Leatherman micra quality

A

austin37

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Jul 7, 2019
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I have seen several postings where people state the older leatherman tools are better fit and finish quality than the tools produced today, given the micra has been around 1996, how does the finish quality between then and now compare?
 
I can not comment on the quality of the older Leatherman Micras, but I bought one for my daughter earlier this year, and that felt quite well put together. Rasonably smooth and all the tools where shapely and the knife sharp-ish.
 
I don't have a new one, but have an early 1996 example that I've put through hell all the years I carried it as a teenager and it never failed me.
I spilled model paint on it more than once , took it apart , cleaned it with acetone, and put it back together without issue.
The scissors don't cut as well as they did when I got it, but I can sharpen them.
This tool was given to me basically new by my grandmother who got it as a gift and just tossed it in a drawer.


the only complaint I've heard is that current examples don't cut as well as the old ones would, I can't imagine there being problems with any other aspect of it.
I don't know if it's the edges or the pivot tolerance, but they apparently just don't cut that well.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I don't have a new one, but have an early 1996 example that I've put through hell all the years I carried it as a teenager and it never failed me.
I spilled model paint on it more than once , took it apart , cleaned it with acetone, and put it back together without issue.
The scissors don't cut as well as they did when I got it, but I can sharpen them.
This tool was given to me basically new by my grandmother who got it as a gift and just tossed it in a drawer.


the only complaint I've heard is that current examples don't cut as well as the old ones would, I can't imagine there being problems with any other aspect of it.
I don't know if it's the edges or the pivot tolerance, but they apparently just don't cut that well.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the details!!! Have any photos of the tool after all these years of use?
 
austin37 said:
Thanks for the details!!! Have any photos of the tool after all these years of use?
Click to expand...
I don't and it's been probably 6 years since I used it, but I think I know where it is and can get a picture later, they age very well.
At least mine did because it wasn't on a keychain and has no road rash or anything.
 
I have a 1997 Micra and a 2019 Micra, both purchased slightly used from Ebay. I can't see any difference in fit and finish between 1997 and 2019.
 
I'm going to bet that any variation in something like the micra is going to come down to where it was in the production cycle between tooling changes/calibration since the process is pretty sell solidified, and I don't see them changing it much. Once you have the order of stamping, bending, tumbling etc down, why change it? Its why a lot of "simple" changes never get made to Vic knives because it would mean that a process would have to happen out of order, and that would add to the cost in a measurable way.
 
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