Thanks for sharing. I believe the best way of having pliers on your SAK is the Handyman. Yes, it is heavier, but surprisingly more comfortable in the pocket than a 4 layer SAK.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Sadly I've found that weight can be a big issue with EDC multi-tools. Currently searching for one with some capability, as lightweight as humanly possible, and with a carry clip. Honestly, it's slim pickin's out there.
For daily life I find these pliers more than sufficient. Nicely machined, very pinchy, surprisingly robust. I imagine the Mechanic is easy to find because the still-in-production Deluxe Tinker draws buyers away from it. Lot of people want those famous Victorinox Scissors that you get on the Deluxe Tinker. But you are right that you increase the thickness which matters to some people; ends up being comparable in size to an Explorer. And I actually want to point out, these DO have wire cutters. If you open the jaws as far as they'll go, you expose an adorably small wire cutting notch. The cutting surfaces in this notch are not very sharp, almost 90-degrees in angle so that the "cut" is more like sticking your arm out a moving train and seeing what happens when it runs into something, but they will cut small and soft wires. And they're only intended for soft wire. I cut a few hard steel paperclips and noticed my pliers sticking, because I had slightly bent the metal in the cutters so that they rubbed. Eventually they smoothed out again, stopped sticking. So they've got a limited use case but they do work for what they're built for. Also, can't remember if you mentioned this, but the later versions of these pliers have a wire crimper between the handles. I keep recommending the Handyman and Deluxe Tinker to people who are just finding out the Leatherman Juice is out of production. Yes the pliers aren't the same, but I think for the right audience they'll fulfill the same purpose. On most days the pliers on my Leatherman Surge are equally useful to my Handyman pliers, because generally all I need is a strong but precise little pinching tool.
that model is one of my personal favs....but I think actually the 91MM Victorinox Handyman, might be a better unit, it is the CHAMP/CHAMPION with only a few deletes to make it bit more pocket friendly. it is, Large blade, Small blade, Metal file with saw, Wood saw, Scissors, Pliers, Cap-lifter/Slotted screwdriver/Wire-bender, Can-opener/Small-Slotted Screwdriver/Phillips screw driver. compared to the Champ/Champion it is missing the Magnifier and few others 'would be nice, but not always needed's' I have one in my daily driver car as a just in case beside the 113MM FIREMAN lock blade, it has a wood saw AND a seatbelt cutter blade to get people out after any wreck I might encounter.
The more I think about it, the more it does seem the Handyman would be a better option. I was testing out the mechanic to see if it could compete in weight with a larger pliers-based multi-tool. It did surprising well. Coming in at right around a full ounce lighter than the lightest multi-tool I could find with _some_ useful capability.
@@NGMonocrom Swiss Champ is like another 1/4"-6mm thicker...HANDYMAN is 85% of it's tools..RANGER or CARPENTER are also both good ones...but I keep going back to HANDYMAN for the other stuff onboard
Thanks for sharing. I believe the best way of having pliers on your SAK is the Handyman. Yes, it is heavier, but surprisingly more comfortable in the pocket than a 4 layer SAK.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Sadly I've found that weight can be a big issue with EDC multi-tools. Currently searching for one with some capability, as lightweight as humanly possible, and with a carry clip. Honestly, it's slim pickin's out there.
oh P.P.S. there is a slot in the phillips head for opening cans with the unzip need a "key" to open style of tinned meats/ammo cans
Had no clue. Thanks for the 411, Dude.
For daily life I find these pliers more than sufficient. Nicely machined, very pinchy, surprisingly robust.
I imagine the Mechanic is easy to find because the still-in-production Deluxe Tinker draws buyers away from it. Lot of people want those famous Victorinox Scissors that you get on the Deluxe Tinker. But you are right that you increase the thickness which matters to some people; ends up being comparable in size to an Explorer.
And I actually want to point out, these DO have wire cutters. If you open the jaws as far as they'll go, you expose an adorably small wire cutting notch. The cutting surfaces in this notch are not very sharp, almost 90-degrees in angle so that the "cut" is more like sticking your arm out a moving train and seeing what happens when it runs into something, but they will cut small and soft wires. And they're only intended for soft wire. I cut a few hard steel paperclips and noticed my pliers sticking, because I had slightly bent the metal in the cutters so that they rubbed. Eventually they smoothed out again, stopped sticking. So they've got a limited use case but they do work for what they're built for.
Also, can't remember if you mentioned this, but the later versions of these pliers have a wire crimper between the handles.
I keep recommending the Handyman and Deluxe Tinker to people who are just finding out the Leatherman Juice is out of production. Yes the pliers aren't the same, but I think for the right audience they'll fulfill the same purpose. On most days the pliers on my Leatherman Surge are equally useful to my Handyman pliers, because generally all I need is a strong but precise little pinching tool.
I didn't mention it. But thank you for letting me know about those details I missed.
one more, if you open the pliers all the way, there is a small wire cutter near the hinge at the base of the jaws
Yeah, totally missed that. I dropped the ball on that one.
that model is one of my personal favs....but I think actually the 91MM Victorinox Handyman, might be a better unit, it is the CHAMP/CHAMPION with only a few deletes to make it bit more pocket friendly. it is, Large blade, Small blade, Metal file with saw, Wood saw, Scissors, Pliers, Cap-lifter/Slotted screwdriver/Wire-bender, Can-opener/Small-Slotted Screwdriver/Phillips screw driver.
compared to the Champ/Champion it is missing the Magnifier and few others 'would be nice, but not always needed's'
I have one in my daily driver car as a just in case beside the 113MM FIREMAN lock blade, it has a wood saw AND a seatbelt cutter blade to get people out after any wreck I might encounter.
The more I think about it, the more it does seem the Handyman would be a better option. I was testing out the mechanic to see if it could compete in weight with a larger pliers-based multi-tool. It did surprising well. Coming in at right around a full ounce lighter than the lightest multi-tool I could find with _some_ useful capability.
@@NGMonocrom Swiss Champ is like another 1/4"-6mm thicker...HANDYMAN is 85% of it's tools..RANGER or CARPENTER are also both good ones...but I keep going back to HANDYMAN for the other stuff onboard
@@80spodcastchannel
Might have to take a closer look at the Handyman model. Thanks Dude!