Review of Gerber Clutch

ringzero

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Jun 11, 2006
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While at Lowes to get yard supplies, I once again yielded to impulse and bought another multitool, this time a Gerber Clutch. After playing around with the Clutch for a few days and using it for some real world tasks, I'll offer some observations.

Fit and finish are decent - not up to Swiss Army standards, but not bad. Tools, including pliers, snap open and closed with authority, resulting in a tight 'lockup' when opened. None of tools actually lock, but when fully open they have zero slop, either side-to-side or back-and-forth.

clutch01.jpg


clutch02.jpg


The knife blade is slightly less than two inches long and is good for typical tasks a pen-knife would perform. Works fine for opening packages or envelopes, stripping insulation off wires, cutting twine, etc. The blade is fairly thin, so I wouldn't use it in situations requiring lots of cutting power, except during an emergency.

clutch04.jpg


The nail file is about the same size as the knife blade, and has a curved, pointed tip for cleaning under nails. It files nails OK, but I'm more interested in its potential for other things. Can be be used for light prying, scraping oxidation off metal parts, positioning wire around terminals, probing solder joints during desoldering, and as sort of an awl for digging into softer materials.

clutch03.jpg


The slot-head screwdriver on the end of the bottle opener isn't bad - wouldn't want to put great stress on it, but it works fine for removing switch plates, screws in enclosures, etc. The bottle opener will open a bottle, but not as quickly and easily as the larger one found on my Tinker.

The bottle-opener/screwdriver implement provides the single issue with the Clutch that bugs me the most. Opening it requires enough force to nearly break a thumbnail. Hopefully it'll loosen up with use. The other implements require some force to open, but nowhere near as much as the bottle-opener.

The small screwdriver will fit screws in eyeglass frames, which is a plus. It could also be used as a short, pointy probe to get into small openings.

The Phillips screwdriver will turn small screws fine, but usabilty for larger screws is limited due to its flatness.

The tweezers are short, but usable. The ends of the tweezer tips are angled, which is a clever design. The angled tips have a sharp corner that works well for grabbing onto tiny things. Used the tweezers to remove a small wood splinter from my thumb, which they accomplished easily.

Finally we get to the pliers, which are the primary tool around which the Clutch is built, and also the primary reason for carrying the Clutch rather than a small Swiss Army knife with similar functions.

clutch05.jpg


The fit of the pliers is rather precise. The tips of the jaws are smooth and come together without a visible gap. Small serrations line the jaws between the tips and a small elliptical cutout which is also serrated. The cutters are small, but they cut wire cleanly. The plier handles and jaws snap into place tightly when opened. The plier pivot allows no vertical play at all in the jaws. Handling the pliers gives the user a feeling of precision due to a total absence of slop. The spring opening function is also a nice feature.

Obviously, because the of their small size, the pliers should be limited to jobs not requiring a lot of torque. Within this constraint, the pliers are very versatile. So far I've used the pliers for cutting and stripping wire, splicing wire, holding a nut still while turning a bolt, positioning and tightening wire around a terminal, and holding parts while soldering.

The Clutch's pliers are well suited to electronic and light electrical work. I have a butane-powered, shirt-pocket-size soldering iron and a shirt-pocket Digital Volt Meter. With nothing more than that iron, that DVM, and the Clutch, I have the capability to do basic electronics work in the field.

Summarizing, I am really impressed with the Clutch's pliers and find them very useful for a variety of tasks.

Good:
+Very well made and useful pliers.
+Knife is decent.
+Slot-head screwdrivers are decent.
+Compact size and light weight; carries well in pocket.

Bad:
-Phillips is of limited usefullness.

Ugly:
---Very stiff opening screwdriver/bottle-opener.

I bought the Clutch with the idea of replacing my Vic Tinker for EDC. While the Clutch offers most of the functions of the Tinker, it doesn't do them quite as well. The knife blade isn't as good as the big blade of the Tinker, the screwdrivers aren't as good as the Tinker's, and the bottle opener isn't as good. The Clutch lacks a true awl and a can opener.

So, I may end up carrying the Clutch as a complement to the Tinker rather than a replacement. There are many situations where this combo would be handy. Using the Clutch to hold a nut while tightening a bolt with the Tinker. Holding a screw with the Clutch to start it while turning with the Tinker. Holding an object with the Clutch while cutting on it with the Tinker. If I can get used to carrying the Clutch in one pocket and the Tinker in the other, this could be my ideal EDC.

(Pics courtesy of Defender at Multitool.org)

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RebelRAM

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Huntsville, AL
I bought the Clutch with the idea of replacing my Vic Tinker for EDC. While the Clutch offers most of the functions of the Tinker, it doesn't do them quite as well. The knife blade isn't as good as the big blade of the Tinker, the screwdrivers aren't as good as the Tinker's, and the bottle opener isn't as good. The Clutch lacks a true awl and a can opener.

