Tools for a DIYer

Thad E Ginathom · 18th March 2013, 00:47

For multitools which will give you serious and tough usable tools, I suggest that you look at stuff like Leatherman.

I bought a Leatherman Wave about 15 years ago, after asking the foreman on our office refit job if the one he wore on his belt was just for looks, or if he thought of it as a serious tool. He assured me that it was very much serious, and often used.

DerAlte · 18th March 2013, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Any place in bangalore where i can get to see and feel the swiss victrorinox? ...

IIRC, Lifestyle and Shopper's Stop have display cases. Otherwise UB City.

I agree wih Thad. Victorinox has more sex appeal, while Leatherman is more practical. I have one of the simpler Leatherman tools, which I keep in the kitchen in a convenient location.

sagarpadaki · 18th March 2013, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAlte

IIRC, Lifestyle and Shopper's Stop have display cases. Otherwise UB City.

I agree wih Thad. Victorinox has more sex appeal, while Leatherman is more practical. I have one of the simpler Leatherman tools, which I keep in the kitchen in a convenient location.

For me practicality is more important. Do you know where we get the leatherman tools in Bangalore?

Sudarshan · 18th March 2013, 11:38

I need a table / bench grinder , medium duty .

There should be a angled stay to sharpen drill bits .

Can anyone suggest a model , based on personal experience ?

Sudarshan

Thad E Ginathom · 18th March 2013, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

For me practicality is more important. Do you know where we get the leatherman tools in Bangalore?

I don't know Bangalore at all, but more to the point, I don't even know if they are available in India. It might have to be online, and it would be a shame to buy without hands-on shopping.

I'm really not sure how much of the price of a Leatherman gadget goes in paying for the name, but I am pretty sure of the quality.

I have a Spyderco multi-tool as well, and, whilst it is a beautiful piece of design, and does stuff that the Leatherman does not do, it doesn't come out of the drawer nearly as often as the Leatherman. Mind you, I use the Leatherman even for ordinary pliers use, and the Spyderco has adjustable spanner rather than pliers.

sagarpadaki · 18th March 2013, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I don't know Bangalore at all, but more to the point, I don't even know if they are available in India. It might have to be online, and it would be a shame to buy without hands-on shopping.

I'm really not sure how much of the price of a Leatherman gadget goes in paying for the name, but I am pretty sure of the quality.

I have a Spyderco multi-tool as well, and, whilst it is a beautiful piece of design, and does stuff that the Leatherman does not do, it doesn't come out of the drawer nearly as often as the Leatherman. Mind you, I use the Leatherman even for ordinary pliers use, and the Spyderco has adjustable spanner rather than pliers.

Did a bit of googling and bumped into an indian website which had leather man tools. They have other tools too. Leatherman range is pretty limited. Can you please have a look and tell me if the prices are good! There are other brands too. Please suggest me if any others are good .If i buy a tool rest assured it will be used extensively and put through a lot of abuse.

http://www.oliveplanet.in/categories...U00021522.aspx

Jaguar · 18th March 2013, 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Any place in bangalore where i can get to see and feel the swiss victrorinox?.

All the wildcraft outlets stock victorinox products. They sometimes have a couple of leathermans as well but I found them to be prohibitively expensive.

Thad E Ginathom · 18th March 2013, 16:28

From that oliveplanet page, the Wave looks good (I know mine is! They've changed the model since I bought), and the price doesn't seem bad, but don't know how much they cost outside of India these days. They were always expensive in UK :(. The squirt is probably not such a serious tool, I wouldn't go for that.

I think that Gerber is another decent make: I've seen them in shops, but don't have any experience.

DerAlte · 19th March 2013, 16:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Did a bit of googling ...

Commercial Street, basement shop on the right below Westside - Hussain or something like that. Ask them - they might have it. Or the large tools shops on NR Road or SP Lane.

Parthasarathig · 19th March 2013, 17:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

http://www.oliveplanet.in/categories...U00021522.aspx

This oliveplanet store is in R. T nagar, Bangalore btw. You can have a look at the stuff in person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Commercial Street, basement shop on the right below Westside - Hussain or something like that. Ask them - they might have it. Or the large tools shops on NR Road or SP Lane.

Last week I visited them for some paint and tools. AFAIK they keep Stanley tools. Didn't notice Leatherman there.

Guderian · 19th March 2013, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Did a bit of googling and bumped into an indian website which had leather man tools...

I have the Wave (which was then called the New Wave - as the old/original Wave was phased out) since 2007 and it is a gem of a multi-tool. I carry it in my vehicle and is abused quite a bit for carrying out all kinds of tasks. Has withstood the abuse very well.
In 2007 it costed me $ 75 and I had picked it up from Sears along with the sheath etc. Even now the price is around the same. You can order from Amazon in the $ 55-60 range. Or if you have anyone coming down from the US - ask them to get you one.
The price quoted on Olive Planet (Rs. 6.6K) is rather out of the world !
There could be a few other shops in selling the same at a cheaper rate but I would be a little worried about Chinese fakes/copies.

And yes, I have the Victorinox - Swiss Champ too, which is... well, kept at home for the looks ! No serious work for that baby and is placed around the house like an arm candy while the Leatherman does all the tough jobs.

sagarpadaki · 19th March 2013, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

From that oliveplanet page, the Wave looks good (I know mine is! They've changed the model since I bought), and the price doesn't seem bad, but don't know how much they cost outside of India these days. They were always expensive in UK :(. The squirt is probably not such a serious tool, I wouldn't go for that.

I think that Gerber is another decent make: I've seen them in shops, but don't have any experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Commercial Street, basement shop on the right below Westside - Hussain or something like that. Ask them - they might have it. Or the large tools shops on NR Road or SP Lane.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parthasarathig

This oliveplanet store is in R. T nagar, Bangalore btw. You can have a look at the stuff in person.

