That's actually a step in the right direction. You have to seriously ask yourself how many of those bits and bobs you use... Me, I use the pliers and screwdrivers for the most part. If I want a knife I have a better one on my belt anyway. Can openers? Files? Leather awls? They make no sense to me. The perfect multi tool for me would have good pliers and a pile of different screwdrivers (or 2 or 3 1/4" hex drivers!) and nothing else.
Leatherman
- Thread starter richiequan
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I own a Juice S4, an first edition Wave, and a Surge.
However, when I need a quick bunch of tools, I reach for my Swisstool. Better steel, better fit and finish, better screwdrivers, tougher pliers, better lock-up, better saw, and better file. No Johnny Kerry support either. The LM's are are retired to various tool, glove, and tackle boxes. I'll never buy another, especially after developing an extreme dislike of the lame and nearly useless swapping bits and saw blade/file blade of the Surge.
The ST doesn't one hand open the blades, but to me, who also has an EDC folder always available for serious cutting, that feature is overrated.
However, when I need a quick bunch of tools, I reach for my Swisstool. Better steel, better fit and finish, better screwdrivers, tougher pliers, better lock-up, better saw, and better file. No Johnny Kerry support either. The LM's are are retired to various tool, glove, and tackle boxes. I'll never buy another, especially after developing an extreme dislike of the lame and nearly useless swapping bits and saw blade/file blade of the Surge.
The ST doesn't one hand open the blades, but to me, who also has an EDC folder always available for serious cutting, that feature is overrated.
The swappable bit seems to be there for your convenience, but it actually a revenue stream for LM.
The phillips head end of the bits are not up to the demands I make of them and are far too easily destroyed. I have wrecked three already. The hex and the torx work okay, but I have better dedicated mini kits for both.
On the original Wave, the phillips is pretty tough and fully dimensioned. Still, one day, I managed to bugger it up on a corroded in screw set into mild steel. For the cost of postage, they put a new phillips into my tool.
Yes, the new bits are supposedly made of "actual" tool steel with zinc coating, but the standard phillips isn't dimensioned correctly, and the whole bit driver feels way less strong than the original SS screwdriver. The bits also lack the useful reach of the original tools. This same problem plagues the swappable saw/file. Both of these are so foreshortened by swappability, that they lose much of their usefulness. The saw on my original Wave is more butch than the one on my larger Surge. That's the definition of lame.
The bits/swappable parts also create the expectation that you will buy replacements, not send in the tools for warranty service. LM wins and the end user subtly loses out for some dubious "42 tools!" features.
Swisstool for me please.
The phillips head end of the bits are not up to the demands I make of them and are far too easily destroyed. I have wrecked three already. The hex and the torx work okay, but I have better dedicated mini kits for both.
On the original Wave, the phillips is pretty tough and fully dimensioned. Still, one day, I managed to bugger it up on a corroded in screw set into mild steel. For the cost of postage, they put a new phillips into my tool.
Yes, the new bits are supposedly made of "actual" tool steel with zinc coating, but the standard phillips isn't dimensioned correctly, and the whole bit driver feels way less strong than the original SS screwdriver. The bits also lack the useful reach of the original tools. This same problem plagues the swappable saw/file. Both of these are so foreshortened by swappability, that they lose much of their usefulness. The saw on my original Wave is more butch than the one on my larger Surge. That's the definition of lame.
The bits/swappable parts also create the expectation that you will buy replacements, not send in the tools for warranty service. LM wins and the end user subtly loses out for some dubious "42 tools!" features.
Swisstool for me please.
SoCalShooter
Member
I use a Wave. Its got what I need. I have the toolkit for it that fits in the holster, its a very well made holster for it and I take the damn thing everywhere.
Micra, Supertool, & Wave
I like the Supertool the best, carry the Micra on my keychain, and the Wave in my laptop case.
My Supertool once saved my bacon, bigtime. I rented a UHaul truck & car-moving trailer.
I was 90 miles down the road from Atlanta to DFW when I realized the trailer's brake & turn signal lights were not working*. The cable going from the connector on the truck to the trailer was all tore up to shinla. So, I bought some electrical tape at the stop-n-rob and took 15 minutes stripping and re-connecting, and wrapping every wire with my ST & the world's most expensive roll of electrical tape ($5 for a roll that barely did the job).
* My second Uhaul trialer. The first's jack was ate up.
I like the Supertool the best, carry the Micra on my keychain, and the Wave in my laptop case.
My Supertool once saved my bacon, bigtime. I rented a UHaul truck & car-moving trailer.
I was 90 miles down the road from Atlanta to DFW when I realized the trailer's brake & turn signal lights were not working*. The cable going from the connector on the truck to the trailer was all tore up to shinla. So, I bought some electrical tape at the stop-n-rob and took 15 minutes stripping and re-connecting, and wrapping every wire with my ST & the world's most expensive roll of electrical tape ($5 for a roll that barely did the job).
* My second Uhaul trialer. The first's jack was ate up.
rtrwv
Member
I have broken 3 Leatherman Waves in 2 years. Yes I am very hard on them. Don't ask me how many Gerbers 
I quit counting. HOWEVER
My SOG tools have yet to fail under the same extreme punishment as the others.
