Quick Hits: Leatherman Style PS, Tombow Airpress, Kaweco Sport, NiteIze Doohickey, and Boker JDR Toucan
So there are bunch of things I have had for a while that I'd like to get off the "On Deck Circle". I'd also like to get you scores for these items. For one reason or another though, I haven't been able to actually get around to writing full length reviews. So to clean out the backlog, I am going to do a bunch of quick hits.
For reference: here are all of the scoring systems.
Leatherman Style PS
I bought the Style PS before going on a flight. It was basically a test to see if it did as advertised and passed TSA screening. It worked. There was an initial hub bub but after a few minutes I was sent on my way. Its probably not worth the stress that it can cause in long airport lines (is it just me or does everyone hate flying since 9/11? The airport experience is miserable now.)
Its essentially the only real option if you want to EDC something while on a plane and it is packed with a lot of the goodies you've come to expect from a Leatherman--good pliers, excellent scissors, and nice styling. I especially like the carabiner attachment point that doubles as a bottle opener. Copying and then shrinking the Skeletool is a good thing. Until the TSA changes its regs, this is your very best choice in a very limited market niche.
I am taking one point off for fit and finish as there was a surprising amount of slop in the joints and pivots; doubling surprising given its producer. Overall, an excellent design that doesn't make you feel like your carrying some botched, half-baked tool.
Overall Score: 19 out of 20
Tombow Airpress
This is something of the Fisher Space Pen of Japan and as such its actually quite a good little writer, with better lines and page feel than its oil slick 'Merican counterpart. It also lasts a long time, as I have had the review sample for over a year and it is still doing well. The trick to the pen is that pushing the knock to extend the writing tip pressurizes the refill. This, of course, makes me wonder if I can make the pen explode clicking the knock repeatedly. Thus far, no kaboom.
The pen's body is very small, the clip is horrendous, and its not the best thing to pull in and out of a pocket. It also looks like something from a Duplo set (all of them do, regardless of which of the many colors you choose). I am taking a one off for fit and finish, two off for appearance, and two off for carry (thanks to the stinky clip and the sticky barrel).
All of that said it is an excellent value at around $8 shipped from JetPens or another online retailer. I have yet to see one of these on the store shelves. Compared to the much pricier Space Pen, the Tombow Airpress is a good budget option that does the task of writing better, but pretty much everything else worse.
Overall Score: 15 out of 20
Kaweco Sport
The score warrants its own review, but the problem is that it would be a short and boring review. It would go something like this: BEST STARTER FOUNTAIN PEN EVER. I know folks love the Lamy Safari and the Pilot Metropolitan, but I think those two pens miss the core fountain pen experience--the incredibly smooth and responsive writing. The Safari does an okay approximation but in the end I liked the Kaweco nib better. The Metropolitan similarly LOOKS like a fountain pen should, but I just can't get by the sub-par nib. If you want a GREAT writer and don't want to spend a lot, get the Sport.
Its my go to pen for long notetaking sessions and I can easily go for hours with it (if you listen to GGL, this where Andrew or Dan usually drops a "That's what she said..."). Its so light you don't notice it in your hand, doing something as close to pure brain to page as you can get. It rides nicely in the pocket and takes a beating well thanks to decent black plastic. It feels flimsy, but over eight months of use it as proven to be anything but that. I haven't babied the pen either. I have yet to flush it out and I don't spare it from sharing a pocket with keys and it still works and writes incredibly well. Even the lack of a pocket clip doesn't bother me.
The one ding I have is the size in hand. When posted it is still a BIT small and some I am taking off a point for balance/in hand feel. But don't let that discourage you. This is an awesome pen and probably one the better fountain pens for EDC use. I wouldn't take it to the construction site, but its pretty damn tough.
Overall Score: 19 out of 20
NiteIze Doohickey
"What the F is this?" I said to myself as I walked into an EMS a few months ago. There it was, yet another tool in the growing stable of NiteIze tools. I am wary as lot of them are good ideas on paper and no where else. The DoohicKey is $5 so don't fret too much.
The connection point is unique for a one piece multitool (which this is technically not anymore), but the tool itself is so pared down I am not sure exactly why it is better that a dedicated keychain bottle opener. The pry tip is so thick as to be useless. The bottle opener is a two pull design and the thick stock makes it hard to balance. Finally there are no real drivers as the pry tip is just too thick and there is an angle towards the end to make the snag edge. Overall, this is exactly what you'd expect for about $5. Skip this. Go for a Shard. Its better.
I am taking 2 points off for tool selection, 2 point off for tool performance, 1 point for grip (this thing is tiny), 1 point off for design (its just too pared down), and 1 point off for fit and finish. There are better options everywhere.
Overall Score: 13 out of 20
Boker JDR Toucan:
Jared Price's custom Toucan is one a handful of One Piece Multitools I like (the Chopper, the Shard...). Its design is incredible and the kydex sheath is amazingly brilliant. I love the design and Boker carried that over to this tool. Unfortunately, they did as they are want to do and totally screwed up the fit and finish. Its really an insult to the design for them to be this far off.
The Toucan is probably the one OPMT that I would consider as having a viable, true cutting edge (the RUT does as well, but it is technically not a OPMT). Unfortunately Boker decided not to go with a chisel grind as Jared does on some of the custom versions and the grind the did put on it looks like it was done by blind and spasmatic monkey. It is atrocious. Everything else is okay...the pry tip works to the same extent that any of these other tools can pry, the bottle opener is okay. And even on the production version, the sheath is very good.
I am dinging the tool 2 points for the fit and finish and 2 points for the tool performance. The grind on the blade is not just uneven, its so acute that this thing can't slice AT ALL.
