Crescent has recently come out with the SwitchBlade (CMTS4), a multi-purpose cutter with interchangeable tool heads that’s aimed at DIYers. It can be used to cut cardboard, plastic, vinyl, sheet metal, rope, wires, cables, carpet, shingles, and other types of materials.
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The Crescent SwitchBlade set comes with one spring-action compound leverage handle and four tool heads:
- Serrated multi-purpose blade (utility cutter) with built-in bottle opener and wire-bending holes
- Straight metal cutting blade
- Curved cable cutting blade
- “Bonus” standard pliers head
To change tool heads/blades, pull out the two quick-change pins, swap out the blade, and return the pins to their locked positions.
The SwitchBlade set comes with a nylon tool pouch that keeps everything together.
Street Price is $27 for the kit.
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First Impression
There are two things I find appealing about these new multi-purpose cutters – the speed and ease in which tool heads can be swapped out, and the compound leverage spring-action handle.
To be honest, while I think the new tool looks well designed and engineered, I would much more prefer four separate tools than one of these. This is just not something I would be inclined to buy for personal use. But, truth be told, the SwitchBlade wasn’t designed for users like me, it was designed for DIYers and homeowners who will probably keep it in their kitchen catch-all drawers for occasional projects or general purpose use. For those types of users, I think the SwitchBlade might be a decent product.
Jason
I work in the HVAC field and use the types of tools crescent includes here on a daily basis. Something like this, although most likely not suitable for an on the job tool, would be great to have at the house. The less I have to pull my work tools out of my company vehicle the better!
Jason
Forgot to mention the price point as well. At $25 this is the cost of a single pair of red tin snips for me. It appears to be a pretty good deal.
John
Best use I can think of for this is as a secondary kit that gets kept in a garden shed where you don’t need tools very often and don’t mind switching between blades for a given task. Low cost for a versatile tool would be a strong selling point for that use.
Will I spend $25 for each of 4 tools I may only use a handful of times a month? No. Will I spend $25 for a single tool that has multiple uses? A whole lot more likely.
If I need to rebuild the carb on my lawnmower, I’m taking the equipment to the garage where I have everything at arm’s length anyway.
fred
Probably good for the homeowner as long as the cut quality and ease of use are good. I’ve used Wiss, Malco and Midwest aviation snips over the years – and just looked at Amazon where a 3 piece set (Midwest) costs more than twice the price of this – but Amazon offers lost of other choices for less:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=aviation+snips+&rh=n%3A228013%2Ck%3Aaviation+snips+
fred
I have to apologize for being off the mark – as I finally read you description and looked at the picture on Amazon. My thought now is now much aligned with others that this might be a decent more-multi-use tool. The cable cutter head might work for bicycle cable or garage door cable. The tin snips OK for light metal and siding cutting – and overall might sell well to those not so tool-a-holic as some of us who need deicated cable cutters (e.g. Felc0 c7) , Utility Pliers (e.g. Channelock 5410) , Tin Snips (e.g. Midwest p6716S) and Utility Shears (Klein 23015 is nice) – which when added together cost a heck of a lot more.
mnoswad1
This might be good for a bug out bag……or in the truck tool kit, but other than that, we probably would all prefer separate tools for each.
Jerry
It seems like it might be something to consider for occasional users. While I have not seen these (or even heard of them until now) my past experience with the Crescent brand, makes me think these will be of at least ‘decent’ quality.
I think the appeal of a tool like this, would be to someone who might use the pliers regularly (I like the idea of compound pliers), and the other tools occasionally, and would almost never need to use more than one of them, at the same time. Having several heads, on one set of handles, seems like a good way for the occasional user, to acquire several usable tools, at a lower price, and store them in less space, than buying individual tools.
SteveR
Stuart–Might be a good tool for the college student. Recall your article last fall on tools useful to someone in a dorm who had occasional need for basic hand tools. This goes above and beyond to make decent pliers and cutters with a comfort handle.
Stuart
Possibly, but not many college students would use something like this on a regular or even occasional basis.
jesse
This is not a new concept.