[ship]

Again or at least pointed out, one’s multi-tool is very personal to you. What works for one is not optimum for another in style or use. For instance if barbarian and you tend to remove more screws with your multi-tool, than using it for quick cuts or grabbing stuff, perhaps in how the hinge/blade mechanism is orientated would be better to have the rounded side of the knife outboard when the pliers are closed and using it to be an off center screw driver not optimum designed for doing so... Yep, a bit set in my ways of if I pull out my multi-tool it is for a quick screw, but mostly for something to grab with, cut with or size a wire gauge with and not even strip wire with mostly. If stripping wire, I will most likely need a tool to attach it with thus I’m grabbing proper tools anyway.

In my case, I am showing how to size a wire gauge for someone just as often as cutting or grabbing something in a pinch thus the strippers are useful. Good strippers but a multi-tool is not something to be doing much work with. Also the stripping blades are properly formed as per a proper stripper tool for stranded wire thus it is easy to show from or use.

That is the good thing about this tool. Bad side about this tool is a lack of blade lock which is a crucial feature on any multi-tool. Believe me if you use the knife in any dynamic way, that blade lock is very important - another bad thing also about my original SOG. Wonder what the original Cooper Tools Xcelite multi-tool was like, that is what I thought I was buying - even had a black oxide coated version but they are both chrome and black discontinued.

After this very important detail of no multi-tool in my opinion being best - keep in mind the small needle nose pliers and even smaller cutting jaw, that it also comes with a totally crappy sheath for it thus the tools for stagecraft after market one to hold it mentioned.

On the other hand, I believe my opinion of the smaller arm does hold. The SOG had a similar end tip in this case flat head screw driver at the tip of that painful smaller lever. Was not really useful in that while using it the pliers kept opening and without blade lock there was no solution for using end of the blade tips while in use. Were I to use anything with removable tips, it would probably be the accessory to the Leathermen line of knife that has the holder removable but centered on the knife. Something else to carry in your pocket but as opposed to any other type of knife, at least the blade is centered on the handle instead of off center. Didn’t mind the Super Leathermen line though there was many other types on the market. Couldn’t imagine the need for replaceable pliers types, perhaps if nothing else in the concept of how one uses the tool, where the rounded edges and or blades are orientated while in use will be most useful. Barbarian mostly using it as a screw driver or knife, perhaps you want the rounded handle facing out while the pliers are encased inside. Definately locking blade. I say you like me or many use alternate knives for cutting such as a fold up knife or even fold up utility knife to do your cutting, accessories are much less used. At that point and in my view the most necessary use of the tool is for the portable pliers and cutter. For that given palm pressure on the tool to hold or cut, you would tend to want the rounded surfaces facing out board when the pliers are in use.

My opinion of course and milage may vary with ... did I say barbarians yet? Suppose I did mention that... as point of discussion/agreement.