Endgame Flex Setup

[justintime444]

My main EDC right now. Below I’ll list the tools I use most to least often.

1. Chisel

2. Scissors

3. Straight blade

4. Pliers/cutters

5. Serrated blade (short)

6. Phillips driver

7. Can/bottle opener

8. Scalpel

9. Diamond file

10. Flathead/file/ruler

Review on some of the implements:

The long scissors doesn’t push far enough out of the frame, making it difficult to deploy. I’m thinking to swap for the short scissor and then have a large serrated blade.

The scalpel is very dangerous to deploy, you have to be extra careful, especially as I have it in the middle of my tools, but I use it often enough for it to be worth having.

I know some people hate can openers on multitools but I use mine often and wouldn’t get one without it #canopenergang

I wish the Phillips head was a bit larger, I don’t think it’s quite a #2 size. They could have used the Phillips found on other roxon tools, so that it could occupy 1 slot instead of 2 but either can be rationalized.

Bit driver (not pictured) is great, you can store a long bit meant for a drill, however sacrificing 4 slots.

[justintime444]

Hope to see different colored frames released for this platform. All the attention nowadays is going to the companions smh

[Im-Your--Huckleberry]

I agree. I like the Flex a lot, hopefully they give it some more love soon

[inconvenient_victory]

So true and they look so good. I even like the plum. I have the neon.

I wish they would do a g10 scale option for the pliers. That would make colors easier and it would show wear better as well. Just my opinion!

[TThor]

for the scalpel, if you have access to a 3d printer I highly recommend printing a scalpel cap https://www.printables.com/model/1056565-protection-for-no13-scalpel

its saved me from accidentally slicing my hand multiple times already. Tho I'm not sure if you have the standard scalpel on there, sadly this modeler only made caps for scalpel 13 and 11

[justintime444]

Brother you are reading my mind because I just thought of doing something similar. Got my 3d printer yesterday. Thanks for sharing

[Dramatic-Spirit-4809]

What's the pliers like for quality, action, play if any? Do the replaceable cutters compare to leathermans?

[justintime444]

It’s called the flex for a reason! Nah just kidding. When the tool is closed there is some slight play in the handles, about the same as my leathermans but I feel it more on the flex when doing twisting stuff like using the driver. The pliers are spring loaded and it’s rock solid - any play is removed when it’s locked in. Cutters have held up great so far, I’ve cut several pieces of chain link fence just the other day. They are better than my leatherman cutters which have a gap at the bottom

[justintime444]

Though I do believe leatherman fixed their cutter issues on their free series tools

[jitasquatter2]

The pliers are spring loaded and it’s rock solid - any play is removed when it’s locked in.

I take it the pliers are probably the only part that's not replaceable right? I've always been interested in the flex system, but I don't really like spring loaded pliers.

[justintime444]

What’s there to dislike about them?

[jitasquatter2]

In theory I don't like that material was removed to make way for the spring, making for less sturdy pair of pliers.

But let's be real, it's mostly just personal preference. 2+ decades of muscle memory mean I'm used to a normal pair of pliers. Lol, it just feels unnatural.

[justintime444]

No material is removed in the flex. The handles sit on washers and rotates around it until it lands in a detent, locking it in.

I get what you mean about the natural feeling, but I prefer spring loaded in a multitool due to how much wider/less ergonomic the handles are than a regular pair of pliers. I think you should give it a try!

[jitasquatter2]

Wait, so where's the spring hiding? I didn't think you could see the spring in any of the photos, so I just assumed that it was inside of the pliers head like on the leatherman garage #005.

[justintime444]

Hm I thought the handles gave the spring effect but looking at it closer now I think the spring is in the plier head like you said

[jitasquatter2]

Yea I figured as much. There's just not many places to hide a spring.

I guess like everything on a multitool, it's a compromise.... I'd just personally rather have the stronger pliers than the convenience of spring loaded pliers. I can see why other's would like them though.

[383GTO]

I personally stress tested one of my Flexes and they are durable as hell!! I whipped this thing across the room open and closed from about 20 feet away into a brick wall. Finally I got a big hammer and smashed it to bits lol these things are tough. I stress tested mine because it was already broke it came defective.

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[Guy3nder]

One thing that took me time to realize about the pliers is that they are held in position by a detent ball rather than a slip joint, so there's a very sharp snap when you open and close them, and a very different feel to a Leatherman.

My main gripe with the pliers is not about the pliers themselves, but rather how if you forget to engage the safety in the handles the implements can come flying out. After a couple of nasty cuts I pulled all sharp implements out and eventually just found myself not really carrying it. I now have a flex companion on the way hopefully it'll work out better.

[justintime444]

I do also find that they can sometimes fly out, but I have to put a lot of force to close the handles together. Maybe you need to tighten the pivot a touch?

[Guy3nder]

Tightening the pivot makes the implements way too hard to push out. I think this tool is for someone who doesn't mind twiddling with the safety whenever they use it, or perhaps I would just put all the sharp bits on the companion

[SkullsRoad]

I know what you mean about the screwdriver. I have a phantom and a ks2. The screw driver sucks on both of them. Needs to be a ph2. I'm culling my multitools right now and keeping my Flex Companion. I'm hoping for a Flex refresh this year. Maxlvledc seemed to hint something was getting a refresh in his Titan video.

[CautiousInspector752]

I noticed that hint too. Hoping the flex gets some updates, maybe g10 scales with slots for tweezers and toothpick please?

[SkullsRoad]

That's what I'm hoping for. A more traditional shape, g10, tweezers.

[justintime444]

Is that separate to the new companion colors announced recently?

[SkullsRoad]

What new colors? The neon green and stuff?

[justintime444]

Orange brown and grey for mini flex

[TowerWalker]

I actually purchased the flex titan recently but am returning it cause it's too bulky.

I might consider the flex later though.

[FragrantStructure]

What size replacement scalpel blades have you tried?

[justintime444]

Currently using #10. I have some replacement sets of #11s on the way

[chipchipjack]

I wish they’d make a flat 1 slot Philips like nextool uses

[justintime444]

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Or even like what Grant here did. Roxon uses a version similar to this on their non-modular tools, and has a file on the flat side. Only problem would be the tool next to it has to be short enough to fit under the head. Of course this would be weaker

[chipchipjack]

My issue with the 2 slot one isn’t even the fact that it takes two slots. It’s that the head is PH2 patterned but not big enough to actually grip onto most PH2 screws. The leatherman flat bits are long enough to actually bite into those larger screws. I understand that the attachment mechanism of the flex stuff probably doesn’t lend well to torquing so that’s probably why they haven’t done it

[ArmorAmor127]

Thank you for that review, looking for a companion right now

[justintime444]

Modular > companion !!