Overall Score: 16 out of 20
Leave me feedback. If this works I may consider doing it for other, less complex items in the future. If it doesn't, this was a one time thing.
All of these items can be purchased through Amazon: Everyday Commentary's Amazon Link
All purchases benefit the site.
For reference: here are all of the scoring systems.
Leatherman Style PS
I bought the Style PS before going on a flight. It was basically a test to see if it did as advertised and passed TSA screening. It worked. There was an initial hub bub but after a few minutes I was sent on my way. Its probably not worth the stress that it can cause in long airport lines (is it just me or does everyone hate flying since 9/11? The airport experience is miserable now.)
Its essentially the only real option if you want to EDC something while on a plane and it is packed with a lot of the goodies you've come to expect from a Leatherman--good pliers, excellent scissors, and nice styling. I especially like the carabiner attachment point that doubles as a bottle opener. Copying and then shrinking the Skeletool is a good thing. Until the TSA changes its regs, this is your very best choice in a very limited market niche.
I am taking one point off for fit and finish as there was a surprising amount of slop in the joints and pivots; doubling surprising given its producer. Overall, an excellent design that doesn't make you feel like your carrying some botched, half-baked tool.
Overall Score: 19 out of 20
Tombow Airpress
This is something of the Fisher Space Pen of Japan and as such its actually quite a good little writer, with better lines and page feel than its oil slick 'Merican counterpart. It also lasts a long time, as I have had the review sample for over a year and it is still doing well. The trick to the pen is that pushing the knock to extend the writing tip pressurizes the refill. This, of course, makes me wonder if I can make the pen explode clicking the knock repeatedly. Thus far, no kaboom.
The pen's body is very small, the clip is horrendous, and its not the best thing to pull in and out of a pocket. It also looks like something from a Duplo set (all of them do, regardless of which of the many colors you choose). I am taking a one off for fit and finish, two off for appearance, and two off for carry (thanks to the stinky clip and the sticky barrel).
All of that said it is an excellent value at around $8 shipped from JetPens or another online retailer. I have yet to see one of these on the store shelves. Compared to the much pricier Space Pen, the Tombow Airpress is a good budget option that does the task of writing better, but pretty much everything else worse.
Overall Score: 15 out of 20
Kaweco Sport
The score warrants its own review, but the problem is that it would be a short and boring review. It would go something like this: BEST STARTER FOUNTAIN PEN EVER. I know folks love the Lamy Safari and the Pilot Metropolitan, but I think those two pens miss the core fountain pen experience--the incredibly smooth and responsive writing. The Safari does an okay approximation but in the end I liked the Kaweco nib better. The Metropolitan similarly LOOKS like a fountain pen should, but I just can't get by the sub-par nib. If you want a GREAT writer and don't want to spend a lot, get the Sport.
Its my go to pen for long notetaking sessions and I can easily go for hours with it (if you listen to GGL, this where Andrew or Dan usually drops a "That's what she said..."). Its so light you don't notice it in your hand, doing something as close to pure brain to page as you can get. It rides nicely in the pocket and takes a beating well thanks to decent black plastic. It feels flimsy, but over eight months of use it as proven to be anything but that. I haven't babied the pen either. I have yet to flush it out and I don't spare it from sharing a pocket with keys and it still works and writes incredibly well. Even the lack of a pocket clip doesn't bother me.
The one ding I have is the size in hand. When posted it is still a BIT small and some I am taking off a point for balance/in hand feel. But don't let that discourage you. This is an awesome pen and probably one the better fountain pens for EDC use. I wouldn't take it to the construction site, but its pretty damn tough.
Overall Score: 19 out of 20
NiteIze Doohickey
"What the F is this?" I said to myself as I walked into an EMS a few months ago. There it was, yet another tool in the growing stable of NiteIze tools. I am wary as lot of them are good ideas on paper and no where else. The DoohicKey is $5 so don't fret too much.
The connection point is unique for a one piece multitool (which this is technically not anymore), but the tool itself is so pared down I am not sure exactly why it is better that a dedicated keychain bottle opener. The pry tip is so thick as to be useless. The bottle opener is a two pull design and the thick stock makes it hard to balance. Finally there are no real drivers as the pry tip is just too thick and there is an angle towards the end to make the snag edge. Overall, this is exactly what you'd expect for about $5. Skip this. Go for a Shard. Its better.
I am taking 2 points off for tool selection, 2 point off for tool performance, 1 point for grip (this thing is tiny), 1 point off for design (its just too pared down), and 1 point off for fit and finish. There are better options everywhere.
Overall Score: 13 out of 20
Boker JDR Toucan:
Jared Price's custom Toucan is one a handful of One Piece Multitools I like (the Chopper, the Shard...). Its design is incredible and the kydex sheath is amazingly brilliant. I love the design and Boker carried that over to this tool. Unfortunately, they did as they are want to do and totally screwed up the fit and finish. Its really an insult to the design for them to be this far off.
The Toucan is probably the one OPMT that I would consider as having a viable, true cutting edge (the RUT does as well, but it is technically not a OPMT). Unfortunately Boker decided not to go with a chisel grind as Jared does on some of the custom versions and the grind the did put on it looks like it was done by blind and spasmatic monkey. It is atrocious. Everything else is okay...the pry tip works to the same extent that any of these other tools can pry, the bottle opener is okay. And even on the production version, the sheath is very good.
I am dinging the tool 2 points for the fit and finish and 2 points for the tool performance. The grind on the blade is not just uneven, its so acute that this thing can't slice AT ALL.
Overall Score: 16 out of 20
Leave me feedback. If this works I may consider doing it for other, less complex items in the future. If it doesn't, this was a one time thing.
All of these items can be purchased through Amazon: Everyday Commentary's Amazon Link
All purchases benefit the site.