leatherman can/ bottle openers

[lobodelanoche]

Am I the only one that thinks that Leatherman should go the rout of Victorinox and put a dedicated bottle opener and a dedicated can opener? The reason i say this is that the"duel purpose" openers on my wave and juice are very different and work better either as a can opener (wave) or a bottle opener (juice).
Thoughts?

 

[znapschatz]

Am I the only one that thinks that Leatherman should go the rout of Victorinox and put a dedicated bottle opener and a dedicated can opener? The reason i say this is that the"duel purpose" openers on my wave and juice are very different and work better either as a can opener (wave) or a bottle opener (juice).
Thoughts?

Not necessary, IMHO. The Leatherman combo implements are not as elegant as the Vic dedicated ones, but work well enough and save space. Multi-tools are always a compromise anyway, and this is a workable one.

 

[lobodelanoche]

that is true and i still love my leatherman's and use them as both, but i recently bought a Spartan and think it is a much more intuitive and effective design. I just wanted to know if i was the only one out there who thought that

 

[Gadgetaholic]

A couple of years ago I was going camping and decided to try out the can opener at home rather than when I was away from my normal can opener in the kitchen draw. I tried the opener on my Victorinox Cybertool and the opener on my Leatherman Wave - my preference was definitely for the Victorinox, it just worked better and did a neater (no jagged edges) job.
Since I have now swapped my Wave for a Victorinox SwissTool X I don't really care what LM does, but I doubt that most people mind if the tool isn't quite as good as long as it can do the job when needed.

 

[matt1987]

The LM can opener worked well for me with cans. Bottles can be a pain because of the angle. I latch the bottom hook in the ridge of the cap and lift it off. It usually takes a few tries but it works.

 

[David_Parker03]

I use my Leatherman as a bottle opener all the time. Just use the lip of where the plier pivots are and open it the same way as a lighter would. Voila.

 

[Pseudonym]

I don't mind the Leatherman ones, and honestly I don't need either one often enough for it to be worth taking up another tool spot. I've seen people whining about needing a few tries to get a bottle cap off, but like znapschatz said it's a multitool and you have to compromise to save space. Of course if you use it (the bottle/can opener) a lot for some reason, you may feel differently.

 

[znapschatz]

that is true and i still love my leatherman's and use them as both, but i recently bought a Spartan and think it is a much more intuitive and effective design. I just wanted to know if i was the only one out there who thought that

Not the only one, and there are many who would agree with you. Victorinox SAKs are beautifully designed, great in both pocket and hand, the implements good enough or better for most multi-tool purposes, and so well made it is hard to believe they can be sold so relatively cheap. Fit and finish are unsurpassed. They have a feel that is so satisfying I seldom use one for even a routine chore without admiring its quality.

Leatherman products, OTOH, for all their utility and quality, don't really reach that standard. They are less hand friendly, with sharp edges to contend with, some implements are kludgey, and some models look as if the design team could have used a bit more time. For example, the Juice sports handles of different thickness on each side and you have to lift the combo tool out of the way to access the scissors (seems inelegant, maybe, but there is no competitor in its size category).

After long term trials with several models of both makes, my preference for Leatherman has to do with more effective screwdrivers that better fit standard sized screw heads; true needle nose pliers; easier access to implements, especially under wet and cold conditions or while wearing gloves; one-hand blade opening, premium steel PE knife and bit system (Charge); decent size pliers in a SAK-sized format (Juice). For my purposes, Leathermen are more versatile and well enough made.

For those reasons, I put up with the minuses, but there is plenty of room in my life for SAKs. There is always a Rambler in my watch pocket, and from time to time I revert to a Swisschamp or Tinker (currently, in fact ) that I have had for years. On those down times when I just like to fondle a multi-tool, it is usually a Vic .

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

Not the only one, and there are many who would agree with you. Victorinox SAKs are beautifully designed, great in both pocket and hand, the implements good enough or better for most multi-tool purposes, and so well made it is hard to believe they can be sold so relatively cheap. Fit and finish are unsurpassed. They have a feel that is so satisfying I seldom use one for even a routine chore without admiring its quality.

