Multi-tool Recommendations?
3Did a bunch of work around the house yesterday and (permanently) misplaced my old reliable Gerber Crucial multi-tool. I need a new one, but I don’t want to spend a ton – maybe $40 max.
Looking at either the Hoffman-Richter HR-100 or Gerber Suspension as possible replacements. Anyone know anything about these? Or have another suggestion for me?
https://www.amazon.com/Hoffman-Richter-HR-100-13-in-1-Multitool/dp/B01C4L24VU/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDPT9K/
Thanks!
- 16 comments, 21 replies
- Comment
Any tool is a multitool if you’re imaginative enough:
I’m a little primitive in the use of tools.
I like this one:
/giphy “duct tape”
@f00l duct(or duck as I say) tape and a butter knife, it was my single woman’s tool set for a long time. The tape is still a major staple but the butter knife has mostly been retired.
Is this going to be a EDC, or toolbox item?
I love my Gerber Freehands (that’s plural; I like it so much I have three). But they are probably the heaviest multi-tool ever made so not ideal for EDC. I’ve beat the heck out of it, even use it for a hammer, and no problems.
It’s a discontinued model, but readily available on eBay both used and NOS. I paid $23 delivered for the used one, and about $47 for a NOS in sealed retail packaging which included the belt pouch and Gerber’s auxiliary attachments (screwdriver bits).
Here’s a Freehand next to a Leatherman Wave.
@ruouttaurmind
Heads up: That event happened over 11 years ago, so don’t bother showing up at the location listed on that date, because they won’t be having the exact listed event.
@ruouttaurmind I don’t carry it everyday, so more of a toolbox item (but I keep it on my desk because I use it everyday).
@PlacidPenguin I think if you can get there on that date, chances are you can attend the event advertised.
@djslack
But how is @ruouttaurmind supposed to get to the time machine which Meh owns?
Related:
https://vinepair.com/articles/stephen-hawking-time-travel-party/
@PlacidPenguin
Actually, Uncle Rico ordered a time machine from the interwebs. Etsy I think. Totally legitz.
@ACraigL I keep one in my desk for the same reason. And one in each vehicle.
@ACraigL @ruouttaurmind They miniaturized the phone booth? Now how do you get inside? You have one of those “honey I shrunk the kids” devices?
@Kidsandliz
A recent roundup.
https://gearpatrol.com/2018/06/06/best-multi-tools-2/
Have an old Leatherman Mini from copyleft.org that, for me, was and still is perfect.
https://www.leatherman.com/mini-tool-83.html
Silly question, but why not just get another Crucial? It’s within your budget, readily available at retail, and seems like your liked it?
@ruouttaurmind Not a silly question. The only thing I didn’t like was the combo serrated/straight blade. Made it hard to sharpen. Both of the ones I looked at had dedicated ones. But I made sure to consider Gerber BECAUSE I was was happy with the Crucial in all other aspects.
A fully three dimensional Phillips head screwdriver is a must for me. The HR appears to have one, the Gerber does not. I’ve not had a flat one able to perform as well for me, although my uses are usually small screws (laptops and electronics).
Your needs differ from mine, though. My EDC must-have is the discontinued Leatherman Squirt e4 because it can always be in my pocket, it’s sized appropriately for the work I do with it, and the wire strippers are used regularly. The replacement es4 went to the flat Phillips driver and that makes it undesirable for me.
EDC = Every Day Carry?
/giphy clueless
@f00l Yes, every day carry. That group of items you always grab as you’re headed out the door.
I’ve been partial to Leatherman multi-tools (made in Portland, Oregon), although I too have permanently misplaced my Wingman somewhere in my parent’s garage.
@narfcake Me too. That’s why I own two Wingmen. (Is that how you plural Wingman? Or Wingmans?) I can only find one of them most of the time.
I ended up going with the Gerber Suspension. Found it on ebay for $16 new. Couldn’t pass that up. Thanks all!
@ACraigL Great price!
Did you get the one pictured below, or the NXT?
@ruouttaurmind thats the one!
Leatherman skeletool . Light strong but just the right tools. Also leatherman stands by their stuff lifetime long.
@CaptAmehrican I’m about to find out about that… Have two broken squirts and I know their policy is repair or replace. I don’t want them to give me es4s instead.
@djslack they have fixed mine for me for free in the past even when it was the result of my using it for stupid things.
I loved my Gerber…mostly because it opened one handed. I EDC’ied it for 7 years, wearing through 2 sheaths. I used it dozens of times a day, only breaking it once trying to cut a metal bar. I loved that the saw blade could be replaced with any jig saw blade. I never replaced it because it was a grit blade that would cut anything I needed to.
@tightwad You can get carbide grit jigsaw blades …
https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-3071300-Shank-Carbide-Blade/dp/B000HB1ENY/
My favorite was by Buck, I think it was called the Buck Tool 360? I bought it in 1994, it is still awesome. Well, until I dropped it a week ago and I have no clue where… it’s no longer made, but eBay has some.
good luck!
@ChompyGator :
@aetris @ChompyGator I still love my Bucktool 360; very compact. Not quite EDC: wear it when performing household handyman duties and camping, but not to the office.
@ChompyGator I liked the BuckTool, but for me the big flaw was inherent in the design. You could only twist in one direction with the pliers, because it would fold up in the other direction.
I have a Gerber Recoil that I got when I was in high school. After a few years, the pin to release the pliers broke. They couldn’t repair it so they engraved a big X into and sent me a brand new plier instead. That one had two of the same tool and was missing the flathead screwdriver, so I messaged them and they sent me ANOTHER one and said to keep the first one.
I sold both of those Gerber tools and bought another Recoil on Ebay. I keep it with my fishing stuff because that one button open comes in handy when you’ve only got one hand to spare. I keep the old Recoil in my glove box. It will still close but it opens as soon as you remove it from the pouch
/image gerber recoil
My EDC now is a Victorinox Spirit XBS. I’ve had it for about a year now and I am fairly pleased with it. I just wish it had been less expensive.
So I got the Gerber Suspension today. Main blade is a little small - smaller than I’m used to, but will do the jobs I need regardless. Everything opens easily and I like the locking mechanism. Pliers are spring loaded which is a step up from the Crucial. For the money I paid, I’m pretty pleased.
Ha!
/wootstalker https://www.woot.com/offers/gentlemans-hardware-kitchen-multi-tool
Gentleman’s Hardware Kitchen Multi-Tool
Price: $25.99
Condition: Grate!
/image Swissflash Presentation Pro
Swissflash Presentation Pro.
A pocketknife with Bluetooth onboard.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1111407/Cutting-edge-The-Swiss-army-knife-Bluetooth-USB-drive-unlocks-fingerprint.html
https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swissflash-presentation-pro-knife-its-a-32gig-flash-drive-a-remote-control