I used to carry a plier multitool, but have actually found that there is much better utility in my case carrying a 125mm knipex cobra along with a Victorinox Workchamp (111mm). The workchamp has the big four (fullsize saw, file, scissor, and locking knife), two inline phillips, awl, corkscrew (Eyeglass driver holder), and the fantastic locking prybar tool. The workchamp also has small pliers built in that are surprisingly robust for their size, which covers the needle nose aspect missing from having a set of cobras instead of a leatherman. This knife is just right in terms of thickness for this length in my opinion (6 layers). If it were one of the mid size vics, I would probably feel that it is one layer too many and go with a Ranger! (Ranger has the big four without the pliers) I carry a leather hip organizer that I don't even notice, which houses the cobras and a flashlight, and a small spot for a pen where instead I keep a tiny 1/4 bit driver/holder from Hazet with a 5/16 + 1/4 swappable bit inside of it. The workchamp I have a nightize hipclip installed on, and keep it in my pocket. I have found that having dedicated pliers of specific use (Water pump for strength, needlenose for detail) is far superior to the combination pliers they put on most multitools which are mediocre at both tasks. Especially since I use the cobras for breaking tight fasteners loose a majority of the time, and the vic pliers for reach or fine gripping.
Personally I use the Knipex pliers wrench (86 series in 125mm) for turning nuts/bolts (I work with fasteners that are frequently loosened and re-tightened so I don't want to damage them) and any half decent multitool pliers covers the rest of what I'm likely to need. Everyone has their own requirements though so whatever works for you... 🙂 Edit: Just a guess, I could be wrong, but I think the spike on the fishing forceps is an eye cleaning needle (for cleaning the eye of a hook or picking out knots from nylon).
I modified small Knipex (125, 5 inch ) Cobra and Wrench with handles of Carbonfibre Tubes. Cut of ca. 20mm of the Steel Handles. Sanded them to a Cone shape. Build them up to 5mm cylinder, with high strength Epoxi and fibre. Put on a small Carbon fibre Tube. Ca. 25Mm longer than the original handles. Take care the tubes are not in the pinching area of the handles. Reinforced with strains of cabonfibre (plenty). Fixed with Epoxi. Put on a shorter 12mm Cabon fibre Tube closer to the jaws as reinf.. Filled all space with Matches and Epoxi. Again Strains for reinf.. Finally put on a coat of epoxi to protect the Tubes. Now 2 1/4 ounces better Gripp. I cant break it gripping around 55kg, But of course is not as robust as steel. Good looks. . I did the same with the XXS with add. sanding for weight. now 47g. Reaction differs. I gave 2 Prototypes to friends. One: Well intresting. The other: Man this is sick. I like the Chanelock
+/-14:00 (the fishing pliers) the needle is for cleaning/opening the eye of the hook when there is glue or paint in it. It also serves as a knot opener.
The dr slicks are just about the only tool other than a knife I take fishing these days, extremely versatile. I drilled a small hole in the flat head section so I could attach a zinger without it interfering with the finger holes, came out great.
I love videos like this that force me to think outside the box a bit! Some great ideas here! ...and the laser etching on the mini cobras is absolutely SICK!
I share in your deviant appreciation for tools. Years ago I worked as an Electronic Technician on a variety of equipment and developed an affinity for small specialty tools. My Jensen tool catalog was a very good friend. I walk around like I'm really OK, but deep down I wanna buy more tools. 🙂
Just came across your channel recently and enjoy your content. Your subject today is one I’ve dealt with a lot recently as well. I found a zipper pouch 3.75” x 5.25”. Fits great in my front pocket. Made it into both wallet and edc pouch. Carry 6 cards, cash, Knipex Cobra XS, Olight i1R2, Spyderco Ladybug in K390, Mini Bic, Fisher Space Pen, 3” AWT pry bar that fits 1/4 bits, a Phillips bit and tip of bar work good on slotted screws, and a Victorinox Classic for scissors and tweezers.
I've been recently using a shoulder bag. And franky..its made me question what is TRUELY necessary to have in my pockets..still pondering it. Thanks for sharing your approach! very informative for me.
I know I already commented but started a maintenance job where I don't always need my toolbag with full set of channel locks but my wave just doesn't always cut it. It have found carrying my wave and something like the knipex cobra in an accessory pocket has got me out of having to hoof it back to the shop on several occasions due to its superior ability to grab larger fasteners even though it is tiny. I just slip a pair into a spare side pocket and bam. I have actually thought of making a small toolbag that comes with me all the time out of one of those search and rescue/camera rigger chest packs . Also gives me a good place for my phone, keys and a small power bank.
Oh my gosh. Ive been searching for a better scorpion grabber than my leatherman skeletool! Thank you! The small dr slick is perfect and reduces my edc weight by 90%
I’ve paired a SAK Huntsman or Ranger with the 100mm Cobra pliers for my “lightweight” EDC, but I did miss having wire cutters. The 4.5” ChannelLock looks very interesting! Will definitely have to check them out.
Those Irwin pliers in 10” are what I use every day as a service tech. I have tried all kinds of different brands and they are the best. Better than snap on knipex etc. Chanel lock is like the second best to carry due to price so that’s what I have for my really big ones. I don’t really use the feature of sliding it up to find a size but they work great. My job requires that I put my tools in water and chemicals every day and I work in the rain so my tools get rained on. I carry them for years and they never break. I lose them before they do every 3 or 4 years. One set was on its way out but still worked the button was falling off and the mechanism inside was not working like it used to when I lost it after 3 years.
Great video, got yourself a new subscriber! About a year and a half ago, I went from a Tinker Deluxe (still a great tool and way smaller than most leatherman anyway but still a bit bulky) to a Knipex 125 and a Victorinox Jetsetter (bladeless 58mm) for the scissors and tweezer. I also carry a utility knife (NT Cutter Pro A1) and am going to add a Tinker Small (84mm) to round it out. My brother carried small (4 inch?) vise grips, which are useful and compact but quite heavy compared to the Knipex. I'm intrigued by the channel lock pliers, I'll have to check them out. The pliers wrench are cool, but I think more for a toolbox than EDC per se. I think the forceps are an interesting idea. An idea for a next installment, can you talk about EDC scissors that aren't in a multitool?
@@maxlvledc I figured you couldn’t really top the Victorinox scissors. I’ve considered the fastback, and it looks good, but I think it’s illegal here unfortunately, even if plenty of places sell them.
Been carrying a Alox Farmer SAK and pair of small channel-lock style pliers for 25 years. Much more useful than a leatherman. In fact now I carry two pair of small pliers. One a tougher pair, and one a thinner pair of “ignition pliers” that work well together.
I've tried a few Dr. Slick surgical clamps (forceps), like what you've shown, and have found them to be very sub-par. My family has an extensive history in the medical field, so I've always had access to surgical tools that would have been thrown away otherwise. There are basically two tiers: the stuff made in Germany, which is typically sterilized and re-used, and the stuff made in Pakistan, which is typically discarded, even if it isn't used since they come in the sterile one-time-use suture kits. The stuff from Dr. Slick appears, to me, to be QC rejects from the Pakistan plant; I've broken all three of the pairs I've purchased within minutes of use, but I've used and abused Pakistani surgical-kit clamps for decades while fishing and haven't had a set break.
@@maxlvledc Most of the German made clamps I've seen have been hemostats designed for flesh, specifically. The pair I have has interlocking teeth at the end so it isn't really good for general use. If you can find a source for real "medical grade" Pakistani clamps, those have been more than sufficient for me. I especially like the ones with a curved tip.
I've been trying some cool minimalist configurations using my Cobra XS. Like with my SAK Climber plus with pocket clip, black scales. Or with my Spyderco Urban. I just added a very compact good quality black oxide bike multitool with Phillips and flat drivers into my rotation, it's literally the size of a Bic lighter, actually a bit flatter. It also has the Allen keys I need to do little adjustments on the road, like tweaking brakes and gears, you need the Allen keys and pliers separately and at the same time to do that. Knife changes to Farmer X if I'm going offroading. But the Spyderco Urban / Cobra XS / BBB multifold tool (the bike multiool) configuration outperforms the Leatherman Skeletool imo and anyway I'm in the UK so can't really carry that. My toolset is high quality high performance, made in Europe and looks cool. Did cost more than a Skeletool though.