I quit counting. HOWEVER My SOG tools have yet to fail under the same extreme punishment as the others.steeltiger
Member
I keep a Gerber shortcut around for art use 9 cutting templates, sharpening pensils,and so on ) I also us a leatherman wave for the saw ( im attempting to start knife making )I find the blades rather pittiful, and the can opener is the same way this is realy all I use in multitools
I had to send my old PST in for warranty work, and it was replaced with a Blast. It seems to be a nice tool, despite featuring some molded components. The lock-up on the tools in definetely better than my SOG Powerlock, and I think it is a nice tool. However, I probably would never have bought that model if it wasn't sent to me gratis.
rantingredneck
Member
I have so many multitools around it aint even funny. There is a Gerber in my range bag and another in the field box that lives in my truck during deer season.
There's a "FlipGrip" that stays in my truck console most of the time. It's handy to have around in that it has both needlenose and standard pliers. You just flip it between them.
As far as every day carry though, there is a Leatherman Micra that lives in my pocket and a Fuse that I carry either on my belt or in my laptop bag for general around the office emergencies. One such was my first day on this particular job when the doorknob to one of the bathrooms in our building came off in my hand locking me in the bathroom. As the new Director I was concerned about yelling for help and the appearance of "helplessness" in such a new leadership role. As it was I just used the micra to finish taking the doorknob apart and let myself out..
There's a "FlipGrip" that stays in my truck console most of the time. It's handy to have around in that it has both needlenose and standard pliers. You just flip it between them.
As far as every day carry though, there is a Leatherman Micra that lives in my pocket and a Fuse that I carry either on my belt or in my laptop bag for general around the office emergencies. One such was my first day on this particular job when the doorknob to one of the bathrooms in our building came off in my hand locking me in the bathroom. As the new Director I was concerned about yelling for help and the appearance of "helplessness" in such a new leadership role. As it was I just used the micra to finish taking the doorknob apart and let myself out.
.coelacanth
Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2007
- Messages
- 455
ok here goes. . . . .
the old style original Leatherman tool, the Wave, the Crunch and the Micra in that order. ( order being from most used to least used ) As to why, I use them because they are decent tools and are habitually carried. Used and abused on two continents for everything imaginable and legal ( well, mostly legal. . .). Between us, the folks at Leatherman and I have learned a lot about multi-tool design from their various offerings and I appreciate their commitment to quality and product development. Most of the other makers jumped on the bandwagon after Leatherman established the market and while some of them may have bettered the Leatherman products in some ways I remain a loyal customer of the company that revolutionized a whole segment of the cutlery industry.
the old style original Leatherman tool, the Wave, the Crunch and the Micra in that order. ( order being from most used to least used ) As to why, I use them because they are decent tools and are habitually carried. Used and abused on two continents for everything imaginable and legal ( well, mostly legal. . .
). Between us, the folks at Leatherman and I have learned a lot about multi-tool design from their various offerings and I appreciate their commitment to quality and product development. Most of the other makers jumped on the bandwagon after Leatherman established the market and while some of them may have bettered the Leatherman products in some ways I remain a loyal customer of the company that revolutionized a whole segment of the cutlery industry.
TennVol,
Please provide some information on that, please. The claim has been made before with different people saying it's true and other saying it's an internet myth.
Leatherman and Tim Leatherman are not on the NRA/ILA list of anti-RKBA organizations/individuals. Leatherman has and continues to be a large exhibitor at SHOT. They hold contracts supplying the U.S. military with multipliers. There was one outdoor recreational industry group that endorsed John Kerry for president for his parks and wilderness policies during the election. Tim Leatherman was a member of it.
Please provide some information on that, please. The claim has been made before with different people saying it's true and other saying it's an internet myth.
Leatherman and Tim Leatherman are not on the NRA/ILA list of anti-RKBA organizations/individuals. Leatherman has and continues to be a large exhibitor at SHOT. They hold contracts supplying the U.S. military with multipliers. There was one outdoor recreational industry group that endorsed John Kerry for president for his parks and wilderness policies during the election. Tim Leatherman was a member of it.
Here's the text of Leatherman, et-al, endorsement of John Kerry from 04:
Here is Tim Leatherman's reply to those who contacted him regarding his endorsement:
Personally, I totally opposed Kerry/Edwards in 04, on so many levels. However, aside from supporting somebody who was mediocre on the gun issue, I see Tim Leatherman as having committed no ill. The fact of the matter is, he wasn't thinking about the gun issue at all when he decided to support Kerry Edwards. He was considering a totally different political issue, and he believed that John Kerry was superior. Not any intentional smite against us.
I don't care for his support of Kerry/ Edwards. But, I give the guy a lot of credit for designing an ingenious tool, running a a successful and consumer friendly company, and continuing to be innovative even though I don't care for his new designs and wish he would reintroduce the PST
Here is Tim Leatherman's reply to those who contacted him regarding his endorsement:
Personally, I totally opposed Kerry/Edwards in 04, on so many levels. However, aside from supporting somebody who was mediocre on the gun issue, I see Tim Leatherman as having committed no ill. The fact of the matter is, he wasn't thinking about the gun issue at all when he decided to support Kerry Edwards. He was considering a totally different political issue, and he believed that John Kerry was superior. Not any intentional smite against us.
I don't care for his support of Kerry/ Edwards. But, I give the guy a lot of credit for designing an ingenious tool, running a a successful and consumer friendly company, and continuing to be innovative even though I don't care for his new designs and wish he would reintroduce the PST
nmlongbow
Member
I have a PST, Supertool and 2 waves. The little one stays with my fishing gear and the Supertool and 2 waves are either being used daily or sent back to Leatherman for replacement. I break one every 6 - 8 months due to severe use and abuse and always get a new one back, no questions asked.
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