Leatherman Juice: KF4 Solar vs S2 Flame?

L

Leatherman4life

Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
134
Going shopping for my first Juice Sunday. I'm online looking them over and trying to decide between the KF4 and the S2.

I would like the scissors on the S2, but not sure if I really need them if I'm going to have a Squit S4 on my keys.

If I decide I don't need the scissors on it and go with the KF4 I get the Diamond File, Saw and Serrated blade. I'm alway's using a serrated blade on a full size LM and think it would be handy to have on a Juice.

I plan on using the juice on the weekends or any other time I'm not at work and don't need a full size LM.

I see they are the same length. Are all the juices the same thickness?

Sooner or later I will end up with both, but being my first one I have to decide on what would be most usefull.

I think the Juice pro would be the most ideal juice for me, but until I can get my hands on one I have to quench my thirst with a little juice. :p
 
I've bought one of each model of the Juice line and ended up giving them to family members with the exception of the Juice Pro that I put in my BOB. It has all the features of the Juice line plus tweezers. You should be able to find one for under fifty.
 
Leatherman4life said:
I think the Juice pro would be the most ideal juice for me, but until I can get my hands on one I have to quench my thirst with a little juice. :p
Click to expand...

So, just a squirt isn't enough to quench your thirst? :p

;)

:D
 
I have a KF4, and I've often thought about getting an S2 because they LOOK so much lighter. In fact, you only save an ounce and a half or so. To me, the file, serrated blade, and saw are are worth the little bit of extra weight. I also have a Victorinox Spirit, but the KF4 is what I carry. (I also carry the tiny Vic SAK with scissors, retractable pen and tweezers.)

I just can't justify an S2, and if I did get one, I know I'd miss those couple of tools from the KF4.

Scott
 
Scott Ridgeway, on the KF4 the screwdrivers don't lock right? How do the saw, file, and knives lock? Thanks.
 
No. Nothing locks on the KF4. (I don't think anything locks on any of the Juice models...do they?)

So far, this has not proven to be a problem for me. The Victorinox Spirit's tools DO lock. The Spirit is also bigger and heavier than the KF4. If I were going to a job site and I knew I'd be needing a multi-tool, I definitely take the Spirit. For edc, though, it's the smaller and lighter KF4 with its non-locking (but just fine) tools.
 
I come home with the S4 today. :)

I must say at first I was little disapointed after I bought it and started checking it out. When I first folded it up I noticed the handles did not line up so they were flat with each other.

I thought it was bent out of shape or something. Then I seen that is the way the one side is and the other side does come together flat with each other.

I will try and post a photo later showing what I mean, but I take it that is how they are ment to be.

Then as I start to open the other tools I see you have to open the can opener tool before you can open the scissors!

I was not to happy about how that is, but I think they did it that way to keep the tool thinner, not sure?

I put it in my front left pocket with my wallet and forgot about it there the rest of the day as we kept shopping. It is so small and light I had to check for it every now and then to make sure it was still there, that I like. :)

It will never replace any of my full size leathermans, but that is not why I bought it.

After only half a day with it I would have to say I'm going to like it.
Will see what I think about it a month from now. :)
 
Leatherman4life said:
When I first folded it up I noticed the handles did not line up so they were flat with each other.
Click to expand...

That's how my CS4 is as well. Good to know, I thought mine might be defective as I bought it on ebay.

Leatherman4life said:
Then as I start to open the other tools I see you have to open the can opener tool before you can open the scissors!
Click to expand...

Weird, on CS4 the scissors are "stand alone".

Leatherman4life said:
I put it in my front left pocket with my wallet and forgot about it there the rest of the day as we kept shopping. It is so small and light I had to check for it every now and then to make sure it was still there, that I like. :)
Click to expand...

That's the best feature! It's tiny but still very useful!

Cheers.
 
Here is a photo showing what I mean about the can opener being in the way of the scissors.

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Leatherman4life said:
I come home with the S4 today. :)

I must say at first I was little disapointed after I bought it and started checking it out. When I first folded it up I noticed the handles did not line up so they were flat with each other.
Click to expand...

Most of the Juice models are like that, I know that the KF4 is has equal handle sides. I have an S2 and I think it is a great tool (I EDC it as its all I need), but it really bugs me that Leatherman did that. Surely there is some tool they could have added or at least put in spacers.

The Juice line is the only Leatherman tools that I really like. I was looking at the Leatherman knives that they just started bringing out, but my local specialist store does not stock them. When I asked why they said it was because they were junk made in China. Anyone had a look at these? I see Target now sells some of the models.

Is Leatherman now really making their tools in China? I understand they recently had to change the wording on their packaging after a law suit , I think because a lot of their tool parts are actually made outside the US and just assembled here.
 
I think the can opener/scissor issue is a way to keep the tool thinner. There is a similar issue on the CS4 with the awl and saw. You have to open the awl first and then the saw if you wanted to use the saw. It doesn't bother me since I rarely use the saw. I've also noticed that there is enough of a lip on the can opener and awl that I can open them one handed which speeds up the process of opening the saw. It also speeds up the process of getting that can opener open so you open something more important, like a Guinness
 
Leatherman4life said:
I must say at first I was little disapointed after I bought it and started checking it out. When I first folded it up I noticed the handles did not line up so they were flat with each other.
Click to expand...
There's a good reason for that, actually.

The Juice line is quite modular. The basic frame consists of the inner liners, plier jaws and inside drivers, and the thick aluminum scales on the outside. In between are various "layers" that provide the larger implements: plain and serrated blades, scissors, saw/awl, corkscrew/assist, file, etc.

Each model is built from a different combination of layers; problem is, each layer is slightly different in thickness. So on most models, the handles aren't the exact same thickness.

You might see it as a flaw, but I don't. Sure, they could add useless spacers to even things out, but instead chose to make each handle as thin and compact as possible. I tend to agree with that approach.
 
I'm new to the forum here (you guys were spoken well of over at the candlepowerforums) and came across this thread while searching for info on the C2 and S2 Juice tools. I had heard mention of this "unequal sides" mentioned somewhere else and since I have been seriously concidering one of these models wondered which of the Juice models have sides that are equal to each other?

I've owned knives that had corkscrews and never did use it. I don't really need the scissors either but choosing from the C2 or S2 size I would probably concider the scissors over the corkscrew. I like the way the handle on the S2 doesn't need a cut out since the corkscrew isn't there.

Has anyone taken a Juice apart and removed any of the tools? Just wondered what would happen to the unequal sides if this was done, maybe putting in a spacer if needed to level them up? I rebuild about everything I get anyway and have a bench mill and lathe for projects. If one could disassemble the Juice I might consider putting in a better blade in it at the same time.

Lots of crazy ideals for a newcomer but thought I'd ask. I like getting all the information I can before starting something new.

Thanks...

Connortn
 
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