looking for a good multitool i cannot break.

i use them hard and often.
cheap chinese ones break with no effort for me.
even my gerber has unacceptable plier jaw flex and eventually get broken.lifetime warranty replaces them about every 2 years without issue.
but i want something i cannot easily break doing a demanding job.
even the leatherman has fallen short and ended up broken.

Could try a Victorinox multitool, but I feel you will end up with the same results. Had my Leatherman wave for 10 or so years, and its getting real worn, but its held up to the major abuse I put it through on a daily basis at work. But it is about time to get an upgrade.
Gerbers are not all that good, at least the few multitools and knives I have handled.
Could also browse through the Leatherman site and look at some of their beefier models. But there is a point that you should grab the proper tool for the job and put the multitool up lol

I think Leatherman makes the best multitools, but I do not use mine hard.

I have several, and my all-time favorite is a Victorinox. It’s a bit larger and heavier than most, but it’s taken a decade of constant carry and use so far without failing.

That multitool will be hard to break:

It doubles as a decent melee weapon as well.

As well as acquiring free items, including free transportation and free living quarters

You would think it was indestructible—unless built by people that know nothing about metallurgy.

i bought one at a store that sells lots of pieces of metal that are in the shape of tools, and promptly snapped a tooth off the nail puller fork. Thinking i just overloaded it, i kept it around to use the toe end as a pry bar. Then when i needed that pry function it snapped off just above the heel!

Turns out it was made of cast metal—a casting poured into the shape of a pry bar and painted red.

Back on topic:

i carried a leatherman for 20 years until i wore out the leather holster—very handy to have for repairs in the field. i never broke one, but the grips bite into your fingers and hand such that you would be looking for some real pliers before too long. The gerber version has more of a pad on the grips but feels like it could be broken with hard use.

I am wondering what jobs do you use your multitool on that make it break so fast. Wanna share? :slight_smile:

like changing an alternator on a duramax diesel.
almost collapsed the handles getting grip on the bigger bolts.
i expect the tool to take whatever i can give it.
i got it changed but thought this would send the gerber back to the scrap pile at the gerber factory.
its slightly sprung but still usable.
there was a $5 ratchet set in the truck but the socket split on the first try on the long mounting bolt.

I recently got a Gerber center drive, and at first I wasn’t very sure because I had bad experiences with Chinese made gerber products in the past. However the center drive seems to be holding up fine, what’s nice about it is that it can drive screws with ease as the axis is centered and can take standard 1/4 hex bits.

Do you have to do these jobs out in the wild where you have no place for a real toolbox?

Otherwise I learned the lesson the hard way to always use the right tool for the job…

I work heavy construction in ironwork. I swear by the Leatherman Surge. It’s a Wave on steroids. It gets used and abused every day. Yes, I have broken screwdriver blades off when using them as prybars. But those huge strong pliers have held up to just about everything. It’s heavy for a MT, but…I’ve got 30 pounds of bolts in my bags and 2 spud wrenches and a sleever bar and bullpin and 6 pound beater on me also. Weight is very subjective………

Have you tried buying proper tools that you use for the job? Lets face it a multi-tool is not designed for heavy or rigid jobs.

Came here to say this, multi tools are not meant for regular heavy duty use, they are meant for light duty very occasional use

i;m pretty sure no multitool is designed for heavy use
just convenience , basically
wle

I think I remember an episode of MacGyver where he removed the lug nuts from a deuce and a half with the bottle opener on a Swiss Army knife. So he has that going for him, which is nice.

I have carried the same one for over 10 years. I have broke blades and tips but the plier is a strong as when it was new. Get one of them with replaceable carbides and never look back! They have even seen time in the US military. I hated multitools before I got one of these on a WalMart close out for 20 bux!

I have multi tools from Gerber, Leatherman, and Victorinox and I would have to say the Victorinox is the highest quality of them all. I only have the Spirit X model from Victorinox but the SwissTool X which is a little bigger and heavier duty might be a better option for you.

I have had many different multi-tools, and the Leatherman Supertool is the only one that can survive my abuse. ( both gerber & Sog failed me)
if you break that, then i’m guessing a crowbar as mentioned above. :smiley: