My Favorite Multi Tool
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:39 am
10 or so years ago, I bought a Gerber Scout. Back in the day, the Scout could be had in a couple of configurations. My Scout had a partially-serrated blade, needlenose pliers, and a file, along with the usual host of tools common on most of them. I thought this was the perfect multi-tool, and I carried it all the time, used it more than any other single tool I own (and that's a LOT of tools). OK, so this was the perfect multi-tool for me.
Then after spending a few months building a recording studio a couple of years ago, my Scout got lost in the mess of tools that wound up being used on the project. I had been carrying it in my tool belt and when I collected all of my tools when the buildout was complete, the Scout was gone.
So I bought a Gerber "Suspension" tool to replace it. This was a big mistake. What a hunk of junk. Heavy, no one-hand opening, the knife blade is a piece of junk. Worthless. I stuck that multi-tool in my guitar case and hoped to never need to use it.
Then someone got me an Academy gift card, and I used it to buy another replacement for my Scout. I bought a Gerber Compact Sport. This is basically a smaller, lighter version of the Scout, but missing a crucial blade for me: the file. Also, it doesn't have the wire crimp tool that the Scout has. I didn't realize just how much I'd miss that. So the Compact Sport was a move in the right direction, but it was not the Scout. Also the main knife blade on the Scout was not sharpened well from the factory (assymetric edge bevel), but I fixed that with my rod guide hones. My original Scout had a perfectly-sharpened blade from the factory that held a very good edge for a long, long time. In the end I am glad for the Compact Sport, it's a good tool to have but it's not an adequate replacement for the Scout.
Finally I broke down and bought another 600 Scout. Just got it two days ago. All is well now :) I don't know whether this is the best tool Gerber makes but it sure beats the others I tried.
I found it was funny just how much I would miss this one little thing, and just how irreplaceable it turned out to be. I also find it funny how inconsistent the quality is of tools from Gerber. I have a Paraframe knife that is my second Paraframe, after the first one got lost and it turned out to be irreplaceable like the Scout. It's a great tool. I also have an Evo Jr. knife, and it is a really, really great knife and it gets used every single day as well. If I lost it I would buy another one immediately. But the Suspension multi tool was junk and the knife blade was beyond worthless. The carrying sheath broke before I ever even strapped it to a belt! So you know, the brand name doesn't mean much.
What multi-tools do you guys like? I noticed that you have Leatherman people and Gerber people and that's like Ford vs. Chevy or 1911s vs. Glocks. :) Maybe you just can't switch once you go with one or the other.
Then after spending a few months building a recording studio a couple of years ago, my Scout got lost in the mess of tools that wound up being used on the project. I had been carrying it in my tool belt and when I collected all of my tools when the buildout was complete, the Scout was gone.
So I bought a Gerber "Suspension" tool to replace it. This was a big mistake. What a hunk of junk. Heavy, no one-hand opening, the knife blade is a piece of junk. Worthless. I stuck that multi-tool in my guitar case and hoped to never need to use it.
Then someone got me an Academy gift card, and I used it to buy another replacement for my Scout. I bought a Gerber Compact Sport. This is basically a smaller, lighter version of the Scout, but missing a crucial blade for me: the file. Also, it doesn't have the wire crimp tool that the Scout has. I didn't realize just how much I'd miss that. So the Compact Sport was a move in the right direction, but it was not the Scout. Also the main knife blade on the Scout was not sharpened well from the factory (assymetric edge bevel), but I fixed that with my rod guide hones. My original Scout had a perfectly-sharpened blade from the factory that held a very good edge for a long, long time. In the end I am glad for the Compact Sport, it's a good tool to have but it's not an adequate replacement for the Scout.
Finally I broke down and bought another 600 Scout. Just got it two days ago. All is well now :) I don't know whether this is the best tool Gerber makes but it sure beats the others I tried.
I found it was funny just how much I would miss this one little thing, and just how irreplaceable it turned out to be. I also find it funny how inconsistent the quality is of tools from Gerber. I have a Paraframe knife that is my second Paraframe, after the first one got lost and it turned out to be irreplaceable like the Scout. It's a great tool. I also have an Evo Jr. knife, and it is a really, really great knife and it gets used every single day as well. If I lost it I would buy another one immediately. But the Suspension multi tool was junk and the knife blade was beyond worthless. The carrying sheath broke before I ever even strapped it to a belt! So you know, the brand name doesn't mean much.
What multi-tools do you guys like? I noticed that you have Leatherman people and Gerber people and that's like Ford vs. Chevy or 1911s vs. Glocks. :) Maybe you just can't switch once you go with one or the other.
