Leatherman BLAST vs REBAR

I

ithxan

Joined
Jun 5, 2014
Messages
2
Hello all,

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I recently ordered the Leatherman BLAST with LEATHER SHEATH from amazon.ca after reading many good things about it from this site. I mainly want a multi tool for camping and as a general all-purpose tool that I is portable and I can carry anywhere.

I received my product today and they made a mistake and sent me a Leatherman REBAR with a STANDARD SHEATH.

Knowing nothing about multi tools and having this wonderful community just a few clicks away, I was wondering if I should send it back and wait for the BLAST I ordered? Or did they actually send me a better product (worth more in Canadian dollars, NOT USD) and I should just keep the REBAR.

According to the instructions, the REBAR has a couple more tools, but the BLAST has scissors (which would be nice). Ah heck, Ill let you experts tell me what I should do. Send it back for the BLAST w/ Leather Sheath or keep the mistaken REBAR with standard sheath?

Thanks!
 
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you should contact them. The blast has been discontinued, and the rebar is the replacement. Talking about prices is kinda frowned upon, so you may want to do a quick edit on your post. suffice to say, if you ordered the blast with leather, you got a cheaper product. I would contact them and see what they say, but I would try to get it fixed up if possible.
 
Thanks! Edited my post to remove the price. I didnt know the BLAST was discontinued.

Edit: So just to be clear, you believe the REBAR with standard sheath to be INFERIOR to a BLAST with leather (even though the BLAST is discontinued)?
 
I have a Blast, but not a rebar. I also have a wave.

The Blast has plastic zytel edging on the handles. It's light but mine needed some sanding to feel comfortable. The rolled steel on my Wave, like the Rebar is more comfortable for me.

The second biggest difference is that the Rebar has replaceable cutter heads. If you do a lot of wire cutting, that might be an advantage for you.

Beyond this, I think the difference is tool selection and which is best depends on your needs.

I do a lot of camping and bacpacking. I'll take an MT like the Blast car camping but not hiking. In both places, I take a a Silky Boy folding saw. The saw on the Blaze is fine for a quick cut in the shop or small sticks. Bit not fire wood.

Scissors are a very big deal for me. I love that the scissors are on the Blast. Although in use, I prefer my Micra.

For sheaths, I hate all of them but prefer nylon in the field.
 
Tough call to make. The Blast as said was recently discontinued so finding one (at a reasonable price) might be a issue. They are both great tools in my opinion, but have some differences. The handles have been addressed in this thread. The tool differences will come down to preference. Since you are going to use it for outdoor use the Rebar might fit the bill a little bit better for you. The Rebar offers a awl which the Blast does not. The Rebar also offers a second serrated blade which could be invaluable. The Rebar also offers the replaceable wire cutters which are great. The Blast does offer the eyeglass screwdriver, but most people never use it (for its intended purpose). You do loose the scissors on the Rebar which is a bummer, but you can always buy a Micra or Style PS or PS4 to remedy that. Now that I think of it a 91mm Swiss Army Knife would be a great pairing for the Rebar or any multitool for that matter. Its really up to you. I would not say one tool (between the Blast and Rebar) is more superior than the other. They are both in the same league, its just preference really. The Rebar is smaller and more compact if that means anything to you.
 
They are just a bit different, like the Capt. said. So not inferior, but the rebar should be cheaper than that with the standard sheath. I EDC the Rebar at work (stage and AV tech) and it does the job. I'm never without a tool that someone else has with a bigger tool. I also carry a style CS for scissors.

If you are happy with the tools in the Rebar, then by all means, use it. Its a tough tool, and Leatherman has gone away from the plastic liners, I would guess due to durability concerns from customers, if not actual warranty return numbers. So I would in no way call the Rebar an inferior tool. But the leather sheath adds a bit to the cost, so they should have sent you one with a leather sheath for what you paid.
 
I find the Blast to be more comfortable when using the pliers. The Rebar can be very hard on the hand when clamping down on the pliers, and the scuttlebutt on another forum is that Leatherman has reduced the profile of the file so it does not hurt the hand as much when using the pliers. But I still love the Rebar, and that's what I carry. I have a BO Rebar arriving tomorrow.
 
My experience is a little different. I haven't found the Rebar pliers handles to be uncomfortable when gripped on the rolled portion, avoiding the top inch which is sharp. My problem is when using one of the other implements the lock release levers can dig into my hands unless I am ultra careful how I hold the tool. Both these handling problems are finessed when I wear gloves, but something of a nuisance when not. Although I like Leathermen and prefer them to other makes, I must admit they are not the most hand friendly of multi-tools.
 
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