what do you think of SWISS TECH [Archive]

bubbajoe

06-01-2006, 07:41 PM

i'm looking of adding the swiss tech mini multi tool and maybe* some of the other little tools to my EDC.

what do you think of them, how would you rate them . if you use them have they held up to everyday wear and tear? do you like something better than Swiss Tech.

i've found them on* Ebay and Amazon anyplace else with good prices

thanks* in advance for the feedback ;D

RyanMalpiede

06-01-2006, 08:43 PM

http://members.aol.com/dissengaged/beltsheath2.gif

LOVE IT!!!!!

http://moteng.com/ProductImages/S22222.jpg

Trashman

06-01-2006, 09:21 PM

I've had a SwissTech Utili-Key key on my keychain for about two and a half years. I've used it tons. I think every keychain should have one. It's the size of a regular key, but you get a flat-head, a phillips, a bottle opener, and razor sharp knife (RAZOR sharp!), all of which I've used. I gave one to a friend a couple of years ago for Christmas and he told me that it was one of the most used presents he had received in a long time. I've given about 10 for presents. I'd recommend it to anybody and everybody.

xDANx

06-01-2006, 10:26 PM

I used to carry one. I think that are great little tools. Very light and very handy. And if you wear one out, they are about $6-7 each.

kamkazmoto

06-01-2006, 10:34 PM

they are great tools. I EDCed one for about two years. The only trouble I has was that it had a tendency to get lost. They are tiny things.

Gadget Guy

06-01-2006, 10:45 PM

They are now made in China! Almost the same retail as when they were made in the USA. I can't stand greedy companies and I surely won't support them... :(

GG

knightrider

06-01-2006, 11:07 PM

I had one of the o.g. swisstechs. I loved it and it served many purposes.... but I was always loosing it in the car and house. Never thought about that side of outsourcing to China. Jobs lost is what I hate about outsourcing, but I never thought about the companies greed. Thats so true - find a place that makes product for 1/4 of the price but still charge the consumer the same - that's brillant... brillantly evil. >:D

Mahachippy

06-01-2006, 11:21 PM

Is swiss tech the company that had the screwball? Are those made anymore? I always wanted one of those because they were interesting looking!

Trashman

06-02-2006, 01:29 AM

I bought my first one (Utili-key) for, I think, $17.99 + shipping, which came out to between $23 and $24. The second one, I bought for a friend when I saw it at Brookstone for $15 + tax. Then, I bought three more on ebay and they came out to being less than $10 a piece. Last year, I bought 10 more on ebay for $8.99 each (the seller gives free shipping on 10 or more).

bpa

06-02-2006, 02:42 AM

The wrenches are OK, nothing great.

I do not like the Swisskey at all. It's useless as a bottle opener and the blade is a nuisance to use. I do love the concept; however, I wish the execution were better.

heathah

06-02-2006, 04:46 PM

I like Swiss+Tech. Much better than SeberTools, methinks.

Stormdrane

06-02-2006, 05:25 PM

I've had a Utili-key on my keychain for several years and have given many as gifts to friends and family. I've had no problem utilizing the drivers, knife or bottle opener, they all work fine for me. I still have the first stainless one I bought and upgraded to the gold TiNi coated one a few years ago.

bubbajoe

06-04-2006, 09:07 AM

Looks like i'm going to get some swiss tech toys this week.. thanks

Stutoffee

06-04-2006, 09:13 AM

Love the utilikey! Always have one on my keyring, and I too have never had trouble using the drivers or bottle opener. Its very useful in knife-unfriendly areas, I always have it on the rare occasion that Im not carrying a "proper" blade, & Ive even carried it on flights with no trouble.

bpa

06-04-2006, 02:25 PM

Maybe I should give it another chance :confused:

KeyGrip

06-04-2006, 09:16 PM

I've owned two Swiss Keys. I lost one of them (they are tiny), and broke the other, which now resides in the coin pocket in my wallet as an absolute-last-ditch-s**t-hit-the-fan blade option. While they were fully functional and in my possession, they proved to be handy tools. The blade is sharp, though I don't think it needs serrations, and I managed to open a bottle or two, though my Prybaby now has that task covered. It's a good tool, just don't go abusing it.

