Leatherman bottle openers didn't work?

L

Lock1454

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Jan 4, 2009
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So I helped a couple friends move yesterday. At the end of the day we picked up a few beers to celebrate a job well done. They didn't have a bottle opener handy so I whipped out my Charge and passed it along only to my dismay to be told that it wouldn't work. Figuring they just didn't know how to properly use it perhaps, I gave it a shot... No luck at all, it seemed like the curvature of the opener's blade wouldn't allow the stubby bottom part to get a grip on the lip of the cap. Determined not to be shown up by a silly cap, I reach for my keys and grab my Squirt. I go in to pop the cap of but again, it just wouldn't work, the opener wasn't big enough for the job.

So, has anyone had success using the Wave/Charge's or Squirt's bottle openers??
 
The one on my wave works but you have to position it very carefully and at the right angle, takes a try or 2 usually. I've never liked the design and just end up using the dedicated one on my vic farmer. I think LM's is a combo can/bottle opener which is why it isnt the best.
 
Indeed i know it's a combotool which would likely mean it'd sacrifice some ease and capability - but three adults each gave in the ol' college try and none of us had not even the littlest bit of success, couldn't even get it to bite the lip of the cap.
 
Lock1454 said:
Indeed i know it's a combotool which would likely mean it'd sacrifice some ease and capability - but three adults each gave in the ol' college try and none of us had not even the littlest bit of success, couldn't even get it to bite the lip of the cap.
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It's not the best design, but entirely usable. What I do is fold down the opposite handle and use just the one with the opener on it. Then it works just fine, only be careful to not pierce the cap with the opener's sharp tip. That's a compromise you have to make with any combi tool. Believe me, as one who has opened countless bottles :D, once you get the hang of it, lifting caps with the Charge becomes second nature.
 
You have to open up both handles to open bottles quickly.... there's not much room at all to fit the opener under the bottle top when you just have the bottle opener tool open by itself. Bad design, IMO.

On the upside, it's truly is a "combo tool"..... it opens cans fine along with being a decent bottle opener when used correctly. The Victorinox combo tool is a pathetic can opener but a fantastic bottle opener.
 
I don't have a Charge but I believe it's the same opener as found on Kick/Fuse/Blast etc. If so then I agree it's a pain to use, as someone else said if you have the handles separated it does make it a bit easier.

It's the one on the Squirt I find exceptionally disappointing. I can get into beers this one but it normally takes three or four attempts.:grumpy: Overall I rather like the Squirts but the opener is just rubbish. LM did a much better job with the Micra and I believe the carabiner on the Skeletool and Style CS work very well.
 
I haven't owned any of those, but the opener on my Skeletool opens bottles fairly well. The only thing I don't like is that the spring clip ends up holding teh cap to the prying part -- though it could be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask.
 
I struggle with the bottle opener on all my Leatherman tools.Fortunately,I always have a Vic SAK on me.
 
Leatherman's combined can/bottle opener isn't the easiest to use but the Wave/Charge's other features are the reasons that I bought mine. I suppose you could grind off the can opener part if you don't use it (many cans have pull tops now). But you can open a bottle with it "as is" if you press hard. If you get the hang of it you'll be "Poppin bottles in the ice, like a blizzard". ;-)

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Yeah, it works. The handles have to be open, and it mangles the cap, as well. It's still better than carrying one of those clunky bottle openers on your keys, though. I almost bought one of those s-biner things with the bottle openers built in(I think it's called the ahhh), but thougth better of it. Lately, the Sam Adams caps have been too much for my Bic, and I don't always have my leatherman on me. I need to find an alternative if I'm on the road.
 
If you want a really good cap lifter you'd be hard pushed to find a better one than on a standard 85mm Wenger SAK, IMO. A close second is the Vic Combo tool.
 
The bottle opener on the Charge doesn't work so well for me either, I can get it to work but only after a couple attempts. Generally I just use the spine of my knife to pry the top off, it works much better :thumbup:
 
Charge/Wave bottle opener works fine, just make sure the handles are open when you use it, and get the little "hook" under the cap first and then pivot the head down to touch the top of the bottle cap, then up it goes and off the cap comes, sometimes takes two attempts. My little 6 year old nephew opened like 3 or 4 pop bottles with my Charge a week or so ago. I'd get the opener hooked on the cap and then give it to him to do the real work and pop the caps off. He thought it was really cool, and he went pretty slow which seemed to pop the caps off better than going real quick which tends to pierce and bend the caps without getting them all the way off in one try.
 
So it would seem I've been bested by a 6 year old :grumpy:

Yeah, I didn't get to give it too much of a go, I had tried popping the top with the Charge two or three times (with handles closed, my downfall!) before I went to the Squirt. Didn't even think about trying to open the handles as I hadn't noticed that that was the issue at the time; we were a thirsty bunch and were hurrying to get into our beverages. This was the first time I've tried either the Charge or the Squirt as a bottle opener, I rotate my multi-tools and as luck would have it my SAKs /Juice S2 were always in my pocket on the days where I had a cap to pop.

Thanks for the help all, will have to make it a point to get a few brews soon for some extensive testing of the open-handle technique :D
 
I just now opened a beer with my Squirt P4. It's a little fussier than with the Vic combo tool, but it'll do in a pinch. I think that with some strategic metal removal with a file, it could be made to work much better.
 
I agree, the bottle opener is not the greatest. However, I found a "trick" that allows me to use mine all the time. Because the tip is pointed (for opening cans) it slips easily under one of the little crimps in the bottle cap. All you need to do is slip the tip in and pry one of the crimps out a bit. Then the bottom part of the opener can grab it easily. It does still take a time or two sometimes, but it always works. Hope this helps.
 
I've used my Wave to open many a beer bottle. Same with the Micra, Squirt P4, various full-size SAKs and a Vic Rambler. The Vics win hands down every time, but the Leathermans WILL do the job. I guess Tim Leatherman's not much of a beer drinker.
 
It took about six "Fat Tires" last night but I think I've got it down pat now. I did draw a little blood at about beer five.
 
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