Review multi-tool card VS traditional multi-purpose knife (with cutting tests)

Review multi-tool card VS traditional multi-purpose knife (with cutting tests)

Introduction

Small multi-tools with different functions have proliferated Lately, among them there are some types with the size and shape of approximately a credit card. Today we are going to review an unbranded concrete model, to see if it really works and the most important: can it replace a traditional multipurpose knife?.

At the end of the review we can see the answer and my specific opinion on it. Also, do not miss the video cut-testing section at the end, which is very significant.

Exterior design and appearance

The design is very simple, it is normal, basically it is a steel plate in which perforations have been made, even so, has taken advantage of the space and tried to introduce the maximum tools.

General view 1

Near to the instructions

In perfect chinese

Bad sheath

Even being a thing simple to make, there are some imperfections in the cut of the steel, if you notice that in some areas the cut is more rounded than in others, curiously it is always on the left side of the cuts in the steel if we put the saw up. The type of steel used is unknown.

Bad cut 1

Bad cut 2

Among the functionalities that we find we have: a bottle opener, a can opener, screwdrivers for hexagonal heads of different sizes, a ruler, a flat-head screwdriver ... but certainly the stars are the sharp part, i do not know if i call it "blade" as i would do with a folder knife, and the saw, which already seeing in detail the carved of the teeth leaves a bad feeling and doubts that it will be effective. Curiously if the saw look like the drawing that we found inside the sheath it would transmit me better feeling, although it would no longer be a saw, would be a serrated edge for fibrous material and not for wood. That we'll see in the video tests at the end.

Hexagonal heads

The drawn better than the real one

Handling and use

The first thing many will wonder is if the steel is too thin and can bend when you use it. I can already say no, although the steel is not of good quality is thick enough so that it does not bend in your hands doing something with it in a normal way.

The answer to the question: can replace a traditional multipurpose knife? which we did at the beginning i think we can break it down into 4 factors:

- The way to be able to take this multitool is very uncomfortable, it is normal, it does not have a handle like a traditional multipurpose knife and you are going to nail something in the hand when you use it, preventing to make all the force necessary to use the saw for example.

General view 1

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      - The part that cuts, the edge or blade, did not come ANY sharp, and when i say nothing, it is nothing. I had to sharpen it to cut something and still, cut very little. But if it cuts, it could be dangerous to our hands when removing it or put it in its sheath. A folder knife can be folded and picking it will not cut your hand, but this tool is not foldable logically.

Very bad edge

     - The saw already see from the photos that can not go well, the teeth are not sharp, they are like wide steps. If we see photos of a standard saw of a traditional multipurpose and this, i believe that the images speak for themselves of which it seems more effective.

Without sharpening teeth

Comparison with the multipurpose folder knife 1

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Comparison with the multipurpose folder knife 2

     - It also has other tools that do not have much interest for me (or in a multipurpose folder knife either) such as can opener, bottle opener etc. because it is not common today to find cans with no “easy opening” or bottles that need opener. But if we use them, in the case of the opener, i think you're going to have problems in your hand if you do not wear gloves. Maybe the bottle opener is the least likely to harm you as a traditional opener. What happens is that the cutting blades of a multitool for me are priority and in this case it is almost as almost it doesn’t have them.

Bottle opener and can opener

Comparative with multipurpose knife

Flat screwdrivers...

Final verdict

And we come to the moment of answering the initial question: can it replace a traditional multipurpose folder knife?:

This concrete model that we see today, in my opinion, resoundingly no. For me the cutting blades are the fundamental part of a multi-tool, and both are quite useless for me, even the edge (after having improved it sharpening) rather than cut tearing, while the edge of the traditional multipurpose folder knife (which brought a bad factory edge, the truth, cutting with some difficulty the paper) we can appreciate in the tests that is something else. In addition, the saw of the card seems to me useless, working much better the saw for wood of the folder knife.

Not comparable blades...

Wide teeth without sharpening

I must say that it is not easy to do the tests with the inconvenience of a camera stand in front and that the wood is very dry and somewhat hard.

Mentally yes it can make you happy to know that next to your cards you carry this tool in case something happens, and maybe for a specific thing can serve you, but honestly i think it is more an illusion than something else, to feel yourself safe that you carry something. I must repeat that the problem is the nature itself of the tool, which can not be folded and when you remove it or put it in the sheath you could cut yourself if the edges were very sharp because we do not have a handle to get like a knife, but we have to gird to the practicality and functionality.

I know that this multi-tool card has been very very well sold and that many people are happy with it, but for me it is quite useless (for me, the sharp edge and the saw is too important) and can not replace a multipurpose folder knife. Although it is unpopular, i will always say what i think, which is the essence of this blog, apart from the thoroughness in the reviews/analysis.

Finally, encourage you to watch in video the tests at the end of this article.

Pros

- Mentally can reassure you to know that among your cards you have a multi-tool in case something happens.

- You can find very very cheap on offer (less than $1), but at its normal price i find it expensive for what it offers.

Cons

- It does not have Phillips screwdriver, when it is one of the most used things

- Smooth edge quite useless, like the saw.

- Failure in the cut of the steel plate, more rounded by some areas.

- Discomfort when you make force, can hurt your hand a little.

- Neither can substitute a multipurpose folder knife, nor in cut, use, comfort or maneuverability.

Final view

Cutting test of the card tool VS traditional multipurpose folder knife