The Multi- Shootout

A comparative test of the best multi- for police applications

I think it safe to assume that the multi-tool has taken its place as a “must have” for every police officer’s daily kit. As we all know, the broad job description, and the public’s perception that they can call on the police to solve almost any of life’s daily predicaments, leads police to outfit themselves with versatile equipment. As the old adage goes, “If one only carries a hammer, one will treat all problems as a nail”. And so it goes that Tim ’s wonderful little invention devised back in 1975 has found itself, in some shape or form, on most all police officers daily “packing list”. Being one of those officers who has carried a multi-tool for the better portion of my 15 year career, I set out to find if there was one out there that had what it took to be the best overall for law enforcement, especially in the areas of patrol and SWAT.

SOG provided me with two tools for the test. The first tool was their model S44 Pocket PowerPlier. This model is constructed of and features SOG’s patented compound leverage system. SOG claims that the compound leverage system allows for twice the wire cutting and plier gripping strength with minimal hand pressure. The PowerPlier has six components that include: a needle nose plier head, ½ serrated , small/medium/large screwdrivers, Philips screwdriver, three sided file, can/bottle opener, rulers, and a lanyard loop. The second SOG model provided was their innovative SwithPlier. With the introduction of the SwitchPlier, SOG lays claim to the first automatic opening multi-tool on the market. The tool is actuated with the push of a small button located on the side of it, similar to that of an auto-opening tactical folder. When actuated, the plier portion of the tool, which is spring loaded, opens to a set of functioning pliers. The tool contains five separate components that feature a blade, bottle opener/small screwdriver, can opener/medium screwdriver, and three sided file/large screwdriver. Its overall construction is of stainless steel and aircraft aluminum. This tool is no joke and held it’s own with the rest of the tested tools right to the end. The S44 was shipped with a leather belt sheath and the SwitchPlier was sent with a nylon belt sheath with a clip-on style belt attachment.

The Leatherman Tool Company provided me with their Wave and Super Tool 200 models. The Wave and Super Tool 200 are both constructed of high-grade stainless steel. The Wave tool features 19 separate tool functions ranging from two knife (serrated & ) to 5 screwdrivers. The tool features access to four liner-locking blades without opening the tool, and rounded handles which make hard squeezing of the tool very manageable and pain free. The Super Tool 200 offers heavy-duty capabilities in Leatherman’s biggest, strongest tool. The Super Tool 200 features 18 separate tool functions and also has rounded handles to provide comfort and manageability when squeezing the pliers. It features a locking mechanism that allows individual locking of each tool. The mechanism is very sturdy and I could not defeat it as I could with others. Both tools were sent to me with high quality, black nylon belt sheaths with velcro closures. What Tim Leatherman invented 28 years ago, has evolved into high grade, and well-designed tools made for tough use.

I was lucky enough to receive Kershaw Model A100C multi-tool. Kershaw certainly did their homework when designing this tool and their efforts proved exceptional. The locking Vise Grip® style jaws of the pliers make this tool second to none for complete one hand / hands free operation. The design of the tool allows you to open the liner locking, ½ serrated, knife blade without unfolding the multi-tool, and it also has 6 tools with 10 functions to round it out. The A100C is constructed of 420 stainless steel and came to me with a black nylon belt sheath with a velcro closure. This tool was awesome during testing and had few flaws overall.

Victorinox / Swiss Army Brand sent me their SwissTool RS model. One look at the layout and sturdy construction of this tool makes it readily apparent it isn’t some weak attempt by the makers of your old boy scout knife to enter the multi-tool market. Swiss Army constructed their tool out of stainless steel and added 11 individually locking tools, boasting 23 different features, to create a very high quality, extremely durable, multi-tool comparable to anything on the market today. It should be noted that the SwissTool RS was the only multi-tool sent to me with a device built into it (seat belt cutting blade) that appears to be specifically designed for law enforcement or other EMS professions. The RS came to me in a high quality black nylon belt sheath with a velcro closure.

Gerber Legendary Blades provided me with one of their 600 series, model 7550 needle nose multi-tools. The tool came finished in a non-reflective black coating and was complete with two knife blades (sheepsfoot serrated, and non-serrated ) pliers with wire cutters, small, medium and large flathead screwdrivers, can & bottle openers, file and ruler and fold out lanyard ring. The tool features Gerber’s one-handed opening feature wherein the plier head slides in and out of the tool body with a flick of the wrist. The feature is actuated using only gravity and a flicking motion with the arm.