pipedreams

06-04-2006, 09:49 PM

My son has a UtiliKey on his keyring. No complaints from him...yet.

todd

Lunal_Tic

06-04-2006, 10:35 PM

I've also carried the UtiliKey for years but haven't had to use it much since it's mainly back up for heavier tools. I tried the wrench like the one above and liked it but it was too heavy with the rest of my keys/tools on my keyring. I wish they made it in Ti.

-LT

Prof. Ed

06-05-2006, 09:17 AM

Sunnie

06-05-2006, 11:27 AM

The wrenches are OK, nothing great.

I do not like the Swisskey at all. It's useless as a bottle opener and the blade is a nuisance to use.* I do love the concept; however, I wish the execution were better.

I'm with you on that one. Great idea, flawed execution.

My Sebertool beats the Swiss Utilikey hands-down in quality of construction.

Best thing about the Utilikey is that it just attaches to your keys and you don't even know it's there. Go to use it though and it gets fiddly. The micro glasses screwdriver doesn't fit into any of my glasses' screws -- poor testing of product.

The bottle opener is 'okay', as long as you don't cut your hand on the blade that gets in the way when you go to use it.

The flat head screwdriver is set at 90 degrees which means you can't use it to access a narrow space... try using it to wire a plug and you'll get fed up.

All in all, it's an average tool. But it's cheap, clips to the keyring ingeniously, and near invisible to carry so I'd still always have one on the basis that it can be made to work in a last-instance.

In all honesty though I use my Prybaby and my Seber M4 much much more.

JMHO

Sunnie

Codeman

06-05-2006, 11:56 AM

I've got the Utilikey and Screwz-All in my collection, but I EDC a MicroPlus.* I carried a Sebertool M4 for a while, but it got loose and I had to keep replacing a rubber band to keep it closed.* The MicroPlus is lasting a lot longer in that regard.* To their credit, Swiss+Tech replaced my first M4 when the small slotted tip broke.* I've since bought 2 additional ones to have as backups.

parnass

06-05-2006, 04:05 PM

I just bought the Swiss Tech Screws All. It is made in China, yet worked great yesterday fixing the grandbabies toys. Quality seems ok. I like the way it comes off the link for use and the way you open it for extra torque.

I like the Screwz-All, too, and own the shiny stainless steel model.

Swiss+Tech makes a lot of their tools in 2 flavors: shiny stainless steel and black finish steel. When I compared them in the store last winter, some of the black steel tools were already rusting in their see-through packages. I'd opt for the shiny stainless steel versions instead.

camiller

06-07-2006, 12:00 PM

LOVE IT!!!!!

http://moteng.com/ProductImages/S22222.jpg

Me too.* I carried one of these on my keychain for several years, until I loaned it to someone and he lost it >:( I'll probably get another one eventually.

ohmygoat

06-08-2006, 11:08 PM

A couple years ago Costco sold a combo pack with a MicroPlus, UtiliKey and a keychain LED light at a pretty good price. A co-worker expressed interest in the UtiliKey and I thought the MicroPlus would be a handy widget so I picked up a set, gave her the UtiliKey (and the light) and kept the MicroPlus (Shiny Stainless version) for myself. For whatever reason, the MicroPlus has spent more time on my desk than anything else, but I may start carrying it on my work key ring (along with a Prybaby and Micra) to see if I can put it to use.

As for my co-worker's UtiliKey, it's currently MIA since her trip to Africa last year.