I've been carrying those knipex combo pliers for years, I also paired it with a different set that you didn't show but might be interested in. They're the Wilde G251FP slip joint pliers. The connector is flush with the rest of the plier so you're able to fully lay them down to get to a nut.
The combo approach is forced on those of us who live in jurisdictions with restrictions on locking knives in public spaces. Those small Knipex combi pliers pair very well with a SAK.
@@mercifulone7065 That's such an American statement. Even though I agree with the right to carrying a tool. The way you say it tells me everything about you and your lifestyle, attitude & beliefs...
So, I've been carrying the 4 inch Dr. Slick for a few days now. It's quite thin and lightweight so I hardly notice it as you might expect. On the job I've gotten guys asking to use them to pull splinters almost constantly, they're great for reaching into places that are too small for full sized pliers, the cutters can surprisingly cut through strapping on pallets, and the flathead has found a couple uses, but mostly stabs me when I reach for them. I'm yet to find a use for the spike, but im genuinely surprised as to how useful they are, they've possibly found a place in my edc. Just goes to show what challenging yourself to try something new can do
I've been experimenting with this exact same idea for about 6 months now. I stopped carrying my Leatherman's, started carrying my various Victorinox (swiss army knives) instead, and added a small plier to my EDC (in fact the Channel Lock 4-inch you showed here). I like it enough that I haven't switched back to carrying my Leatherman's yet. I've taken it a step further, and started EDC'ing a good pair of Klein Electricians scissors for cutting tasks. Talk about handy and useful! I'm really enjoying carrying those.
I carried my Channellock 524 for a bit because I like slipjoint pliers but eventually just dedicated them to my 1/4" dr kit along with the little 424 groove joints. These days I only carry a full sized multitool at work, and off work lately I pair a little Sebertool m2 with a Victorinox jetsetter. It gives me what I need without any redundancy.
Nice video and very informative. My edc, multi tool alternative, includes the following, Knipex 001972LE (nylon belt pouch, extremely robust), Knipex 8701125 (the small cobras), Knipex 0822145 (combination needle nose pliers with the red and blue comfort grip) Facom Philips #1x100mm,1000volts rated screwdriver, Nebo RC NE6810 Inspector flash light and an Olfa model-a 9mm utility blade. If these tools don’t get the job done then a tool case is needed. This pouch is built based on experience and it has came in handy several times.
Very interesting concept. I used to EDC a Leatherman surge (12 oz, not including the saw blade & its pouch). I carried it with a pocket clip, and it didn’t feel too heavy. But add a backpack and ounces start to add up. I switched to a Leatherman charge (8.5 oz w/ pocket clip) to save almost 4 oz. I really like the scissors and small blade on SAK. Used to have a SwissChamp (6.5 oz), but lost it. However, the pliers didn’t have much grip strength. They’re more like big tweezers. I was testing the SAK pliers on a nut. The SAK couldn’t turn it, whereas the Leatherman charge could. I’m always trying to balance weight & capability. A separate pliers will make up for the weaker SAK pliers. Just gotta find a combination weighing less than 8.5 oz.
Something else I love about those Irwin groove lock pliers is that the two flats on the jaws can be lined up to sit flush on opposing sides of a hex nut, like a wrench. I haven't been able to achieve that with the Knipex Cobra. I don't really miss it on the Cobra, but I thought it was an interesting design choice by Irwin
Good video! Sounds like you are thinking along the lines of developing a compact EDC tool bag as opposed to a regular metal tool box with regular tools...you could carry this in the car, or leave at home and take what you need in belt pouches or in a "Maxpedition" type square zippered bag with loops to put in the tools you want to take...this can go on your belt or in your bag as an adjunct to whatever multitool/sak combination you might be carrying on any given day...what do you think?
When jumping from the 139 g/4.9 oz Skeletool CX, the largest multitool I EDC, to anything larger, I'd rather have a pouch with mini-tools (cobra pliers, 4LN vise-grips or hemostat, 1/4" bit ratchet & bits, pry/scrape bar, Olfa craft knife, headlamp). A bit heavier (mine's now at 700 g/1.5 lbs), but with far more options. A key advantage of having a pouched mini toolkit is one can also carry consumables: zip ties, duct & electrical tape, safety & bell wire, single use CA glue, nitrile gloves, etc. It isn't enough for all jobs, but its enough for 75%, from swapping in new outlets to exchanging car batteries to bike maintenance. A tiered approach makes eminent sense to me. SAK or Skeletool/PowerPint EDC. Mini-tool pouch for the small jobs, incl the most common consumables.. Dedicated tool rolls/boxes for more involved automotive, plumbing, electrical, or carpentry work. Power tools and sorted screws, nails, bolt, washers and nuts in the home garage. Anything larger or more complicated, I'm well advised to hire pros.
I came to a similar conclusion as you, as I now carry a decent knife and I've made up a tool pouch to cover other eventualities. My first video shows off my EDC tools. I'm all over the Knipex Cobra XS, punches well above it's weight.
Nice video and some really useful info. I really like those Engineer pliers... going to have to get a pair. I have been dropping my 6" Irwin's (like yours) in my cargo pocket instead of strapping on my multi tool when I'm just messing around town. But then I always have a SAK on me and a folding lock blade. Keep up the good work.
I am a Service Plumber. I carry a Benchmade 940, GERBER EAB Lite, Knipex Cobra XS pliers, and a gifted Leatherman Crunch. I have to say that’s my perfect EDC. I used to carry a bulky Surge with bits and a bit extender on my belt and, frankly, I preferred to just reach for my hand tools instead of pulling out the Surge. Now that I learned to carry a 5/16” bit, I can do everything from loosening hose clamps, backing up workpieces, to opening access panels with the Crunch. I can tighten and loosen supply hoses and compression nuts; and easily open duct clamps with the Cobra XS. I don’t need to hype up how good the Benchmade 940 is for heavy use… and GERBER for its balance of quality and affordability…
You can also use vice grips to remove screws, I do it on a regular basis, you only need enough pressure for a moment and then they're locked on a screw or bolt head. In my opinion vice grips are better to have on you than the majority of multi tools I've ever seen.
Then you are really really going to like an upcoming video..where I show you have to make 5 minutes to modify a 4" vice grip, and it let's you use tshanks,reciprocating saw blades, utility knives, and craft blades...it's a game changer for edc imo
Engineer also make "Engineer PZ-66 Screw Removal Locking Pliers", which is basically both in one package. Their youtube channel has videos of it in use. I have one and while it feels a little weak, it works for its intended purpose of removing stripped screws. Another plus/minus is that you can unlock the pliers just by pulling them open, there is no unlock lever.
Dedicated tools are almost always more effective than multitools, finding light ones that can be packed is what is a challenge. With how big phones are getting I am considering the small messenger bag with tools approach.
Cool video. I have been thinking about this as well. The scissors are pretty unique. Knipex has its new XS pliers wrench now - although hard to get - but it is just as awesome as the XS Cobra.
Nice handle mod on the Irwin GV6 I think I'm going to pick one up and actually cut the handle shorter and profile the head to be a bit more sleek for my tool pouch
I usually tried to use my multitool and while it did when there was little things to repair, I often had to resort to my toolbox in the end because the MT isn't enough for simply intermediate jobs. Since I tried to use the specialized pliers approach even if my pockets are quire heavy now, I have no more problems and rely a whole lot less on the toolbox. All I needed was a proper pouch to carry that stuff.
