The Gerber Splice is a mini keychain-sized multi-tool that’s packed with 10 different tools and functions.
To my surprise, it looks like this Gerber multi-tool has been around for quite a few years, and it somehow flew under my radar for all this time.
The Splice’s main tool are scissors, which are accessed by fully opening the tool.
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On the outside (with the Splice closed), the Splice has two knife blades, a bottle opener, and different screwdriver sizes.
I at first thought this was a variation of the Gerber Dime, but the Splice appears to be its own completely different tool. It turns out that there’s a pliers version as well, the Vise Pocket Tool
I am absolutely sold on keychain-sized multi-tools for times when you can’t easily carry a larger multi-tool or individual full-sized tools.
Victorinox has been my go-to for compact pocket carry, and Leatherman has some great options as well. That the Splice has scissors for the primary tool raises it up a notch or two in my eyes, as smaller scissors are typically vastly more useful than comparatively sized pliers.
I’ve had good experiences with smaller Gerber multi-tools before, but this one is new to me.
The Splice looks like it could have evolved from the Gerber Shortcut multi-tool, an older keychain-sized tool with scissors as the primary function. It’s Shortcut multi-tool that I have in mind when mentioning great past experiences with Gerber.
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It seems that Amazon has the Splice on sale right now for the holidays, although I’m not having an easy time finding its regular price. Its sibling tool is priced at $18.56, and so it might be safe to assume the Splice is regularly priced the same or thereabouts.
Price: $14.07 (as of the time of this posting)
Adam
These were the only ones my brother wanted, just for the scissors. Got him a couple pliers based over a couple Christmas’s before finding out they were destined for drawer souvenirs.
VindalooDiesel
The splice and vise are quite a bit older than the dime. I have a splice. Comes in handy sometimes.
Jared
I carried a splice for quite a while. Its very small yet those scissors are pretty decent. Everything folds out with positive (maybe a touch stiff) clicks into position.
Any multi tool of this size compromises utility for portability, but I still found it handy. Sometimes it’s awkward to carry a large tool, but having something is way better than nothing – that’s Splice territory.
I busted mine eventually, but it was entirely my fault for knowingly using it not as intended. I had a brake caliper seize up during an offroad dirt bike race and this was all I had with me. Using the scissors as pliers and trying to hammer out pins with the awl and screwdriver just ended with the tool mangled, but I can hardly hold it against it.
dingleFlipple
Thanks for the tip STUART, first time seeing these as well. Yeah, it appears to be on sale, and by God it has been around a while: https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B001QVOXXM
Dave the tool
Had a leather man Micra keychain tool 30 years ago with the scissors that I used on a daily basis for clipping wire ties at a store I worked at. Absolutely loved that scissor tool and it kept on clipping those ties day after day! Still have it in my toolbox although the original has probably been replaced 1-2 times and I haven’t had a need for the tool in years. That’s okay because it has earned its retirement! As far as the Gerber? I have owned more than a few various Gerber knives and have always been happy with their quality vs value. If this keychain scissor knife cuts as well and holds up as well as the Leatherman micra, and you have the need for such a tool, this could be a lifesaver! FYI Amazon sells the Leatherman micra for $29.99 currently!
Yadda
I like the LM Micra for the scissors. I also like the LM Squirt S4. My favorite is the LM Style CS. Another good choice is the Victorinox CrossCut. However, all of these options are more expensive than the Gerber Splice.
Jim Felt
I carry the Micra on all my car remotes. Both the scissors and especially the little knife get used all the time. Even found a great local sharpening service.
Unfortunately TSA is too poorly trained to not occasionally believe the (Leatherman TSA vetted blade!) isn’t short enough to carry on.
Live and learn.
Koko The Talking Ape
I can’t figure out how the scissor blades are ground. The left blade in the picture has a normal grind, but the right blade is beveled on the inside, on the face that slides close to the other blade. That makes no sense. That face should be flat, right?
MM
Yes, the inside surface of the blade should be flat. I’m guessing that is a marketing picture that was photoshopped by an ignorant individual. Most likely there was something that didn’t look right with the blade on the right of the photo and they cut out, rotated, and pasted over a duplicate of the left blade to cover it up. It certainly has been de-saturated as well, which is an easy trick to make “silver” colored metal objects look better.
Koko The Talking Ape
You’re right. Because not only is that right blade ground on the inside, it’s ground on the wrong edge. And apparently they had to trim the tip to the right shape. Also they smoodged away the crease at the base of the blade where the grind starts.
Toolmakers shouldn’t screw with photos that way. Sometimes very small details have important functional consequences.
Stuart
Amazon’s other product appears correct, with the inner side of the right blade completely smooth.
Koko The Talking Ape
Compared to the Dime, the Splice adds a serrated knife and tiny screwdriver, has bigger scissors and loses the pliers and package opener blade. When neither are on sale, the Splice is a few bucks cheaper.
It seems like a cheaper but clunkier, replacement for a small Swiss Army Knife. The reviews say it can snap shut and pinch you, like the Dime. On my Dimes, I’ve improved that a bit by rounding over the sharp edges that would snap together, so the bite’s reach is a bit shorter.
To me, a multi-tool’s big advantage over a SAK is the pliers. If you don’t have the pliers, then what’s the point? But this one is hella cheap. I wouldn’t give one as a gift, but maybe it would be good to keep in glove compartments, first aid kits, etc.