, more comfortable to use (pinching aside), and featured one-handed opening of the pliers. And while demand was strong, the PST had an eight-year head start and market dominance.

Side by side, the PST looks and feels more delicate. But apart from the pliers, the PST has the better toolset. And Leatherman were masterful in directing the market away from a focus on folding pliers with the launch of their pièce de résistance, the Wave.

Launched in 1998, the Wave rocketed to the top of the sales charts, and has remained there ever since. A comfortable handle grip, one-handed, outside opening tools (blades, saw and file), and user-replaceable pocket clip, all contributed to making this the most well-balanced all-rounder on the market. The one-trick Gerber had no answer. And the “me too” of replaceable wire cutters, bit drives and military tools has not given either brand any significant advantage.

However, the last laugh must go to Gerber. With the expiry of Gerber’s patent, Leatherman released their own sliding pliers multitool in 2012, the OHT. Placed in their heavy duty category in an effort to offer an alternative to Gerber’s larger tools, the OHT was a Multi-Plier/Wave Frankenstein that met with a lukewarm response and poor sales.


Gerber Multi-Plier and Leatherman OHT

And Leatherman Free? Surely a multi-million Dollar project to design a completely new multitool from the ground up, must trump a thirty year old design? Yes…and no. To test, I’ve been carrying and using my vintage Multi-Plier together with my new Free P2 for the last week.

Sure, except for the rather short file and 2D Phillips, the folding (and locking) tools are all better on the P2. But if my life depended on it, like using the pliers to hang from the skids of a helicopter a thousand feet up, my faith would be in the Multi-Plier.




Gerber Multi-Plier and Leatherman Free P2

Final Comments:
So, is Gerber’s Multi-Plier an outdated dinosaur trapped in a world that judges a multitool’s success by tool-count and trick tech? Maybe. Like the luxury 4x4 market, the demand for rugged, no-nonsense multitools has been eclipsed by the needs of the modern urban warrior.

So while the Gerber is compromised in many ways, it’s solid and reliable, has excellent pliers, and I’m more than happy to have it in my rotation schedule. If you have an interest in multitools and don’t have a Mr. Pinchy…get one. It’s a great tool.

Thanks to…
A special note of thanks to gerleatherberman who generously provided the Multi-Plier I used for this review.

[Max Stone]

NB: There will be a follow-up / update with the later MP600... 

[Juan el Boricua]

Thanks, Max, for your time and effort making this comprehensive review on this versatile tool! It has been quite informative, objective and entertaining.
    

[Rapidray]

Great post and read 

[gerleatherberman]

 

Fantastic write-up, Max!
Your vintage tool write-ups are definitely relevant, as many new tool users don't understand the MP, relative to what the market offered at the height of production of it(before the Multi-Lock and Wave).
A few others, and myself, have used/depended on a Multi-Plier for years and years. An example nearly identical to the one reviewed served me well for over ten years+. And the only reason it was retired, and subsequently led to collecting MultiTools to find something better, was the nut of the pliers pivot bolt came loose(and was loose for a few days) and fell out somewhere I could not find.
The drivers were definitely cause of many curse words and trips to the toolbox, but were used everyday for one thing or another. They are made of some kind of mystery steel that handles abuse better than any other brand MultiTool steel I've ever used since. Same goes for the pliers. The pliers steel used by LM/Vic/SOG seems too brittle or too soft relative to the MP(and ML) tool steels.

I don't carry the MP as much as I used to, because of the LM bit kit and OHO tools. But, many days I wonder if the pliers bolt hadn't ever loosened, if I'd feel I were missing out on something not having hundreds of tools to choose from now. Honestly, the pliers pinch is avoidable once you've used the MP for sometime and get a feel for a subconscious avoidance of palm-in-pinch-area. I found unique ways to utilize the drivers for most jobs(particularly at my lighting resto job). The pliers are what still pops into my mind anytime ny LM gets a chipped tooth, Spirit teeth get rounded, or the SOG pliers won't open wide enough.

