Pocket Tools
This section is a tough one. I face two separate problems:
First, the concept of what constitutes a "pocket tool" is necessarily subjective. For the purpose of this section, I'm going to (arbitrarily) limit myself to tools that actually fit in your pocket, are suitable for daily carry, and include (1) a knife blade, (2) one or more screwdriver blades, (3) and either pliers or scissors.
Second, while I would like to be able to provide multiple photographs comparing the tools to each other in size and function, I find that I tend to give away tools that I don't use. This means that I'll get a tool, play with it and/or carry it for awhile, and then I dispose of it. I'll use stock photos of tools I no longer have, but try to make comparisons based on the manufacturer's descriptions and my own recollections of what they were/are like.
I've broken several of my tools and will point this out when it is relevant, but this doesn't mean that any of the other similar tools would not have broken under the same circumstances. As they say, "mileage may vary from driver to driver...."
Gerber Clutch  |
This is what I currently carry everyday (May of 2007). I gave away my Squirt P4 a few weeks ago, after carrying it faithfully for over two years, and then decided to try something else. The Clutch has virtually the same tool set as the Squirt P4, except that the awl on the P4 is replaced with a set of non-removable tweezers on the Clutch and the file on the P4 is more of a "work file" than a nail file. In spite of the fact that the Clutch is slightly larger in overall dimensions (with the exception of thickness, where the rivets on the P4 make it slightly thicker than the Clutch), the Clutch feels about the same size in your pocket. One of the contributing factors is that the two largest blades, the knife and nail file, are scalloped at one side to keep the profile of the Clutch more rounded. The blades and tools themselves are significantly larger on the Clutch, making it easier to work with. The knife blade, for example, is at least 1/8" longer and 50% wider on the Clutch. The Clutch blades and tools (except for the pliers) are also polished, where the blades and tools of the P4 have a rougher, brushed finish. The Clutch is assembled with screws (star-Torx heads) and the P4 is riveted, making it possible to disassemble the Clutch, but not the P4. Taking all factors into consideration, I think it's a toss-up between the Clutch and the P4. On last factor in favor of the Clutch is that it is apparently normally-priced at only $15 at Target and some other stores, whereas the Squirt P4 is usually closer to $20 or even more. I rank these #1 and #2 in my list, but I'm not going to let myself be pinned down to ranking one above the other. UPDATE: OK, I just gave my Clutch away to someone. I'm replacing it with another Squirt P4, so I guess that tells you how I feel about the P4 in comparison to the Clutch. |
Gerber Eclipse  |
I carried an Eclipse very briefly, but found that I needed pliers more than I needed scissors. The Eclipse feels very comfortable in your pocket, with its rounded edges and thin cross-section, but you pay for this in the compromises made to make the blades and tools conform to the rounded profiles. The blades and tools are just a bit eccentric, though they (mostly) work OK. The Eclipse places primary emphasis on the function of the scissors and subordinates everything else. Since I didn't really need the scissors, I sort of soured to the whole design. As with all Gerber products, the finish and quality are above average and the Eclipse is actually quite attractive. One feature that I definitely didn't like was the "clamping" action used to attach the Eclipse to a key chain or ring. When you rotate the handles closed, part of the scissors assembly below the pivot will close on a key chain or ring to hold the tool in place. Since I keep a Photon Micro LED flashlight attached to my pocket tools, this meant that I ended up detaching the flashlight each time I opened the scissors. This was cumbersome and something I didn't want to do. I believe that Gerber has discontinued the Eclipse, though you can still find them at a variety of on-line sites. |
Leatherman Juice C2  |
The Juice C2 is actually a fine little pocket tool, but I can do virtually the same tasks with the much-smaller Squirt P4. The Juice has a much-better Phillips-head screwdriver blade than the P4, and it has a corkscrew. Other than that, the differences are basically those of size. The Juice does NOT have a "work" file, like the P4 does, which is actually a strike against it. That aside, the finish and quality are way above-average and the tools and blades are very utilitarian. If you're thinking about a many-bladed Swiss Army knife, you'll probably find that the Juice is roughly the same size, but much more durable and functional. The Juice, like the Squirt, comes in several different types, including the S2, which takes away the corkscrew and replaces it with scissors. The CS2 sort of combines the features of the C2 and the S2, and then the XE2 adds just about everything else that could possibly be added. Personally, I'd probably pick the CS2, as it is a combination of pliers, scissors, and just about everything else I'm likely to need, yet it's still relatively thin. But, for the meantime, I'm sticking with the much-smaller Squirt P4 or the Gerber Clutch. |
Leatherman Micra |