It's a source of great amusement to me that so may of your videos feature stuff I have in my quiver. In this one you are bringing up the conundrum a lot of us tinkers face. In our day to days we encounter many fix it scenarios. And multitools give as a lot of fix it power for a weight and space penalty, that seems more than it is because it is so condensed. It's one big hard flump taking up an entire pocket and it can be hard to carry sometimes. But if you have a hard time carrying a multitool, how the hell are you going to carry a toolbox? I also remedy this by keeping a tacticool manpurse that goes in the vehicle anytime I travel out of town. The rest of the time I just keep a pocketknife on me all the time. Since I work construction and have a heavily maintenance oriented background, I am almost always only a short walk away from a lot of tools. But whenever I am away from home on social calls, inevitably there is something for me to fix. And pit comes the surge. But it would be nice to have a lightweight kit of tools for EDC that is more useful than a multitool. So it's a righteous quest you are one. A couple things that jumped out at me. Those nifty nut plyers you have are pretty much a clone of the vampliers that have been out a few years. I have a 6 or 8 inch version and they are excellent for extracting broken screws. Knipex also makes a very nice version called the twingrip. Also, the cobra xs is down to 30 bucks on amazon now. I am considering diching my surge but keeping the new ratchet drive and building out a kit based on that with those nifty knipex combi pliers you have to augment. As well as a knipex XS cobra. And as far as knipex goes. a cobra and plierswrench paired covers a lot of use scenarios with just 2 tools. So one ideal kit would be a folding pocketknife, small cobra and plierswrench plus a knipex small combi with some sort of ratcheting driver for 6mm bits and a small assortment of bits. All of this would fit in any small case. And you could build out other cases to add to the capability. Like a small case of quarter drive sockets and an adapter for your bit driver. As well as a complete bit kit for every occasion. Something like this would make it easy to travel with a ll your fix it mojo without weighing yourself down or giving up to much in capabilities. As always with your videos, I seen something I want and got good insight from a different perspective. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the involved reply! There are three main considerations and nothing is straight forward: Size (overall with all items), Cost, and Weight..and no ideal solution. However, I love the problem solving adventure.
Grip ends in many pliers are quite close in size to fit into 1/4 inch rectangular hole, when plastic is peeled off. I filed a Knipex side cutter grip end flat, so it fits diagonally into a rectangular hole of a hex bit adapter. I think diagonal fit may be as good as having a rectangular stud here, at least if the grip is wide and flat to begin with.
My Spyderco Tuff is 6.2oz and it's worth the weight. I like to carry an assortment of Victorinox that I pair with it daily. I always have a Leatherman in my car.
Good discussion - been carrying PZ58 and Cobra 125 along with Wera 818 screwdriver with some bits and Surge all in a Knipex Pouch - tbh I’m thinking of downsizing to a SAK as I find the Surge least useful…but I like it.
Thanks for the video! It looks like you don't have a Crescent RT24CVS -- they're about $8 at my local Tractor Supply Store and Home Depot. They're 4.5" long, 3/4" jaw capacity, and, as I recall, a few grams lighter than the 4" Knipex.
I am going thru this right now. I replaced my Leatherman Wave (OG) with a SAK Huntsman, Klecker Screwdriver, SAK Pliers (taken from another SAK) and a homemade pry bar. That weighed 2 oz less than the leatherman by iteslf. But the pliers arent great, and the SAK has blades on it, which I dont want, as I do carry a dedicated folder. So, now I have a Leatherman Knifeless Rebar on its way to me, so that I can test it out. The weight should be on par with the SAK + Other Utensils, in a better formfactor. OG Wave is about 8.4 oz. SAK + Tools is about 6.4 oz. The Rebar is about 6.5 oz. Stay tuned!
I have a vanquest organizer set up as an edc style tool kit. Been meaning to revisit it. The knipex pliers wrench is my most used tool in there. The surge comes next but mostly just for the driver. If you ever figure out an alternative holder for t shank blades that is edc size then i could easily ditch the leatherman. I am more interested in a small set of dedicated tools at this point since i wouldn't belt carry it anyway.
I carry leatherman charge Ti left pocket clip, spyderco para 2 right pocket clip and use the leatherman charge belt pouch for knives cobra, leatherman bit kits and leatherman juice.
My choice is Knipex 125mm waterpump wrench and a victorinox Angler (with mods ). This gives me a very powerful wrench, along with mini precision pliers in the Angler a 6mm flat a 2.5mm flat/Phillips and 2 blades . Which gives me way more capability than the biggest /best leatherman type tool .
those knipex plierheads would be so cool in a multitool. Rest of the tool made by wera or wiha and a blade with some high end steel out of Solingen. And that all in colaboration with Victorinox, but all modular like the goat tool. Would be pretty expensive but my dream tool:P
My EDC are 1: "Gerber" Ridge Serrated Folding Clip Knife (very light) ,2: "Knipex" 125 mm pliers, and 3: "Unior" small phase tester (3 mm sloted screwdriver) This is enough for Me...👍...
i carry the knipex plier wrench 125 with a folding knife - honestly if you think you need to pinch something, turn a nut, or hold something tiny it's your best bet. but yeah no wire cutting.
Knipex are designed not to open extremely wide so the handles are closer together when locked onto a nut/bolt and you get an immensely stronger grip on them that way
The Knipex needlenose combination pliers are truly awesome (08 21 145) but a tad too big for most pocket EDCs. I'd be really interested in a 110mm-ish version, sort of like the Knipex 08 05 110, although their jaws are not as useful as the 08 21 145. The other issue with them is that the Comfort Grip handles are too bulky for most pocket EDC. I have a pair of those - I might cut the cushioning off the bare metal and see how they look and work. There are 4" versions of both the standard curved-jaw ViseGrip and the needle-nose ViseGrip. I'm not convinced that they're great for EDC. If I really wanted locking pliers, I'd add a Crunch, which Leatherman recently got back into production. The Crunch wouldn't really fill the "multitool" role for most people (I think), but as a compact locking plier, it's really great.
@@maxlvledc 6inch slip joint. Some generic brand that I can hammer with if I need to without worrying. The flat head is thin, so it works on Philips. It's an old square shaft craftsman.
I have the 4" needle nose vice grips, they're much lighter. Amazon sell a victorinox bit driver kit which has much more grunt than any leatherman driver.
Yes, and the even better part is weight distribution. In stead of having one 8oz lump of multi tool, you can distribute the weight into different pockets and it will feel like you are carrying less.
Update here on the Knipex 08 05 110 mini combination pliers. Instead of cutting the Comfort Grip cushions off, I used a heat gun on a bet that these were held on with glue that might soften up when heated. Bingo... So I got them off without damage. The handles are full length and completely chromed. They're actually quite good looking. They're much thinner than with the cushions slipped over them, and you wouldn't want to really bear down on them but how much force are you going to apply, or need, with 4.5" pliers? You could do something like PlastiDip, although that always seems to finish up with a sort of "sticky" high friction surface. (Any similar but better products?). Bottom line: you can remove these without harming the grip cushions, and the pliers are attractive, highly usable and much more compact without them. Great EDC item for sure. Might make a nice trio with a pair of 100mm or 125mm Cobra pliers and a Pliers-Wrench.
Ahhhnnnd he's back... The exercise with the 08 05 110 pliers got me thinking about the Vampliers 5" (so, nominally 125mm) "Screw Extraction Pliers," which have jaws very similar to the Knipex 110mm pliers, with the added cut in the nose for nose-down screw extraction. I did the same thing - applied heat, removed the grips. Really nice forgings these are (both the Knipex, no surprise, and the Vampliers, a bit of a surprise). Full length, too. Let me know if it would be helpful to record a short, informal video showing how these two look.
I just bought some 4inch Irwin vice grips. Bought em to leave in a drawer in the kitchen so I'm not always walking out the the garage. Like em so much probably gonna buy another one the throw in my work bag.
DeWalt and a few other tool company's make these small pilers and are under 20 some of them are under 15 bucks even... But the thing is are they as strong or durable as knipex.
ENGINEER PZ-58 looks like the Knipex TwinGrip, but without the feature of adjusting the width. But this feature costs a a lot of weight: 130 g (PZ-58) vs 270 g (TwinGrip) The TwinGrip is 200 mm long, 40 mm longer compared to the PZ-58. Maybe Knipex will make a smaler version which will also bei lighter. Edit: There is a Pliers Mask for PZ-58. Great idea.