Anyway, I digress.

Max, thank you once again for the wonderful write-up! You're certainly welcome for the MP, but wish the shipping didn't take 286 days(yes, from Alabama to South Africa -we guess is got left in a bin somewhere for a while)! 

 

[Max Stone]

Thanks Juan, Rapidray and GLBM for the feedback. I am pleased it arrived...eventually! 

[ElevenBlade]

Nice write up.

I still keep my old Gerber MP600 from 2002 in my emergency bag in my car. 

I got the original blunt nose model for work, where the OHO pliers were very useful.  I probably used it for 2 days before I realized I needed needle-nose.  So I switched to my existing Leatherman Supertool.  and then back to the Gerber when I could afford to buy a needlenose version of the same one I had.  Unfortunately, I used it for about two days on the job before never needing it again on the job... and then changing jobs.

It was also around that time when I bought the Leatherman Wave. 

So what has my story got to do with your story.... you might ask...

the OHO pliers without a spring assist needs to be the main tool for the user to choose it over other multitools in my estimation - and that's probably a very small market share.  I had been in it for a few years ... and then suddenly I wasn't.

In the meantime, the LM Wave and then Victorinox filled my primary needs at those points in my life.   

So right now - the old Gerber is on standby in my car for when I need pliers or a serrated blade, two tools I don't carry on me anymore.  A lot of folks on MTo talk about complementary toolsets, and to me, it's a better compliment to my EDC SAK than the Wave (the Wave is a good stand-alone tool for me).  It's just that I haven't needed it in years, to be honest.  I kinda wish at some point I do need to break it out and it saves the day. 

I've heard that the US military uses Gerber multitools more than the other brands even at this point, which might speak to the niche it's in. 

[SteveC]

Anyone else having trouble seeing the pics ?

[Max Stone]

Anyone else having trouble seeing the pics ?

It’s the first time I’m embedding pics in the text using Google Photo (and will be the last time). Re-posting on my Flickr account. Apologies for the re-post, but too late to modify the original posts... 

[Max Stone]

OK, this should now work...

[SteveC]

Edited the first two posts for you ,  I removed the duplicates as well   

[Max Stone]

Nice write up.

I still keep my old Gerber MP600 from 2002 in my emergency bag in my car. 

I got the original blunt nose model for work, where the OHO pliers were very useful.  I probably used it for 2 days before I realized I needed needle-nose.  So I switched to my existing Leatherman Supertool.  and then back to the Gerber when I could afford to buy a needlenose version of the same one I had.  Unfortunately, I used it for about two days on the job before never needing it again on the job... and then changing jobs.

It was also around that time when I bought the Leatherman Wave. 

So what has my story got to do with your story.... you might ask...

the OHO pliers without a spring assist needs to be the main tool for the user to choose it over other multitools in my estimation - and that's probably a very small market share.  I had been in it for a few years ... and then suddenly I wasn't.

In the meantime, the LM Wave and then Victorinox filled my primary needs at those points in my life.   

So right now - the old Gerber is on standby in my car for when I need pliers or a serrated blade, two tools I don't carry on me anymore.  A lot of folks on MTo talk about complementary toolsets, and to me, it's a better compliment to my EDC SAK than the Wave (the Wave is a good stand-alone tool for me).  It's just that I haven't needed it in years, to be honest.  I kinda wish at some point I do need to break it out and it saves the day. 

I've heard that the US military uses Gerber multitools more than the other brands even at this point, which might speak to the niche it's in.

Thanks ElevenBlade. Yes, military use is quite specialized, and it does point to the tool being rugged and reliable. There's healthy debate over carrying a pair of EDC tools rather than a single tool, but the Wave does make a strong case as a stand alone carry.   

[Max Stone]

Edited the first two posts for you ,  I removed the duplicates as well   

Thank you Steve - where would we be without moderators like you! 

