Tool Review: Thorsen 24-505 Multi-Pliers

Key Features:
 +   Tools are easy to extract
 +   Strong pliers with good tension
 -    Rubber grip pieces fall off easily
 -    Wire cutters do not touch

The Thorsen Multi-Pliers (model #24-505) is a decent multi tool.  It does what it does well, but it's too heavy to carry as a pocket tool.  For $5.90 on clearance at Pep Boys, it's a fairly good deal.  If you're looking for an everyday-carry multi tool in the same price range, you'd be better off with the Shop Basics 15-in-1 Multi Tool from Big Lots for $5.00.

This multi tool is mainly a large pair of pliers, with a few other tools that fold out from the handle.  The pliers include both a straight-jaw and curved-jaw area.  The jaws do not line up completely, but it's close enough that you wouldn't notice it during use unless you were looking for it.  The wire cutters at the base of the jaws overlap but don't touch.  I haven't used the wire cutters yet, but based on their construction I wouldn't have much faith in them.

The other tools include a knife blade, saw blade, bottle opener, and can opener.  A Phillips screwdriver swings out from the opposite side as the other tools, and the end of the saw blade functions as a slotted driver.  The two screwdrivers are what you'd probably expect from a multi tool -- usable but not great.  The knife is sharp with a sharp tip, and the saw blade is sharp as well.  On the back side of the saw blade is a file.

One of the best things about this multi tool is that all of the tools swing out easily.  Many multi tools have tension problems with at least some (if not all) of the tools they have, but on these Thorsen pliers, everything pivots out smoothly.  The tension on the pliers is strong.

The Thorsen multi pliers are very similar to Sheffield's hammer multi tool, with a couple of distinct advantages.  The tools on the Thorsen pliers are much easier to extract than those on the Sheffield multi tool.  Because the Thorsen tool features pliers instead of a hammer as the main tool, the pliers jaws open much wider, allowing for much more usability, as opposed to the pliers function on the Sheffield hammer tool, which don't open very wide.