The Blast seems to be an under-rated multi-tool by Leatherman: it falls between the Fuse and the Wave. When questioned about the differences between the Blast and the Fuse, the answer is simple: the Blast has everything the Fuse has, plus a file and a micro screwdriver; everything also locks open. Since the Blast is a multi-tool, it has some wieght to it: 6.8 ounces, but this is pretty light for a multi-tool of this build. You can find them for around $45 in stores. The Blast is still a relatively new model, having been introduced in 2004. Here are the specs...
Handles: The Blast is 3-14/16" closed, 1-3/16" wide, and 3/4" thick. Without the sheath, the Blast weighs 6.8 ounces. Opening the Blast, you'll find that the insides of the handles each have a Zytel insert, and it helps a lot. No more hurting your hand because you squeezed it too much and cut yourself on the corners. They're contoured too, so you get a little bit more grip due to the finger grooves. The inside corners of mine were a bit sharp, but some 600-grit sandpaper took care of that in a few minutes.
When open, the Blast is 6-1/4" long. The pliers are divided into three sections: a needle-nosed set which has 13/16" of serrated gripping surface and opens to 1-3/4"; a 6/16" long serrated bolt plier that opens to 1-1/8"; and a wire cutter that's 1/4" long and opens to just over 1/2". Yeah, pretty technical stuff LOL. There's also a hard wire cutter at the bottom that will accomodate wire up to 14 gauge, and it opens to 5/16". The Blast also has a ruler stamped into the sides of the handles; one side is in inches (in 1/8" increments); the other is in centimeters (in 1/10cm increments).
And now we move on to the fun stuff: the tools. Everything mentioned below locks open via spring-loaded button mechanism. This is a nice idea and it works well, but when one tool is already locked open and you pull another tool out to use it, the lock will disengage. This is due to the tools all riding on the same pin and sharing the same locking button. It works, but be careful.
Wood Saw: Here's Mr. Wood Saw. He's a favorite of outdoor buffs, and he's a real worker. The one on the Blast is 3" long with 2-1/2" of teeth. The saw cuts on the pull stroke. It's pulled into place with a cut at the end to use as a nail pull. It's not as flexible as I'm used to with the Victorinox saws, but it's quite sufficient. This little guy will saw through wood up to about 6" thick if you're willing to relocate it a few times.
Micro Screwdriver: This is a tool made of hardened wire, and it's perfect for eyeglass screws and other tiny screws. One side is a flathead screwdriver; pull it out and the other side is a Phillips screwdriver. If you break it, you can order a replacement. I have to admit, I've only used this tool once; to tighten my wife's eyeglasses. It sticks out 3.4" from its attachment point on the tool.
Medium Screwdriver: A medium fltahead screwdriver. This one is 1-3/4" long and has an edge that's 1/8" wide. It's nice to see a longer screwdriver than I'm used to on a multi-tool, and this one is long enough to reach into most areas.
Large Screwdriver: A larger flathead screwdriver. It's 1-6/16" long and has an edge 1/4" wide. I use this tool mostly as a leverage tool; to pry with. I know, this isn't its intended purpose, but I have never needed this as a screwdriver. As a prying tool, it's not failed or bent a bit.
Knife: This one is a plain-edged clip-point blade. It's made of 420HC stainless steel, and it's 3-1/8" long with a 2-3/4" cutting edge. It's hollow ground; not chisel ground. Out of the box, it came dull (for me). I ran it over a ceramic and a strop, and now it shaves hair. This is one of only two tools on the Blast to open with an actual nail nick; the other being the can opener. Very good knife here, and you could use it as your EDC.
If we flip the Blast over, we get another handle full of locking tools. In this case, we get...
Scissors: They're 2" when fully extended, and have cutting edges of 3/4". Don't worry though; these will be more than you need for most every-day chores. They're heavy duty enough to zip through cardboard, and still have tight enough tolerances to cleanly cut toilet paper (hey, I was bored). A good pair of scissors is something I must have when choosing a multi-tool, and the Blast has them.
Phillips Screwdriver: Hey, look at that thing. It's a #2 Phillips-head screwdriver. It's 1-9/16" long and is actually a full-sized driver with four gripping edges. You can also use this tool to add Leatherman's bit kit, which I've done. This is one of the best screwdriver designs I've seen on a multi-tool.
Can Opener: It opens via nail nick and is 1-1/4" long. The point is relatively sharp, but needs a small amount of work to pierce cans the way my Victorinox does. There's a V-notched ground below the can opener, which I'm assuming is a wire stripper of some sort. I use it as a notch for my flint when starting fires, and it's proved its usefulness.
File: the last tool on the Blast is the combination file. It's 3" long with 2-1/2" of filing surface. One side is a coarse double-cut file, and the other is a finer, single-cut surface. There are also filed serrations on the "edge" so you can use it as a metal saw / hacksaw. As a hacksaw, I've used it to cut through some nickel wire and a stapler. Yes, I sawed through a metal stapler. The saw worked and I didn't see any damage to the serrated portion; no chipped, bent, or missing teeth.
