Gerber Crucial Review Update

I bought the Gerber Crucial for myself about two years ago. At the time, I was searching for a multi-tool that was fairly compact and had the ability to deploy most, if not all, of the tools without fully opening the tool. My intent was to EDC (every-day carry) it. On paper, the Crucial fit my needs; however, I only found myself carrying it on and off.

Fiskars Cuts+More 5-in-1 Utility Scissors Review

How many of you have a pair of safety-scissors you "borrowed" from grade school 15 years ago? Come on, raise your hands. Are you really still using those? I think it's time you grew up and bought a pair of adult scissors. Kick-butt adult scissors, if you will. 

Smith's Pocket Pal Knife Sharpener Review

The Smith's Pocket Pal is pretty self-explanatory - it's a pocket-sized knife sharpener. To use it, simply draw your knife blade through one or both of the two replaceable sharpening blades. There is a carbide side to shape the knife blade, and a ceramic side to give it a nice, sharp edge. Not shown in my pictures is a fold-out tool for sharpening serrated knife edges.

How well does it work? Well, I haven't used it too extensively since I received it as a Christmas gift a couple years back, but that's because most of my cutting needs are done with utility knives with disposable blades that aren't meant to be sharpened; however, I recently used it to sharpen a few kitchen knives as well as a pocket knife.

Bosch TW12AL Jigsaw Blades and Case

This Bosch jigsaw blade set caught my eye last winter. It looked like a good way to keep my various blades both organized and protected. Well, it took a few months, but I finally decided to buy it.

Bosch TW12AL Jigsaw Blade Set on Amazon.

Let me tell you, this is the Holy Grail of jigsaw blade cases. It has individual blade compartments (prevents blades from rustling around with each other and dulling), magnets to hold them in, and the quality is rock solid. Due to the design, I bet you could run this over with a truck and it would survive (don't ask me for a replacement if you try that and it actually breaks!).

Oh, and the blades are fantastic too. This set comes with a good assortment of wood-cutting blades (no metal-cutting in this set), ranging from thick to thin, and fine to aggressive. This will prepare you for pretty much any wood cutting task I can think of.

As far as value is concerned, I think it's a great deal. The case is just about worth it alone, and the blades make it a no-brainer. Bosch makes great blades and they have a few other sets available, but as far as this case and blade combination, I don't think you'll find a better offering.

Review: Swiss Tech Micro 6 in 1

I'm a pants pocket minimalist. I don't like carrying around anything other than my wallet, cellphone, and keys; however, I also like tools (obviously), so the idea of carrying around pocketable multi-tools is appealing, specifically ones that can fit nicely on a key chain without adding much bulk. It can be handy to always have a knife or screwdriver, for example, on me when I need it.

 For the last few years, my only key chain tool has been the Swiss Tech utili-key. HERE is my old review from 2008. I absolutely love the utili-key. It took me a while to start frequently using it, meaning, I would forget it was there in my pocket. Of course, in a way, that's what I was hoping for. Now I find myself using it a few times a week.

As for the Micro 6 in 1, I got this tool as a belated birthday present a few months ago. Does it live up to the high bar of the utili-key? Well, the short answer is that I'm still not sure.

 

Swiss Tech Miccro 6 in 1, along with their utili-key.

As you can see, the Micro 6 in 1 doesn't take up a whole lot of space on my key chain; however, it does add a bit of weight and it's about as thick as four keys. I like how the pliers lock onto the key chain when the tool is closed. Occasionally, the handles (screwdrivers) will sort of partially open on their own. This can be annoying, but it doesn't happen frequently enough for me to worry about.

Swiss Tech Micro 6 in 1 opened.

Here it is opened. The six uses are screwdrivers (Phillips and slothead), a wire cutter, 1/8" rule markings on the sides, pliers, and... uh... I can't seem to find the 6th use. Maybe someone can tell me what it is in the comments (OK, I could just go look it up, but if I can't see it when I'm holding it in my hands, it must not be that useful).

All of the uses seem to work adequately. Keep in mind the retail price on this is under $10, so I don't have huge expectations. For this things I've used it on, it's fine. Sure, there are other tools that have these features and work better, but not many have this good of a balance between small size and usefulness.

I've only had this in my pocket for a few months now. I haven't used it all that much, but I plan on giving it more time to prove its place on my keyring.

Update: In the last few days, the arms have really seemed to loosen up. In fact, it's fallen off my key chain a few times now. For the time being, at least, I'm going to keep it on the bench until I figure out what to do with it.

Drill Accessory Case Comparison 2 - Three From Milwaukee and a Skil

A few years back I did a COMPARISON of a few drill bit / insert bit cases I own. For girlfriend-scrutiny purposes, I like to keep the actual number of cases I own a mystery; however, I can say that it's more than five and less than 15. Anyway, I have a few more to compare today.

Last time, I inevitably came to the conclusion that you can't judge contents by their case, and vice versa. Also, we can't judge case contents by their brand. Unfortunately, everything is hit or miss. A brand might hit the nail on the head, so to speak, with one case, and completely miss the boat with another.

