Gerber 1027824 Center-Drive Multi-Tool Silver

Product Information

It’s a hefty, hard use tool that can stand up to heavy duty demands. If you’re someone who frequently needs a toolbox on your belt the Center Drive should get some serious consideration. 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. 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. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a long bit driver. Being long means you won’t be able to get it into small spaces. But my experience is that there are more occasions when a short bit driver fails you than does a long one so this is probably a good feature. Some multi-tools come with a short driver and the option of attaching an extension. Seems like the best of both worlds but you have to carry the extension with you. Gerber is very clear on who they intend the Center Drive for: Contractors, electricians, plumbers, and construction workers in general. It’s a heavy duty multi tool with a focus on building specific tools. Many of the most common functions included on multi tools are missing from the Center Drive to make room for its main tools.

The OHT is one of the few multi tools made by Leatherman that includes a slide out pair of pliers. It’s a well built multi tool with almost the same number of tools as the Center Drive. Many of the tools included on the OHT though are focused on very specialized non builder needs. It’s still a great tool, but it isn’t as laser focused on contractors as the Center Drive is.All in all the Center Drive was a tool built for a specific audience that definitely meets the needs of that audience. Most of the features on it provide daily value and time savings for contractors and others in the building trades. 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 The Gerber Center Drive is a made in the USA multi tool built with a purpose. Unlike most of its competitors that advertise their ability to do just about anything, the Center Drive is focused on building tasks. It’s a heavy duty tool, coming in at 4.7 in long closed and weighing a hefty 9.6 oz. This isn’t a generalist tool that you’d bring with you on a camping trip.

After trying out the driver we found it to work just about as well as a regular bit driver. You really notice the extra length when getting into those hard to reach places and the central bit orientation is a very nice feature. The only real downside we noticed was that holding the multi tool handles was still less comfortable than a round screwdriver handle. Bottle Opener, Pry Bar, Nail Puller, Awl, File, Lanyard Ring and Ruler The pry bar is alright for its size but for a tool marketed at the construction trades you’d think they would have upped the strength a bit. The nail puller actually worked better than we expected. Most multi tool nail pullers are good enough for staples but don’t pull nails very well. Not so with the Center Drive. It was able to get underneath a standard nail and lever it up no problem. 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 The rest of the tools on the Center Drive are all contained in the interior of the handles. The bottle opener, pry bar, and nail puller are all made up of a single piece. The bottle opener works well in that it opens bottles. 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.The Leatherman Wave Plus and Gerber Center-Drive are two popular multi-tools. But what are the differences and similarities? What are the advantages of both tools? And why would you choose one over the other? We will explain. Gerber Center-Drive vs Leatherman Wave Plus