Mahachippy

06-08-2006, 11:20 PM

Well, all I can say is that I got my screwball and dango this thing is awesome! O0

bubbajoe

06-09-2006, 07:19 PM

Well, i just recieved my order of swiss tech toys in the mail. i picked up one of each off
Ebay . under $30 for a micro plus, utilkey and a scewz all. all in stainless. I'm sorry they aren't made in the US. i truly try to buy my gear from US manufactures. All and all I have to say I like them. more toys to add to the keychains :smitten:

bruner

06-13-2006, 07:28 PM

I really like mine:
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/3130/gitd058sj.th.jpg (http://img56.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gitd058sj.jpg)

Put some glow-epoxy on it too:
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/1315/gitd067rq.th.jpg (http://img56.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gitd067rq.jpg)

Even made a special lanyard for it:
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7870/lanyard138aj.th.jpg (http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lanyard138aj.jpg)

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9369/lanyard142ht.th.jpg (http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lanyard142ht.jpg)

Thanks for looking,
Dan

bubbajoe

06-14-2006, 03:58 PM

may i ask where did you get the glow epoxy....i;d like to get some ;D

bruner

06-16-2006, 10:50 PM

http://www.glowinc.com/ is where to get the glow powder. You can get clear epoxy to mix it with at Walmart. You mix the powder into the epoxy until it almost looks "clumpy". Then, do what you want with it. I've seen lots of people put it on thier flashlights (check out candlepowerforums.com) and on their knives (check out bladeforums.com).

Dan

Trashman

06-17-2006, 01:33 AM

I used clear nail polish to mix my glow powder with.

bubbajoe

06-17-2006, 03:01 PM

Thanks for the info... thats why i Love this place.. O0

Nighthawk

06-17-2006, 11:53 PM

I have two of the Utili-keys and they work great. I had a micro? a few years ago and tweaked the phillips driver on a difficult screw. Just be careful with the torque and it should do fine.

Craig720

06-19-2006, 11:30 AM

They are now made in China! Almost the same retail as when they were made in the USA. I can't stand greedy companies and I surely won't support them... :(

GG

"Gordon Gekko: The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of it's forms - greed for life, for money, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed - you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you. " -- Wall Street

Craig720

06-19-2006, 11:33 AM

Even made a special lanyard for it...

I'm liking that lanyard.

-- Craig

zenlunatic

01-22-2010, 11:26 PM

I think STech products are junk. Got a blister pack from costco and wasnt too impressed with any. I actually took it back because one tool slipped past QC and wasnt done right (i posted a thread around here with pics).

hazna

01-23-2010, 05:18 AM

I've had a utilitkey sitting on my keychain for sometime now. The major thing I like about it is that its small and unobtrusive, its nice to know its there.

To be honest, I have to agree with some of the others that functionally its not that great. The bottle opener can open bottles, but its not easy and takes a bit of practice. Sometimes you need to lift the bottle cap in 2 or 3 spots to achieve a result. Also need to be careful not the cut your hand when using the opener.

The micro screwdriver can be hard to get into some spots on eye glasses. The size can be a little large as well. I sharpened my micro screwdriver to make it a bit thinner.

The blade is adequate. Its reasonably sharp, but fairly chunky. I have added a spyderco bug onto my keychain as I'm not a huge fan of the blade.

Also it can be annoying in that you have to put down your keys to take off you keychain to access the tools.

straightpuke

01-23-2010, 06:19 AM

I have the Utili-key and I haven't used it at all. I bought it brand new at Plaza Cutlery and the blade came very dull! But that's okay because I have a Spyderco Ladybug on the keychain AND I EDC a knife regularly. I guess it's nice to know it's there when I need it...

AcesQ

01-23-2010, 09:44 AM

I have a Micro-Tech™ 6-In-1, and i carry it along together with my little flashlight and Classic SD everyday. Its cool to have it, and i find it pretty useful. Recently i've been installing several Server racks in some datacenter, and it just comes in handy. =D

P35

01-23-2010, 10:04 AM

an Eight in one tool lives in my office. I carry a real multitoool for EDC

MatBlack

01-23-2010, 12:13 PM

I bought their products when they first came out so mine are all made in the USA. It saddens me to see that they are now made in communist china. Anyway, I have a Micro-Plus 8-in-1 which has been on my keys since they first started selling them. It 's VERY useful and I use it almost daily. I have an o-ring around mine and that keeps it locked securely on my keyring so I'm not worried about losing it. I used to also keep the Utili Key on my ring but it was redundant to what I carried so I removed it.