This time, I'm going to review three cases by Milwaukee, and one by Skil. Don't worry, there is enough variety to keep this comparison interesting, despite only two brands between four cases. Also, I'm going to avoid mentioning the quality of the contents. Well, I'll do the best I can.

First up, I have a case of spade drill bits from Milwaukee.
Milwaukee 4220175 8 pc Flat Boring Bit Set

Pros:
The case is solid. Bits fit firmly, but easily snap into place. There is enough room for even large fingers to remove the bits. Rubber on the outside is slightly gimmicky, but it does help keep the case from sliding around when placed on smooth/wet/slanted surfaces.
Cons:
When closed, the two halves of the case can shift around with a bit of pressure, but this isn't a big issue by any means.
Verdict:
This is a near-perfect case. Hmm, maybe I should have ended with this one...

Next I have a pretty standard Milwaukee drill bit set.
Milwaukee 48-89-2800 14pc Thunderbolt Black Oxide Drill Bit Set

Pros:
Again, Milwaukee does a great job here with a drill bit case. Bits securely slide into place and can be removed without too much effort. The case doesn't feel cheap, and the sliding lock has a picture of a drill bit on it so you can tell at a glance what the contents are (this is actually helpful for me and my 5-15 cases). The two holders for these bits can even rotate up for easier access.
Cons:
Again, nothing major to complain about. The one thing worth mentioning is that this case holds 14 bits, and only 14 bits. It would have been nice if the case was either slightly larger, or had another smaller bit holder for more bits.
Verdict:
Overall, this is a great case, but I feel Milwaukee is missing out on an opportunity to add more storage for savvy users. I've noticed most of their cases are somewhat modular. They aren't all interchangeable, but I wish Milwaukee would sell individual bit holders to help users make custom cases.

The third case from Milwaukee is a set of insert bits.
Milwaukee 48-32-4401 29-piece  Shockwave Impact Driver Bit Set

Pros:
On the right side of the case, the bits fit snugly, yet are easily removable/replaceable (see a pattern here?). The case closes firmly, and it features rubber pads on the outside as well as a general picture of the contents on the locking slider.
Cons:
Unfortunately, the left side of the case features a poorly executed storage compartment. First of all, there are three vertical sections with no dividers. That means all of your bits, screws, parking meter change, whatever, will be sliding around. Even worse, the leftmost section gets almost completely blocked by the hinged door! I love the idea, but it just doesn't work.
Verdict:
This case makes very poor use of internal space. The right side seems to have wasted room between the bits, and the storage compartment is a joke. I like what they were going for, but frankly, I wouldn't buy this one again (ok, maybe I would because mine came bundled with that 14-piece drill bit set for a good price).

Lastly, I have a Skil case containing almost every bit imaginable.
Sorry, but I couldn't find a link at this time.

Pros:
This tri-fold design is the first I've ever seen for a case, and it works pretty well. Overall, it's no thicker than the last Milwaukee set, but it has 50% more space (by my unscientific estimate). It feels fairly sturdy. Drill bit sizes are printed next to their storage locations.
Cons:
I love the innovative design, but many of the bits are difficult to remove/replace. This case may have a great variety of drill/insert bits, but actually using them can be a pain. Also, the hinge on the back is huge! I'm sure this is due to the tri-fold design, but it does make the case wider than most when closed.
Verdict:
This one is a toss up. I like the overall design but the bit holders could be a lot better. If you're not as picky as I am about these things, then this is a great product.

Conclusion:
Milwaukee is generally regarded as a professional, high-quality brand, and it shows with two of their three cases here, but the last one is big letdown. Meanwhile, Skil, which in my experience is often overlooked or at least not well known for drill accessories, has a really innovative case design.

Drill Accessory Case Comparison - Stanley, Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Other

Drill bit accessories are essential to anyone who owns a drill. They commonly include all sorts of drill bits, screw bits, and nut drivers. It's very convenient to grab your drill, an accessory case or two, and get started on a project. I personally own a few such accessory cases, and I'm going to compare them. However, it isn't my goal to focus on the contents, instead I'm going to focus on something almost equally important, the case itself.

These accessory kits make great holiday gifts for your handyman / handywoman, but it's important to consider the cases in addition to the contents. For more gift ideas, check HERE and HERE.


I've found that there is a wide range of quality in the cases, and it doesn't always correlate with price or brand. Let's start with this no-name brand of drill bits. This came as a "free bonus" with a sawblade wall clock. It was on a good sale and I needed the clock, so why not? It's always good to have an extra set of drill bits, even if they are only good for spacers.

Pros:
The quality of the case shell is decent for the most part. The latch looks cheap, but seems to function decently enough. Well, that's about it for the pros...

Cons:
The hinge is made of flexible plastic and looks like it could wear out. The biggest problem is how the bits are held in and how closely they're spaced. Basically, they are way too close together to grab and they are held in waaay too tight. You would need to be a bodybuilder with baby carrot fingers to get these out. I think it would be easy to bend the smaller ones, or even snap them off completely, when removing or replacing them.