The Leatherman Micra is longer than a Leatherman Squirt P4 and S4, but a bit thinner. When you set the Micra down next to the S4, the impression you get is that the Micra is a "Neanderthal S4" that has not quite been civilized. The comparison is unfair, since the Micra is constructed entirely of stainless steel, instead of a combination of steel and aluminum like the Squirts, and does not sport a painted or anodized finish. Still, there's a lot to recommend the Micra. The scissors work very well for many tasks, from sewing to cutting heavy cardboard. The Micra includes a pair of non-removable tweezers and a nice assortment of flat and Phillips-head screw blades. The backs of the handles are impressed with a measuring scale in both imperial and metric units. (The scales is about 5" long, but it is a bit awkward to use it at that length since you must balance the handles in a half-open position and the handles move slightly to affect the measurements.) I've never tried to take the tool apart, but it appears that it is assembled with screws instead of rivets. One nice touch is that the lanyard ring actually folds completely into the tool, so it does not need to project if you do not intend to use it. This is a really a nice pocket tool, though it does look a bit primitive. Many users rave about their Micras. Unfortunately, I really don't need to carry scissors and would prefer pliers. The Micra does not come in a version with pliers. Therefore, it stays in my drawer most of the time. |
Leatherman Mini Bear-Jaws |
The Mini Bear-Jaws, little brother of the Bear-Jaws, looks like a Micra that wanted to become a Squirt P4. With pliers instead of scissors, it would seem to be a contender for my attention, but the Mini Bear-Jaws just don't cut it for me. The tools and blades are rather limited when compared to those of the Micra (six blades, including the tweezers, on the Micra compared to four blades on the Bear-Jaws) and the pliers just don't seem to be as functionally-shaped as with the Squirt P4. A scale is impressed on one side of the handles and it is actually much more practical than the scale on the Micra. The small screwdriver is also a very useful tool, but the rest just don't seem to measure up. The knife blade is more of a drop-point shape than those of the other Leatherman pocket tools and the main screwdriver blade is too "Phillips-shaped" for slotted screws and too "slot-shaped" for Phillips screws. These are often included in tool sets sold by Leatherman...buy a Bear-Jaws and get a Mini Bear-Jaws for FREE! I believe I got mine with a flashlight I bought somewhere. I keep it in my car, but hardly ever use it anymore. |
Leatherman Mini-Tool |
You can still get these on-line, but I don't think that Leatherman makes them anymore. They are listed on the Leatherman site as being a "retired" tool...if so, there must be a whole heck of a lot of them out there in boxes somewhere. Anyway, this is a 100% stainless steel tool with some nice features. You get pliers instead of scissors and some neat fold-out tools. In particular, the bottle opener is very nicely-designed. The one big issue I have with this is that you have to open the handles to access the blades. This also means that the handles are open towards your hands when you use the pliers. This is slightly uncomfortable and hard on your palm, but not too bad. Plus...it has a nice file. I actually like this tool quite a bit more than I do the Mini Bear-Jaws, so it's really too bad that it's been "retired". If you have a chance to get one at a decent price, give it a try. |
Leatherman Squirt P4 |
I carried the P4 for over two years and just recently gave mine away. I replaced it with a Gerber Clutch, which is, in my opinion, its closest competitor. The P4 has just about the "perfect" complement of tools for me, including pliers and a real two-sided file. It's a tiny little thing, about the same size as a Swiss Army Classic, but with a lot more utility. You can also get the Squirt in other styles, including the Squirt S4, which has scissors instead of pliers and a small pair of removable tweezers in place of the file. Since I'd rather have the pliers, I stick with the P4, even though I do own an S4. The size and shape of the knife blade are virtually identical to the Swiss Army Classic, though the polished finish on the Classic is superior to the finish on the P4. The Squirts are assembled with rivets instead of screws, which I consider a minor strike against them. The overall quality is excellent, though, and my P4s have held up pretty well. (I broke my previous P4 trying to wiggle a piece of rod enough to break it. I just kept torquing the pliers until one of the jaws snapped off. This was definitely abuse, and I didn't try to convince Leatherman to replace it under the warranty.) The two-sided file blade is really a big plus in my book. Even though it's small, it really comes in handy when working on metals or plastics. Each side has a different cut. As I wrote above, I'd definitely rank the Squirt P4 and the Gerber Clutch as #1 and #2 on my list, but I won't give one the nod over the other. (Notice in the linked pictures how I broke the jaw off of one of my P4s by abusing it.) UPDATE: I just switched back to carrying a P4 after giving away my Gerber Clutch. I think that I do prefer the P4 to the Clutch. |
Leatherman Squirt S4  |
This is the sibling of the P4 that I passed over, though I own one and sometimes use it. The S4 is basically a scissors version of the P4, with a couple other minor changes, such as the replacement of the two-sided file with a pair of tweezers. Everything that can be said about the P4 is also true of the S4. It's a very compact tool with a lot going for it. If I misplace my P4, I may grab the S4 and go. I just don't need the scissors or the tweezers. |
