Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath
by Gerber
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List Price: Our Price: $23.65 You Save: $25.67 (52%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $23.24 (click here) Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath
Customer Review: Excellent Multi Tool Outstanding price
Summary: 5 Stars
First off I would like to say the nay sayers are horribly mistaken about this multi-tool. I have own 5 multi-tool/pocket knife combos and I have used many of the competitors products. From 2 Swiss Army knives, a Winchester multi-tool, and a Leatherman multi-tool. The Swiss Army knives are always too compact and never have enough features to be useful (PLUS THEY ARE ALWAYS STIFF and HARD TO OPEN), the Winchester looks nice but weighs over 1.5 lbs! (Plus the materials used are cheap), and the Leatherman was nice but the price high ($65!) and it was always slightly awkward. I purchased this Gerber on a whim looking for a good lightweight multi-function tool, that was easy to carry in my pocket, had a good amount of features, and a good match of qaulity/price.
The Gerber suspension butter fly multi-tool (yes a mouth full to say) is a great mixture of all of my wants. Lightweight under 10oz, great styling very sharp to look at, compact, and under $30! This tool honestly sums up all of my wants and needs in a product plus it hits the right price point for me. A solid grand slam in my opinion.
Pros:
Needle nose pliers (most multi's only have bulking large pliers)
Spring loaded jaws for pliers (No more messing around with opening and closing the tool while tightening/loosening things etc)
Locking system (great for keeping a fixed blade to cut/use screw driver attatchements)
Can opener (that works surprisingly well)
Light weight (No more bulky heavy multi's that feel like bricks)
Comfortable to hold (some tools never feel right in the hand but this one certainly does)
Saws (work well from boxes, to twine, to rope, to lightweight metal cable)
Usable phillips/flat head tools (good size for mid to large applications)
Cons
Size (may be a problem for some with very large hands)
Scissors (not very useful as they are tiny)
Blades Size (If they were another half inch they would be perfect)
Phillips/flat head tools (Do not fit small applications well can bore out the screws)
Customer Review: Feels solid, looks good, works wonderfully.
Summary: 5 Stars
I just received this Multi-tool. I bought the expansion Gerber 22-49445 10-Piece Tool Kit for about $8 more to go with it. This multi-tool has one feature that overshadows similar models that I have owned in the past: It is nearly impossible to pinch your hand or finger if the pliers slip off of the part you are holding/turning with them. I used to get a blood blister on my hand often when my Leatherman or older Gerber model slipped off of whatever I was turning. This Gerber model doesn't allow the handles to close enough to pinch your hand.
Two of the blades are easily extracted with one hand via the handy thumb nubs, but only for right-handed folks. I can do it left-handed, but only because the blade is less than two inches long. Overall, it fits well in my large hands. The main blades are not super long, but they are long enough for any use I would use them for. It doesn't intimidate my sheltered office co-workers the way my Gerber knife does, either.
Both items came with a nylon belt sheath. The tool kit sheath has room for my Gerber 22-48447 Paraframe II Knife from REI.com ($24.61 at amazon.com) in a second pocket behind the tool set. While wearing both on my belt, I hardly notice them or feel the weight.
As for the reviews of this product breaking during use, I have to wonder if those people are using it for the job it was intended? The first thing I learned about tools was to "use the right tool for the right job". Sure, it's a multi-tool, but the handles are meant to be used as a hammer and the pliers aren't going to be as strong as an actual pair of pliers. A multi-tool serves the purpose of saving me the trip to the tool box for those small one-off tasks during the day. If I'm building a house, I'll break out the real tools.
This may be my favorite tool purchase of the year.
Customer Review: Gerber Suspension Multi-tool -- Sweet!
Summary: 5 Stars
For those worried about this tool being a bit too bulky, don't be. My hands are not that large, and the tool fits into my palm just right. The spring action for the pliers is a neat touch, makes operation smooth. I have not found the additional pieces to be hard to 'pry open'- they slide into position just fine. The item comes fairly well oiled. I have not had much chance to use it yet though, and I will update this review after I have put this multi-tool through its paces. Some have said the knife is too short- I would say it is adequate for small jobs and on the spot cutting, and if you want to carry a larger knife then just carry a larger knife in addition to the Gerber. The lock system is also excellent--keeps everything tight and in place, no worries about the blades folding in on you. For the people who question the Philips head tool-- Gerber also sells a solution for this, the 10-piece bit kit which is seen on this item page.
For price, it's a good deal here on Amazon (I got mine from a big box chain for a little bit less), but don't go to other sites for this--the sellers are overcharging you for the tool as well as on shipping. A good sturdy multi, I hope to put it through years of service!
Customer Review: Very nice multi-tool
Summary: 5 Stars
Having this tool for a little over 2 years now, I have become to love this tool. It has all the features as any other multi purpose tools and it's made well.
-Love the suspension. I have other, more expensive multi-tool (leatherman and gerbers) and I'm always drawn to this one. It doesn't pinch you when using the pliers and the suspension makes it super easy to use.
-It has all the basic features as other mutli purpose tool at a fraction of the price.
-Had it over 2 years and it still works well.
-The sheath it comes with is nice. I like how it is made to be worn either upright, or sideways on your belt. I prefer the sideway mount, as it is flush with your beltline and doesn't poke you if you bend over in that direction. Other tools have the sheath where it is only able to be secured upright.
Overall, a good tool to have and I love the price that comes with it as well. Instead of paying $50-100+, I only paid in the $20s for a solid tool, from a solid company.
Customer Review: Great Multi Tool for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my first multi tool. I wanted the Leatherman brand, but it was just too pricey for me at this juncture. I am thoroughly pleased with the Gerber Suspension. It is made solidly. Great tool selection and sheath. The main knives(serrated and smooth) are great quality out of the box. The edges are the best ive seen in a knife out of the box. I stoned it a bit, and it is razor sharp now, with good steel quality. No burs after sharpening with hard stone.
My only gripes:
The scissors are small, and don't have a great finger hold. I wrapped a small piece of electrical tape around it to make the surface smoother on the fingertips, without it interfering with the closing of the tool. And that made a big difference for me. Another small issue is the phillips head screw driver is not well defined. So it would be hard to fit into standard phillips screw heads without the risk of stripping them.
Overall, this is a great tool for a great price!