r/multitools • u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 • Sep 20 '24
I'm looking for a multitool with spring loaded pliers Recommendation Request
I have a pair a buddy gave me about two years back, but they don't have the spring loaded pliers and feel awkward to handle. I saw a video of the Workpro 18-1 but the $20 price tag has me questioning the durability and overall quality of them. The two big things would be a good knife and pliers that can potentially double as cutters, but just regular needle nose is fine too.
Update: Add wire cutters to that, in the hours between getting some very good recommendations and doing some light research of said recommendations I recalled an instance recently where wire/cable cutters would have been much better than a saw or pair of scissors.
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u/RoyceRedd Sep 20 '24
Check out the Roxon Flex. It has spring loaded pliers and you can choose to insert whatever selection of tools you want. Also, if you or anyone you know has a Sam’s Club membership, you can get a Leatherman Bolster for just under $40, which is an excellent deal despite it being a budget Leatherman.
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u/sans_the_sleeper Sep 20 '24
GOAT multi-tool but it has some mixed reviews for the price, probably better options out there
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u/The_Inflicted Sep 20 '24
NexTool Flagship Pro should tick all your boxes.
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24
After watching a review of it you may be right. I don't want to make too hasty a judgement but this may just be my pick.
Update: Won't be my pick. The wire cutters seem underwhelming and anything made in China automatically makes me avoid it for having the audacity to even exist. Shame, too, it looks pretty great.
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u/qe2eqe Sep 20 '24
If you really like scissors, you can slip scissors into the gap on gerbers. There's no skill check on pulling just the gerber if you don't mind dropping the scissors. xD But the draw on the scissors is stupid fast, here's how it works:
https://www.reddit.com/r/multitools/comments/14gq9qp/scissors/Multi-tool scissors always suck, even when they try. For instance, the nextool flagship pro, I'm looking at this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsNB6P-dqAM ...bruh those are left handed scissors, what the flanders?
Anyway, scissors aren't meant to rely on nanometer perfect rivets that last forever, the levers work in 3 dimensions and the right lateral pressure always results in perfect tolerances. And multi-tools always make it hard.
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 20 '24
Honestly, the more I look into it the more I realize a decent set of wire cutters would be far better than any saw or scissor, especially since I recently (several months ago) had an incident where a friend of mine needed a good wire cutter
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u/qe2eqe Sep 20 '24
What I know off hand is the gerber center drive, which does lots of things right, but it's just too fat for me, and I don't like the springy anyway. I've only ever loved one spring loaded tool and it was a fancy stripper.
If I absolutely needed spring loadedness on pliers, I'd start by attempting to epoxy a small spring to pliers I already love. I'm fond of the gerber mp400. There's a about a 3mmx9mmx3mm space on the hand side of the plier heads where you can add whatever. Hell, there's a recess in the cast steel in about the right place to hold a plate that can serve as an anchor or pivot for a spring retrofit. That's a thing people are interested in, eh?
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u/thelastest Sep 20 '24
I like the center drive. Definitely a little on the lighter duty side, but by no means a bad tool.
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u/qe2eqe Sep 20 '24
There's a super annoying oversight in the design where the bitholder stops the pliers from going "beyond closed", which hurts given that the tool is bound to flex under pressure. I warrantied my first one and the second one is much better, but it still tops out around applying a few pounds of force to something very flat. e.g. if you were playing tug of war with laminated paper, you'd lose to a 5 year old. Unless you folded out the bit holder.
It seems so small, but I'm a salty bastard and every time I forgive and forget and wear it again, something comes up and I need to stop what I'm doing and flip the bit holder for reasons that enrage me and ruin my focus.
I know it looks like a molehill, but for me it's a landmine that takes the legs from productive moments.1
u/thelastest Sep 20 '24
You know what...! I haven't carried the center drive in few years since I switched to a surge and a bit driver. But now that you mentioned it I do remember that being an issue.
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u/SupposablyAtTheZoo Sep 20 '24
Leatherman OHT also had them but since you think the sidekick and wingman are too expensive you won't like that either. Quality costs money though.
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u/ShottySHD Sep 20 '24
I have a LM sidekick. Spring loaded and the wire cutters are ok. Not great but they work.
