Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath

by Gerber Legendary Blades

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Tough, reliable, and easy to handle, the Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier is engineered to tackle jobs in just about every situation you can imagine. Featuring a sleek butterfly design, durable stainless steel construction, and Gerber's patented Saf.T.Plus component locking system, this affordable multitool packs 11 convenient tools that will quickly prove indispensable.

The Gerber Suspension Multi-Tool Features: Needle-nose Pliers Wire Cutter/Stripper Straight Blade Serrated Blade Phillips Screwdriver Large and Medium Flathead Screwdrivers Scissors Bottle Opener Can Opener Saw Awl Lanyard Ring

Gerber's patented Saf.T.PlusTM lock system provides safety and convenience. View larger.

The Suspension offers a unique design based on Portland, Oregon's suspension bridges that's up to tough tasks. View larger.

You can purchase seperate tool kits for even broader functionality. View larger.

Strong, Innovative Open-Frame Design
Strong yet lightweight, the Suspension Multi-Plier offers the durability of stainless steel construction along with an aluminum butterfly-opening handle that's inspired by the precision engineering of Portland, Oregon's famous suspension bridges. Like those time-tested iron bridges, this tool is designed to deliver the down-and-dirty performance that you demand from your tools.

But performance isn't everything. The tool's unique suspension-style handle sits comfortably in your hand, giving it a well-balanced feel. Compact enough to satisfy the most demanding minimalists, and cool enough for any gadget guy or girl, the Suspension Multi-Plier offers a sleek, streamlined design that will look as good as it performs.

Reliable, Easy-to-Access Tools Keep You Prepared
Whether you're at home, on the road, at a muddy jobsite, or deep in the backcountry, you can't predict what you'll be up against. The Suspension Multi-Plier is fitted with 11 tools that will give you the edge in virtually any situation.

Starting with the knives, you have the choice of a straight blade for fine-tune cutting, or a serrated blade that's great for cutting rope.

This tool also includes a Phillips screwdriver along with large and medium flathead screwdrivers, as well as a dedicated wire cutter/stripper. Unlike bulky squared-off pliers on many multitools, the needle-nose pliers at the center of this tool are designed for the tightest of spots. And they're spring loaded so that they open when you release your grip, which makes working with them easy, pinch free and intuitive.

Other useful features hidden away in the handle of the Suspension include scissors, a bottle opener, a can opener, saw, an awl, and a lanyard ring.

Safe, User-Friendly Design
If you've ever had a folding knife close on your hand in the middle of making a tough cut, you'll have a special appreciation for Gerber's Saf.T.Plus system, which locks components securely in place for worry-free use.

Even with this lock system, deployment is quick and easy. Gerber's user-friendly design makes it simple to access any tool that you need--just slide the lock-release button back and get set for the task at hand.

This Gerber multitool also comes with a nylon ballistic-cloth sheath so that you can keep it protected from the elements when it's not in use.

If you're looking for even more versatility, Gerber offers an add-on tool kit that contains an adapter, three different sizes of flathead bits, cross point bits, and hex head bits for increased functionality. Also available are several a convenient sharpening systems that can help you keep the blades on your multitool in top condition without the hassle of using a whetstone or a round file, including the DF6 Compact Sharpener and the DF8 Sharpener, which uses unique diamond fingers to acheive a perfect 30 degree angle every time you sharpen a blade (tool kit and sharpeners not included).

Gerber's History of Ingenuity
Savvy. Moxie. Craftsmanship. Attention to detail. These are just a few of the company traits that contributed to Gerber's emergence as a world leader in outdoor gear. Joseph Gerber started Portland, Oregon's Gerber Advertising back in 1910, and one Christmas, he hired a local knife-maker to craft 25 sets of kitchen cutlery as client gifts. The knives were so popular, Mr. Gerber ultimately left his agency to launch Gerber Legendary Blades in 1939.

For more than half a century, Gerber Legendary Blades has been helping people fend for themselves. Gerber designs popular, dependable tools and knives along with other outdoor gear that helps users accomplish whatever tasks they may be faced with, promoting the lost art of self-reliance.

What's in the Box
Suspension multitool and nylon sheath.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 1 x 6 inches ; 9 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000EDPT9K
• Item model number: 22-01471
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (178 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #15 in Home Improvement > Power & Hand Tools > Hand Tools > Multitools & Accessories > Multitools
  • #93 in Home Improvement > Contractor Supply

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

301 of 303 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great tool - but watch out for the different versions!, January 2, 2009

By 

Calvin Tong - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath (Tools & Home Improvement)

I am not going to rehash what others have already said: it is a great tool, very solidly built, and strong. Metal is great.

