If you have a mini hobby blade-based knife or multi-tool, what have you used it for? What’s your take on the Gerber Prybrid X knife/multi-tool? Do you think it has something to do with all the blood I’ve lost to hobby knives over the years, usually when I apply any more than the slightest force? ![]() Maybe this is something I really need to try before I comment, but that’s the point – I am very apprehensive, even irrationally so. The Kershaw Dividend folding knife, reviewed here, has a closed length of 4.25″. The Gerber Prybrid X has a 4″ length, which is the same size as a closed Leatherman full-sized multi-tool. However, refocusing my perception conflicts with Gerber’s marketing claims of how “the Prybrid X is the only tool you’ll need for quick tasks at the job site.” I am also hesitant to consider it a keychain knife or multi-tool replacement, partly because the blade is going to be too sharp and delicate compared to even Victorinox’s mini knives, but also because it’s much larger. What if I only used a knife like this for the types of tasks I would use a keychain multi-tool for, such as the Victorinox Swiss Army Classic or some of Leatherman’s keychain tools such as the Micra? That could work… Trying to push through my apprehension, I finally came across a good question. But I’d choose plenty of other compact knives and multi-tools over this one and others like it. If there’s the choice between having a hobby knife-based multi-tool in my pocket and nothing, I’d choose the compact hobby knife tool of course. Gerber sure made the Prybrid X look appealing, in my opinion (I particularly like the look of the silver and blue version), but how useful might it be? It’s not that the blade is small, but that these types of blades are for light and precise tasks.Ĭan you see a tool like this being used to break down a cardboard box? What kinds of jobsite tasks would it be suitable for? Surely I could be more open-minded about tools like this, but I still have a hard time envisioning how I would use such a knife. The Prybrid X looks to be a descendant, going not by design or appearances but by the shared features. The Gerber Artifact, no longer available, also had a hobby knife-style blade, and the tool has had decent user reviews over the years. The prices of enthusiast tools have come down, such as with the Massdrop Ferrum Forge RUK ( $45-55 via Amazon), but I still find it hard to see these as tools I would use regularly. There are some cheaper ones available, with terrible reviews. Hobby knife-compatible mini knives have been available for years, but typically at much higher prices than you’d expect, made from exotic enthusiast-aimed materials such as anodized titanium. ![]() I suppose the same can be said about nicer folding pocket knives, but something about this and other hobby knife tools I’ve seen simply scream to me “use something else.” Because of that, this and other tools like it seem more to be “just in case you need it” types of EDC pocket knives, rather than “workhorse” types of knives and tools. I don’t see tools like this offering much in the form of cutting strength or precision control. The Prybrid X’s blade, which should be comparable to any of the size-11 blades I’ve used with hobby knives in the past, is going to be super sharp but also very delicate. ![]() To speak candidly, I can see the utility of a small replaceable blade EDC knife, but having used X-Acto-style precision knives for many years, I could never see myself using them in place of a standard utility knife or pocket knife. There will also be a Prybrid Utility, which uses standard utility knife blades in lieu of the X-Acto-style hobby knife blade. You can buy Gerber’s newest mini multi-tool for $22-24 via Amazon and other dealers. One of the biggest selling points for the Prybrid X, in comparison to the other X-Acto-style hobby knife-compatible tools I’ve seen, is its price. Making use of the small and replaceable nature of X-Acto-style blades has an increasingly popular trend in recent years, with many other models aimed at EDC users and the enthusiast community. Gerber equipped the Prybrid knife with a precision hobby knife-style #11 blade. I don’t think a tool this size will be able to successfully pry larger nails, due to the lack of leverage, but small pry bars can be handy for a multitude of other tasks.
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