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u/Face_Plant_Some_More Sep 20 '24
I saw a video of the Workpro 18-1 but the $20 price tag has me questioning the durability and overall quality of them.
Well, assuming you are somewhere in the Western world -- its $20 dollars. If it breaks, just buy a new one. Sure the Leatherman Wingman / Sidekick maybe "better." But they are roughly 3+ times the price, new. Are they 3+ times better than the Workpro?
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 20 '24
Brother, I'm not spending $20 on an item just because I can 'buy a new one', we're in a fucking recession and I get paid shit to be overworked at a job I can't leave
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u/Face_Plant_Some_More Sep 20 '24
So, you are going tie up 3+ times as much funds in a tool instead? I mean, you do you, but it gonna have to be freaking amazing to be worth it.
. . . we're in a fucking recession and I get paid shit to be overworked at a job I can't leave
Then I'd strongly consider your budget. Any tool that you have on you to deal with the job in front of you, even a cheap one, is gonna be better than some theoretical "better one" o some where if you can't afford to actually buy it.
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u/techleathercraft Sep 20 '24
You said "anything made in China automatically makes me avoid it for having the audacity to even exist."
This requirement will basically limit you to Leatherman... And there is some discussion/debate about that, when it comes to Wingman/Sidekick /Bolster. Only a few Leathermans have the" USA" stamp on the tool (ex: Free P4, Free P2, Arc), which run $130-$230. AND, those are not spring-loaded pliers. The cheaper models, with spring-loaded pliers, like the Wingman, don't have the USA stamp for reasons.
Maybe some Gerber models have the USA stamp, especially the older models, but the newer ones, probably not.
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u/seakind Sep 21 '24
İ recommend goat multitool and ROXON flex
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 21 '24
I take it they're compatible with one another? Being you said 'and' I assume you mean that getting both is recommended rather than one or the other
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u/seakind Sep 21 '24
I am sorry to inform you that, no they are not :( , i got them both, i unknowingly said and.. İf you like tinkering, buy goat multitool, if you want use it and don't think about it, buy Roxon flex(or just wait till November and get roxon flex pockettool, it will come out in November)
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 21 '24
Damn. I even watched a comparison between the two and assumed they were compatible based on appearance. Honestly they both seem pretty good, and since I'm indecisive it may be better if I buy a modular one first, so now I just need to find out which one has better wire cutters
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u/seakind Sep 21 '24
İ got them both and I prefer goat, but for better wire cutters; choose roxon flex
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 22 '24
I couldn't find a video directly testing their wire cutters so I was just going off of appearance, but the Roxon was my choice as well lmao. Thanks for the help, I may look around a little more but if I can't find something better and I don't learn something that's a deal breaker I may get the Roxon
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u/seakind Sep 22 '24
Roxon have a lot of tool options and better wire cutters but heavy, goat have less tool options but i modded the goat a lot, added 3d parts etc. İf you want to buy and just use and don't think about it buy the roxon flex right now, but if you want to tinker and mod buy the god. Tldr; if you want a tool buy roxon flex, if you want to mod buy goat multitool
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u/Kayakasaurus Sep 20 '24
Be warned, Gerber Suspension and Leatherman Wingman/sidekick all have poor anvil cutters that do not cut well. I would not recommend those springed plier heads
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24
Anvil cutters? I've never heard wire cutters/strippers referred to by that name before.
Update: I searched it online and I now see that anvil and bypass is supposed to be how the blades work, whether they collide (anvil) or pass beside (bypass). I feel rarted lol.
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u/Kayakasaurus Sep 20 '24
I’m not sure if it’s correct term, I mean as opposed to bypass cutters. The Wingman ones often don’t even meet in the middle, and they’re dull, they basically just pinch the wire. The Suspension ones are the same, I’ve had both tools.
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u/Jazzlike-Pay7002 Sep 20 '24
That's good to know. I appreciate the information
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u/Kayakasaurus Sep 20 '24
Sure, I just did a big penny cutting test for fun yesterday, It will be on YouTube soon. The only other Spring plier I have is the Gerber Centerdrive. Leatherman was playing with making a spring loaded plier for the Arc but it only made it into the limited Garage series :(
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u/Crunchie64 Sep 20 '24
Couple of the cheaper Leatherman tools are. The Wingman and Sidekick, maybe.