I didn’t have good luck w the twin grips. I carry a set of groove lock vampliers and the pistol grip icon screw extraction pliers. I don’t even take the twin grips with me anymore because they didn’t work for so many different applications. They probably work better for automotive applications than wood and plastic I work with. I would try a smaller set if they make it
I have a couple 528s I use when I don’t use my knipex pliers..channellock have great tools..knipex had a set of screw pliers called the twin grip model# 82 01 200…I find myself using regular pliers more than my leatherman
@@maxlvledc totally agree..I have learned this the last couple months..if I could find a slim but sturdy pocket screwdriver I could almost give up carrying my surge everyday..I just can’t find a screwdriver that won’t break the bank..I’m not into the fancy titanium
@@maxlvledc id say $20-30…pen type design preferably but open to look at other options and 6” length max..but not bulky…I’ve looked at so many I can’t decide..definitely open to suggestions..I try to keep my edc minimalist but it’s hard sometime..😅
@@Ersk88 ATM my favorite was the Ti pen driver by maratac, which is in your price range can can carry basically 4 bits. countycomm.com/products/1-4-pen-driver-titanium?_pos=9&_sid=77ef85fe6&_ss=r
The knipex cobras don't open quite that far as ya pointed out. Although the knipex alligators that don't have the pushbutton do open their jaws quite wider. They also have a wider range of adjustment not as incremental as the cobras. Oh and the teacher was probably in shock you had forceps due to the paraphernalia use. Lol
Oh wow, the PZ-58 dropped to $22. nice. putting in my cart for my next order. I'll get the little cap they have, to keep it closed. Thanks. Also, they have Knipex that adjust like the tiny Knipex does. Quick-set Cobras. Those have a red button.
Check out the PZ-56 model from Engineer. They are slip joint and have a thinner handle grip. They do not have cutters though. There are pen-style scissors that you may find interesting. Look up RayMay Portable Scissors on Amazon.
I'll stick with my Leatherman Surge as my EDC , and with EDC I mean that I use it in occasions where I am not able to get to my dedicated toolset . And most of the time that is sufficient
take a look at the knipex 08 05 110 pliers i currently carry a powerpint ( sog multitool simular size to juce series) a manix 2 and a s2r2 baton really like the combi but i usually swithch thins up here in germany im really fortunate with knipex prices 😍
Good ideas... maybe some look acquainted to me. Don‘t try to cut something with a pair of small vise-grips... they just don’t do. The auto-adjustment is a Knipex invention, originally, they have it in their newer ones. Chanellock copied it. There is a nice combination of screwhead-gripper and Vize-grip from Engineer.
Knipex are coming out with a pair that are a cross between the engineers and the slipjoint channel locks shown here with a head the shape of the cobras. Definitely worth a look imo Edit: they're called the twingrips, already produced but not available most places till April.
@@maxlvledc 200 (7.8" just between us boys but 10" if you're talking to my lady) I'd be surprised if they didn't make different sizes later on, some 6" ones would be better for me, I think
@@maxlvledc thx, I broke the cutters on my Wave + cutting 12/2 Romex, I guess a single #12 copper wire is about the max they’re designed for. The Wave + is a versatile plier head but it is limited on its cutting. I want something small & light I can carry on my belt. I think the Knipex Combo plier is what I’m looking for, it looks like it can handle more of a load than the Wave +.
Max, can you: 1. Add scissors to skeletool without removing the blade (list scissors compatibility). 2. Teach us how to disassemble the skeletool (not a single tutorial anywhere, you would be the ONLY one). Thanks in advance.
I do not recommend disassembly of the skeletool, getting it back together is a pain in the ass. And imo...better to carry a Vic classic (or alox classic) than mess with adding a scissor to the skeletool directly.
I used to carry a plier multitool, but have actually found that there is much better utility in my case carrying a 125mm knipex cobra along with a Victorinox Workchamp (111mm). The workchamp has the big four (fullsize saw, file, scissor, and locking knife), two inline phillips, awl, corkscrew (Eyeglass driver holder), and the fantastic locking prybar tool. The workchamp also has small pliers built in that are surprisingly robust for their size, which covers the needle nose aspect missing from having a set of cobras instead of a leatherman. This knife is just right in terms of thickness for this length in my opinion (6 layers). If it were one of the mid size vics, I would probably feel that it is one layer too many and go with a Ranger! (Ranger has the big four without the pliers)
I carry a leather hip organizer that I don't even notice, which houses the cobras and a flashlight, and a small spot for a pen where instead I keep a tiny 1/4 bit driver/holder from Hazet with a 5/16 + 1/4 swappable bit inside of it. The workchamp I have a nightize hipclip installed on, and keep it in my pocket.
I have found that having dedicated pliers of specific use (Water pump for strength, needlenose for detail) is far superior to the combination pliers they put on most multitools which are mediocre at both tasks. Especially since I use the cobras for breaking tight fasteners loose a majority of the time, and the vic pliers for reach or fine gripping.
That's a really awesome combo. Thanks for the advice
Personally I use the Knipex pliers wrench (86 series in 125mm) for turning nuts/bolts (I work with fasteners that are frequently loosened and re-tightened so I don't want to damage them) and any half decent multitool pliers covers the rest of what I'm likely to need. Everyone has their own requirements though so whatever works for you... 🙂
Edit: Just a guess, I could be wrong, but I think the spike on the fishing forceps is an eye cleaning needle (for cleaning the eye of a hook or picking out knots from nylon).
I modified small Knipex (125, 5 inch ) Cobra and Wrench with handles of Carbonfibre Tubes. Cut of ca. 20mm of the Steel Handles. Sanded them to a Cone shape. Build them up to 5mm cylinder, with high strength Epoxi and fibre. Put on a small Carbon fibre Tube. Ca. 25Mm longer than the original handles. Take care the tubes are not in the pinching area of the handles. Reinforced with strains of cabonfibre (plenty). Fixed with Epoxi. Put on a shorter 12mm Cabon fibre Tube closer to the jaws as reinf.. Filled all space with Matches and Epoxi. Again Strains for reinf.. Finally put on a coat of epoxi to protect the Tubes. Now 2 1/4 ounces better Gripp. I cant break it gripping around 55kg, But of course is not as robust as steel. Good looks. . I did the same with the XXS with add. sanding for weight. now 47g.
Reaction differs. I gave 2 Prototypes to friends. One: Well intresting. The other: Man this is sick.
I like the Chanelock
+/-14:00 (the fishing pliers) the needle is for cleaning/opening the eye of the hook when there is glue or paint in it. It also serves as a knot opener.
Brilliant! Ty!
Sorry to be a bother. But out of curiosity, why would there be glue or paint on your fishing hooks in the first place?
@@WhiteVaille flyfishing! Feathers and hair tied on a hook fixated with glue
And the flathead is probably for opening poorly made clip on weights that haven't had the slit opened properly
@WhiteVaille pretty much every jighead has the powder coating inside the eye
The dr slicks are just about the only tool other than a knife I take fishing these days, extremely versatile. I drilled a small hole in the flat head section so I could attach a zinger without it interfering with the finger holes, came out great.
I love videos like this that force me to think outside the box a bit! Some great ideas here!
...and the laser etching on the mini cobras is absolutely SICK!
Great video. I could watch these types of videos all day long.
I share in your deviant appreciation for tools. Years ago I worked as an Electronic Technician on a variety of equipment and developed an affinity for small specialty tools. My Jensen tool catalog was a very good friend. I walk around like I'm really OK, but deep down I wanna buy more tools. 🙂
Just came across your channel recently and enjoy your content. Your subject today is one I’ve dealt with a lot recently as well. I found a zipper pouch 3.75” x 5.25”. Fits great in my front pocket. Made it into both wallet and edc pouch. Carry 6 cards, cash, Knipex Cobra XS, Olight i1R2, Spyderco Ladybug in K390, Mini Bic, Fisher Space Pen, 3” AWT pry bar that fits 1/4 bits, a Phillips bit and tip of bar work good on slotted screws, and a Victorinox Classic for scissors and tweezers.
