Multi Tool Mania ( Leatherman MUT, ST 300, Charge TTI , Wave, Skeletool, Wingman, & Kick )

“Budget” is a term I’m not sure I like. Personally, it’s value I look at, and the cost is secondary. It’s not that I want to overspend, it’s just that I am willing to spend whatever necessary to get a good value. I think once you factor in quality of construction and materials, brands like Leatherman and Victorinox are generally a much better value than their Chinese counterparts, at least when it comes to multi-tools.

For EDC I have no problem carrying a Chinese made SRM GB-763 pocket knife. It’s not going to open a box any better than my Golden, Colorado made Spyderco Native. If anything, it’s better for EDC because I would not hesitate to sacrifice it to whatever task it’s being used for. So, for EDC, it’s probably one of the best value items I own, next to the Wingman of course.

Now, if you were to drop me off on a desert island with only one knife, it would probably be a Mora or Becker. The Mora is an exceedingly good value as well. Not the best steel, and it’s not even full tang, but it’s cheap and field proven.

Yes they are really nice pocket knifes(ganzo,sanrenmu,navy,enlans)... Bad steel=low price

Mora has awesome blade - Swedish steel... Better than Victorinox... Field proven as you told... Hunters love Morakniv for big game skinning it is sharp and holds an edge... Even the cheapest one...

I would really like to see China making knifes with high quality steel... I would pay 50$ for my Ganzo G704(fast opening, an excellent locking mechanism, best edc for price) with this Swedish or VX steel...

I’m with you there. It’d be great to see someone like Ganzo or SRM step up. I think I read a statement somewhere from SRM that they could easily use better steel, but they don’t think anyone will pay the money—I sure would.

Can anyone contact this guys and tell them to make knifes from better steel. I mean interest thread or something like that? They are not aware that people would pay for quality blade...

This post isn’t about budget multi-tools from china… Please show me a tool in the SAK line that outshines the Charge TTI… While looking up vendors in china, you may research some in Sweden. Being that Leathermans Charge blows everything out of the water SAK makes, per quality of steel & ease of access. Oh & not to mention warranty return time. Call Richard Dean Anderson & see if he can help with that one. Bwah ha ha :bigsmile:

Is this SAKish enough to be going on with? Not exactly inexpensive but there again it’s a step up in the steel type and it just might get me into the SAK type knife, I’ve never been keen - the only one I had (a huntsman I think) I gave away.
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Blade:Sandvik 12C27
Blade Length: 85mm/3.35”
Blade Thickness: 3.05mm/0.12”
Closed Length: 114mm/4.49”
Weight: 224g/7.9oz
Handle: G10 Handle Scale
Other Tools: 3Cr13MOV (56 HRC)
Gang Liang Design

  1. Knife 2. Saw 3. Wood/Metal File
  2. Ruler (cm) 5. Screwdriver
  3. Cutting Hook 7. Phillips Screwdriver
  4. Can/Bottle Opener 9. Glass Breaker
    10.Wrench Driver (4/6/8/10mm)
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    Real Steel website.

Something different anyway but ~$60 is more than a most SAKs here in the U.K.
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I’ve not found a review in English yes but this gives an idea of size etc.-

I like it anyway, even bought a -

To see if I could get away with the blade shape, it works fine, very sharp and very usable.
I’ll admit that the SAK has a cult following, say anything against them on most forums and there’s a lynch mob after you. I never quite got it though.

Nor have I…. & I just bought three of them…. But I have yet to get visions of excaliber with angels singing in the background.

The 9Cr/440C used in Ganzo knives and multi-tools is a better grade of steel than Victorinox use, and their heat treatment is good enough that cutting tests show it to last longer than Cold Steel’s AUS8A (and I love my Cold Steel knives). I just recently bought a Ganzo 711, looking for a small full flat grind knife with a decent blade, and it is certainly impressive (if not as comfortable in hand as my Lone Star Hunter).

Meanwhile, although my Charge TTi is awesome, and of course the S30V blade is better than any steel China produces at the moment, most Leatherman tools come with 420HC blades which are certainly good enough given that a Leatherman isn’t a dedicated knife, but even with a good heat treatment is only on par with the Chinese 8Cr13MoV.

