What Am Best... Multi Tool?

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Zero_DgZ

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Here is the rub.

I used to have a Gerber Legend 800 multi tool. It was slick. It was big and buly and it weighed a ton, but it had everything: A decent screwdriver, a good knife blade, replaceable wire cutting blades on the pliers, and it even took 1/4" jigsaw blades for its saw blade tool.

I used to have a reputation for going through multi tools. I've busted about forty seven Leathermans of the original design or similar; I've broken two Gerber CompactSports of varying descriptions, wore out the locks on two Buck tools and arc welded one to a vacuum cleaner (long story), and busted the lock on a Schrade ST1.

I liked the Legend because the tool blades were replaceable, everything locked (the Schrade was a favorite of mine but only half the tools lock...), everything wear-outable was replaceable, and I knocked the snot out of it for three years without breaking it.

So, I lost it. It rode in the saddlebag of my bike; My bike rode on the rack on the back of the car, and somewhere along 90 miles of route 13 the saddlebag bounced itself unzipped and I lost my Legend.

Seems they don't make it anymore. I can buy one online, if I like - To the tune of over a hundred dollars! I paid 50 for mine brand spanking new at Target when I got it.

So.

Anybody got any bright ideas? What's on your tool belt, and why do you like it?
 
I'm a Leatherman Wave fan, personally. It's my third Leatherman in about 12 years. I've never broken one. Lost my first one, second was stolen, but so far I've managed to keep track of the third.

There are probably newer/niftier models on the market now, but until my Wave comes up short in some category or another, I'll keep using it.
 
+1 on the Leatherman Wave, it's as important to me going to the range as my guns and ammo.
I only know one person that broke a 'wave' and I still can't figure out how he done it. top piece of kit.
 
Leatherman Wave for sure

I can tell you from an extraordinary amount of experience with Leatherman that the Wave is the best. Many other companies make a great mulitool, but the wave has stood the test of time, undergone a number of changes, and currently holds the "per price ranking" among all Leatherman. It also offers an enormous amount of tools that are very usuable.

Some multitools offer some interesting options, but are not used very often.

The SOG has a great opening device that utilizes a cog type of wheel. I like the action very much. In the end however, the wave tops them all. I bought a bunch to sell about a year ago at an auction. I will be listing them shortly.

Bill Henry
 
Zero_DgZ -- Check your PM's :)

For myself, I don't like multitools -- they have too many compromises. I'd rather carry a few real tools in my bag.
 
I don't always get that luxury. I work an office by day and sling pizzas at night. The boss/customers look at you a little funny with linesman's pliers, two screwdrivers, a rasp, a saw, and a bowie knife sticking out of your back pocket... Or try biking around with all of the above.

My third job is helping out at a hardware store. I have all the tools I can carry at my disposal, there...

Normally, though, I'd agree with you. In the trunk of my car I keep enough tools to strip and reassemble an M1 tank. I've got tools that don't even fit my car, because plenty of times on the highway I spot somebody dead on the raod I have to help change a tire for or something.

So my 'compromise' is that I buy the biggest, meanest, most durable, and most badassed multi tool I can find. The rest of the time I use real tools.
 
Another +1 for the Wave... much better than the Super-tool and the original leatherman. I did break a blade once (trying to pry something, so it's kinda my fault) and they fixed it for free, sent it back in about a week, giving me a choice of just a new blade or a whole new leatherman wave (they'd updated the design a bit in the last five years). Got the new one now. Did also blow a small chunk out of the serrated blade once by cutting an electrical wire that wasn't supposed to be live... but was. Didn't feel a shock or anything myself, but there was a loud pop and then a small bite out of the blade, with black marks around it. Oops.
 
I misused my Wave and got a really nasty shock. I could have sworn that breaker was off :eek: Fortunately, I am paranoid and had my left hand in my pocket just like you're supposed to when dealing with circuits of unknown status. I ended up welding the tips of the pliers together. I took it into the factory said "I did something dumb." They asked "Did you buy it within the last ten years? It's still under warranty."
 
I wound up buying a Leatherman Surge.

It's six tons and it comes with a kitchen sink. It does almost everything my Gerber did sans replaceable wire cutting jaws, but I guess I can live with that. It has decent scissors, saw, and file (the saw and file swap using an arrangement similar to the Gerber's saw blade system) but there's a slot in the sheath to carry more blades. I could do without the big nasty serrated knife and would prefer a different tool in there but so it goes. Plus, it has those swapout screwdriver tips. It's sort of the bigger, more badass brother to the Wave, very similar in design.

If there were a perfect multi tool I guess life would be too easy...
 
Just retired my original Wave to the glove box of my truck. Received my new Wave a day or so ago. installed the pocket clip and have used it at least 30-50 times already......

Now, I don't have to carry a flip open pocket knife as I have all in one package.

Did a search on the net for the cheapest price. Ended up buying from Amazon.com./ JOMASHOP. $62.99 for the Wave and a leather pouch which I will never use. I found the extra tools elsewhere. Bought the side clip elsewhere too a while back in hopes it would fit to the old wave.

In review of the new Wave. I may do a slight fluff and buff as it has more rough corners and is bulkier than my original. But it's a keeper.:)
 
The nice thing about Amazon is that shipping can be free if your order is more than $25. If you can find a Wave for less than $25 then for Cthulu's sake let me know :D
 
I have both an original Wave and the newer Surge, which is best described as a steroidal new Wave.

I like the Surge a lot because it is beefier and since it is a belt carry rig anyways for the swappable saw/file and the bit kit, the weight penalty is marginal. I find I have retired my Wave, though that one was much more pocketable. The Wave lives in my Jeep now.

However, I am still not totally sold on the locking double sided bit drivers. In my experience, the bits do not seem as tough compared to the standard fold out screwdrivers of old since they do not seem to be but surface hardened. I do like that they lock though, and it is hard to argue with having everything from phillips, to torx, to hex all right at one's fingers.

So I guess make mine a Surge until something better comes along.
 
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I'd rather have a bucketfull of cheap driver bits over a built-in screwdriver tip that I can never replace.

Though I do wish the screwdriver were a bit longer. My Gerber had a stubby little screwdriver, too...
 
The SOG Paratool swingout tools are easily user replaceable and are available from SOG.
 
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