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I loved my squirt. for the 6 months I had it before the pliers broke.one side completely sheering off while I was using it to bend the lightweight wire on a small birdcage door.I am not a strong person, in fact, I have nerve damage in my hand, so this *had* to be a flaw in the design or the construction.I loved the squirt enough that I'm buying another, and hoping this was a one-time flaw.
This tool is smaller than it looks on the screen but it is very handy. It is feminine enough for her to feel girly but tough enough to do the work. I bought it for my wife as a part of a pink toolbelt, hammer, etc package. She uses it all the time and seems to love it.
If you liked the Bear Jaws or the Micra, this is smaller, better feeling, and better constructed. While it does not have all of the geegaws that some pocket multi-tools do, it has the ones I want. They are much longer, and significantly narrower, than the pliers on a Victorinox Bear Jaws. The screwdrivers, file and awl fold out from opposite ends.
The awl is about 7/8" long and very strong. It is not made of SS, but is constructed just like a normal file. The file is absolutely terrific. The metal edges of the Squirt (other than the knife blade) are more rounded, as are the ends of the tool when closed. The fine side will do fingernails in a second, while the coarse side can easily handle wood, metals and plastic. Some people prefer scissors (or both) and fortunately there is a scissors version of this unit called the S4. The knife blade is 1-5/8" when extended.
So how does it work. This means that you have only a single blade on either side and at both ends of the knife. The P4's pliers are a marvel. Frankly, I hate serrations because I often use my pocket knife to open envelopes, something serrated blades do not do well. Plus, the quality of fit and finish for the tools is superior.
The blades are not identical on the S4, but they are pretty similar. Anodized finishes, however, do not peel like paint or plating. The Squirt is a little thicker, though, and the difference is about 1/8". Some people don't care for the awl, but I use mine all the time. This makes it about 3/8" shorter than the Micra. The widths are so similar that they may as well be identical. I absolutely had to have a REAL file, not one of those SS "roughened" surfaces that are passed off in other tools.
They are also strong enough to do real work, like cutting heavy wire and turning moderately-sized nuts and bolts. The blades are on both sides of each "backbone" for the pliers, meaning you do not get the wiggle common to a tool that has multiple fold-out blades on each rivet or screw. Let's look at the tools: The pliers are something I MUST have. None of the blades, including the pliers, wiggles a bit. The extra length gives them superior leverage.
They are all very solid and work well. The anodized aluminum is really eye-catching, though I'm certain it will get nicked and scratched over time. Of course, this only reflects my personal preferences. Leatherman gets an A+ for this baby. This makes a BIG difference in the strength. The screwdrivers are very useful. If you place the hinge end of both devices on a flat surface, the Squirt only reaches to the bottom of the Micra's opening end rivets. Most people have handled a Leatherman Micra, so let's compare this to the Micra to get an idea of its size and shape.
Very well. The Squirt is not perfect, but it's a heck of a lot closer to being perfect than anything else I've tried.
Plus, all the blades fold out without having to open the pliers, a weakness with many small multi-tools. They can function as tweezers, negating the need for the Micra's fold-out tweezers.
In summary, an absolutely beautiful work of multi-tool art. There's a small straight screwdriver (just the right size for my glasses,) a medium straight screwdriver, and a flat phillips driver.
The finish on the Squirt, both the anodized aluminum and the stainless components, is much better than that on the Micra. This makes them ideal for manipulating wire, reaching jumpers on a motherboard, and yanking things out of narrow places.
The knife's shape is standard and there no serrations. These pliers are also infinitely superior to the flimsy fold-out pliers found on many other multi-tools, particularly the Swiss Army Knives.
I felt naked not having my multi-tool with me, so I started looking around and found the Squirt P4. The wave was a little heavy for dress pants that I now have to wear,and having one on a belt sheath is not an option. Don't be afraid to try one, you won't be sorry. The folks at Leatherman did an awesome job designing a fantastic product that I'm sure will be with me for many years. I've always carried around a leatherman wave in my jeans and work pants pocket, and all was well until I took an office job. I've had it one day now and am SO happy with my purchase. Cool color too. I can't believe the quality and great versatility of this little bugger.
I would recommend getting the brightest color that you can (based on where it will be used most) that way it will not blend into the background if dropped. If you do not own a leatherman tool. well then you do not know what you are missing. and will be much harder to misplace. This successor to the Swiss Army Knife has to be one of the most helpful items you can buy.Note: It is now available in a multitude of colors.
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