I stuck a Chinese knockoff Squirt in my BK10 kit in order to have something to take the filister screws out when removing the handles. The straight screwdriver twisted like a corkscrew. Complete crap. Bought a Leatherman P4 and it works great. My suggestion is to torture test the knockoffs first. If they work well then use 'em. At least you won't have to find out the hard way if they are junk.

Welcome Newguy!

If you are going to EDC a blade/tool, it might as well be of quality, since you will probably find yourself using it often. A few el cheapos stashed here and there is OK too, as long as you do your best to ALWAYS have that quality one with you...

For large portions of the world, China-made is fine for many things, and made in the USA isn't really seen as a particular mark of quality (sorry chaps, just the way it is for rest of the planet)

FWIW my NRA slippie is China-made (via benchmade I think) and it works great.


On the point of inexpensive v cheap, the Mora is a great example, and intended usage is a really key point. I keep a pair of folding pliers on my key ring - cheap and cheerful, do what I need, better than using my fingers for a lot of things. But in the car I keep decent full size pliers, because if I need them then, I know I'm really going to want them to stand up to hard work.

If all you want to do is change a plug and open envelopes, the cheap multitool will probably be fine. Might not be the right choice as a primary tool for a backpacking trip though :-)

I don't buy knock-offs for myself ... and I only give quality for gifts. I sometimes get knock-offs as gifts though.
I'm a fan of Leatherman stuff and still have the first multi-tool they made on the 80's tucked away in one of my kits. Actually, come to think of it ...when I get a new one, the old one goes in a kits. I've had a LM Wave for quite a few years and haven't been enticed by anything newer since, and while I EDC a LM Micra, I tried a Squirt P4, but missed the scissors, but liked the little pliers....too bad I can't have one with both...even if the scissors were the folders from the Wave or something cut down to fit. I might upgrade to a Squirt S4 since I kinda like the access to the blade without opening it up ... but want the price to get about $20 like a Micra first.
I figure best quality you can afford and just imagine how pissed I'd be if I really needed the tool and it failed because it was a knock-off...then cough up the $$$ for the good one instead. And if it fails ...well, there ya go...at least I tried to get good quality.

I presonally wouldn't buy the whole bunch of cheap tools/gear. by the time you buy several cheap ones you have spent the same amount of $ as buying a decent one so your not coming out ahead there. Then you try to use one of those cheap tools and it doesn't work very well or breaks or even hurts you in the process.
IMHO your far better off spending the $ on a better quality tool and keeping track of it and keeping kits organized than having a whole bunch of junk all over the place.

I've picked up some cheapies at yard sales & such. I keep them around until I can afford the premium brands. Until then, I can lend out a cheapie tool & not worry about it getting broken or swiped.

Tim

I wait until I can buy quality at a discount. On my last trip to the US I purchased 5 knives. 2 because they were so much cheaper than in Canada (less than 1/2 the price), 1 because you can only buy it at Cabela's (S30V Freeman Hunter) and 2 impulse buys I technically didn't need (Gerber LMF II, Kershaw Cyclone). I wouldn't have bought any of those knives locally because of what they cost here.

i don't think i've ever been sorry or disappointed when i've saved up to buy the best.


bsmith

Not to get off on a debate on International trade, but you would have to look close not to by from China.

I just looked at the back of a Gerber Multitool package (I like Leatherman better, but would not call the Gerber cheap). Sheath is made in China. Tool is made in USA, but includes imported parts.

"The question is... is it better to spend $25 for one quality Leatherman squirt to keep in your EDC? Or buy a half dozen cheap but workable replacements and put one in each kit, with extras for the car, the office, etc."

I would say both. I have a Leatherman that I use for EDC and another in the car. I have a $5 multitool in the tackle box that gets a lot of use removing fish hooks and crimping lead. So, I say get a good guality one for those places where you need a good tool and store the cheap ones in places where a cheap tool is good enough. (A good primary and a cheap backup). Also, the cheap ones are good to loan to your brother-in-law.

New addition to Murphy's Laws:

The first time you take a Leatherman fishing, it will fall in the lake. $5 multitools only fall inside the boat.