50ft-trad

01-23-2010, 12:29 PM

I carry a utilikey and very rarely use it because I carry other items, but when I have had to fall back on it for whatever reason, it have always served its purpose and will therefore remain on my keys indefinatly

Denyer

01-24-2010, 03:57 PM

The keys are alright for poking things, glasses screws or for cutting cord/cables. I carried one for ages as a more disposable sharp edge (rather than keep wearing down a LM blade) before eventually retiring both and settling on a Gerber Clutch and a Swiss-Tech Screwz on a key-ring, but the key might be a good compromise for someone who wouldn't consider carrying any kind of larger tool with a knife. The main difference between the old ones and the new seems to be the finish, which on pre-patent versions is a lot less shiny.

Have to say I do like the 19-in-1 to keep on the desk to work on computer screws and fiddle with, and the polished steel tools (I don't think they do the 19 in black) are a bit nicer to handle.

Druthu

01-27-2010, 10:40 AM

I need to pick up a Utili-Key. I picked up the Micro-Tech 6 in 1. The Micro Tech is pretty heavy.

shecky

01-27-2010, 08:45 PM

Never been all that impressed with the Utilikey or the older 6-in-1 plier. The pliers work a bit better thin the thin Leatherman P4, but the screwdrivers are not ground particularly well, and the folding pivots get sloppy without much effort. The Utilikey is is fiddly to use, the blade only marginally better for opening packages than a real key, the screwdrivers poorly ground. The Phillips fit poorly in many screws, the large flat screwdriver was buffed nearly round, and the small flat screwdriver was so thick and obtuse, it would fit no tiny eyeglass screws I could find. The bottle opener doesn't have much leverage. Though it takes up very little space on the keychain, I found it's lack of utility made it pretty useless compared to a comparably equipped SAK.

Tommy Gun

01-28-2010, 06:21 AM

Utili-key is brilliant! Small and unobtrusive. O0

zenlunatic

01-28-2010, 03:38 PM

link (http://edcforums.com/index.php?topic=24962.0) to my unmachined swiss tech tool (pics)

mister_fox

01-31-2010, 06:14 PM

I love my utilikey, use it all the time. Took a playstation controller apart with it today.

skullpin

02-01-2010, 03:09 AM

I have/had their screws-all, micro-plus, and utili-key. All are nicely made and can not be faulted for finish. The ergonomics of all these tools are just wrong though.

The screws-all comes with a built in key ring that seems like a really good idea. But, it holds keys at really awkward jabby angles, and is uncomfortable is the pocket. The oversize keyring is just silly overkill for attaching to a main key ring.

The micro-plus (and any other of their plier tools) locks onto your keychain in a clever way. But, it locks on at a 90 degree angle to the key ring, again making a bulky keychain that does not lay flat.

The utili-key is neat. But, it is a little dangerous in use. An allox swiss army knife is sooooooo much more functional and worthy of edc.

Sharpmint

02-02-2010, 02:52 AM

I have the micro-plus (pliers and screwdrivers). I love it; very small.

Wooden Foot

02-10-2010, 09:55 AM

I've had my utilikey since Christmas and I have no complaints other than the glasses screwdriver doesn't fit my glasses. Other than that it has come in handy on a few occasions.

all_thumbs

02-11-2010, 12:59 PM

Thanks to this thread, I purchased a lot of three utilikeys off of the evil auction site. Thanks again EDCF for helping me get what I need.

Naurek

02-12-2010, 04:08 AM

I have a Utilikey and I find it a bit awkward to use and it was a bit hard to open until I got the hang of it. On the plus side, it's never fallen off.

I love it though. It's very small and passes as a key to someone not really looking. I use it as my core, if I carry no other tools at least I'll still always have a blade+.