Verdict:
This case is basically useless. As soon as I need them, I'm going to take all the bits out and toss the case.


Here's an interesting one. Dewalt is know for high-quality tools, but they are a bit pricey. Sure, you get what you pay for, but there shouldn't be that many problems with it, right?

Pros:
The case shell is very durable and the latch works great. I'm not sure if they meant for it, but most of the cases I've seen seem to be somewhat modular. If you had a few similar Dewalt cases, you could probably interchange some of the components. See the bit holders in the picture above? Those can be removed and switched around. It's possible to make a custom case based upon your specific needs. That's a very smart move on their part. The individual pieces are easily removed, but...

Cons:
The pieces are very difficult to get back into their holders! It's possible that it needs to be "broken in" with use, but it seems like they could have had a much better system.

Verdict:
It's a annoying to mess with trying to get the pieces back in after you use them, but overall, it's a good case.


I love this Milwaukee set. It's in about the mid level price range, but I'm very happy with it. It wasn't until I got this set that I really started noticing the cases as well as the contents.

Pros:
The shell is very sturdy. It has rubber along the edges, possibly for added protection, but it doesn't really seem necessary. The latch is a little loose, but works fine. The thing I like best is that it's extremely easy to remove and replace the bits. It's a very simple concept, but not every manufacturer understands it. Perhaps the case is a little big for its contents, but it makes it really easy to quickly grab what you need, use it, and put it back where it belongs.

Cons:
I can find no problems with this case besides the gimmicky rubber armor and slightly loose latch. It's pretty bread and butter. It would be nice to have some innovative features.

Verdict:
A great case. This should be the baseline for all drill accessory cases.

Stanley has been in the homeowner market for many years. A lot of other companies, like Dewalt, have branded themselves as tools for professionals. I have mixed feelings about Stanley. On one hand, they are working to catch up to the "professional" companies, but on the other hand, they still make things like this...

Pros:
There are some great features in this case, but they aren't executed that well. On the left side, those two rows of bits flip up for easy removal, but it feels cheap. On the right side, those three rows of small bits are removable, which is a very nice feature. But again, it feels cheap.

Cons:
The shell is horrible. It's a hard plastic outer shell with a flimsy plastic interior. Imagine it like a box of chocolates. You know the cheap plastic mold that the chocolates fit in? That's what like the inside of this case is like. The plastic practically crinkles when you touch it. The latch works, but it will quickly wear out. The individual modules are barely held into their spaces. I'm afraid to get this case near an open flame for fear of it disintegrating.

Verdict:
This is a horrible case, but the contents are great! I know I said I wouldn't judge on contents, but we've seen that good contents don't necessarily mean a good case (cough, Dewalt, cough), and this goes to show that a crappy case doesn't necessarily mean bad contents. If they took the flip-up idea and the removable row of bits, and put those in a better case, they would really have something.

Conclusion:
Don't take it for granted that expensive or name-brand kits will have good cases. Many times, cases are just as important as their contents. If you're looking at two products with similar contents, consider the cases. Three of my four cases have almost all the same contents, but I know which one I'm going to grab 90% of the time because of the ease of use.

Review: Swiss Tech Utili-key (Utilikey)

The Swiss Tech Utili-key is one useful tool. Or should I say, six useful tools. Here is their official website with more information.

Anyway, if you're looking for a good stocking stuffer for the holidays, I would definitely recommend the Utilikey. I received one last X-Mas and it's been on my key ring ever since. I'm not the kind of guy that carries around a pocket knife with him, so the knife feature comes in handy from time to time. It's actually pretty sharp and not awkward to use.

Here is the Utilikey pictured next to a typical car key. As you can see, it's about the same size. I like to keep my keyring pretty light and this definitely doesn't clutter it up. It really does just feel like another normal key.

Here it is partially opened. I'm surprised at how well it's made. You can't tell from the picture, but it actually locks itself into place when it's either fully opened or closed. There is no chance that it will open in your pocket and fall off (or stab you in the leg).

It's about 5" long fully opened. It is about the size of a ballpoint pen.

As you can see, it has about a two inch knife (semi-serrated), a bottle opener, both a phillips and a slothead screwdriver, and apparently, a micro eyeglasses screwdriver. I've gotten the most use out of the knife and the bottle opener, but the screwdrivers did come in handy a few times.

If I didn't already have one of these, it would definitely be on my wish list.

The Utilikey runs about $10-15 and I think it's a great gift. Keys are something people almost always have with them. It's easy to lose track of a multi-tool or pocket knife.

I have but one gripe about it. To use the bottle opener, it has to be fully opened. This results in you putting a lot of leverage on a skinny little piece of metal with one very sharp end. I've had a few close calls with it slipping off the bottle while trying to pop the cap off. It gets especially tricky after opening a few bottles in relative quick succession, if you know what I mean. Besides that minor issue, I have no problems with it at all.

In addition to its usefulness, it's just plain cool, isn't it?