Looking at getting a multi-tool for on belt EDC, and seriously considering an SOG PowerTool 2.0. In the past, my biggest gripe with multi's has been not enough gripping force with the pliers, so the whole compound leverage thing is very appealing to me. However, I see a lot of love for the SAK multi's an I love that you can access the inside tools without the need to open the pliers. I must say that this from Proto looks intriguing as well. But none offer the extra force of the SOG. However, if it is not a significant advantage it may not be worth it.
The sog compound leverage system works good providing a lot more gripping power but it comes at a cost the jaws on the sog compound leverage tools do not open very wide if thats not a concern then its a great tool. [/IMG] The smaller Leatherman Wave jaws open bigger unless you use a different hand hold or booth hands.[/IMG]
In answer to your question it makes a huge difference. No other plier I have encountered can generate even close to the amount of jaw pressure an SOG can and I have several. They only real disadvantage to the Powerlock is that it is big even for a large MT. Some people will prefer elements from other pliers better but in the end all the tools work well. Currently I am carrying a Swisstool Spirit and it is fantastic as well. By far the best build quality around. It all comes down to what you do and how you carry. If you really need to get down with the pliers and you don't mind a little extra bulk the SOG is your Huckleberry. If you want something that is more pocket friendly but is still a full size set of needle nose Victorinox is an excellent choice. I have to be honest thought the Proto piece doesn't do a thing for me.
Yeah, the ability to swap different driver bit types would be nice, as would the wider jaws but I don't know it'd be worth it.
Idd stick to the sog for the STRONG pliers but if tools are a issue the leatherman wave can use a swapable bit kit but it costs extra. I know Greber make a tool with a blunt nose set of pliers that might fit your uses. Ive liked most of the gerber tools I used. I carry a victorinox spirt s I think its the best overall multitool for me but ther are many to chose yours may be different from mine but please remeber your going to have to pay more for qualtiy so try and stay away from cheap tools you get what you pay for most of the time.
I've got a SOG and several leathermans. If I know I'm going to do some heavy duty cutting or need grip strength it's the SOG all the way. With the SOG I can easily with ine hand cut chain link fence and double strand barbed wire. With a Charge or even a supertool it is very hard even with two hands to cut the chain link fence. If I just need a tool with me I'll take a skeletal or other smaller tool. Best Regard, Eric
You may want to consider some other factors. Not only does the double fulcrum make the tool larger, it is also heavier. Beside the double pivots, there are also covers on each handle portion of the tool covering the fold-out implements. The tool comes in at around 10 ounces, sans case. My LM charge TTi weighs around 8 oz., has more than twice the number of tools and is very compact when closed. Now personally, I have never had any problem with the grip strength of any multi-tool. If ones hands are not particularly strong and are genteel, I can see the mechanical advantage these pliers afford being desirable. For myself, they are not. Given the weight, size and narrow jaw opening sacrifices, I would never own this tool. But that's what is so nice about personal differences. They cause the creation of all sorts of variations to suit everyone's preference.
If I have to cut chain link or other tough stuff I just use a pair of real cutters no use messing up your MT! Unless they have replaceable cutting edges. Right tool for the right job.
It does make cutting stuff easier, but if what you are doing requires it, you are probably putting too much stress on your tool.
I bought my SOG because I liked the sound of compound leverage too. However, I have not noticed very much difference in how much force they apply compared to my large Leatherman's. What is great about the SOG pliers is the feel. There is such a nice, smooth, controlled feel to them that puts them way ahead of any other mutitool that I've used. That being said though, my PowerAssist is basically useless for anything but the pliers. All of the tools are garbage. They would be ok in an emergency, but no where near the quality and usefulness of Leatherman or Victorinox. Another downside to SOG is their customer service. In my personal experience with them, they had the worst, most un-professional customer service I have ever seen with any company so far. So bad that I stopped considering the purchase of any more SOG products. But if you want some really great control on your pliers, SOG is probably the best choice for that.
That is odd because I have two outstanding experiences with SOG CS. A couple weeks ago I bought a Paratool on sale at Bass Pro Shops. When I got it home I noticed someone had taken it a part and mixed and matched the tools with another unit. This meant what they put back and returned to the store bound up and the knife was so long it hit the handle. Sog agreed to fix it and they did. I got it back in about a week with a hand written tag, hat, and bumber stickers. I also sent in a Flash II for a broken clip screw. They fixed the clip, lubricated, and sharpened the knife before sending it back with another hand written service tag. Best of all it was my knife and not a warranty replacement thrown in a box.
I must have just got a jerk representative then. I bought my Powerassist and wanted scissors to go with it. Since they have replaceable tools I ordered some scissors too. I checked their website which has a compatibility chart, and the scissors were listed as being compatible with the Power assist. So I got it, and was having a really hard time getting it installed. So I contacted them by email about it, and got: "The scissors are not compatible with the Powerassist" So I sent an email back saying how it's listed on the website, and they sent another email: "we removed it from the website, it's not compatible". No apology, no help, no offer to return it. Nothing. They simply deleted the entry on their website and didn't care. I came here to EDCforums, and guys said it actually is compatible, and helped me get it installed properly. So not only did SOG offer no help whatsoever, but weren't even right! It just did not hit me the right way, and I have basically associated SOG with that experience ever since. I mean that's in contrast to Leatherman, who I have had exceptional customer service experiences with. They have gone above and beyond for me time and time again, beyond their warranty even. CS has a big impact.
I am big on CS as well. In both my cases I called them on the phone. I am an email guy but when it comes to CS issues I want to talk to somebody. I find it easier to be specific about the problem and by the end of the call I know they understand my issue.
Strong enough I broke a claw off crimping wires, should have sent it in but I pitched it... Sent from Galaxy tab with tapatalk
That's the first thing I thought of as well. I once had to compute the force multiplier of a pair of vice grips on a physics exam. I don't recall the solution, but it was impressive. Much more than double, if I recall correctly. I want to say 20x, though of course it was a long time ago, and it was an idealized system, not real life. However, as a multitool, I'm personally not all that attracted to the Crunch -- it doesn't really fit my daily needs well. I look for scissors, plain blade, can and bottle openers in addition to the screwdrivers and pliers. I think if I personally had a regular need for stronger grippage, I'd trade out my full-size MT for a SAK and a smallish pair of vice grips. I have a great 6" pair with Jensen's logo on them in my toolbox, for example.
I like the feature myself, for no other reason than 2 older Leatherman's (Original and Surge) would pinch my fingers all the time. The compound lever action with the gears seems to prevent that a little. I haven't really compared for grip strength, but the SOG feels very strong.
I wish they'd let you customize them and pick only the tools you want/need. I've been trying to find a nice light multitool that has both pliers and scissors. I want it to be as light as possible but larger than a LM Squirt. I think The LM Juice CS4 is the lightest "pocket" sized (not keychain size) multi tool I could find that has both. It weighs about 5.5 oz.
if dreams only would come true... with some many things being custom made to order these days..im surprised that there arent any multi-tool makers, and then, one could order a MT to fit there own personal needs...could you imagine the picture threads in the edc forum then??? with all the pocket tool makers out there,, someone has to have a similar idea.. even if you could send in your own MT and get it customized, that would be fine too..