I've used it many times for minor things, especially in public places with lots of people or kids around. It doesn't freak anyone out (because let's face it, some people are even scared at the sight of a SAK blade).

Five-s3v3n

02-12-2010, 07:40 AM

Just got my Utili-Key in the mail today and as impressed as I am with its function, I'm also equally disappointed in the quality...

When I received it, I promptly began playing with it like a kid on Christmas day. Sad thing is, while using it to put an external hdd back together, a bit of the philips head came off! :shocked:

Also, the knife isn't very sharp at all, at least not anywhere near the sharpness of my SAK's blades. The edge was very rough but a few strokes on my steeling rod evened it out significantly.

While playing with the mechanism excessively, I noticed there's quite a bit of slack when the knife is half opened.

Trying to figure out how the serrated portion of the blade would ever be useful (as it's attached to something with next to no grip) I began inserting it in random slots on my SAK as I've heard about the hook+pen trick lol.

Eventually I found out by inserting the key, bottle opener side down in the pliers section of my cybertool 34, it provides a surprisingly sturdy grip for the blade! The utili-key combined with my SAK can now create a improvised wood/plastic saw!

All in all, I love my new utili-key, although there are a few things I would like to see fixed in their QC

Hope this helps!

ace19636

02-12-2010, 10:06 AM

i have all of thare tools so far and i love them alll thare grate tools for small jobs. the first tool i got is the swiss key and i loved it so i had to get more and what do you know now i have them all lol i love swiss tech tools. :D

blackhatch

02-12-2010, 10:26 PM

I love swiss tech as well. I wish that they made more so i could own more! I only get my swiss techs in stainless! the black my friend had was starting to rust this summer and mine still looked new :)

xBlue

02-13-2010, 01:33 AM

Love my Utili-Key. It's great having a serrated edge and eyeglass screwdriver that hides away into the keyring.

My original Micro-Tech in black is still around, has a tight fit and finish that seems a notch above my newer gen. stainless steel Micro-Plus.

Big fan of the Screwz-All - a great alternative to the Micro series if you don't require pliers. Wish the clip was better designed for keychain attachment though.

Finally, avoid the Smart Clip. Got a model from an Rei store on clearance a few years ago. Very poor quality, fit and finish like a $1 multitool. LED on button incredibly hard to slide, and battery replacement was a mystery to me.

josephho

02-13-2010, 04:54 AM

I had had two utili-keys until I broke them.
One has a imcomplete philip driver, another has a rupture of its keyring hook.
It seems utili-keys are made from high carbon steel and very brittle.
In emergency conditions I trust micra only, although it's heavy and much bigger.
But it's strong enough,I even havn't see it getting rusted.

all_thumbs

02-16-2010, 02:04 PM

Thanks to this thread, I purchased a lot of three utilikeys off of the evil auction site. Thanks again EDCF for helping me get what I need.

I received my Utilikeys and am impressed with the quality. One is going to my GF, one on my keychain, and one will stay in my TG Dispatch in the secret stash spot on a retractor with a few other emergecy goodies. Thanks again all.

arem

02-22-2010, 05:37 PM

I have a Utilikey and I think it's a great idea but like many others I find the execution lacking. The biggest problem for me is that anytime you want to use it you have to take it off your key ring, that's fine sometimes but if you just want to open a bottle or slice a piece of tape quickly it leads to a lot of fumbling around or dropped keys. I keep it on my key ring as a last resort kind of thing, but I pretty much never use it.

Wooden Foot

02-24-2010, 11:08 AM

My utilikey got confiscated at the courthouse today, but I got it back. They called it a knife key.

Kendo

02-28-2010, 11:26 AM

Probably more for the benefit of the UK members.

My local Costco store had a micro-tool 5-piece pack (Transformer (11 in 1), Micro-Max (19 in 1), Micro-Pro XL900 (9 in 1), Utili-Key (6 in 1) and a Solar (Flashlite)) on offer a couple of weeks ago for £12.99 + VAT. When I went back today to pick one up for a colleague, they had been reduced to £4.97 + VAT.

Ken