The Supply Index is a design-led record of everyday products, selected for the quality of their design decisions — what each prioritises, what it sacrifices, and what those choices say about who it was made for.

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Swiss Tool Spirit MX

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The Swiss Tool Spirit MX is Victorinox's full-size, all-steel plier multi-tool, and its defining trait is access: all 24 functions open and lock from the outside, so every tool, the large one-hand blade, scissors, saws, screwdrivers and more, can be reached without first opening the pliers. That is the reverse of most plier multi-tools, where unfolding the pliers is the first step to everything else. The needle-nose pliers carry soft- and hard-wire cutters, and the rest of the kit runs to a wood saw, a metal saw and file, fixed screwdrivers, a chisel, a reamer and wire strippers. Each tool has its own spring and lock, and the contoured steel handles are shaped to sit comfortably in the hand through longer jobs.

Design intent

  • Every tool, not just the pliers, opens and locks from the outside, so reaching the blade, saw or screwdriver does not mean unfolding the pliers first; this changes how the tool behaves in everyday use.
  • Each tool runs on its own spring and lock rather than sharing one, which gives firmer, more independent action and a positive lock on every implement.

Trade-offs

  • The all-metal construction that makes it durable also makes it dense and heavy for its size; it is a belt-pouch or clip tool rather than something to forget in a trouser pocket.
  • The smooth contoured steel handles can become slippery with oil or grease; the refined finish trades some grip security in wet or workshop conditions.
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1 Apr 2024
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