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| Product: Crunch Tool |
Company: Leatherman Tool Group |
| Web: www.leatherman.com |
Phone: 800-847-8665 |
| Platform: Your hand |
SRP: US$115
Street Price: $75 |
Cred Rating: | Special Award: |
I never though I'd meet a Leatherman tool I didn't like, but the Crunch Tool may be it. This attempt at creating a multi-tool built around a pair of locking pliers ends up being a bit too fussy for my taste.
Measuring 4" long closed and 5.5" long when opened, the Crunch is made with the same materials (100% stainless steel) and impressive construction as other Leatherman tools. It's a beauty to behold. But when you go to use it, the futzing starts.
The tool folds into the same tidy rectangle as the conventional Leatherman tools and fits into the standard hard leather case (which is included). The plier head folds into the two handles. To use, you have to open the handles, pull out the plier head and then attach one of the handles to a set of dimples at the base of the plier head. This process is not very smooth and to accomplish it without a struggle takes some practice (bringing back frustrating memories of trying to figure out Transformer toys). Once set up, the pliers do their job just fine. An adjusting screw at the base of one handle is used to adjust the plier jaws. One problem with the pliers is the width of the handles when the pliers are open. It's extreme -- nearly an 80 degree angle. I can imagine that this would be a problem for those with small hands. Even for me, it's an uncomfortable stretch.
The other tools, stashed inside of one handle are: three sizes of flat head screw drivers, one philips, a bottle opener and a wood/metal file. The file and knife are much shorter than on other full-sized Leatherman tools. The short stroke on the serrated knife would be annoying if you were sawing through something. This is compounded by the fact that the adjusting screw on the opposite handle sticks out in front of the business edge of the knife (especially if it's not screwed all the way down (see image above). The tool also has a wire cutter, hard wire cutter and wire stripper incorporated into the plier head.
The Crunch Tool seems to have shot for something and missed. The pliers are somewhat finicky and the other tools seem too cramped in making room for them. Leatherman claims the tool is geared towards hardcore users who need locking pliers. But if you *need* locking pliers, would you really want these temperamental portable pliers that are hampered by the constraints of a multi-tool? They do make holsters for pliers. If you needed portable locking pliers, why not get a good pair in a holster and carry a regular multi-tool next to it? If I needed such a tool set, that would definitely be what my Batman utility belt would look like.
- Gareth Branwyn [3/15/00]
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