Customer Reviews

Imperial Schrade STINCP Schrade Tool

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been the owner/user of a Schrade multitool since in debuted. While it has had it's faults, such as the small screwdriver that doesn't lock and the lock mechanism that can be easily sprung by pushing back on the small screwdriver, the Schrade ST1 multitool was the most comfortable to use, most useful, largest pliers multi-tool I have ever used.

I was very disappointed when Schrade went under, and thrilled when the Chinese version appeared. Wow- the pliers are much smaller, smaller than my leatherman wave. The tools are stiff and of a lighter gauge metal. This is NOT the same tool. The world waits for someone- Leatherman, are you listening?- to come up with an improved version of this great tool.

But I hear that since Schrade went belly up the edition now made in China only appears to be the same but is in fact a low quality rip off of the original. While there are still some new US made originals of this tool around, who would even want to mess with the inferior made in China ones? There are some tools you can get away with lower quality if you won't use it much, but this would NOT apply to a multi tool of any kind! Why? Because the Steel is of such huge importance when tools are miniaturized! There just is no tolerance for inferior materials or imprecise machine work! Rather like firearms, all must be close to perfection or you will have junk! There is no way to sugar coat it and it's not an area to be polite! You may get away with a cheap set of sockets or wrenches that will rarely be used because they can substitute quantity of material for quality, for instance cheap sockets may have thick walls and lack depth relief to compensate for material strength and s long as you can live with the clumsy feel and lack of clearance at times you might have something that will serve it's purpose if it's just tools with limited service objectives ... but for precision stuff like firearms and multi tools, you HAVE TO HAVE quality PERIOD!

I am impressed by the Tough Tool. Not crazy about having to open a second tool to unlock the one in use. I was saddened over Schrade selling out. I have been lucky to find some Schrade knives that were still on the shelf this Christmas that were made in the U.S.A. I will not purchase a Schrade made in China, and can not understand why anyone would get excited over the imergance of a Schrade or any other tool "Made in China".

Schrade makes the best multitool out there. This one is unfortunately now sourced in China. It looks as good as my US made Schrade but we'll see.