Fixed plier tools with their off-brand mini versions

[ChopperCharles]

The SOG toolclip has inspired a lot of different tools over the years. Here is a selection of my collection of the tools that have mini versions, mostly made from different companies, sometimes long after the original. These are ordered roughly from newest to oldest.

We start out with the Brookstone mini and full size plier tools. The mini was available for many years after the large one sold out. The large one is made by Coast, the mini may also be, but I’m not 100% sure.

Next we have a mini version of the Coast Pocket Mechanic, which was made (or sold by) Barlow. Next to it the Coast Pocket Mechanic, which really was a step up over the toolclip.

Then two copies of the mini toolclip. Almost all of these copies I’ve found have the clip in the same position as the actual micro toolclip (or no clip at all) This first one here labeled mountain quest (kutmaster/Utica’s house brand) has the clip on the bottom of the tool, which actually makes it a lot more comfortable to carry in a change pocket. The blade is stamped with a K in a diamond - Kutmasters logo. The second one’s blade is stamped with Ka-Bar’s name.

Both of these are subtlety different. The ka-bar’s file is shaped differently and the teeth are more aggressive. The serrated blade in the kutmaster is thinner, flat ground, and has the sharpening on the opposite side of the blade. The main blade on the kutmaster has a better grind and is sharpened to 20 degrees. The k-bar is 25 degrees.  The handle on the other side has a slightly different pattern for the slots. The mountain quest jaws don’t meet precisely, the teeth don’t mesh and the tips are off. The ka-bars do. Mountain quest has a flat, thick spring. Ka bar’s spring is thinner, longer, and has a bend in it so that the jaws open further.

Finally there’s the real micro toolclip and the full sized toolclip, made by SOG.

Charles.

 

[Juan el Boricua]

Nice collection there, CC, and thanks for the info.! 

[Gareth]

Yeah, nice round-up CC. 

[ChopperCharles]

Oh I forgot to mention. While all the silver copies of the toolclip have the same tools inside, the Brookstone mini tool deviates, and has a different tool set entirely. The serrated blade and file are combined, and this is a mini version of the tool in the large Coast and Brookstone tools. The remaining space goes to a very effective dual-opener tool. Something the micro ToolClip and clones are sadly in need of.

The Coast-style mini tool sold as a Barlow has a button and a LED light integrated into the scale. This LED-scale thing is something Coast did with their type II pliers, and it looks and feels identical externally and internally. The Coast pliers you see, however, are type I. So the mini version was made significantly after the type I plier it copies, as it incorporates a feature from the type 2. Likely there is some cooperation between Coast and Barlow on this tool, because there has been a history of cooperation in the past.

Charles.