Leatherman vs Swiss army knife

T

TTpower

Joined
Apr 20, 2007
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288
i want to get a leatherman juice CS4 for an EDC multi-tool but i already have a swiss army knife CLIMBER with the mini screw driver on the cork screw. is the pliers and saw really that usefull for an EDC multi-tool? how many of you have really used the pliers?

will i just be wasting my money on something i already have?
 
TTpower said:
i want to get a leatherman juice CS4 for an EDC multi-tool but i already have a swiss army knife CLIMBER with the mini screw driver on the cork screw. is the pliers and saw really that usefull for an EDC multi-tool? how many of you have really used the pliers?

will i just be wasting my money on something i already have?
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I guess it depends on where you're using it.. I personally don't have a use for a saw and pliers on a daily basis.. That's not to say it doesn't come up though.. I once had to notch out some drywall at a friends place to run some cable through the wall, so my Charge came in handy that day.. But most days I'm good with my Spyderco UKPK and a Victorinox Tinker (but I don't even carry the tinker much anymore)..

That being said, I also own a Juice S4 and it's a great set of pliers.. I'm sure you'd find some kind of use for it..
 
As stated above, it really depends on where you are using it and what you want it for.

A Victorinox will tackle most everyday chores without much problem, they are also great to pair up with a bigger knife if you are going in the outdoors (especially for the saw). They're elegant, relatively lightweight and way easier to sharpen and mantain than other multitools, beside there are lots of models to choose from according to your needs. It is well known that the saw and can opener on any Victorinox work way better than those on a Leatherman.

However, if you work in construction, or ride a motorcycle or a mountain bike, or even if your car has the habit of breaking down in the middle of nowhere, the pliers will really come in handy (pliers can also be used for light hammering, digging, grappling, etc.)

A lot of people say that if you really need pliers, you are better of carrying a pair of professional grade pliers in your toolbox, however with a Leatherman, your pliers are always around when you need them and you don't have to carry a tool box.

So again, it's really up to you, if you think you can do without the pliers, then Victorinox is the way to go, if not, definitely consider a Leatherman.
 
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I work in maintenance so I use my multitool pliers all the time. Outside of work however I'm often happy with just a SAK. The Juice isn't a fault free multi, but I'm happy enough with mine as a light duty pocket tool.
 
I pretty much only use the pliers on my charge tti.
If I'm in need of a knife I usually go for my edc. I don't screw many things besides the torques on my blades.

I just find that I really only reach for my leatherman when I need to pull something with the pliers, or use them to grip things I can't comfortably hold.
 
I have the leatherman juice cs4 is quite heavy and the handles are small,so you kind of lose the benefit of having a convenient size with too much weight-now sits in my glove box unused -opt for the SAK
 
Have you ever found yourself saying, "Damn, I wish I had a pair of pliers" or "Damn, I wish I had a tiny little woodsaw"?

My multitool doesn't see a lot of use. The pliers see occasional use, and the saw almost never sees use. It does make an adequate bread knife, though.

But other people use the pliers everyday, I'm sure.

You're probably fine with just your SAK.
 
I carry a multitool instead of a SAK mostly because I want to. I rarely need the pliers, but I like knowing they are there. Maybe Freud could explain it.
 
I have a CS4 and really like the tool set. Do all the tools see a lot of use? No. However, having the capacity to tackle almost any job is what I want from my EDC.
 
TTpower said:
i want to get a leatherman juice CS4 for an EDC multi-tool but i already have a swiss army knife CLIMBER with the mini screw driver on the cork screw. is the pliers and saw really that usefull for an EDC multi-tool? how many of you have really used the pliers?
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That's a call depending on what you encounter in your day to day. A saw, corkscrew and awl are items I use seldom, although all have come in handy sometimes and I'm glad to have them available for such occasions. In addition, Juice screwdrivers are much better than those on the Climber, although the awl needs sharpening to be at all effective, and the combo can/bottle opener is somewhat sucky but works for both and also makes a great package opener. However, the pliers are so useful just about every day that I am pretty well committed to Leatherman because no SAK offers one in that size.

TTpower said:
will i just be wasting my money on something i already have?
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I see no downside to owning both. :D
 
powernoodle said:
I carry a multitool instead of a SAK mostly because I want to. I rarely need the pliers, but I like knowing they are there. Maybe Freud could explain it.
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I carry a multi-tool, SAK & knife based MT (k502x) - I rarely need the pliers, but it isn't about what I use every day, it is about having whatever I might need for when I do need it. I just like to have the tools available because it's less of a nuisance to have them and not need them than the hassles of needing a tool and not having it.

My SAK gives me a pen, tweezers, toothpick and bit driver (Cybertool 34), my multi-tool (SwissTool X) gives me a bunch of locking tools and a really solid pair of pliers. I use the Cybertool more than the SwissTool, but I like to have the beefy pliers for the occasional times that I need to use them.

It's just like carrying a knife - many people rarely need a knife, but when you want to cut something it is a real pain in the butt if you don't have anything that can cut. Our species evolved into intelligent tool-using creatures, so I think that carrying a variety of useful tools helps to live up to our potential. When you look at all the tools my EDC items make available to me, it is easy to see that I am pretty much as well prepared as I can be. If I ever find myself in a situation where I really could do with something that I don't have on me then I'll re-evaluate my EDC items and see if it is feasible to change or add something to cover that requirement - so far I can't recall being short of something I needed.
 
I have the juice CS2, which I happen to think is awesome! because not only are there pliers which really do come in handy for all sorts of things, like prying, gripping, picking up nasty stuff, but the wire cutter is good and strong and i have used that a bunch for cutting all sorts of things. the CS2 fits in my fifth pocket everday and i often forget its there plus the blade is good and sharp, & i remember breaking a few SAK's as a kid and i've had my CS2 since it came out and its really in great shape...

Leatherman > SAK
 
ok now i'm almost convinced on getting the Juice CS4, is there a better alternative or suggestions? i like the size of the juice and everything that comes with it but if you guys have suggestion for me to check out before i throw in the money it would be great :D
 
THE CS2 is the best choice for the weight!
My brother has the CS4 and finds it too bulky, I agree.
 
its going to be in my satchel/bag most of the time so i don't mind the difference in bulk. but i'll check it out thanks for the recommendation
 
i just checked out the C2, it doesn't have scissors which i think will really be handy and used a lot
 
I carry a vic climber in my pocket and i always have a leatherman wave in my car in my edc bag or on my belt when im working around the house
 
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I get by with a Climber mostly for edc,it's alot lighter than most LMs.Though my Blast or Charge Ti always rides in my lunch box or car.
 
Nowadays I only carry a SAK in my pocket and even a basic SAK like the alox Soldier can perform most daily tasks for which I need a blade or a simple tool. But I believe in combinations of multitools and a plier based multitool is a great addition to your Climber. I always have some sort of Leatherman in my laptopbag, rucksack, winter jacket and such. It gives me a comfortable feeling to know that if needed, I have pliers and extra tools around. And I just like multitools and SAKs, so I don't mind carrying around more than I need. :)
 
I must use my leather man pliers a dozen times a day. Nothing says you can't have a SAK in your pocket to complement the leather man on your belt. I often do.
 
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