I've been recently using a shoulder bag. And franky..its made me question what is TRUELY necessary to have in my pockets..still pondering it. Thanks for sharing your approach! very informative for me.
I agree with all of you that said the channellock 425 are the bomb
I know I already commented but started a maintenance job where I don't always need my toolbag with full set of channel locks but my wave just doesn't always cut it. It have found carrying my wave and something like the knipex cobra in an accessory pocket has got me out of having to hoof it back to the shop on several occasions due to its superior ability to grab larger fasteners even though it is tiny. I just slip a pair into a spare side pocket and bam. I have actually thought of making a small toolbag that comes with me all the time out of one of those search and rescue/camera rigger chest packs . Also gives me a good place for my phone, keys and a small power bank.
Oh my gosh. Ive been searching for a better scorpion grabber than my leatherman skeletool! Thank you! The small dr slick is perfect and reduces my edc weight by 90%
I’ve paired a SAK Huntsman or Ranger with the 100mm Cobra pliers for my “lightweight” EDC, but I did miss having wire cutters. The 4.5” ChannelLock looks very interesting! Will definitely have to check them out.
Those Irwin pliers in 10” are what I use every day as a service tech. I have tried all kinds of different brands and they are the best. Better than snap on knipex etc. Chanel lock is like the second best to carry due to price so that’s what I have for my really big ones. I don’t really use the feature of sliding it up to find a size but they work great. My job requires that I put my tools in water and chemicals every day and I work in the rain so my tools get rained on. I carry them for years and they never break. I lose them before they do every 3 or 4 years. One set was on its way out but still worked the button was falling off and the mechanism inside was not working like it used to when I lost it after 3 years.
Great video, got yourself a new subscriber!
About a year and a half ago, I went from a Tinker Deluxe (still a great tool and way smaller than most leatherman anyway but still a bit bulky) to a Knipex 125 and a Victorinox Jetsetter (bladeless 58mm) for the scissors and tweezer. I also carry a utility knife (NT Cutter Pro A1) and am going to add a Tinker Small (84mm) to round it out.
My brother carried small (4 inch?) vise grips, which are useful and compact but quite heavy compared to the Knipex.
I'm intrigued by the channel lock pliers, I'll have to check them out. The pliers wrench are cool, but I think more for a toolbox than EDC per se. I think the forceps are an interesting idea. An idea for a next installment, can you talk about EDC scissors that aren't in a multitool?
Great idea...but there really are not that many worth mentioning...especially when vic scissor are so incredibly good.
Also, u may want to look at the Milwaukee fastback 6 in 1 utility knife...it's amazing and has a full locking hexbit driver on the back!
@@maxlvledc I figured you couldn’t really top the Victorinox scissors. I’ve considered the fastback, and it looks good, but I think it’s illegal here unfortunately, even if plenty of places sell them.
@@maxlvledc NOT CHEEEEEP,THE KNIPEX PLYERS/WRENCH IS THE BEST....PERIOD. 5-6 INCH GREAT FOR EDC
Been carrying a Alox Farmer SAK and pair of small channel-lock style pliers for 25 years. Much more useful than a leatherman.
In fact now I carry two pair of small pliers. One a tougher pair, and one a thinner pair of “ignition pliers” that work well together.
I've tried a few Dr. Slick surgical clamps (forceps), like what you've shown, and have found them to be very sub-par. My family has an extensive history in the medical field, so I've always had access to surgical tools that would have been thrown away otherwise. There are basically two tiers: the stuff made in Germany, which is typically sterilized and re-used, and the stuff made in Pakistan, which is typically discarded, even if it isn't used since they come in the sterile one-time-use suture kits.
The stuff from Dr. Slick appears, to me, to be QC rejects from the Pakistan plant; I've broken all three of the pairs I've purchased within minutes of use, but I've used and abused Pakistani surgical-kit clamps for decades while fishing and haven't had a set break.
Does Germany make one like this with the scissors section???
@@maxlvledc Most of the German made clamps I've seen have been hemostats designed for flesh, specifically. The pair I have has interlocking teeth at the end so it isn't really good for general use. If you can find a source for real "medical grade" Pakistani clamps, those have been more than sufficient for me. I especially like the ones with a curved tip.
I've been trying some cool minimalist configurations using my Cobra XS. Like with my SAK Climber plus with pocket clip, black scales. Or with my Spyderco Urban. I just added a very compact good quality black oxide bike multitool with Phillips and flat drivers into my rotation, it's literally the size of a Bic lighter, actually a bit flatter. It also has the Allen keys I need to do little adjustments on the road, like tweaking brakes and gears, you need the Allen keys and pliers separately and at the same time to do that. Knife changes to Farmer X if I'm going offroading. But the Spyderco Urban / Cobra XS / BBB multifold tool (the bike multiool) configuration outperforms the Leatherman Skeletool imo and anyway I'm in the UK so can't really carry that. My toolset is high quality high performance, made in Europe and looks cool. Did cost more than a Skeletool though.
Crescent 4-1/2" Mini Tongue and Groove Pliers - RT24CVS , Black
Also leather man PS. It has pliers, scissors, flat head, file, and tweezers
I've been carrying those knipex combo pliers for years, I also paired it with a different set that you didn't show but might be interested in. They're the Wilde G251FP slip joint pliers. The connector is flush with the rest of the plier so you're able to fully lay them down to get to a nut.
Ooooo. I need to look at those!
The combo approach is forced on those of us who live in jurisdictions with restrictions on locking knives in public spaces. Those small Knipex combi pliers pair very well with a SAK.
Laws infringing upon God given rights are immoral.
@@mercifulone7065 That's such an American statement. Even though I agree with the right to carrying a tool. The way you say it tells me everything about you and your lifestyle, attitude & beliefs...
@@mercifulone7065, what does that mean? You have a right live and survive?
@@edwardfletcher7790 Yea, don't go judging a book by one sentence...
It sounds kind of like jail but who am I kidding none of us see the bars of our prisons
So, I've been carrying the 4 inch Dr. Slick for a few days now. It's quite thin and lightweight so I hardly notice it as you might expect. On the job I've gotten guys asking to use them to pull splinters almost constantly, they're great for reaching into places that are too small for full sized pliers, the cutters can surprisingly cut through strapping on pallets, and the flathead has found a couple uses, but mostly stabs me when I reach for them. I'm yet to find a use for the spike, but im genuinely surprised as to how useful they are, they've possibly found a place in my edc. Just goes to show what challenging yourself to try something new can do
That's awesome!!!
I've been experimenting with this exact same idea for about 6 months now. I stopped carrying my Leatherman's, started carrying my various Victorinox (swiss army knives) instead, and added a small plier to my EDC (in fact the Channel Lock 4-inch you showed here). I like it enough that I haven't switched back to carrying my Leatherman's yet. I've taken it a step further, and started EDC'ing a good pair of Klein Electricians scissors for cutting tasks. Talk about handy and useful! I'm really enjoying carrying those.
I carried my Channellock 524 for a bit because I like slipjoint pliers but eventually just dedicated them to my 1/4" dr kit along with the little 424 groove joints.
These days I only carry a full sized multitool at work, and off work lately I pair a little Sebertool m2 with a Victorinox jetsetter.
It gives me what I need without any redundancy.
Nice video and very informative. My edc, multi tool alternative, includes the following, Knipex 001972LE (nylon belt pouch, extremely robust), Knipex 8701125 (the small cobras), Knipex 0822145 (combination needle nose pliers with the red and blue comfort grip) Facom Philips #1x100mm,1000volts rated screwdriver, Nebo RC NE6810 Inspector flash light and an Olfa model-a 9mm utility blade. If these tools don’t get the job done then a tool case is needed. This pouch is built based on experience and it has came in handy several times.
Can u send me a picture at the email address in description?