However, watch out for the two different versions, and why you should purchase this in store instead!

I was at my local Target where they sell this tool. I picked one up to purchase and inspected the tool in the packaging. The metal was strangely low quality-looking with lots of pits and crevices. Overall, the quality seemed very poor: metal of poor quality, low quality bolts, and a poor surface coating where you could see pits in the paint. I looked on the back: Made in China.

I was ready to purchase it anyway when I walked back to the display and too a closer look at the other ones on the rack (same model). I noticed that some other ones had much better polished metal, smooth glossy paint, and round & smooth torx-headed bolts. I thought, wait, how can these be the same item and some be made so much better. I looked on the back: Made in Taiwan.

It appears that Gerber switched production some time in 2008 from Taiwan to China. The quality has greatly suffered as a result.

You should be aware that most of these reviews on Amazon before 2008 are for the Made in Taiwan model. This is the model you should get! Unfortunately, because Amazon stock moves so fast, you're likely to get an vastly inferior Made in China model. This is why I strongly suggested purchasing this in the store instead so you can look for a Made in Taiwan model or at least inspect the Made in China model first before purchasing.

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quality tool at a good price, with caveats, December 30, 2006

By 

Nicholas Sterling "AmigoNico" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath (Tools & Home Improvement)

Having owned several Leatherman multitools in the past, I decided to take advantage of a deal on this Gerber. It's a nice tool, well-constructed and attractive. The gray finish on the "suspension" part is very nice. The metal is high quality, the machining is well done, and all the tools lock firmly in place. The release mechanism was a little tight at first but now works pretty smoothly.

The emphasis in this tool is definitely on the pliers. They are sturdy, and the curve in the handle makes the grip comfortable. The spring-loading is very nice -- even my Leathermans didn't have that.

Be aware that the pliers wouldn't work well in a small hand -- even fully closed, the handles for the pliers span 2 3/4 inches. Holding a 1/2 inch diameter pen in the flat part of the pliers, the handles span 4 inches.

On the big Leatherman tools I've owned, the knife blades were nearly as long and wide as the tool itself; not so on this Gerber (or Gerbers in general, I think). The flat blade, serrated blade, and saw are each under 2 inches long. That's particularly bad news for the saw blade, of course, since you need to move it to and fro.

The scissors is the worst part of this tool. The blade has a tiny 5/8-inch bite. And the spring-loading for it is too strong; it's too hard to close given that it's pressing a fairly narrow piece of metal into your thumb. Maybe that will loosen up over time. If you don't use a scissors much, the scissors may not be an issue, but if you need something like the scissors on the Leatherman Micra then this tool is definitely not for you.

The two blades have little flanges to help you open them, but the leverage isn't good, so they're a little tough to open with one hand. But with some WD-40 it's doable. Some of the other tools are trickier to get out, but I've found that to be true on all multi-tools I've owned. What works for me is half-opening the butterfly and sticking my pinky in to pull the tools out. You'll see what I mean; it's not ideal, but it's not a big deal. If you have a fat pinky, though, you might be in trouble. :^)

Not much to say about the screwdrivers except that the Philips is not full-width. That is, they took a 1/4 x 3/32 inch piece of metal and cut as much of a 1/4-inch Philips head into it as they could. Obviously it's less than half as wide as a full head would be. I've seen other tools with heads like this; they're usable in a pinch but you probably wouldn't want to use it on a screw that's in pretty tight -- you might strip the head of the screw, and it would probably be hard on the tool as well.

The sheath is pretty basic: nylon, Velcro closure, loop for your belt. Not as durable as a good leather sheath.

It might sound like I don't like this tool, but actually I do, particularly for the price. It does have its faults, though.

83 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Under $30 - Can't go wrong, October 27, 2007

By 

GSONE (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath (Tools & Home Improvement)

Length:: 2:50 Mins

Pros:

Under $30 (bought mine for $26)

Solid, neat looking frame, very nice gunmetal looking finish

Spring loaded pliers, contours my hand perfectly

Nylon sheath

One handed open for major blades

IMO rivals $50-$60 leatherman products, I have owned both

No complaints at all about craftsmanship, plier heads line up

Blade lock mechanism works well

Cons:

inner tools are stiff

watered down phillips head is not usefull on larger screws

no file

primary knife blade is small

Overall:

Good job Gerber, I think this is the lowest price plier centered multi tool, but in no way feels cheap, does the job.