Have you ever broken a multitool?

F

Furious_Toast

Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
51
So we all know how useful a multi tool is but have you ever taken it too far? Who has broken their mt and how'd you do it?

A little story from me...back last fall I was with some friends and I decided to kick back for once and let them start the fire since I always did it. Well half a box of matches and 2 newspapers later I decided to roll up my sleeves. Being frustrated and wanting my smores I decided to use the main blade on my Leatherman wave to split the kindling. I was going easy and there was no sign of damage. I ended up hitting a knot and stupid me decided to power through...well one good wack on the spine and I accidentally locked the blade which proceed to bend the lock itself. I don't know what came over me. 20 minutes with a hammer and punch and it was good as new but still a terrible idea.

So let's hear your stories!
 
I sheared off the bit on a Bucktool...it's amazing the leverage you get with the bit at 90 deg, I use much more care with mt screwdrivers this way ever since. Because the Bucktool is discontinued I am afraid to send it back so I have an interestingly shaped punch where the phillips bit used to be.
 
I broke an almost new Leatherman Core with amazingly little effort. I was working on a fence and was straightening a twist stay by torquing it sideways at the bottom. A sickening snap revealed that about 3/4 of an inch had snapped off the nose of the pliers tip. I wasn't even twisting very hard. Leatherman replaced it under warranty but I bought a Vic Swisstool in the interim. I guess it was a bad heat treat but it shook my confidence in Leatherman.

Here's both and my Orig Supertool.

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OrigSuperTool_zps85d26147.jpg
 
I broke the small flathead screwdriver tip on a new leather man wingman the very first time I used it, with very little torque, for its intended purpose. Was very disappointed.
 
Foolishly, I was trying to cut some thick steel wire with a Leatherman Juice CS4. This was something I do often with a Super Tool 300, but was really beyond the Juice's capability, causing a sideways turn that sprung the tool. It needed a trip to Warranty, where everything was made right and tight again.
That's the only time in decades of using them a Leatherman or any other multi-tool has ever broken on me in use, although lately a scissors spring in my PS4 fell off without any use at all.
 
Twisted a SAK Tinker apart on a very stubborn screw once. Should have known better, but I was in a bind and it was the only tool available. It was not useable after that.
 
In the time I've owned my original swiss tool I've used it to cut chain link and install fifteen fences including a huge one that was the first one done for my mother many years ago covering an acre lot. My brothers Gerber broke on that same job cutting the same chain link fence. My brother in law broke his SOG on that same day also working on my mother's fence. Both own Swiss Tools now! :)

Speaking of which tho, if you are looking at the ST it has changed some worth noting. See my video just up. Sorry it is shaky a bit as I try to manipulate the tools. [video=youtube;kFy1jzCR1dI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFy1jzCR1dI&list=UU9tAQDTYDlImcNibpy6FA5w[/video]
 
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Our son-in-law had a Leatherman wave that he was carrying in belt pouch. One day he was snugging up a loose bolt using the pliers, and one jaw just sheared off. He sent it in to Leatherman, and they sent him a new one right off with no problem. But it blew his faith in them a bit.
 
I broke the small chisel like tool on my Victorinox SwissTool.
Was totally my fault, I was using it to pry a cover off an irrigation valve...
Never sent it in or anything, and haven't missed that particular one since then.
 
Some things were my fault. Some, not. Really. In rough order...

Ulster BSA knife. Wrecked the end by using the screw driver as a lever. Popped a glued on bolster off. My fault.

SOG Paratool. Twisted the small screwdriver bit forcing a stuck bike gear screw. Pushed past it's limit. I share the fault and lesson learned.

Victorinox Classic. Put on my key ring. Scales busted. Tweezers and (disgusting) toothpick ejected. Spring on scissors busted. Get new on at trade show. Rinse and repeat. Oh... one had a busted back spring. Not my fault.

Leatherman Micra. I was cutting some heavy cordage. Gnawing it, really. Very thick. The line went slack and folded up between the scissors blades, forcing the blades apart. The tool held together but the blades got tweaked and the pivot rivet open up. I repeened the pivot and carefully bent the blades with my Wave pliers and good as new. Better than new, maybe.