Last week I visited them for some paint and tools. AFAIK they keep Stanley tools. Didn't notice Leatherman there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guderian

I have the Wave (which was then called the New Wave - as the old/original Wave was phased out) since 2007 and it is a gem of a multi-tool. I carry it in my vehicle and is abused quite a bit for carrying out all kinds of tasks. Has withstood the abuse very well.
In 2007 it costed me $ 75 and I had picked it up from Sears along with the sheath etc. Even now the price is around the same. You can order from Amazon in the $ 55-60 range. Or if you have anyone coming down from the US - ask them to get you one.
The price quoted on Olive Planet (Rs. 6.6K) is rather out of the world !
There could be a few other shops in selling the same at a cheaper rate but I would be a little worried about Chinese fakes/copies.

And yes, I have the Victorinox - Swiss Champ too, which is... well, kept at home for the looks ! No serious work for that baby and is placed around the house like an arm candy while the Leatherman does all the tough jobs.

Thanks everyone for the inputs.Will check out the shops mentioned when i find time.

@DerAlte, do you by chance remember the shop names or approx locations in the NR road and SP road. because its very easy to get lost in a sea of shops and from my past experience asking around is not much help .

@Guderian - Well including shipping the price on amazon for the wave black comes to comes to around 90$. Considering the current exchange rate its about 5000 INR. But they dont ship to india. I put my cousins address in California to get the total cost . So getting it here for 6.6K sounds only a wee bit extra. But hey if its available for lesser i am not cribbing. How are stanley multi purpose tools like these? Any idea

DerAlte · 19th March 2013, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

... shop names or approx locations in the NR road and SP road. ...

Sorry, don't remember shop names. On NR Road, they are on the left when you approach the fly-over. On SP Lane, they are concentrated near the center more towards the Avenue Road than the other end. If you go from Avenue Road or Masjid side, the shops start just after the steel / brass / copper shops.

Guderian · 19th March 2013, 19:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

@Guderian - Well including shipping the price on amazon for the wave black comes to comes to around 90$. Considering the current exchange rate its about 5000 INR. But they dont ship to india. I put my cousins address in California to get the total cost . So getting it here for 6.6K sounds only a wee bit extra. But hey if its available for lesser i am not cribbing. How are stanley multi purpose tools like these? Any idea

Wave Black is costlier than Wave Standard (steel finish). I was quoting the price of the Standard as I have the Standard. But then even a Black at $90 in the US sounds high. Not sure why.
As far as Stanley is concerned - not too fond of it now as most of their tools are made in China. Earlier Stanley tools used to be made in US and so they were really good and tough. But now quality is big '?'. I have had Chinese tools disintegrate in my hands - yes, a ratchet set wrench during a hard torquing sequence. I thought I/my hands were tough - then I realised it was a Chinese tool, which even a 5 year old could demolish without breaking into a sweat !

Thad E Ginathom · 19th March 2013, 20:45

It is not the country, but the quality control that matters. China is cornering world-manufacturing, and that's it! Unbranded Chinese tools have always had a bad name. You get stuff like hammers and spanners that are supposed to be forged, cast, and they snap or shatter with potentially disastrous and injurious results. If I trust the brand, I'm not too worried about "made in China" in the small print.

It may be just snobbish attachment to the brand name, but I would not expect a similar tool from the mass-market consumer hand-tool makers, whichever name one chooses, to match up to a Leatherman. True? Or I just swallowed the marketing? Honestly not a hundred percent sure, but I'd put my money on Leatherman.

(Oh, and a wave to a fellow wave owner! I want to add a Crunch to my collection.)

18th March 2013, 00:47	#496
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,463 Thanked: 30,126 Times	Re: Tools for a DIYer. For multitools which will give you serious and tough usable tools, I suggest that you look at stuff like Leatherman. I bought a Leatherman Wave about 15 years ago, after asking the foreman on our office refit job if the one he wore on his belt was just for looks, or if he thought of it as a serious tool. He assured me that it was very much serious, and often used.
	() Thanks

18th March 2013, 11:38	#499
Sudarshan BANNED Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 1,200 Thanked: 885 Times View My Garage	Re: Tools for a DIYer. I need a table / bench grinder , medium duty . There should be a angled stay to sharpen drill bits . Can anyone suggest a model , based on personal experience ? Sudarshan
	() Thanks

18th March 2013, 16:28	#503
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,463 Thanked: 30,126 Times	Re: Tools for a DIYer. From that oliveplanet page, the Wave looks good (I know mine is! They've changed the model since I bought), and the price doesn't seem bad, but don't know how much they cost outside of India these days. They were always expensive in UK :(. The squirt is probably not such a serious tool, I wouldn't go for that. I think that Gerber is another decent make: I've seen them in shops, but don't have any experience.
	(1) Thanks

19th March 2013, 20:45	#510
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,463 Thanked: 30,126 Times	Re: Tools for a DIYer. It is not the country, but the quality control that matters. China is cornering world-manufacturing, and that's it! Unbranded Chinese tools have always had a bad name. You get stuff like hammers and spanners that are supposed to be forged, cast, and they snap or shatter with potentially disastrous and injurious results. If I trust the brand, I'm not too worried about "made in China" in the small print. It may be just snobbish attachment to the brand name, but I would not expect a similar tool from the mass-market consumer hand-tool makers, whichever name one chooses, to match up to a Leatherman. True? Or I just swallowed the marketing? Honestly not a hundred percent sure, but I'd put my money on Leatherman. (Oh, and a wave to a fellow wave owner! I want to add a Crunch to my collection.)
	() Thanks