Is Galvanox Destroying The Multi-Tool World?

[@pcdoodle1]

FYI Galvonox is also known as Encased Products / Ying Zhu. They ordered a Volty from us back in June 2023. Most of the photos in their amazon listing are the real Volty 1.0 if you look close. The Volty Switch is light years ahead (CONTINUITY, Alkaline + NiMH AA/AAA SUPPORT, NCV/EMF, TEMPS) and we will continue to innovate and improve. Thanks for covering this.

[@hvacbudget8600]

@@pcdoodle1 Appreciate what you do for the EDC Community! Keep it up!

[@kristenvanpatten3854]

That sucks man! I'm sorry to see this. People have no shame when it comes to copying the hard work of others.

[@happyme5071]

@@kristenvanpatten3854 especially Chinese people🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ManoliKvideos]

Thanks @pcdoodle1 and @hvacbudget8600! 🙏

[@maxlvledc]

The reality is that the only way PC Doodle can compete is to sell on amazon. That is the biggest difference. Because the PC doodle version is WAY better imo.

[@zachatmultipartsstore]

We could make that happen 🤔

[@1seer]

Competition is healthy in a free market. You can't blame others for copying an unpatiented good idea.

[@Haiku-EDC]

@@zachatmultipartsstore Are you part of PC Doodle? I have one from them and will buy another one (lost the last one) this upcoming week.

[@zachatmultipartsstore]

@@Haiku-EDC nope, I run MultiParts Store, actually, but this has just got me thinking about how we can help get some of these other small makers represented on Amazon to compete with their knockoffs.

[@trowawayacc]

Maybe so. But markets need rules. And copyright is supposed to reward innovation. Not mass production and slavelike labor.

[@ZapWizard]

Thanks for the video. PC Doodle constantly innovates. He has already released three generations just for the light. Hopefully these just won’t be money makers for the quick low quality copies and they will fall by the wayside.

[@hvacbudget8600]

@@ZapWizard Agreed! Love the work you guys do!!

[@zachatmultipartsstore]

Thanks for calling attention to this! There have definitely been some “knockoffs” popping up of our MultiParts Store stuff but this stuff with the volty is a whole other level imo.

[@hvacbudget8600]

@@zachatmultipartsstore Keep up the great work!

[@maxlvledc]

companies like Multi-parts store are doing just fine in large part by being on amazon. The reality is that this is fair game, without patents its just the way competition works. Am I thrilled about it? No..but there are ways to work around it. I would say there are more than enough fish in the sea IF you work on marketing.

[@Vexstriker13]

Leatherman ARC now is at 249.95, Osidian at 275. Might wanna do review about it.

[@DAYOKU74]

By the way, the G10 back clip will be available tomorrow, and a push button has been designed.

[@hvacbudget8600]

@@DAYOKU74 Nice!

[@DakoyuNorthAmerica]

Can't wait for it!

[@graysonsmith7031]

I just ordered my Volty from PC Doodle, I hope people continue to recognize quality

[@nightshadefern162]

Another thing that might make people hesitate to produce some thing is having one of the big companies then sue them out of business. I heard that Leatherman sued a small blade maker that was producing upgraded blades that fit a certain model Leatherman tool, driving them out of business. Why innovate when you can control the market? I don’t like knockoffs one bit, but an upgrade that fits the original is not a knockoff. (Perhaps there was some issue with Leatherman getting warranty returns on the tools and came across the not their blades?)

[@hvacbudget8600]

@@nightshadefern162 Good point!

[@Bay0Wulf]

A few years back I sent an Original Leatherman tool back for repair or replacement and tgey sent me a “New” version with “replaceable” stuff (multiple bits etc). I sent it back. I’ve used Leatherman tools for DECADES because its a “complete unit” EVERYTHING is attached and NOTHING can get misplaced or lost. These little extra add-on gizmos just require you to carry a bunch of loose miscellaneous stuff. I have Toolboxes of stuff. I still carry everywhere the “300” and rely on it almost daily and EVERYTHING is still attached. If they want to include an empty socket on the “300” I wouldn’t object but I DON’T want a single tool replaced by that socket. Personally I think its pretty foolish to have to carry around a bunch of “other” bits and pieces to lose.

[@leonsappl]

Not sure about AliExpress but should be able to file copyright injunctions with eBay and Amazon given with the US jurisdiction. I would assume pc doodle has it at least registered as a pending patent? Fwiw the volty switch is one of the most impressive innovations in the Leatherman world that I've seen. Perhaps as impressive as the bit driver holder itself!

[@leonsappl]

The parsing wrench used to be an obscure tool only available on Etsy from some guy in Russia now I see all these copies on Amazon etc. I hope initial designer is one of those sellers making a profit. The galvanox one is definitely a copy. Not sure about the others. The original was in the shape/format of a cross

[@701overland]

can you use 1/4" sockets?

[@hvacbudget8600]

@@701overland Probably with an adapter.

[@iblackfeathers]

pc doodle mentioned on reddit that it looks like a copy of their v1 pcb. it's not comparable to their current version.

[@Dracomies]

I don't think this is an issue because the quality isn't there. Just as you showed in the very early portion of the video, it's not as good as the 711 ratchet. There's another Galvanox thing you didn't show but it's their bit extender (bought that a couple of years ago), it's not as good as the Leatherman one. And with the Voltybit, it sounds like it isn't as good as that either. That's the underlying theme with ALL of these knockoffs. They're cheaper, they look the same and they're suckier. And this is prevalent throughout all of Chinese manufacturing and isn't specific to multitools, ie it even goes across things like microphones, there are Temu TLM 103s. Are they as good as the originals. Nope.

Welcome to the world of electronics. Nice to share our pain. ^^

[@jamiesessford6599]

I can’t speak on Volty, but all those 1/4” ratcheting but drivers are produced by, I believe, the same manufacturer in Taiwan. I have the 711L flex head, Leatherman bit driver, but it offers no discernible improvement in quality and is without the pass through function. Other companies offer the same ratchet driver with a handle, pass through function, extension, bits, drivers and case for little money more. Like you mention, it is pretty easy to modify a pre-existing ratchet to fit in the Leatherman bit receiver, so other platforms offer considerably better value-for-money. Considering, I understand, they are produced by the same manufacturer, 711L are the only people causing detriment to their own business by retailing a product at a price that can be easily challenged by others.

[@elleryj9609]

I have the PC Doodle.

[@1seer]

Without a patient what do you expect. In a free market there is always innovation and competition. If you want to stop people copying a good idea you have to patient it.

[@1980JPA]

Not cool to blatantly rip off a small maker's innovation. It's a completely different thing to challenge a distinct lack of innovation (the multitools themselves, especially Wave)

[@trowawayacc]

Dont sell outside usa is a good tactic. Require a usa phone number. That is the best tactic.

[@andrewfett142]

👍🏼

[@AlBarathur]

50 dollars for that is too much. Galvanox is just keeping them honest.

[@leonsappl]

Have you ever tried to design something? The number of iterations that occur before it is market ready are hard to reflect in the physical object but are reflected in the price. If you aren't selling by volume the only way to recoup your time invested is through higher prices. That's the reality of small scale cottage industries. For thousands of years it used to always be this way. Ford was one of the first to mass produce a product and reach economies of scale. Now we take globalisation as a given and expect everything to be cheap. Sure there are those price gouging but the small volume producers of bespoke goods tend to be driven by passion as opposed to profiteering.

[@aliveandkicking1977]

✔️👍🖖

[@kbangfpv6226]

Gone are the days when there was morals in taking same one else ideas So that why maker are getting jack with other asshole making money from same thing that’s not theirs