The Tests

My testing criterion was broken down into five fields:

1. Cutting test involving heavy rappel-style rope, and other materials.

2. Ease of operation and overall comfort and layout of the tool.

3. Squeeze test to determine if the tool itself will start to cut your hands, etc. when heavy pressure is applied to an object to hold, turn or tighten.

4. Real world suitability of the multi tools attached instruments to include metal cutting blades, files, screwdrivers, etc. and there attached locking mechanisms.

5. I think one handed operation is paramount in tactical police work; therefore, there was a test to determine if the individual instruments on the tool could be deployed with the support (non-gun) side hand only.

Cutting Test

Wow! Is all I have to say for level of sharpness that all supplied multi-tools displayed. All of the blades sliced through 7/16in. Bluewater kernmantle assault line™ with relative ease; even doubling up the line was not a problem for any of the knife blades provided. 7/16in. military rappel rope also fell prey to the same results. Every tool tested had at least a partially serrated knife blade which made them all very good cutters - especially for rope and cord.

I must add that the inclusion of separate serrated blades provided in the Leatherman, Gerber and Swiss Tool multi-tools (seat belt cutting blade in the Swiss Tool is a curved ), made even easier work of the rope. I “attacked” numerous other cutting mediums to include “550” parachute cord, cardboard boxes, and an old BDU top and sweatshirt to simulate having to cut away clothing for emergency first aid with no problems from any of the supplied blades. Leatherman and Gerber’s sheepsfoot serrated blades and the Swiss Tool belt cutter would be excellent as expedient, safe clothing removers in the case of an injury. Kershaw’s single, half-serrated blade however took top billing for overall (hair shaving) sharpness. It’s not surprising that one of the companies provided me with sharpest knife blade. Kershaw in this category by a “split hair”.

Ease of operation / overall comfort and layout /”Clumping”

The Leatherman tools provided the best layout and ease of operation. The Wave provides four blades on the outside of the “plier arms” giving the user the option of deploying two types of knife blades , a file, or a without going through the evolution of opening the tool into a plier configuration. Swiss Tool deserves huge kudos in this category as they have apparently solved a long-standing multi tool affliction. The best term I’ve heard to describe this afflication is “Clumping”. Clumping is the phenomenon when you attempt to fold out a single implement from your multi tool and it is followed or attached to all the other implements that are housed in that arm of the tool, making the user have to separate the tool needed and then fold back all of the other tools. Swiss Tool has incorporated a separate mechanism into every implement/blade on there tool so that when you fold out the one needed, it is the only one that comes out. Outstanding thinking and a big plus in this field. All the other tools provided still showed some signs of “The Clump” when actuating the implements in the arms of the multi tool. The SOG offerings were very well made and smooth to operate. The S44 is a smallish tool by today’s standard but was well put together and very smooth and easy to operate. The compound leverage feature did not hinder the operation of the tool at all. The SOG SwitchPlier with its automatic opening feature is a true joy to work with. Kershaw’s vice grip style tool proved to be a bit of a palm pincher if I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing. It lacks the rounded edges of the Swiss Tool or the Leatherman. However, Kershaw did position its liner locking half serrated blade on the outside of the tool to be deployed separate of the plier mechanism. The Kershaw is quite long and narrow by multi tool standards and does not feature a retractable plier head. This could prove troublesome for the officer intending on wearing it on their duty belt. I had some trouble operating the Gerber series 600. Getting the plier head to extend out of the body usually took two or three “flicks” of the wrist. The screwdrivers and other tools were a bit on the small side and difficult to fold out. I am wondering if a slight friction was created by the matte black finish/coating that was applied to the tool making the mechanisms “hang up” a little bit more than usual.

Squeeze Test / Hand Discomfort

I decided to incorporate this test for obvious reasons. These tools were being evaluated for use by police officers in the patrol and SWAT environments. They could and would be called upon to handle such tasks as an exigent mend to equipment, emergency field firearms repair and malfunction clearance, disarming I.E.D.s, shutting off rusted or damaged valves or control devices, and the list goes on and on. If the user of the tool incurs pain or discomfort from the tool thereby negating full force on the tool before being able to solve the problem at hand, then the problem will remain.

