Why The SOG Baton Q3 is Better Than What You Own

The multi-tool as you would know it has been around since 1983 when Mr T Leatherman finally got an order for 500 units of his original multi-tool the PST. And for the last 35 years, they have mostly followed the same old basic design. Arms you pull apart and out folds a pair of pliers. The other tools are stacked in the handles.

If it hasn’t changed much in the last 3 decades, you would think it’s because it’s the best design and therefore can’t be improved on. Well, what if I told you that SOG has come up with a better design for a 21st century multi-tool?

Let’s have a look at the SOG Baton range of multi-tools then you can tell me whether you agree with me or not.

Carry-ability

The SOG Baton Q3 gets its name from looking like a mini baton and it’s this shape that sets it apart from the multi-tools we know and love. The long narrow shape means the closed length of the Baton Q3 is up to 2 inches longer than most full-size multi-tools. The Q3 closed length is 5.8 inches (14.7 cms) versus about 4 inches. The extra closed length doesn’t mean it’s heavier than most other multi-tools though. It weighs in at a reasonable 6 oz (170 gms). Compare that to something like a Leatherman Wave+ which hits the scales at 8.5 oz (241 gms).

Not all the Baton range are the same weight and length. SOG has customized each version to suit the toolset included. The Q1 is only 2.4 oz (68 gms) and 5.6 ins (14.2 cms) long, the Q2 is slightly heavier at 3 oz (85 gms) and is 6.3 ins (16 cms) in length while the Q4 is the same weight as the Q3 at 6 oz (170 gms) and a very long 7 ins (17.8 cms) – that’s about 3 inches longer than most multi-tools. You really could use the Q4 as a baton!

There is one carrying option on the Q3 and that’s the pocket clip. There’s no sheath option which sort of makes sense to me as it would be a pretty cumbersome sort of sheath.

Multi-Tool-Set

Main Tools

Like most multi-tools, the Q3 is based around a pair of pliers. These ones are deployed by grabbing both ends of the Q3 and pulling apart then folding down. The pliers are needle nosed and spring-loaded with a bolt/nut gripper section. There are soft wire cutters here too which you should take note of because the cutting blades aren’t replaceable.

All the other tools are outside accessible and lockable which are nice features. There’s one knife and it’s a straight edge at just under 2 inches (5 cms) long. The Q3 doesn’t have any scissors or a saw so that’s it for the main tool count.

Secondary Tools

Kicking off the secondary tools is a 2-sided file. According to SOG, it’s a 3-sided file which would mean that one of the edges of the file also has a texture for filing but this file doesn’t. You’re well looked after for screwdrivers. Choose from a small Flathead, medium Flathead, and a Philips screwdriver. Tighten the loose screw on your sunglasses with the jewelry screwdriver – basically, this is just a very small Flathead screwdriver.

If you’ve read any of my other reviews you’ll know I love a good awl. And the Q3 does have a pretty good awl. It seems you can’t release a multi-tool of any size onto the market without including a bottle opener. SOG hasn’t been the first manufacturer to make that “mistake” so there’s one here as well as a can opener. If a bottle opener is an obligatory tool, a chisel isn’t because there aren’t that many multi-tools that have one – the Q3 does. And that’s it for the toolset. Now, let’s see what the Baton Q3 is like to use.

Use-ability

Although you can’t say the Baton Q3 is a lightweight multi-tool, it’s definitely no heavyweight either coming in at 6 oz (170 gms). That’s definitely an everyday carry-able weight but is it an EDC shape? Being long and narrow makes it too long to carry comfortably in a normal front or back pocket. You could clip it to your belt or pocket and have it run down your leg – like a baton.

I’ve carried it around attached to my belt for a while and although it didn’t get in the way, I did feel self-conscious about it when I was out in the public. It looks a bit weird but that could be just me. Of course, it’s an easy shape to throw into a backpack o  bag but then so is a typical multi-tool.

The other problem I had with clipping the Q3 (and I suspect this would be the same problem with all the Baton range) is the pocket clip is way too stiff. You want a clip that’s not too loose that your multi-tool will come unclipped but you don’t want it so stiff that you have trouble clipping it on. The Q3’s pocket clip was so stiff and the raised end of the pocket clip so low that I struggled every time to clip it on my pocket or belt. It might soften up over time but I eventually lost patience with it and gave up trying to clip it on.

Get the Q3 in your hand and you start to appreciate how modern it really is. The 2-tone black and titanium colored handles emphasize that it’s a tool of 2 halves. I’m not sure what the handles are made of but a magnet wouldn’t attach to them. The pocket clip and the locking tabs are metal though.

All the tools are lockable which is what you expect from a good multi-tool and the locking tab on each handle is deactivated by pressing it. It’s easy to find and use.

What’s not easy to use is the nail nicks to access the tools in the handles. They are too stiff and I always felt like I was going to break a nail trying to get the tools out. And when you did get them to flip out, you get more than one at a time because you can’t get a nail to just one tool. Not a big deal really but means you have to flip out and lock the tool you want and put the others away.