Very interesting concept. I used to EDC a Leatherman surge (12 oz, not including the saw blade & its pouch). I carried it with a pocket clip, and it didn’t feel too heavy. But add a backpack and ounces start to add up.
I switched to a Leatherman charge (8.5 oz w/ pocket clip) to save almost 4 oz.
I really like the scissors and small blade on SAK. Used to have a SwissChamp (6.5 oz), but lost it. However, the pliers didn’t have much grip strength. They’re more like big tweezers. I was testing the SAK pliers on a nut. The SAK couldn’t turn it, whereas the Leatherman charge could.
I’m always trying to balance weight & capability. A separate pliers will make up for the weaker SAK pliers. Just gotta find a combination weighing less than 8.5 oz.
Your dead on for where my head is at atm.
The fishing tool that has scissors is an Olsen-Hegar surgical instrument used to tie and remove sutures.
Something else I love about those Irwin groove lock pliers is that the two flats on the jaws can be lined up to sit flush on opposing sides of a hex nut, like a wrench. I haven't been able to achieve that with the Knipex Cobra. I don't really miss it on the Cobra, but I thought it was an interesting design choice by Irwin
I came here looking for exactly this content today!! Thank you!
I need to remake this..as I found way more!
Good video! Sounds like you are thinking along the lines of developing a compact EDC tool bag as opposed to a regular metal tool box with regular tools...you could carry this in the car, or leave at home and take what you need in belt pouches or in a "Maxpedition" type square zippered bag with loops to put in the tools you want to take...this can go on your belt or in your bag as an adjunct to whatever multitool/sak combination you might be carrying on any given day...what do you think?
When jumping from the 139 g/4.9 oz Skeletool CX, the largest multitool I EDC, to anything larger, I'd rather have a pouch with mini-tools (cobra pliers, 4LN vise-grips or hemostat, 1/4" bit ratchet & bits, pry/scrape bar, Olfa craft knife, headlamp). A bit heavier (mine's now at 700 g/1.5 lbs), but with far more options. A key advantage of having a pouched mini toolkit is one can also carry consumables: zip ties, duct & electrical tape, safety & bell wire, single use CA glue, nitrile gloves, etc. It isn't enough for all jobs, but its enough for 75%, from swapping in new outlets to exchanging car batteries to bike maintenance.
A tiered approach makes eminent sense to me. SAK or Skeletool/PowerPint EDC. Mini-tool pouch for the small jobs, incl the most common consumables.. Dedicated tool rolls/boxes for more involved automotive, plumbing, electrical, or carpentry work. Power tools and sorted screws, nails, bolt, washers and nuts in the home garage. Anything larger or more complicated, I'm well advised to hire pros.
I came to a similar conclusion as you, as I now carry a decent knife and I've made up a tool pouch to cover other eventualities.
My first video shows off my EDC tools. I'm all over the Knipex Cobra XS, punches well above it's weight.
Honestly I’ve been at the combo approach for a little while. I tend to carry an adjustable wrench as one of my main tools.
Nice video and some really useful info. I really like those Engineer pliers... going to have to get a pair. I have been dropping my 6" Irwin's (like yours) in my cargo pocket instead of strapping on my multi tool when I'm just messing around town. But then I always have a SAK on me and a folding lock blade. Keep up the good work.
I am a Service Plumber. I carry a Benchmade 940, GERBER EAB Lite, Knipex Cobra XS pliers, and a gifted Leatherman Crunch. I have to say that’s my perfect EDC. I used to carry a bulky Surge with bits and a bit extender on my belt and, frankly, I preferred to just reach for my hand tools instead of pulling out the Surge. Now that I learned to carry a 5/16” bit, I can do everything from loosening hose clamps, backing up workpieces, to opening access panels with the Crunch. I can tighten and loosen supply hoses and compression nuts; and easily open duct clamps with the Cobra XS. I don’t need to hype up how good the Benchmade 940 is for heavy use… and GERBER for its balance of quality and affordability…
There are dozens more uses I’ve found for the Crunch in my belt and Cobra XS pliers in my pocket that I failed mention…
I'm a huge lover of the 940 as well. But Hogue is making the Deka in Magnacut this year and it may just trump it.
Milwaukke fastback 5+1 or the 6+1paired with a small 4-5inch needlenose vicegrips. Wicked combo I also tend to carry a few extra bits in a holder.
You can also use vice grips to remove screws, I do it on a regular basis, you only need enough pressure for a moment and then they're locked on a screw or bolt head. In my opinion vice grips are better to have on you than the majority of multi tools I've ever seen.
Then you are really really going to like an upcoming video..where I show you have to make 5 minutes to modify a 4" vice grip, and it let's you use tshanks,reciprocating saw blades, utility knives, and craft blades...it's a game changer for edc imo
@@maxlvledc I can't wait for it, sounds great!
Engineer also make "Engineer PZ-66 Screw Removal Locking Pliers", which is basically both in one package.
Their youtube channel has videos of it in use. I have one and while it feels a little weak, it works for its intended purpose of removing stripped screws. Another plus/minus is that you can unlock the pliers just by pulling them open, there is no unlock lever.
Dedicated tools are almost always more effective than multitools, finding light ones that can be packed is what is a challenge. With how big phones are getting I am considering the small messenger bag with tools approach.
I'm already there, havnt revealed it yet.
@@maxlvledc been eyeballing that vertx socp pretty hard. Already have the smallest timbuk2 messenger. It is fantastic.
@@DanDannyDanielleBob I just ordered the "dadsfanny" it looks perfect. The hidden waterbottle slot sold me
Dr. Slick tiny hemostat very interesting! Thanks for the video!
Cool video. I have been thinking about this as well. The scissors are pretty unique. Knipex has its new XS pliers wrench now - although hard to get - but it is just as awesome as the XS Cobra.
Nice handle mod on the Irwin GV6
I think I'm going to pick one up and actually cut the handle shorter and profile the head to be a bit more sleek for my tool pouch
Might be useful to know: the doctor slick type of tongs are called "Arterial clamp", thank you for another great video, very informative!
The knipex smooth jaw may pair well with a flat wire stripper combi tool and my Kershaw knife ( one with 1/4 nutdriver and bits)
I think we should all consider this approach as it is hard to find one tool that does everything we want well.
I usually tried to use my multitool and while it did when there was little things to repair, I often had to resort to my toolbox in the end because the MT isn't enough for simply intermediate jobs.
Since I tried to use the specialized pliers approach even if my pockets are quire heavy now, I have no more problems and rely a whole lot less on the toolbox. All I needed was a proper pouch to carry that stuff.
It's a source of great amusement to me that so may of your videos feature stuff I have in my quiver.
In this one you are bringing up the conundrum a lot of us tinkers face. In our day to days we encounter many fix it scenarios. And multitools give as a lot of fix it power for a weight and space penalty, that seems more than it is because it is so condensed. It's one big hard flump taking up an entire pocket and it can be hard to carry sometimes. But if you have a hard time carrying a multitool, how the hell are you going to carry a toolbox? I also remedy this by keeping a tacticool manpurse that goes in the vehicle anytime I travel out of town. The rest of the time I just keep a pocketknife on me all the time. Since I work construction and have a heavily maintenance oriented background, I am almost always only a short walk away from a lot of tools. But whenever I am away from home on social calls, inevitably there is something for me to fix. And pit comes the surge. But it would be nice to have a lightweight kit of tools for EDC that is more useful than a multitool. So it's a righteous quest you are one.
A couple things that jumped out at me. Those nifty nut plyers you have are pretty much a clone of the vampliers that have been out a few years. I have a 6 or 8 inch version and they are excellent for extracting broken screws. Knipex also makes a very nice version called the twingrip. Also, the cobra xs is down to 30 bucks on amazon now.
I am considering diching my surge but keeping the new ratchet drive and building out a kit based on that with those nifty knipex combi pliers you have to augment. As well as a knipex XS cobra. And as far as knipex goes. a cobra and plierswrench paired covers a lot of use scenarios with just 2 tools.