The Leatherman Blast has raised the bar for multi-tools much like the Wave did when it introduced the one-handed opening operation. The addition of a file and scissors really make this nice "EDC tool" for those of you who want a full-sized multi, but don't want the heavy weight. You get quality locking tools from a reputable manufacturer, and a relatively low cost.
Handles: The Blast is 3-14/16" closed, 1-3/16" wide, and 3/4" thick. Without the sheath, the Blast weighs 6.8 ounces. Opening the Blast, you'll find that the insides of the handles each have a Zytel insert, and it helps a lot. No more hurting your hand because you squeezed it too much and cut yourself on the corners. They're contoured too, so you get a little bit more grip due to the finger grooves. The inside corners of mine were a bit sharp, but some 600-grit sandpaper took care of that in a few minutes.
When open, the Blast is 6-1/4" long. The pliers are divided into three sections: a needle-nosed set which has 13/16" of serrated gripping surface and opens to 1-3/4"; a 6/16" long serrated bolt plier that opens to 1-1/8"; and a wire cutter that's 1/4" long and opens to just over 1/2". Yeah, pretty technical stuff LOL. There's also a hard wire cutter at the bottom that will accomodate wire up to 14 gauge, and it opens to 5/16". The Blast also has a ruler stamped into the sides of the handles; one side is in inches (in 1/8" increments); the other is in centimeters (in 1/10cm increments).
And now we move on to the fun stuff: the tools. Everything mentioned below locks open via spring-loaded button mechanism. This is a nice idea and it works well, but when one tool is already locked open and you pull another tool out to use it, the lock will disengage. This is due to the tools all riding on the same pin and sharing the same locking button. It works, but be careful.
Wood Saw: Here's Mr. Wood Saw. He's a favorite of outdoor buffs, and he's a real worker. The one on the Blast is 3" long with 2-1/2" of teeth. The saw cuts on the pull stroke. It's pulled into place with a cut at the end to use as a nail pull. It's not as flexible as I'm used to with the Victorinox saws, but it's quite sufficient. This little guy will saw through wood up to about 6" thick if you're willing to relocate it a few times.
Micro Screwdriver: This is a tool made of hardened wire, and it's perfect for eyeglass screws and other tiny screws. One side is a flathead screwdriver; pull it out and the other side is a Phillips screwdriver. If you break it, you can order a replacement. I have to admit, I've only used this tool once; to tighten my wife's eyeglasses. It sticks out 3.4" from its attachment point on the tool.
Medium Screwdriver: A medium fltahead screwdriver. This one is 1-3/4" long and has an edge that's 1/8" wide. It's nice to see a longer screwdriver than I'm used to on a multi-tool, and this one is long enough to reach into most areas.
Large Screwdriver: A larger flathead screwdriver. It's 1-6/16" long and has an edge 1/4" wide. I use this tool mostly as a leverage tool; to pry with. I know, this isn't its intended purpose, but I have never needed this as a screwdriver. As a prying tool, it's not failed or bent a bit.
Knife: This one is a plain-edged clip-point blade. It's made of 420HC stainless steel, and it's 3-1/8" long with a 2-3/4" cutting edge. It's hollow ground; not chisel ground. Out of the box, it came dull (for me). I ran it over a ceramic and a strop, and now it shaves hair. This is one of only two tools on the Blast to open with an actual nail nick; the other being the can opener. Very good knife here, and you could use it as your EDC.
If we flip the Blast over, we get another handle full of locking tools. In this case, we get...
Scissors: They're 2" when fully extended, and have cutting edges of 3/4". Don't worry though; these will be more than you need for most every-day chores. They're heavy duty enough to zip through cardboard, and still have tight enough tolerances to cleanly cut toilet paper (hey, I was bored). A good pair of scissors is something I must have when choosing a multi-tool, and the Blast has them.
Phillips Screwdriver: Hey, look at that thing. It's a #2 Phillips-head screwdriver. It's 1-9/16" long and is actually a full-sized driver with four gripping edges. You can also use this tool to add Leatherman's bit kit, which I've done. This is one of the best screwdriver designs I've seen on a multi-tool.
Can Opener: It opens via nail nick and is 1-1/4" long. The point is relatively sharp, but needs a small amount of work to pierce cans the way my Victorinox does. There's a V-notched ground below the can opener, which I'm assuming is a wire stripper of some sort. I use it as a notch for my flint when starting fires, and it's proved its usefulness.
File: the last tool on the Blast is the combination file. It's 3" long with 2-1/2" of filing surface. One side is a coarse double-cut file, and the other is a finer, single-cut surface. There are also filed serrations on the "edge" so you can use it as a metal saw / hacksaw. As a hacksaw, I've used it to cut through some nickel wire and a stapler. Yes, I sawed through a metal stapler. The saw worked and I didn't see any damage to the serrated portion; no chipped, bent, or missing teeth.
The Leatherman Blast has raised the bar for multi-tools much like the Wave did when it introduced the one-handed opening operation. The addition of a file and scissors really make this nice "EDC tool" for those of you who want a full-sized multi, but don't want the heavy weight. You get quality locking tools from a reputable manufacturer, and a relatively low cost.