Crucial

[Barry Rowland]

Has anyone come across the Crucial yet?  I just got an ad for it and it looks interesting.  It's my first encounter with it and just curious if anyone has some first hand experience with it yet.

[powernoodle]

I'm interested as well.  The Amazon reviews make it seem like it is on par with the Dime in terms of quality of design and construction, i.e., mediocre, and the paint comes off fairly quickly as with the Dime.  But the Juice size looks good and there are not a lot of MTs at that size competing with it.  $53 for the one with the strap cutter is not terrible in this age of hyper inflated MT prices.  So I'll prolly get one to keep my brain cone busy for a while.

 

[Barry Rowland]

I was thinking the same thing PN  . That belt cutter makes a great package opener too.

[Farmer X]

The paint comes off fairly quickly as with the Dime.

That's one thing I dislike about my Dime...you'd be hard-pressed to find paint that wears away faster. And I am of the opinion that Gerber would do well to improve the consistency of their quality control. (There are vast differences in the aforementioned Dime and other Gerbers I own.) Yet at ~$50, I'd consider a Crucial.

[Barry Rowland]

It seems hit or miss quality wise.  Up to this point I've had great luck with Gerber, but I've seen some of the downside too.  The reviews I've read on their site seem to be ok.  The biggest issue seems to be the belt clip on the green version.  The price isn't bad at all these days. 

[Chako]

Episode 35 in my stickied Gerber Episode thread in this forum section.

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=65364.60

There are 4 versions of the Crucial. Not my favourit Gerber due to shape, but it isn't a bad butteryfly opening multi. You could do worse.

[Barry Rowland]

Thanks Chako!  I can't believe I never heard of it prior to this.  I did a search and it's been a periodic subject here.  I just missed it somehow 

[Chako]

No worries. I cannot tell you how many tools I miss knowing about. It happens far too much for me to be comfortable with. 

[charlie fox]

I have a good deal of experience with my Crucial. I bought it after reading an article by a known personal protective professional and thought it was just the thing I needed for my job as an EMT. Upon it's arrival I was a little disappointed in the build quality; the pliers seemed a little fragile, the screwdrivers were a little short, and the liner locks seemed a little thin. But it went in my pocket for the grand experiment. After about a year I didn't give any of my perceived shortcoming s a second thought; it gripped, loosened and/or tightened whatever I needed at the moment without issue. Then I got hurt and decided EMS was a younger persons game and moved to security within the hospital I worked for. I still carried the Crucial, but mostly in my bag. One evening when responding to a non-compliant patient I noticed he was looking at the clip in my pocket (I think I was carrying my Kershaw Westin) and I thought "Nope, that's enough of that"  - I certainly didn't need a patient off their meds to get something slicey and stabby! I reviewed my needs and went back to the Crucial (tucked nicely in my waistband at about 1 o'clock). I used it for all kinds of chores and it never failed. Then one early morning while working in our psychiatric hospital I was called to a patient attempting to harm herself. She had torn her clothing into strips, made a rope and was actively attempting to asphyxiate herself. The Crucial' s strap cutter made short work of the makeshift noose and tragedy was averted. While I'm no longer in that role, I still carry my Crucial "just in case"

[powernoodle]

I bought one - just because.  The Crucial has all of your basic food groups covered - grabbing, cutting/slicing, and turning fasteners.  The hard plastic scales give it a cheapy feel, but I would expect it to be pretty durable.  I would muchly prefer a Leatherman Juice, but those are no longer an option unless you find one on eBay.  At about 5 3/8 oz., its pretty light in the pocket.  The plier is precise, and probably limited to light duty grabby stuff.  But there will be ample opportunities to save the day with a Crucial in your pocket, and that's what it is all about.

[Barry Rowland]

Thanks for a great write up Charlie!  I just retired from a similar job to what you worked and pocket concealed is a great thing to have.  I can say law enforcement and multi tools go hand in hand.  I think I was the only guy at my last station to actually carry one, and only 4 of us even had one.  Everyone else became your best friend when they (frequently) needed one 

I have a good deal of experience with my Crucial. I bought it after reading an article by a known personal protective professional and thought it was just the thing I needed for my job as an EMT. Upon it's arrival I was a little disappointed in the build quality; the pliers seemed a little fragile, the screwdrivers were a little short, and the liner locks seemed a little thin. But it went in my pocket for the grand experiment. After about a year I didn't give any of my perceived shortcoming s a second thought; it gripped, loosened and/or tightened whatever I needed at the moment without issue. Then I got hurt and decided EMS was a younger persons game and moved to security within the hospital I worked for. I still carried the Crucial, but mostly in my bag. One evening when responding to a non-compliant patient I noticed he was looking at the clip in my pocket (I think I was carrying my Kershaw Westin) and I thought "Nope, that's enough of that"  - I certainly didn't need a patient off their meds to get something slicey and stabby! I reviewed my needs and went back to the Crucial (tucked nicely in my waistband at about 1 o'clock). I used it for all kinds of chores and it never failed. Then one early morning while working in our psychiatric hospital I was called to a patient attempting to harm herself. She had torn her clothing into strips, made a rope and was actively attempting to asphyxiate herself. The Crucial' s strap cutter made short work of the makeshift noose and tragedy was averted. While I'm no longer in that role, I still carry my Crucial "just in case"

[Barry Rowland]

I'm waiting for pay day PN! 

(Image removed from quote.)
I bought one - just because.  The Crucial has all of your basic food groups covered - grabbing, cutting/slicing, and turning fasteners.  The hard plastic scales give it a cheapy feel, but I would expect it to be pretty durable.  I would muchly prefer a Leatherman Juice, but those are no longer an option unless you find one on eBay.  At about 5 3/8 oz., its pretty light in the pocket.  The plier is precise, and probably limited to light duty grabby stuff.  But there will be ample opportunities to save the day with a Crucial in your pocket, and that's what it is all about.

(Image removed from quote.)

[powernoodle]