Leatherman products, OTOH, for all their utility and quality, don't really reach that standard. They are less hand friendly, with sharp edges to contend with, some implements are kludgey, and some models look as if the design team could have used a bit more time. For example, the Juice sports handles of different thickness on each side and you have to lift the combo tool out of the way to access the scissors (seems inelegant, maybe, but there is no competitor in its size category).

I couldn't have put it any better, the whole post. Leatherman products lack a certain design elegantness that the Vics have. But for some applications, Leathermans are a more practical tool. I'm a fan of both, actually. The Juice series interests me the most, as I think the design is attractive (by Leatherman standards) and I have a strong preference for pocket sized tools in this format.

 

[Yo Mama]

If you get the new Sidekick or Wingman, you get a carabiner with a bottle opener on it, the tool it's self has the can opener.
I love the bottle opener on the carabiner, it only needs one pull to open.

 

[Chestwood]

I love the bottle opener on the carabiner, it only needs one pull to open.

If found it isn't totally foolproof (what's that sayin bout me?!)

Always seems to take a few goes, bending the damn bottle cap from different angles till it drops off. But I love the pliers on these things, that's its primary use for me when out on a camping trip. and the screwdriver around the home when I can't be bothered taking out the tool box.

 

[act919785]

There is no can opener/bottle opener. The can opener is only for cans. The carabiner/bottle opener is for bottles.

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

While I do prefer the can opener on the Victorinox I would say the can/bottle opener work well on most Leatherman models. Their is a exception to this and that is the Juice line. The Juice line's can opener is next to useless and rather chew the can open with my teeth than use the juice can opener.

 

[znapschatz]

While I do prefer the can opener on the Victorinox I would say the can/bottle opener work well on most Leatherman models. Their is a exception to this and that is the Juice line. The Juice line's can opener is next to useless and rather chew the can open with my teeth than use the juice can opener.

Save your teeth ! Honestly, the combi can opener can be used as is (mine, anyway), but better if you sharpen it. Took me 10 minutes, works much better, but then you have be careful lifting bottle caps or you can pierce the metal. No way as good as Vic's dedicated opener, but gets the job done.

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

Save your teeth ! Honestly, the combi can opener can be used as is (mine, anyway), but better if you sharpen it. Took me 10 minutes, works much better, but then you have be careful lifting bottle caps or you can pierce the metal. No way as good as Vic's dedicated opener, but gets the job done.

Ok, ok. I may have been exaggerating a bit, but honestly. If you sharpen it then it works decently, but nothing I would want to use regularly to open cans. I do not like the design of the opener and how it perform. The Juice can openers are usable especially if sharpened. Speaking of sharpening. They need to put a edge on those awl's in the Juice line as well.

 

[znapschatz]

The Juice can openers are usable especially if sharpened. Ok, ok. I may have been exaggerating a bit, but honestly. If you sharpen it then it works decently, but nothing I would want to use regularly to open cans. I do not like the design of the opener and how it perform.The Juice can openers are usable especially if sharpened.

Frankly, I wouldn't want to open cans regularly with any pocket tool. Almost any dedicated can opener works better than almost any multi-tool or SAK implement, so I don't expect finesse from them. But when you are in the boonies and need one to open your can of coq au vin, they will get the job done.

Speaking of sharpening. They need to put a edge on those awl's in the Juice line as well.

True enough, Leatherman should be embarrassed by the sucky unfinished awl, but it is easy enough to sharpen. Once done, you can poke, pierce and ream with the best (almost.)

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

Frankly, I wouldn't want to open cans regularly with any pocket tool. Almost any dedicated can opener works better than almost any multi-tool or SAK implement, so I don't expect finesse from them. But when you are in the boonies and need one to open your can of coq au vin, they will get the job done.

Mehhh...... I used to have a crappy can opener at the house and ended up using my Victorinox Spartan to open cans for years. It is actually a very viable option for cans.

With that said you are correct that most any modern day can opener will be much easier and faster than using a multitool can opener.