Gerber 1027824 Center-Drive Multi-Tool Silver

Product Information

Sheath / Holster / Pouch– Like many of their other top level tools Gerber offers a number of sheath options with the Center Drive. You can get it with no sheath, a standard nylon sheath, or a Berry compliant sheath for members of the U.S. armed forces. A comparison between two multi-tools is not complete without an overview of the different tools. That is why we made a list of all tools. Multi-tool Arguably the most important piece of the Center Drive, the outside access bit driver on this tool is much longer and larger than on similar multi tools. It extends fully 3.2 in from the body of the Center Drive and has a curving shape to it that allows the bit to sit right on the axis of the tools body. Kenny’s life around power tools started early. His grandfather was an airplane mechanic in WW2 and took up woodworking as a hobby after retiring from the power industry. Building everything from bookshelves to lazy Susans, he became extremely accomplished while his young grandson observed, fascinated at the way raw wood could turn into something both beautiful and functional. In fact, Kenny still uses several pieces that his grandfather made more than 30 years ago. There was a lot of fanfare on the release of Gerber’s Center Drive multi-tool. Gerber themselves made a big deal about it being a revolutionary new type of multi-tool with one-handed opening and it’s long-handled hex bit driver. And so did the multi-tool enthusiast’s community who were keen to see whether Gerber could move the multi-tool design and functional game along. Could they build a great multi-tool that would convert some of us Multi-Tool MacGyvers away from our favorite Leatherman’s and Victorinox’s and some SOG fans as well?

Here we would like to emphasize that in this case we used the basic version of the Center-Drive. There are also other models on the market with an additional bit set, or with other tools. One-handed opening pliers

The Pliers on the Center Drive use a unique design that combines the snub nose of regular pliers with the accessibility of needlenose pliers. Gerber claims this gives you the gripping strength of full size pliers with the ability to get into nooks and crannies. As far as we can tell these work pretty well. The shape seemed like more of a novelty at first but it does allow you to really grip down and apply torque. The Leatherman Surge is another heavy duty multi tool that was designed to be the most rugged and dependable tool on the market. The Surge includes a full 21 different tools, all built to withstand any kind of abuse you can throw at them. It’s actually heavier than the Center Drive if you can believe it, coming in at a hefty 12.5 oz. As far as decoration goes, this is a nice looking tool. Gerber does a good job making their MT’s look a little more exciting than some competitor’s. I love a Leatherman SuperTool 300 but even I’ll admit it’s a drastically bland looking thing, and the fractal triangle pattern on the handle here is very neat, along with “GERBER- made is USA” etched on both sides of the handles. Let’s dig in a little deeper to see how the Center Drive lives up to the hype. Gerber Center Drive Tools The 3 outside accessible tools on the Center Drive are what this multi-tool is all about. It’s these 3 tools that Gerber claims is where their innovation in multi-tools is. The main tool of most multi-tools are the pliers and in this case, the pliers are one-hand opening pliers. The pliers have a flat gripping section and a nut and bolt gripping section. The wire cutters are of the replaceable variety and have a notch for wire stripping.

The Center Drive has space for one more bit and comes standard with a flathead screwdriver bit. So that’s a Phillips head and a flathead screwdriver bit carried on the Center Drive. Given the bit driver is one of the main tools and a feature, it would have been good for Gerber to have designed the capability to carry more than 2-bit types onboard. Spare Hex Bit Holder Many people report that carrying the Center drive on your belt is asking for trouble. It’s one of the largest multi tools we’ve yet reviewed and it takes up a lot of real estate on your belt. We think the Gerber sheaths do a pretty good job all in all. You’re going to have to make compromises no matter how you choose to carry a multi tool of this size. There are several different very useful add ons available for this multi tool. No Gerber Center Drive Review would be complete without at least a basic summary of them. With the Center Drive Gerber tried to shake up the heavy duty multi tool market. From everything we’ve seen so far, they succeeded. The Center Drive is an odd looking tool there’s no getting around that. It also includes fewer tools than you would expect on a tool its size.The Center-Drive is available in several configurations. MOLLE and Berry-Compliant sheaths are also available. Here’s a breakdown of the MSRPs (retail prices may be lower): Bit Kit– The Center Drive comes with two bits standard but Gerber also gives you the option of adding on a 12 piece bit kit. This includes many of the most common bits used today. Honestly though, anyone considering the Center Drive for their daily carry probably already has a drawer full of ¼ in bits. For the past 6 years, I have carried around a number of different multitools and used them for every purpose under the sun. I personally carry around a Gerber Center Drive whenever I leave the house. It’s super useful, has a bunch of tools, and feels awesome in the hand. What’s the much-hyped Center Drive bit driver like to use? For a multi-tool bit driver, it’s one of the best I’ve used. There are a few reasons for that. Because the bits themselves are full “3D” hex bits that you would see in a dedicated hex bit driver, I have more faith in being able to put a lot of torque into them. Also, the length of the driver’s arm and it’s center alignment does make it comfortable and natural in the hand. Finally, the bit holder is magnetized so the bits won’t drop out if you are up some scaffolding and you point the driver towards the ground. It’s a nice touch. Gerber built the Center Drive for construction workers and contractors. It was made to be beefier and more building oriented than most other multi tools on the market. Overall, we think they did a really good job with this one. The big feature, the centerline extended bit driver, works well. It’s a definite improvement on the smaller bit drivers found on most other multi tools.