That Real Steel looks really interesting. I have a SRM with a razel blade like that but haven’t really used it. Either that reviewer has small hands or it’s bigger than it looks in the pictures. Definitely not opposed to paying that much if it’s worth it. Someone should buy one and report back :slight_smile:

Right now I think my next multi-tool will be a Charge TTi— still deciding.

+1 LOVE MY COLD STEEL KNIVES AS WELL

This is a debate that spilled over from another forum. I asked the simple question. For the price SAK/Victorinox charges. I don’t understand why they havent upgraded the steel they use? Apparently that is heresy in some venues.

I guess they just stick with it because it works.

Developing a new steel would cut into time that they’d rather spend making and selling millions of knives a year.

Also, Victorinox aren’t an expensive knife (on eBay). As long as you’re buying them for their multi-tool function rather than as a dedicated knife they do all right. If you want a dedicated knife to go with one I suggest the Cold Steel Kudu or Eland (new this year) the Kudu is a terrific slicer (I sharpened mine to 15dps) and the Eland looks like it’ll be even better with a 5.25 inch blade. Both are around $10US.

I’m trying to resist the urge to buy a couple of SanRenMu slip joints so I can maybe buy one at the end of the month.

Someone was mentioning about carrying sheaths and I thought I’d mention these.

Carry All Pouches

The last couple of Enlan EL-01s that I’ve bought have had these with a little Enlan tag stitched to them so the Large size fits that, I’ve just measured an Enlan one and it’s 4.5 inches from the bottom to the side-top not including the flap.

“Black durable nylon case. For carry on belt in horizontal or vertical position.
Small: Fits 3in Knives/Tools
Medium:Fits ?
Large: Fits 4 1/2in Knives/Tools” £2.95 Large and Medium, £1.95 small.
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Then there’s Pouch Black Cordura Sheath

5”, 4” and 3” £1.95 each.
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I’ve been using this -

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For a week or more just household duty and I’ve found that I actually like it apart from slicimg cheese, it tends to cut where it wants to rather than where I want it to go. The edges are wickedly sharp, all three of them, I’ve been using the end edge to push-cut Paracord and it does so without effort.
The blade is super smooth to open and close without even a drop of oil added, they’re starting to get it right at SanRenMu on these new x0xx knives the 7010’s that I’ve got are like that as well.

What? I respect Ganzo(i have them several + multitool) but quality of the blade is not even close to Victorinox hunter or leatherman tool/knife. I don't care for numbers I just care what I can do with knife and with ganzo you can not do much except some less demanding cutting, stabbing + self defense.

VX will do skinning job(small to middle game) easy without to much need of resharpening.

Chinese steel is not to good for serious work with poor heat treatment and it have tendentious to get dull rather quickly.

I strongly disagree with you.

Chinese steel numbers are like their "10 000 lumen" flashlights.

Perhaps you must see some videos of a russian guy hard test with some ganzo models… They endure more than some knives ten times more expensive.

I do stand corrected on one point. According to the Russian tester the 420HC used in the Leatherman Surge is slightly better than the 420HC used in the Buck 110 which is about equal to the “440C” used in the Ganzo G710. The difference between the 420s could be down to edge geometry. The AUS8A used by Cold Steel brackets the group being slightly worse in the Voyager, and slightly better in the Talwar, which suggests edge geometry is playing a part there too.

The 8Cr13MoV used in the Byrd Cara Cara 2, which would have Spyderco’s input on heat treatment, is well behind. M390 is a beast at edge holding. and even VG-10 is quite remarkable.

I really should get a ZDP Delica some time.

Yes I saw those tests and tried to cut branches with mine g704 you can stab through things you can torture it and it will not brake(good self defense knifes), it will only get dull...

When it comes to skinning job(little touch on the bone and it will be dull) it sucks and it sucks big time, blades gets dull rather quickly and I would never speak about that if I didn't tried so I know...

Great thread!

That Gerber looks very similar to the Chen Multitasker, same side button deploying and general handle similarities but The Gerber has pliers instead of shears.
I wonder who made them all, the Fiskars, Chen, Gerber all with the same mechanism.