Victorinox builds a better mousetrap, the SwissTool!
Written: Apr 18 '02 (Updated Apr 18 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Robust, Unbreakable, all stainelss steel construction.
Cons: Heavy, Bulky, Expensive. Sans scissors, toothpick & corkscrew of an SAK.
The Bottom Line: Overall the best of this type tool. A better Swiss design of an American classic. The larger SAKs are still best for most people.
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| zlotmachinskyr's Full Review: Swiss Army Swisstool |
From my readings, this style of tool was first produced by engineer Tim Leatherman in the United States of America. This style of tool is usually centered around a pair of needle nose or square nose pliers, although some are centered around a pair of scissors. This design must have struck a cord in the hearts of many a craftsman, electrician, contractor, outdoorsman and adventurer because the concept is now widely copied by many major tool makers. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
The do it all Swiss Army Knife (SAK) seems dainty in comparison to the majority of pliers based multi-tools.
Victorinox is one of two official Swiss companies (Victorinox & Wenger) that manufacture the ubiquitous SAK in all of its incarnations.
The Leatherman style multitool pliers must have been eating into sales of Victorinox' many larger SAKs. Prompting Victorinox to fight back by introducing the SwissTool.
Victorinox finally gets the idea and ups the ante too.
The SwissTool is a tour de force of Victorinox' know how. This tool is heavy duty to the max, so much so that it outweighs just about any brand of pliers-based multitool I have hefted. So what does one get for their hard earned dollars?
Robust, unbreakable, all stainless steel construction. Tools deploy individually rather than clumping together as on other makes. All tools lock after deployed making this one of the safest pliers multitool to use. The tools located inside the handles of the Swisstool deploy smoothly and without having to open the tool handles to access them, a major inovation in the design of the pliers multitool.
This tool is missing a few nice amenities found on SAKs such as a scissors, toothpick and a corkscrew. These are a minor omissions for a very good first release from Victorinox. Since every tool included inside the Swisstool handles are of superb design, any Victorinox additions to an already successful product will also be first class. The pliers are deployed by pulling each of the handles apart 180 degrees and they are a hybrid of needle-nose & square nose pliers in shape. The tips have fine groves, followed by curved serrated jaws and a tight wirecutter.
SwissTool Features:
So what's in them there handles anyway?
With the handles both open to the right and flat on the table (inch markings up) one will find in the south handle: combi metal saw/file; eyeglass flat screwdriver; philips head screwdriver (probably P2); awl; 2.63 inch serrated blade. The north handle contains: 2.63 inch pocket knife blade; large flat screwdriver;wood chise/wire stripper?; bottle cap lifter/large flat screwdriver plus wire strip notch; can opener/small flat screwdriver; 2.75 inch woodsaw. Inch marking are on one side of handles and centermeter markings are on the opposite sides of the handles. Note: Lanyard holes inside the forward section of each handle means this tool can be worn by the user. One Drawback is that the tools are not user replacable like those of other brands.
So the SwissTool boils down to a pair of pliers with a SAK built around it. Perhaps overkill for those who do not need such a powerful pair of pliers on hand all of the time.
For many people one of the larger Victorinox SAKs is a lighter and more compact choice. Some of the larger of the SAKs have a sturdy but light duty pair of pliers that work well for most things, including plucking facial hairs and removing splinters.
Just carry an small vice grip or pliers with your SAK and you may be in even better shape than the person carrying the Swiss tool alone. However if a person wants to carry only one rugged very reliable tool then it would be very difficult to find a better all-in-one package.
Not perfect but close enough for any work, especially survival and military applications.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
zlotmachinskyr
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Location: California
Reviews written: 23
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