[McStitchy]

Very nice read Max 
Now I wonder... do I need a Mr.Pinchy?
After all, I've rejected it in favour for the LM Supertool back in 1995 

[Rapidray]

Thank you Steve - where would we be without moderators like you! 

110/%
Steve has helped me out on some past boo-boos 

[cody6268]

In my opinion, for lightweight tools, the blunt-nosed Multiplier is the ultimate. I carried mine as the main tool (in my pocket, with a fixed blade on the belt) on a camping trip, and found it did everything I needed. It pocket-carries well.   On the two camping trips I carried it on, I learned my friend (normally, a Vic Tinker user) had one his wife bought him as an anniversary present in the mid-1990s, and he said it performed like a champ as his industrial maintenance EDC, which he carried right up until he quit industrial maintenance to teach it at the community college. Yes, it pinches, and hurts like heck (that's why we call it Mr. Pinchy!)--but only when it slipped off a bolt, or cut heavy steel wire. Normal stuff, never. It's not like the old Seaboard Steel I tried that resulted in a lot of bleeding, pain, and cussing.  While in my mind, the MP400 carries better than Mr. Pinchy, the needlenose pliers of the MP400/450 (of which I have both, the MP450 having been what got me into the Multiplier family) are rather on the light-duty side, while the MP600 is like carrying a Mack Titan in your pants. Besides, the Saf-T-Lock mechanism likes to catch on lightweight gloves like the cheap jersey variety.

Biggest criticism (as with the later MP-series tools) is the danged lanyard ring. Instead of on the OUTSIDE of the frame, or being a thin, washer sized tool, it's a thick implement that could easily be replaced with something more important.

 I modded mine to use a Winchester Fishing Tool (which is, itself, based on the Multiplier, made in China, and sold under the Winchester name by Gerber subsidiary Carolina Knife and Tool) fine Technician head, mainly because MP600s with that head were super expensive, I wanted a decent fishing tool (Winchester internals were crap), and just because I could. I regret that, but I did damage the blunt nose cutters on a coathanger.  They are cheap, so I guess I really should get another.

[Rapidray]

I can see the photo now! 

[Juan el Boricua]

I'm liking this post very much, as it somewhat validates my thoughts on this great tool design! Somehow, I've been doing things "the other way around of other people". I'd started with a PST II,  then Waves, then Revs, and an ST300( which I must confess, is my favorite MT); after lurking MT.O,  I've been lured with the Gerbers, the MP600 in particular: strong, versatile, as reliable and dependable as the Leatherman's, and easy to care for; they also tend to be cheaper and be easier to modify as one sees need. I have now 1 SS NN Basic, 1 SS BN Basic, 2 BO NN Basic, and 1 BO Bladeless; all users, and no regrets! One other thing I like about them over the Leathermans,  is that when cutting wires, ties or straps and they bind between the cutters/jaws, there is no need for another tool to free the jaws because the handles on the multiplier series don't "give in" as butterfly-style does!

I must echo cody's way of thinking that the "biggest criticism (as with the later MP-series tools) is the danged lanyard ring. Instead of on the OUTSIDE of the frame, or being a thin, washer sized tool, it's a thick implement that could easily be replaced with something more important" .  This can be easily done as I made a lanyard ring similar to the Wave's that rides over the captive female pivot end in my Bladeless, so can be used on the other models, freeing that space for an awl, scissors, or wood saw without losing the large driver.

OT; I have found that I prefer to combine the LTG removable bit driver and bit kit with the MPs rather than the tool kit (or clones)for them. ATM, all of the BO ones are paired with the Leatherman's removable bit driver kits (both of the SS have diy clone kits of the Gerber's/ cheap ones), as I find them slimmer and more compact, able to fit them in the tools' sheaths without much bulging; a lot of variety without taking much space, and if the need arises, been able to use regular hex bits in them.

Once again, thank you ,Max! This has been a work of great value. 