Swiss Army |
These are everywhere. This is the classic (no pun intended) personal Swiss army knife: small blade, scissors, nail file, tweezers, and toothpick. These sell for anywhere from $8 to $20. These just barely make it into my list, as the nail file blade is actually supposed to double as a screwdriver. I will confirm that it DOES work as a screwdriver, though it's pretty marginal in most jobs. The Classic SD also comes in a different version (the Classic) that does away with the screwdriver tip and just makes it a nail cleaner, which is probably just as well. While Swiss Army knives are finished very well and feel great in your pocket, they just don't have the solid feel that I expect from a working tool. There's that little extra bit of flex in the frame when you try to torque down a screw, for example. It's easy to see why that would be the case, if you compare the frame of a Swiss Army Classic SD with, say, a Squirt S4. The spacers in the frame of the S4 are 3-4 times as thick as those in the Swiss Army Classic SD. Don't get me wrong...I have tremendous respect for both the Wenger and Victorinox versions of the knives, but the fact is that they're not really intended to be whipped out to do real work except on infrequent occasions. |
Swiss Army |
There's a Mini-Champ and a Mini-Champ II...this is about the original Mini-Champ I have. The difference between the models is in the assortment of tools and blades. (Check out the picture of the newer Mini-Champ II on the linked page here.) The Mini-Champ II adds a bottle-opener and changes some blade locations. Like all Swiss Army tools, the finish and fit on this tool are way above average. But see my comments above on the strength of construction and the robustness of the frame. I think that I would feel confident carrying this tool only if I were also carrying something like the Swiss+Tech Micro-Plus 8-in-1. |
Swiss Army |
When compared to the Classic SD and the Mini-Champ (above), the Tradesman is downright robust, with a significantly thicker frame. But it is still not up to the level of most dedicated pocket tools of similar size. The screwdrivers are very useful and the pliers work well for their size. I chose this particular model because it had what I could actually use, but no more than I needed. Hence, no magnifying class, pen, or wood saw. In spite of keeping to a minimum, this is a big (and expensive) tool. Still, it is probably the model I would recommend if you simply have to have a well-equipped Swiss Army knife for daily use. |
Swiss+Tech Micro-Plus |
I'm sorry...there's something fundamentally unnatural about a pocket tool that not only doesn't have a knife blade, but doesn't even have a sharp edge. Don't reach for one of these to open a Tyvek envelope. The Micro-Plus 8-in-1 has a very good set of pliers, but that's about the only thing to recommend it for my use. The pliers work great on bolt heads and nuts, since they are pretty robust. The riveted hinge in the middle of each handle makes me nervous when I apply pressure, but most pocket tools have a pivot point in the handle, so perhaps I'm being an old lady about this. On the other hand, most other tools have the pivot pin, screw, or rivet running across the handle, perpendicular to the direction of force, while the rivet on this tool runs in the direction you squeeze, placing a lot of pressure on the heads of the rivets. In any case, I've never had one of these break in normal use. I've bought a couple dozen of these and the Micro-Tech 6-in-1 as "stocking-stuffers" at Christmas. They're fairly inexpensive and you can usually get a price break ordering six or more on-line. The screwdrivers are adequate, but nothing to brag about. The tool is perhaps one of the most compact you can imagine, folding away to virtually nothing. This may be a good choice if you are already carrying a decent knife and just want a pair of pliers and some screwdrivers handy. |
Swiss+Tech Micro-Tech  |
See my comments above on the Micro-Plus 8-in-1 about the lack of a knife blade. The Micro-Tech 6-in-1 has a very good set of pliers, but that's about the only thing to recommend it for my use. The pliers work great on bolt heads and nuts, since they are pretty robust. The riveted hinge in the middle of each handle makes me nervous when I apply pressure, but most pocket tools have a pivot point in the handle, so perhaps I'm being an old lady about this. On the other hand, most other tools have the pivot pin, screw, or rivet running across the handle, perpendicular to the direction of force, while the rivet on this tool runs in the direction you squeeze, placing a lot of pressure on the heads of the rivets. In any case, I've never had one of these break in normal use. I've bought several of these and the Micro-Plus 8-in-1 as "stocking-stuffers" at Christmas. They're fairly inexpensive and you can usually get a price break ordering six or more on-line. The screwdrivers are adequate, but nothing to brag about. Unlike the Micro-Plus 8-in-1, which has two folding screwdrivers, this tool has only the shaped ends of the handles to use for screws. The likelihood that one or the other will not fit your particular screw head is pretty high. The tool is perhaps one of the most compact you can imagine, folding away to virtually nothing. This may be a good choice if you are already carrying a decent knife and just want a pair of pliers and some screwdrivers handy. |
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