My Wave and Blast are both bending or warping. When closed, the handles no longer line up neatly. Too much torque on the handle when dealing with tough screws maybe?
 
Broke the pliers on a brand new Surge trying to straighten a fan shroud. Took them down to Lowes and exchanged them. I've done the same job with two other Surges with no problems.
 
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Broke a plier jaw on a SOG PowerAssist trying to open up a thumbscrew on a heat pump.

Twisted the small flathead on a Leatherman Super Tool 200 when prying off a laptop super glued to a sales display.

Gave a Victorinox Spirit X a sloppy plier pivot trying to cut fencing wire.

The SOG was replaced by mail, the LM was replaced at the Leatherman retail store, and the Vic is waiting for me to be bothered to send it in.
 
I turned the wire cutter into wire strippers on my SOG Powerlock by cutting some apparently too tough for the tool welded wire fence. I need to send it back for replacement. Hopefully they'll fix the one lock that doesn't actually lock while they're at it.
 
I've torqued a few pliers out of alignment and as posted above have turned some wire cutters into strippers. Nothing major though.
 
Damaged the blade on my Leatherman Skeletool CX I got it repaired then I retired it. It was a gift from my beloved mother.
 
Tuesday of last week I sent in 2 Leatherman multitools. A PST and a Surge.
The tip of the Surges' can opened broke off while in use, as a can opener,
and the file/saw system was a huge disappointment. It kept letting the
blades slip out while in use and never felt very solid. The PST was just old
and worn with dull/loose pliers. Anyway, the day after sending them out
at the post office I'm at home using my Wave to mount a subwoofer in
an enclosure and the large flathead screw driver shears off at the hinge.

I was turning a screw.

As you may have guessed, I'm very disappointed. But, I've heard alot
of really good things about thier warranty department, so I've not written
them off just yet. If the warranty department takes good care of me, then
I'll still be a Leatherman supporter. If not, I do love Victorinox.lol.
Really though, just kinda sad. My Leatherman, the Wave especially has
been part of my edc for years.

I once had the scissors get very dull and come loose on a Micra. But
it cut alot of speaker wire and other stuff before it gave up. That was
my own fault.

I remember when I was about 10 or 11 my uncle gave me his Leatherman
Super Tool. One of the original ones. I did not realize, until it was too late,
that you should never open all the tools on one side at once, since they
unlock each other. That was interesting... But once again, my own fault.
Kids....lol.
 
I filed and cut through one of those cable gun locks because i forgot the key. Doing so damaged the pliers and to the point my leatherman surge cant close. It was worth it i limited out on canvas backs on my birthday. I need to try to send it back to leatherman.
 
Sooo.... I'd like to share an update in regards to my last post. #16 on this thread.
WHen I wrote that, I was pretty aggravated and not sure what to expect...

Well, so far Leatherman has already got the package, called me yesturday and
the lady I spoke to was very friendly and helpful. She helped me figure out
a solution to the problems told me the new replacements
for the tools I had sent in would be sent out asap. Today I recieved an email
from ups with the tracking number for the package.

I have to say, so far, excellent CS. They were nothing but kind and
helpful. Very quick response too. So long as the package gets here
with the proper contents we discussed, I'll have nothing but good
to say about them.

If they take care of me this well when I send in my Wave too
I may be an even bigger Leatherman fan when it's done.
I'll keep you posted.
 
OKay, so, one more update on my situation.
Today I got the new, updated version of the Surge and a Rebar
model in the mail as replacements for the two older models
I had sent in to Leathermans' warranty department.
Every complaint I had about the Surge, seems to have
been addressed in the new version. The service was very
quick and friendly. I have nothing bad to say.
They took good care of me/the customer.
I guess to summerize: GO LEATHERMAN! :)
 
My dad has busted quite a few leathermans, and he is still a huge fan. Why? because he can and has broken tools for nearly every other manufacture, and not mulities, johnson bars from MAC, 3/4 drive snap-ons, and everything in between. He takes tools to the absolute limit, and the way he figures it, he's usually doing something he shouldn't have been with it, when he breaks it. As long as the warranty is good they will always be great tools in my estimation. I love my Vic, but my leathermans have always been something special.
 
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