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Gerber 22-41507 Clutch Mini Pliers Tool, Red

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Alai...@vern.com

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May 22, 2009, 5:14:25 AM5/22/09

Price:$25.38
Image: http://thediscountlocator.info/image.php?id=B000LABBPC
Best deal: http://thediscountlocator.info/index.php?id=B000LABBPC

This Gerber Clutch Mini Pliers Tool (in its so-called Red Tail Hawk color, as you see here) is the second one we've gotten. The first one was a Gerber Clutch Mini Pliers Tool in the "Special Ops Gray" color. It was purchased for my son as a Christmas present, and it became a tool that he came to love almost as much as his Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker Knife. This handy device is a compact multi-tool, and it has red anodized aluminum handles with the Gerber and Clutch names on one side, as can be seen in the photos. The handles have been drilled out in eight places, possibly to reduce weight or more likely for visual appeal. There's a small keychain ring on one end of the tool. The Clutch are six stainless steel tools packed between its handles, and they consist of a 1.75 in (44 mm) knife blade, small flat screwdriver, a simple cross-point (Phillips) screwdriver, a file combined with a nail cleaner, a bottle opener combined with a medium flat screwdriver, and a pair of tweezers. The tools all snap into place very well, and the handles also enclose the spring-loaded needle nose mini-pliers. This little multi-tool sees almost daily use, and the needle nose pliers are small enough to be exceptionally handy. They have a good grip, and as they're spring loaded, they've been quite good for basic one-handed uses when necessary. The small screwdriver works very well, as does the larger one, and the tips are the right size for light work. The flattened Phillips head screwdriver is alright for very light work, and from its design one can see that it's not made for heavy-duty work. Don't get me wrong, as there would be no way to put a full #2 Phillips head on a multi-tool of this size. The tweezers work well also, as I found out recently when removing a couple of glass splinters from my finger while removing a broken mirror in a bathroom. The knife blade is very sharp. I've had to sharpen mine a few times, and the blade on mine seems to be a bit 'softer' than that on my son's version, so I keep it for light use only. Others have reported that the tip bends easy, so remember to use it as a knife blade only, and not as a screwdriver or a lever. It does a great job opening newly-arrived packages and cartons from Amazon! Pros: * Excellent value for the money. * The small scissors are very sharp, and quite handy. * The red handles make the Clutch easy to find and locate. * It has a limited lifetime warranty, and Gerber is good with them. Cons: * The anodized aluminum handles may show wear over time. * Blade requires sharpening a bit more than other similar products. Summary: I'm rating this at 4.5, and only slightly downgrading it because of questions on the blade sharpness as already noted above. If used as it's intended it should be quite functional for many years. This multi-tool is quite similar to the Leatherman Squirt P4 Multitool which also has the small pliers, but it's larger than my Leatherman Micra Multitool, another handy tool that I've had for years (see my review). The smaller Micra has scissors, but no pliers, so they are different small multi-tools for different purposes. If these seem that they might be too small for your use, then check out the Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier. This larger model is highly functional, and is another good example of Gerber meeting the ongoing needs of their customers. The Gerber Clutch is a bargain, and it's also a present for birthdays and Christmas stocking stuffers... and for Christmas, the color is right!
This is a good tool to use in a variety of situations, if you can get the components open. If you have a set of keys, you can use them to pry the screwdriver heads from the handle. I found a better brand for a cheaper price and still kept the small size that I needed. Keep searching, there are still quality tools on the market.
I want to start by saying that this tool, as I have found with all Gerber products is of high quality. Its drawback is its size and difficulty in opening the tools. It's small and hard to handle and the accessories are stiff and difficult to open. It's fine I suppose as just a back up to have on your keychain, but if you want a serious Multi-Tool that can handle a variety of chores and can handle the size and weight I would recommend a full size version!
Clip it into your keychain. Slip it in your pocket. Keep it in the glovebox. Because you just never know when there'll be a big need for these little pliers., Manufacturer: GERBER, Model Number: 22-41507