[cody6268]

I'm liking this post very much, as it somewhat validates my thoughts on this great tool design! Somehow, I've been doing things "the other way around of other people". I'd started with a PST II,  then Waves, then Revs, and an ST300( which I must confess, is my favorite MT); after lurking MT.O,  I've been lured with the Gerbers, the MP600 in particular: strong, versatile, as reliable and dependable as the Leatherman's, and easy to care for; they also tend to be cheaper and be easier to modify as one sees need. I have now 1 SS NN Basic, 1 SS BN Basic, 2 BO NN Basic, and 1 BO Bladeless; all users, and no regrets! One other thing I like about them over the Leathermans,  is that when cutting wires, ties or straps and they bind between the cutters/jaws, there is no need for another tool to free the jaws because the handles on the multiplier series don't "give in" as butterfly-style does!

I must echo cody's way of thinking that the "biggest criticism (as with the later MP-series tools) is the danged lanyard ring. Instead of on the OUTSIDE of the frame, or being a thin, washer sized tool, it's a thick implement that could easily be replaced with something more important" .  This can be easily done as I made a lanyard ring similar to the Wave's that rides over the captive female pivot end in my Bladeless, so can be used on the other models, freeing that space for an awl, scissors, or wood saw without losing the large driver.

OT; I have found that I prefer to combine the LTG removable bit driver and bit kit with the MPs rather than the tool kit (or clones)for them. ATM, all of the BO ones are paired with the Leatherman's removable bit driver kits (both of the SS have diy clone kits of the Gerber's/ cheap ones), as I find them slimmer and more compact, able to fit them in the tools' sheaths without much bulging; a lot of variety without taking much space, and if the need arises, been able to use regular hex bits in them.

Once again, thank you ,Max! This has been a work of great value. 

And unlike the "overglorified" deep well 1/4 socket that Gerber and Ganzo (among others) supply, the Leatherman adapter is perfectly suitable as a driver on its own--and quite comfortable to use. Unless I need reach (which, for me, is a longer #2 Phillips impact bit, attached to an extension, attached to the adapter) or torque, I rarely even use it attached to the Rebar with which it is carried.  And besides, the LM carrier doesn't loose bits like the Gerber "boot". And, a nice and slim package to carry that weighs nearly nothing.

[Juan el Boricua]

  

[ReamerPunch]

Absolutely fantastic! Thanks for re-posting!

I have been outbid for about ten OG Multi-pliers, and have not ordered about as many due to excessive shipping costs.
I do want at least one, preferably in good condition, but so far it has not happened.

[Ivo]

That's fantastic what you wrote Max 

[Max Stone]

Thanks ReamerPunch, Ivo 

Im certainly going to look for more originals. This was my first Gerber, and just picked up an early MP600. I did not realized the MP600 grew in size. Definitely prefer the more compact original. Will do a short comparison by the weekend... 

[gerleatherberman]

Absolutely fantastic! Thanks for re-posting!

I have been outbid for about ten OG Multi-pliers, and have not ordered about as many due to excessive shipping costs.
I do want at least one, preferably in good condition, but so far it has not happened.

Open that wallet and let the moths fly out! 

[Max Stone]

Keep looking ReamerPunch - there's one somewhere with your name on it! 

Picked up an old MP600 this week, so here's a short comparison of features: https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,52129.msg2069425.html#msg2069425

Still prefer to carry the OG model..faults an all... 

Now to find a BO OG, they seem quite rare? 

[hiraboo]

I have read your wonderful post (with the help of Google Translate).
It was a very fulfilling time. （・∀・）

I am one of those people who possessed Mr. Pinchy’s charm.
Thanks to your post, I got to know its new charm. （￣▽+￣）
Great reading! Thank you! d(⌒O⌒)b

[Max Stone]

Hello hiraboo, and thank you (୨୧•͈ᴗ•͈)

Yes, Mr Pinchy has charm that is difficult to explain. It is more than just the occasional bite it gives the owner.

Maybe Jinba ittai 人馬一体, the feeling of oneness between a rider and his beloved horse as the ultimate bond, is a good description?  ¯\_( ツ)_/¯