Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Other reviews have been very positive with phrases such as: "...components (...) are sturdy....it is a perfectly capable mini-shovel ... and a solid 4 stars", "Great Tool for car or backpack! This tool is just too cute and cool for words.", and "It is a quality item ". Lest someone get the idea from these comments and from the manufacturer's name (Emergency Zone) that this is a real survival tool, I will try to describe the good and bad of this item more precisely. When I read the first reviewer's comment that "Waterproof Match Container" was inaccurate, I thought that maybe he had misinterpreted what was said in the product description to mean "Waterproof Container for Matches" when perhaps the description writer meant "Container for Waterproof Matches". But no, the matches are NOT waterproof, nor is the space inside the handle. The edge marked "SAW EDGE" has the general shape of saw-teeth stamped (probably) into it, but there is no "set" to them nor is there any sharp edge to the individual teeth. The edge marked "HATCHET EDGE" is just the metal thickness edge with the corners smoothed sufficiently for handling. This was not a problem for me; I sharpened the "HATCHET EDGE" by beveling the top surface of the shovel to nearly sharp, then put a very shallow bevel on the bottom side. I also beveled the bottom edge of the front of the shovel to make it cut into the ground easier. Then I cut some vines as a test, which worked fine. But when I chopped a 1" sapling, although it cut through more than half way the first chop, the head began to unscrew. The hatchet function is on the RIGHT edge, so, since the blade is on the left side of the handle when chopping, it will unscrew the bottom part of the handle from the top. On closer examination I noticed that the shovel no longer was in-line with the handle. The part forming the "hinge" to the handle had bent from the impact of less than half dozen chops. I had taken the compass and the "survival kit" from the handle before subjecting the tool to any kind of impact. When I went to put the compass back, I noticed that the grip of the handle had worked so far forward that the compass was held out of position by the inner tubing of the handle, and would not allow the retaining ring to be screwed back on... until I twisted the plastic outer handle (or grip) relative to the tubing and pulled it out to where the inner handle no longer protruded. So the plastic outer handle (grip) is NOT fastened securely or bonded to the metal tubing part, but just a snug fit. The method of locking the blade and pick in extended, right angle, and folded positions involves screwing a plastic collar against one of the flat surfaces that line up with the handle for each of these positions. After testing the hatchet function, I wanted to return the blade to the folded position, but on trying to loosen the plastic collar, I found that it was difficult and had a "gritty" feel. I expect that the threads in the plastic collar were not sufficiently engaged for sufficient length to bear the impact of the hatchet use, and possibly deformed. If so, several such uses would likely destroy the effectiveness of the collar completely. The straps that snap to hold the tool in its pouch can also be used as belt loops. There are 10 and 12mm hex holes and a 10mm square hole in an offset piece of metal at the back of the blade. But since the metal is apparently not hardened and the "sockets" are only about the same thickness as the blade, I wouldn't put too much pressure on them as wrenches. I am attracted, as apparently so are other reviewers, to a tool with as many useful functions as possible. This tool has more than most and they needn't necessarily interfere with each other if properly designed. Some of the flaws in this particular tool can be fixed with epoxy and the equipment that might be found in a home workshop. But some of them would best be handled in the manufacture of the item.