So one ideal kit would be a folding pocketknife, small cobra and plierswrench plus a knipex small combi with some sort of ratcheting driver for 6mm bits and a small assortment of bits. All of this would fit in any small case. And you could build out other cases to add to the capability. Like a small case of quarter drive sockets and an adapter for your bit driver. As well as a complete bit kit for every occasion. Something like this would make it easy to travel with a ll your fix it mojo without weighing yourself down or giving up to much in capabilities.
As always with your videos, I seen something I want and got good insight from a different perspective. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the involved reply! There are three main considerations and nothing is straight forward: Size (overall with all items), Cost, and Weight..and no ideal solution. However, I love the problem solving adventure.
Grip ends in many pliers are quite close in size to fit into 1/4 inch rectangular hole, when plastic is peeled off. I filed a Knipex side cutter grip end flat, so it fits diagonally into a rectangular hole of a hex bit adapter. I think diagonal fit may be as good as having a rectangular stud here, at least if the grip is wide and flat to begin with.
My Spyderco Tuff is 6.2oz and it's worth the weight. I like to carry an assortment of Victorinox that I pair with it daily. I always have a Leatherman in my car.
Good discussion - been carrying PZ58 and Cobra 125 along with Wera 818 screwdriver with some bits and Surge all in a Knipex Pouch - tbh I’m thinking of downsizing to a SAK as I find the Surge least useful…but I like it.
Thanks for the video! It looks like you don't have a Crescent RT24CVS -- they're about $8 at my local Tractor Supply Store and Home Depot. They're 4.5" long, 3/4" jaw capacity, and, as I recall, a few grams lighter than the 4" Knipex.
I actually have those! But the handles snapped on me...I probably had a dud though...I'll add it.
Yikes! Hope it was a dud.
I am going thru this right now. I replaced my Leatherman Wave (OG) with a SAK Huntsman, Klecker Screwdriver, SAK Pliers (taken from another SAK) and a homemade pry bar. That weighed 2 oz less than the leatherman by iteslf. But the pliers arent great, and the SAK has blades on it, which I dont want, as I do carry a dedicated folder. So, now I have a Leatherman Knifeless Rebar on its way to me, so that I can test it out. The weight should be on par with the SAK + Other Utensils, in a better formfactor. OG Wave is about 8.4 oz. SAK + Tools is about 6.4 oz. The Rebar is about 6.5 oz. Stay tuned!
A Vice-Grip 4LN (or 4WR) is my go-to tool.
I have a vanquest organizer set up as an edc style tool kit. Been meaning to revisit it. The knipex pliers wrench is my most used tool in there. The surge comes next but mostly just for the driver. If you ever figure out an alternative holder for t shank blades that is edc size then i could easily ditch the leatherman. I am more interested in a small set of dedicated tools at this point since i wouldn't belt carry it anyway.
I carry leatherman charge Ti left pocket clip, spyderco para 2 right pocket clip and use the leatherman charge belt pouch for knives cobra, leatherman bit kits and leatherman juice.
My choice is Knipex 125mm waterpump wrench and a victorinox Angler (with mods ).
This gives me a very powerful wrench, along with mini precision pliers in the Angler a 6mm flat a 2.5mm flat/Phillips and 2 blades . Which gives me way more capability than the biggest /best leatherman type tool .
those knipex plierheads would be so cool in a multitool. Rest of the tool made by wera or wiha and a blade with some high end steel out of Solingen. And that all in colaboration with Victorinox, but all modular like the goat tool. Would be pretty expensive but my dream tool:P
Stop it...just stop...don't get my hopes up
14:19 that little needle is to remove paint from hook eyelets so you can thread your line.
Wait, no bolt cutters? I think the knipex 6" bolt cutter would fit right in among those tools.
Could u explain the 'dipping compound' and demo how and what to do and where to buy shuch
Bought it on Amazon, havnt done it yet.
My EDC are 1: "Gerber" Ridge Serrated Folding Clip Knife (very light) ,2: "Knipex" 125 mm pliers, and 3: "Unior" small phase tester (3 mm sloted screwdriver) This is enough for Me...👍...
I sometimes carry the 4 in needle nose vise grips
i carry the knipex plier wrench 125 with a folding knife - honestly if you think you need to pinch something, turn a nut, or hold something tiny it's your best bet. but yeah no wire cutting.
Knipex are designed not to open extremely wide so the handles are closer together when locked onto a nut/bolt and you get an immensely stronger grip on them that way
Those sneaky Germans...so clever...
started off as surgical tools also handy for fishing the chrome one
The Knipex needlenose combination pliers are truly awesome (08 21 145) but a tad too big for most pocket EDCs. I'd be really interested in a 110mm-ish version, sort of like the Knipex 08 05 110, although their jaws are not as useful as the 08 21 145. The other issue with them is that the Comfort Grip handles are too bulky for most pocket EDC. I have a pair of those - I might cut the cushioning off the bare metal and see how they look and work.
There are 4" versions of both the standard curved-jaw ViseGrip and the needle-nose ViseGrip. I'm not convinced that they're great for EDC. If I really wanted locking pliers, I'd add a Crunch, which Leatherman recently got back into production. The Crunch wouldn't really fill the "multitool" role for most people (I think), but as a compact locking plier, it's really great.
The 4 inch blunt nose is perfect with one small mod to the teeth
@@maxlvledc I'd be interested in more info on that mod!
I carry a knife, pen, light and a small set of pliers off job... On job you can ad an 11 in 1 screwdriver, chicken stick and a big set of pliers
Check out the Engineer PR-36 as EDC pliers. Small, very well made and versatile. I carry these very often.
They are awesome, but no cutters... I'll add them!
Mine have cutters, only a tad smaller, they share the space with wire strippers, which are a seldom feature in small combination pliers.
multi-purpose long nose pliers (160mm)
serrated jaws for firm gripping
wire cutting rear jaws (cutting capacity: 2.6mm copper wire, 1.5mm steel wire)
wire stripping hole in rear jaws (1.2mm diameter)
material: S58C carbon steel, hardness: HRC58 (±4) weight: 125g
made in Japan (ROHS compliant)
This looks good for an edc kit in a backpack but can someone tell me in what situations they find themselves to need pliers directly on their pockets?
I carry a slip joint plier and a small flathead. They do many jobs.
What size do you carry??
@@maxlvledc 6inch slip joint. Some generic brand that I can hammer with if I need to without worrying. The flat head is thin, so it works on Philips. It's an old square shaft craftsman.
Knipex has a pair of pliers that is a combination of the ones from Chanellock and the Enginer one. TwinGrip Slip Joint Pliers
Those are amazing! But they are 200mm
I carry the snap on mini slip joint pliers. Roughly 4 5/8 x 1 1/2
I have carried the set for 4 years now. I use daily
need to check that out!
I have the 4" needle nose vice grips, they're much lighter.
Amazon sell a victorinox bit driver kit which has much more grunt than any leatherman driver.
So, the bit driver, 4" vice grips or 4/5" knipex plus a pocket knife = better performance for about the same weight as a big multitool.
But then you're missing the fine tip pliers, a file, scissors and saw.
Just bought that 2 days ago
@@theomnipresent1 carry a sak instead of the pocket knife.
Yes, and the even better part is weight distribution. In stead of having one 8oz lump of multi tool, you can distribute the weight into different pockets and it will feel like you are carrying less.
Update here on the Knipex 08 05 110 mini combination pliers. Instead of cutting the Comfort Grip cushions off, I used a heat gun on a bet that these were held on with glue that might soften up when heated. Bingo... So I got them off without damage. The handles are full length and completely chromed. They're actually quite good looking. They're much thinner than with the cushions slipped over them, and you wouldn't want to really bear down on them but how much force are you going to apply, or need, with 4.5" pliers? You could do something like PlastiDip, although that always seems to finish up with a sort of "sticky" high friction surface. (Any similar but better products?).