Excellent review! I think most of us are constantly searching for the perfect multitool. I tried this same method with my Leatherman Juice CS4. The CS4 is a really nice tool, but I found that I like my SAKs better. And I also found that I didn't use the pliers as much as I thought I would. To me, the main tools I use most on a multitool are blade, phillips & flat, and scissors. The problem I find with most multitools and this is not just SAKs, but also the plier based tools is that the phillips driver is never quite long enough. I had this problem last week while trying to unscrew a super tight monitor cable. A quick trip to my desk to retrieve a real screwdriver and I was done. My plan now is to try a SAK Explorer and see how I like that. I think the main thing for us to remember is that experimenting and trying out these various tools is half the fun! :)
 

ringzero

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I think most of us are constantly searching for the perfect multitool. I tried this same method with my Leatherman Juice CS4. The CS4 is a really nice tool, but I found that I like my SAKs better. And I also found that I didn't use the pliers as much as I thought I would.


The Juice has decent capability, but is just a little too big and heavy for me to carry every day in a pocket.

Anything much bigger or heavier than a Tinker or a Clutch just doesn't work out for me for loose pocket carry. I can carry a slightly bigger and heavier knife with pocket clip with no problems.

To me, the main tools I use most on a multitool are blade, phillips & flat, and scissors. The problem I find with most multitools and this is not just SAKs, but also the plier based tools is that the phillips driver is never quite long enough. I had this problem last week while trying to unscrew a super tight monitor cable. A quick trip to my desk to retrieve a real screwdriver and I was done.


I'd guess that over 90 percent of my use is blade and screwdrivers, but it sure is nice to have even the small pliers of the Clutch with me all the time. Since getting the Clutch, I'm constantly finding uses for its little pliers.

Yes, I agree about the short screwdrivers. Some of the medium and full sized multis do a little better with screwdriver length. And some have bit adapters available that allow use of longer extensions when needed.


My plan now is to try a SAK Explorer and see how I like that. I think the main thing for us to remember is that experimenting and trying out these various tools is half the fun! :)


The Explorer looks like a great pocket tool, with a better Phillips than Tinker. However, I think it'd be just over the limit of what I can tolerate for daily pocket carry.

I may get an Explorer just for hiking and camping.

Yes, experimenting with pocket tools is fun - a relatively harmless and low cost addictive behavior. ;>

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MountainMan

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Nov 19, 2006
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The Squirt P4 with a Gerber Clutch. The Clutch only goes for about $14 to the Leatherman $35 – 2.5 inches to the Squirts 2.25 inches – implements harder to pull out – can pinch your finger when closing – not the quality of the Leatherman Squirt but not bad for the price.

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ringzero

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The Squirt P4 with a Gerber Clutch. The Clutch only goes for about $14 to the Leatherman $35 – 2.5 inches to the Squirts 2.25 inches – implements harder to pull out – can pinch your finger when closing – not the quality of the Leatherman Squirt but not bad for the price.



Personally, after using both, I prefer the Clutch's pliers to the P4's pliers.

Clutch pliers in use feel like a real pair of pliers and can actually be useful for a variety of tasks. The P4 pliers feel more like toy pliers to me.

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ringzero

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good luck with your clutch, mine broke the first day of my senior year at academy in the hands of one of my best friends, shes a dainty little thing and broke it so be careful.


Sorry to hear your Clutch had such a short lifespan. Gerber should replace it under warranty if you send it in.

Any of these pocket multitools should be limited to relatively low stress tasks.

It's not uncommon for people to break the pliers while using them for tasks that call for a bigger tool. I've seen several people break LM P4s while trying to loosen stubborn nuts on backpacking stoves.

These little pocket multis just aren't meant to be used for those kinds of things. I think they're a poor choice for backpacking, but people carry them because they're lighter and more compact. That's fine until you actually need to use them for something serious and they break.

Even the bigger multitool pliers will break on occasion.

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mossyoak

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i just tossed them when they broke, i bought a sogcrossgrip to replace it, much more durable the pliers are easily twice as thick is width and they arent needle nose they are stubby but i can put all my weight onto them and really crank down on them without problems.
 

ringzero

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i just tossed them when they broke, i bought a sogcrossgrip to replace it, much more durable the pliers are easily twice as thick is width and they arent needle nose they are stubby but i can put all my weight onto them and really crank down on them without problems.


I too have been thinking about getting a SOG Crossgrip.

I'd like having a pocket multitool with at least somewhat tougher pliers.

But, the reviews I've read on the Crossgrip haven't been too good. Supposedly the pliers are great but the other tools are rather poor, especially the Phillips driver.

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CLHC

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I like the way this compact multi-tools looks. Promising maybe. . .Anyhou, do you know if this one's made here in the U.S.A.?

Great review and thanks for sharing!
 

dig-it

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Nov 12, 2005
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I too have been thinking about getting a SOG Crossgrip.

I'd like having a pocket multitool with at least somewhat tougher pliers.

But, the reviews I've read on the Crossgrip haven't been too good. Supposedly the pliers are great but the other tools are rather poor, especially the Phillips driver.

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I just got one 2 days ago. It has to be my least favorite of any of the multitools I have. The phillips is useless and my hand was contantly riding up to the spikes at the plier pivot.
If you`d like to invest $20 then I`ll ship it to you.
 
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