Leatherman 68010101K Crunch Pocket Multi-Tool with Leather Sheath
Now I find Leatherman 68010101K Crunch Pocket Multi-Tool with Leather Sheath Coming Soon I find this from Amazon I will That interes, You that Agree?.
BuZZ from Customer Shopping
It's unique, it's useful, and it's unbad.
When I found out Leatherman makes a tool with locking pliers, I had to have one. So I bought one. Impressions follow:
1. Usually things are larger than I expect, but this one was smaller than I expected. Maybe it's just the fact that I've used big, bulky Vise-Grips all my life, but I really expected this tool to be hefty. It's not bad that it's small, and the plier jaws open nice and wide despite their small size, but I'm nonetheless surprised that it's no bigger than my Wave, even when open.
2. It's not as hard to prepare for use as I had expected. Yes, you have to unfold the plier jaws, and yes, you have to clip the handle into place on the jaws; but, considering that with ANY locking plier you will have to stand there and adjust the force screw until the jaws clamp down with just the right amount of force anyway, the extra "assembly" needed to use the pliers isn't significant.
3. The craftsmanship isn't as good as I expected. Everything is plenty strong, but the fit and finish isn't up to par with the newer, "post-Wave" tools. The plier jaws aren't the exact same width, the folding tool lock is hard to push and doesn't give a lot of feedback, the folding tools themselves flop around a bit, the hinge on the jaws is just a little too tight, the folded-sheet-metal handle is just a tiny bit too wide for the stuff it holds and so it got crimped a little when the rivets were driven into place, etc. It's not crappy by any means, but it doesn't have that laser-cut, precision-machined feel that my Wave has.
Three stars for doing what it says it does without having any noticeable weaknesses. If they improved the design spec so everything fits just right, it would get four stars. If it were the tool of my dreams with everything I want and nothing I don't, it would get five.
-- UPDATE 5/15/2008 --
I've had my Crunch now for several months, and I feel compelled to bump my review up a notch. Why? Well, it isn't because I've come to appreciate the not-quite-perfect fit and finish of the tool -- that still bugs me a little bit. Rather, it's because over the past few months I've discovered that the Crunch is THE most useful multi-tool ever created.
I took a gamble when I bought my Crunch, because I had serious doubts about how useful a mini-size lockjaw plier could be, even when combined with a token assortment of tools. All I can say is, "boy was I wrong". If anything, the small size of the lockjaws make them even more useful than full-size Vise-Grips, because they can be used in so many more places than Vise-Grips can. Also, given that multi-tools tend to have crappy leverage compared to full-size pliers, the ability to clamp the lockjaws onto something and then focus all your attention on moving the thing instead of keeping the jaws from slipping is unspeakably convenient.
I was initially concerned by the relatively small selection of fold-out tools that the Crunch has, compared to other multi-tools...but to be honest, most other multi-tools just have 50 slightly-different sizes of flathead screwdrivers anyway, when all you'll ever need is one. Well, the Crunch has three, two of which are combined with a can opener and a metal file, which means that there's really only one flathead screwdriver worth mentioning. So there's no unnecessary duplicity there. Meanwhile, the knife and the crosshead screwdriver are predictably indispensable, and the metal file is handy from time to time. So all told, the tools that the Crunch has are more than adequate.
My complaints about the fit-and-finish of the Crunch still stand; Leatherman could do a better job of making everything fit together just right, and I wish they'd put in the time to do so. But that said, the Crunch is definitely THE Leatherman to buy if you're actually going to use it for real work.
If you can only carry one....
If you can only carry one tool with you, the Leatherman Crunch would have to be first choice. Shortly after I received mine for Christmas one year (from my kids), we were traveling across northern Arizona. It was Friday afternoon, we were at least 100 miles from any measureable civilization and one of the front brake calipers came loose. It made a lot of noise as it banged against the front wheel. We pulled over and the Crunch was invaluable to re-attach the caliper as the bolts that attached the caliper were a proprietary bolt with a large Torx type head that was rounded on the outside. No other tool (other that the dedicated GM tool) would have been able to grip the rounded outside of this bolt. Five stars isn't really enough!!!
I like it better than the original PST.
The Crunch is a very rugged quality tool. It lacks an eyeglass screwdriver, but does have three straight blade screwdrivers plus a Phillips driver. I like the locking feature on the screwdrivers and knife blade, and the plier handles do not cut into your fingers like the open handle PST does. A bit more time is required to open the Crunch and get it ready to use as a plier than is the case with the PST. The angle of the one handle on the pliers is awkward to grasp comfortably. I like having a socket for hex bits, but am concerned it would be easy to lose the adjusting screw when removing it to access the socket. I did not think I would like the serrated knife blade, but find it ideal for stripping small wires. (One reviewer said it is difficult to sharpen. The trick to sharpening serrated blades is to hone the flat side of the blade lightly at a very shallow angle.) Because I sometimes want a needle nose plier, I will carry my PST, too. The Leatherman cases are dry and hard. I always apply a leather treatment oil repeatedly until they are softer. I did not need a Crunch, but have always been enamored by them. A gift certificate from my brother allowed me to do something frivolous that I do not regret and that is becoming very practical.
About Leatherman 68010101K Crunch Pocket Multi-Tool with Leather Sheath detail
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2279 in Home Improvement
- Brand: Leatherman
- Model: 68010101K
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 1.25" h x .75" w x 4.00" l, .60 pounds
Features
- Crunch pocket multi-tool made for demanding professionals and do-it-yourselfers
- All interior blades lock for optimal safety and power
- Features locking pliers that spread wide enough to clamp 1-Inch pipe
- Includes serrated knife, file, Phillips screwdriver, 3 slotted screwdrivers, bottle opener, wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, ruler, lanyard attachment, wire stripper, and hex bit driver
- Leatherman's 25-year limited warranty
List Price: $102.50
Amazon
Price: $70.65 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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