Bottom line: you can remove these without harming the grip cushions, and the pliers are attractive, highly usable and much more compact without them. Great EDC item for sure. Might make a nice trio with a pair of 100mm or 125mm Cobra pliers and a Pliers-Wrench.
Ahhhnnnd he's back... The exercise with the 08 05 110 pliers got me thinking about the Vampliers 5" (so, nominally 125mm) "Screw Extraction Pliers," which have jaws very similar to the Knipex 110mm pliers, with the added cut in the nose for nose-down screw extraction. I did the same thing - applied heat, removed the grips. Really nice forgings these are (both the Knipex, no surprise, and the Vampliers, a bit of a surprise). Full length, too. Let me know if it would be helpful to record a short, informal video showing how these two look.
I've heard the tip of these pliars doesn't exactly come together fully, not enough to pinch a piece of paper or pull a splinter. Is this true?
Vampliers is the original and IMO the best of the screw removal pliers.
Yep, it's nice to not spend as much...they seem to be identical
I want to know Which all purpose Multi tool has the best pliers
Should try the 4” vice grips, they would work great
I just bought some 4inch Irwin vice grips. Bought em to leave in a drawer in the kitchen so I'm not always walking out the the garage. Like em so much probably gonna buy another one the throw in my work bag.
DeWalt and a few other tool company's make these small pilers and are under 20 some of them are under 15 bucks even... But the thing is are they as strong or durable as knipex.
ENGINEER PZ-58 looks like the Knipex TwinGrip, but without the feature of adjusting the width. But this feature costs a a lot of weight: 130 g (PZ-58) vs 270 g (TwinGrip)
The TwinGrip is 200 mm long, 40 mm longer compared to the PZ-58. Maybe Knipex will make a smaler version which will also bei lighter.
Edit: There is a Pliers Mask for PZ-58. Great idea.
I didn’t have good luck w the twin grips. I carry a set of groove lock vampliers and the pistol grip icon screw extraction pliers. I don’t even take the twin grips with me anymore because they didn’t work for so many different applications. They probably work better for automotive applications than wood and plastic I work with. I would try a smaller set if they make it
I have a couple 528s I use when I don’t use my knipex pliers..channellock have great tools..knipex had a set of screw pliers called the twin grip model# 82 01 200…I find myself using regular pliers more than my leatherman
Not surprising, dedicated pliers will ALWAYS beat a multitool plier.
@@maxlvledc totally agree..I have learned this the last couple months..if I could find a slim but sturdy pocket screwdriver I could almost give up carrying my surge everyday..I just can’t find a screwdriver that won’t break the bank..I’m not into the fancy titanium
@@Ersk88 ah! I bet I can find one...give me your budget and dimensions your ok with.
@@maxlvledc id say $20-30…pen type design preferably but open to look at other options and 6” length max..but not bulky…I’ve looked at so many I can’t decide..definitely open to suggestions..I try to keep my edc minimalist but it’s hard sometime..😅
@@Ersk88 ATM my favorite was the Ti pen driver by maratac, which is in your price range can can carry basically 4 bits. countycomm.com/products/1-4-pen-driver-titanium?_pos=9&_sid=77ef85fe6&_ss=r
Did you ever do the mod on the Engineer p-58 pliers? stripped it and shortened it and made a tool kit around it? link? 6:36
I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THAT! I gave up though when I realized the jaws dont fully close (on purpose)
Did you swap out the parcel hook with a philips on your Swiss Army Compact?
No, the cork screw
They have a guy a leather worker makes all slips for them to form fit all of them and the leather is super tough!!!!!! Thanks
Crescent has a really nice mini channelock style plier for $11
Knipex also have their own screw pliers. It's called the Twin Grip Slip Joint Pliers. It doesn't have cutters on it though.
It's awesome but way way bigger
The knipex cobras don't open quite that far as ya pointed out. Although the knipex alligators that don't have the pushbutton do open their jaws quite wider. They also have a wider range of adjustment not as incremental as the cobras. Oh and the teacher was probably in shock you had forceps due to the paraphernalia use. Lol
Oh wow, the PZ-58 dropped to $22. nice. putting in my cart for my next order. I'll get the little cap they have, to keep it closed. Thanks.
Also, they have Knipex that adjust like the tiny Knipex does. Quick-set Cobras. Those have a red button.
I need to see those...
Good stuff! Out of curiosity, what bead is on that leatherman free? I like how it has a hex bit adapter and appears to also have a clip.
Not sure what your asking, can you clarify?
Check out the PZ-56 model from Engineer. They are slip joint and have a thinner handle grip. They do not have cutters though.
There are pen-style scissors that you may find interesting. Look up RayMay Portable Scissors on Amazon.
I bought those! They are in the master list in fact
Where do I get one of those clip beads that you have on the leatherman free?
Oh, that's my design. Need to finalize it...then get it on shapeways...
Cobra XS is an amazing tool. Actually much cheaper than that in Europe. I paid about €30, just a quality device
I bought them just today on discount, 25 €
I'll stick with my Leatherman Surge as my EDC , and with EDC I mean that I use it in occasions where I am not able to get to my dedicated toolset . And most of the time that is sufficient
take a look at the knipex 08 05 110 pliers
i currently carry a powerpint ( sog multitool simular size to juce series) a manix 2 and a s2r2 baton
really like the combi but i usually swithch thins up
here in germany im really fortunate with knipex prices 😍
Added to the list!
Good ideas... maybe some look acquainted to me. Don‘t try to cut something with a pair of small vise-grips... they just don’t do. The auto-adjustment is a Knipex invention, originally, they have it in their newer ones. Chanellock copied it. There is a nice combination of screwhead-gripper and Vize-grip from Engineer.
I need to look at those! Ty!
Knipex are coming out with a pair that are a cross between the engineers and the slipjoint channel locks shown here with a head the shape of the cobras. Definitely worth a look imo
Edit: they're called the twingrips, already produced but not available most places till April.
They are awesome but way way too Long for an edc, I think they are 250mm
@@maxlvledc 200 (7.8" just between us boys but 10" if you're talking to my lady) I'd be surprised if they didn't make different sizes later on, some 6" ones would be better for me, I think
@@anne_frank_ 🤣🤣🤣, 6 inch would be incredible
Do they make a belt holster for those knipex combo pliers???
Sort of...but it's way way overpriced and you can get a custom leather one made for a reasonable amount
@@maxlvledc thx, I broke the cutters on my Wave + cutting 12/2 Romex, I guess a single #12 copper wire is about the max they’re designed for. The Wave + is a versatile plier head but it is limited on its cutting. I want something small & light I can carry on my belt. I think the Knipex Combo plier is what I’m looking for, it looks like it can handle more of a load than the Wave +.
Great stuff! Will link to this from my vid!
Thanks! Yours was really really good on this topic. I will add yours as well.
Do you have a link for the guy who did the laser etching on your mini cobras?
Woops! Will add it to the description
@@maxlvledc Thanks Brother!
@maxlvledc Great video!! What pocket organizer + wallet do you think is best for knipex cobra xs + SAK compact?
the Alpaka gear one is working very very well.
Completely get the stand alone plier. Now I need a stand alone pair of edc scissors...
Video coming after I do the screwdriver video
I like those black hemostats
Knipex now do the Pliers Wrench in XS same as the Cobra XS. I think you can even buy them as a set with a sheath.
in the USA the PW XS is $100 !!!! I would as soon as it gets to be a reasonable price lol.
Max, can you:
1. Add scissors to skeletool without removing the blade (list scissors compatibility).
2. Teach us how to disassemble the skeletool (not a single tutorial anywhere, you would be the ONLY one).
Thanks in advance.
I do not recommend disassembly of the skeletool, getting it back together is a pain in the ass. And imo...better to carry a Vic classic (or alox classic) than mess with adding a scissor to the skeletool directly.
The cobra teeth are amazing
All multi- tools...the wrong tool for every job.
But yet I carry one every day, religiously😂
It's a time saver...and that is what ppl confuse...it's not a replacement for a dedicated tool
@@maxlvledc...Exactly, well said👍🏻