Gripping several mediums both with bare and gloved hands, I found that the larger, wider tools providing rounded edges were the most successful in this test. Leatherman’s Super Tool 200, the Swiss Tool RS and the Kershaw tool surpassed all others. Even when hand turning half-inch lag bolts into 2x4’s these three tools were outstanding. I rigged an 85-pound dumbbell to 550 cord with a carabiner on the end and was able to pick it up and hold it off of the ground gripping the carabiner with the plier portion of each of the tools. The hold time was abbreviated with the SOG S44 only because it caused quite of bit of discomfort due to its thinner, non-rounded construction. However, the S44’s compound leverage feature made easy work of multiplying the compression at the plier head making gripping of the “biner” a snap. All the tools held their own, while the Kershaw A100C with its vise grip style design had the leg up negating any constant squeezing to maintain a grip while holding or turning. Kershaw “squeezes” by the others in this category.

Real world suitability

I know that the intended use of these tools is more of the compact, expedient, pocket tool and it was not designed to be the end all, be all, tool designed to replace every hand and power tool known to man. However, cops are cops. Knowing this, I believe that members of this profession will push the envelope with the uses, and abuses, of the multi tool just like we do with every other piece of equipment we carry.

As all of the tools provided were equipped with a “wire cutter” portion on their plier faces, I started here. All the tools easily cut through all gauges of smaller wire up to and including wire hangers, chicken wire fencing, snow fence wire, etc. While cutting a piece of rusty wire fencing, I experienced a complete failure in the SOG SwithPlier tool. The spring that actuated the auto opening mechanism failed and the tool essentially was useless after that. I mailed it back to the company and in two weeks had a brand new tool to finish the test. The people over at SOG are first rate, especially marketing director Chris Cashbaugh who helped me out immensely with the problem.

I bumped the test up to include a very small padlock like the ones you would use on your luggage and a portion of chain link fence. I know, I know, it said “wire” cutter, not “bolt cutter”, but thinking as a cop might think, I decided to attack it anyway with the different tools. I was left with the same findings with each tool… Stick to cutting wire.

Screwdrivers, screwdrivers, and more screwdrivers. All worked well, The Leatherman Wave and Swiss Tool had offset drivers allowing for a more positive feel on the tool as one would loosen or tighten something. All seven tools have Philips head drivers. All of the tools had some type of integral locking device on the blades except the SOG S44. I was able to defeat the locking mechanism on the Swiss Tool RS and the Kershaw’s by hitting the back of the blades on a solid surface. Kershaw’s problem lied in the fact that I could not get the liner lock to fully engage by opening the blade solely with my thumb on the thumb stud. Vigorously flicking the blade open using wrist action secured the liner lock enough so that it could not be defeated. Overall, all seven tools felt and worked well. While it never failed during testing, the Gerber does have part of the locking mechanism made of plastic and that made me a little nervous.

One-handed operation

Putting the tool into operation while having a weapon or in your “strong hand” could be very important and life saving for a patrol or SWAT officer. Hands down SOG took this portion of the test with the auto opening SwitchPlier. The S44 SOG was also very easily put into operation off handed with a simple flip of the wrist. The Kershaw with its locking plier mechanism and the Gerber offering with its ability to present the pliers by simply applying a little force and gravity were next for obvious reasons. The Swiss Tool and the Leatherman Wave and Super Tool 200 were, due to their design, harder then the previous four to open and get functioning with just the support hand. I could get them all into operation but it took a fair amount of manipulation, using the front of my thigh, etc. to get them into the pliers’ open position.

My conclusion is that all seven of these multi tools are high quality, and functional. The SwitchPlier is definitely made for “lighter” applications then what a SWAT operator may be faced with. Due to their smaller size, the two SOG offerings and the Leatherman Wave would be best suited for mounting on a duty belt and being part of a uniformed officers daily patrol gear. The Leatherman Super Tool 200, the Swiss Tool RS, and Kershaw A100C would be excellent for SWAT / special operations as they are more robust, specialized tools designed for hard use. The Gerber offering has me worried with its incorporation of plastic parts in the locking mechanism and the use of semi- exposed springs in the opening/locking mechanism of the plier portion of the tool. I was left pleasantly surprised at the offerings from the companies that had to play “catch up” with Leatherman, especially the Swiss Tool, SOG, and the Kershaw. There is definitely a place in law enforcement for multi tools and my hope is that these companies will continue to improve on their products to better suit police needs in the future.

Allan Garcia

Allan Garcia has been a police officer since 1988. Prior to that, he served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. He has been assigned to both his department and regionalized SWAT teams since 1991. Officer Garcia is a state and local level law enforcement firearms instructor, as well as a field training officer. Officer Garcia has extensive field experience in both patrol and tactical operations and is a graduate of dozens of firearms and tactical schools to include offerings from Blackwater Training and Tony Blauer. He is a member of the NTOA, and IALEFI. Officer Garcia enjoys reader’s comments and can be reached via email at [email protected]