The Baton isn’t the only multi-tool that doesn’t let you get just one tool out and clumps tools together but Victorinox’s SwissTool XBS shows how you can have a lot of tools packed together and still be able to access just one at a time.

The Pliers

The pliers on the Q3 aren’t one hand deployable but they are easy to deploy with 2 hands. I’d go as far as to say they just as easy if not easier than most butterfly opening pliers. And slightly quicker. You just yank on either end and fold down. The only thing you have to learn is which way to have the Q3 facing when you pull it open. If you have it facing the wrong way, the pliers will open upside down. Not a huge deal and no different in a way to knowing which end of a butterfly opening multi-tool to grab to open the pliers.

The pliers themselves are spring-loaded which neither impresses or bothers me. Being spring-loaded is supposed to reduce hand tension and make them easier to use but none of the dedicated pliers in my toolshed are spring-loaded so I don’t see why these need to be.

To give you an idea of how much I think about these things, I think there is actually one small disadvantage with spring-loaded pliers – they take up more working space. When you’ve deployed them and you put them down, they are splayed out rather than sitting closed. I know, it’s a small detail so use the Comments section if you want to tell me I should get a life!

The plier head is medium sized. To make it larger you would need to increase the width of the handles which would affect the carry-ability of the Q3. It’s a reasonable compromise but I wouldn’t want to tackle a really tough rusted nut with them. The wire cutters aren’t replaceable so be careful what you try to cut because if you wreck them, you’ve wrecked them for good. SOG don’t mention this but there is a small notch at the base of the cutters that you can use as a hard wire cutter.

The access to all the other tools are via 8 diagonally placed nail nicks (4 in one handle and 4 in the other) you get to from the outside of the Q3.

The Left Handle

This handle has a few of my favorite multi-tool tools. Starting with the jewelry driver which is a very small Flathead screwdriver obviously designed for very small screws like the ones in watches, earrings, and sunglasses. It’s not so much that I think I need to always have a screwdriver on me to tighten the arm on my sunglasses but it is useful when you find yourself needing one. It’s more that a strong thin tool comes in handy in a lot of different everyday situations.

I would say the same sort of thing about the next tool – an awl with thread hole. An awl has a lot of different uses where you can make use of it’s pointy tip and small blade instead of risking your main knife. The small blade is sharp enough to cut and the tip can be used to dig out material from tight spaces or poke holes in objects. The awl has a thread hole is it can be used like a sewing needle and you can repair ripped stuff. I’ve never used it for sewing but you can see how it would work.

There’s a Philips head screwdriver with what some brands call a ‘3D’ head. All this means is that it has a properly formed head like a dedicated Philips screwdriver compared to some of the ‘flattened’ heads you find on other multi-tools – I’m looking at you Leatherman. There’s a notch in the Philips screwdriver arm that’s sharp enough to use as a wire stripper. Unusually, this isn’t mentioned by SOG in their literature but you can add it to the Q3 tool count.

The last tool in the left handle is a chisel. This is another tool that can be used for a lot of random everyday tasks. You can use it as a pry bar, as a sort of a file to shape and smooth surfaces like wood and plastic or as a box cutter to name a few uses.

The Right Handle

The tools in the right handle are the sort of tools more commonly seen in the multi-tool world kicking off with a straight edge knife. It’s not the largest I’ve seen being that it’s under 2 inches (5 cms) long but it is sharp. I wondered why SOG gave the Q3 such a small knife but looking closely you can see they were constrained in the length by the design of the Baton’s handle interiors.

The file is the other tool that is constrained by the design. It’s a 2-sided design (not 3-sided as claimed by SOG) and works well enough but because it’s so short, you’re going to need a bit of time if you have a reasonably sized filing job.

The remaining 2 tools have double duties – the can opener is also a small Flathead screwdriver and the bottle opener is also a medium Flathead screwdriver.

Pocket It or Pawn It?

The SOG Baton Q3 is an ambitious attempt at a new form factor for full-size multi-tools and for that alone, it should be applauded. And the Q3 is a very good attempt with a lot of useful tools that are sturdy and well made. It’s a good weight and a manageable length – if you don’t want to carry it in your pocket.

There’s a lot to like about the toolset. The pliers are easy to deploy and the multi-purpose tools like the chisel, awl and jewelry screwdriver give us Multi-Tool MacGyvers a whole range of options to tackle a problem. The screwdrivers and openers are well designed and the blade and file, although not very long, are usable. All the tools are outside accessible, they lock and they are easy to unlock. All good stuff.

But I’d like to see SOG improve the ease of deploying the outside tools. The nail nicks on my Q3 were too stiff and other users have complained of the same. In the same vein, the pocket clip is also too stiff and too difficult to attach to yourself.

I like the Q3 and I like that SOG is pushing the envelope by bringing something different and credible to the multi-tool market. So is it the best design for a 21st century multi-tool? Maybe for some MacGyvers – for me, it’s a great alternative and I’m glad it’s on the market. This is definitely a POCKET IT!

Check out the current price at Amazon

Multi-Tools – Don’t Leave Home Without One!