Leatherman Sidekick.. A woodsman's humble review..

B

bored2deth

Joined
Feb 27, 2011
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Hey peoples,

I've been using a Leatherman Sidekick for over two months now. I've enjoyed it quite a bit, and it has proven to me to be a good as it's larger cousins. I've had a Wave and Surge as well, though, the Sidekick has proven to be a good all-around package. I compared my Sidekick to my friend's Wave the the other day, and found several differences. While the Sidekick has fewer tools, it is smaller and lighter. It has a fine edge and a serrated edge knife, both of which take and hold a razor's edge. The plain edge, after convexing, cuts through materials with very little to no pressure. The pliers have proven to be both dextrous and strong. Using them I pulled several splinters (and cactus thorns) out of my hands, tightened some bolts around the house, and snipped many wires and vines (stinking wysteria). I see the occassional rust, though, only on the plain edge knife and it comes off easily. The saw works well and I used it several times on some hickory poles (it also makes nice notches). The back of the saw blade is very rough, and catches well on a ferro rod sending showers of sparks.

I'm actually so impressed with the multitool, that I decided not to replace my lost Wave or Surge. I see no need for the larger tools. Oh, btw, the knife blades, after convexing, have only needed a light stropping to pop hair and cut through materials with ease. The saw's edge has remained sharp through over thirty hickory poles. :-) I'm pleased with it. Oh, before I forget again, the plain edge also makes excellent and thin
shavings.
 
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I own two sidekicks and a wingman. I love the design and finish but the blade seemes to be made of a softer steel and does not hold an edge as well as some of my other leatherman tools.
 
I agree with everything you say, Mr. B2d, and its good to see that you are using your Sidekick just as God and Tim Leatherman intended. The Sidekick is quite a value. While the wire "cutter" is more of a pincher, and though the file and serrated blade are tiny, the tool as a whole functions well at most tasks. I especially like the springloaded plier, which I would like to see as standard on every MT. The Wingman was not as impressive, but that was because my example had cheapy scissors that would not stay locked open. Thanks for your nice look at the Sidekick. Here is my look at it on another forum.

I'm always looking for an excuse to post a pic.

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I've used the wingman many times and have been quite impressed. I for a long time thought it was a junk piece but I ended up getting one and it was a wise choice. :thumbup:
 
I like the Wingman as a fishing nultitool. Yeah the scissors are fiddly, but it's cheap enough that if it goes into the lake i won't cry too much. That's what happened to my beloved Pulse, I cried a lot over that one.
 
:-) I'm glad you all enjoyed my review. Yeah, for the price, it's a fantastic tool. You could get a Wave for around seventy something bucks, but then you could get a Sidekick for around thirty or forty, and it works just as well if not better. The larger multitools, as far as I am aware, don't come with pre-installed pocket clip or lanyard
ring, but the Sidekick and Wingman do. In my own humble opinion, the price you'd pay for say, a Surge, could instead be spent on a Sidekick plus a 2AA LED Maglite and
Bk11. The back of the saw works great with ferro rods, and for scrapping fat pine. Another fact I should point out:The Wingman and Sidekick, you can adjust the tension
if it becomes too loose, you can't with the larger tools. You can also exchange tools, to a point, in this manner--removing the can-opener and adding a 2nd serrated blade
for example.
 
So, what do you guys think of the saw on the Sidekick???

How does it compare to the one on the Wave???

I think length-wise is pretty much the same, am I right???
 
The sawblade on the Sidekick works quite well. I used it to go through quite a few small diameter hickory logs, and even to shorten the handle on an older axe. I usually strop mine on a leather belt. Made me the mistake of curling my little finger around it, and squeezed accidently....sharp. :-) Took me a minute to figure out how to use the can opener though, but it works well.
 
Django.cj said:
I've always been impressed with the fine edge Leatherman blades take.
Click to expand...

My Super Tool (the early one) had a scary sharp blade. I had a slight blunder and dropped it, and as it fell, the edge grazed my finger. I didn't realize it had cut me, and rather deeply for the nature of the cut, until I felt something warm running down my hand. I was waiting for a taxi to the airport and had to scramble for a well-known brand-name adhesive bandage.
 
Hehe..been there. They are sharp. Sliced my finger to the bone just the other day, cleaning the plain edge on the Sidekick after carving up our Jack O' Lantern with it, and my Bk-11. Didn't even feel it..
 
It seems a handy tool for daily carry. I bought one for my Dad last Dec, but he's reluctant. He's the head of maintenance for his company and still swears by a stockman. Meanwhile, I've been drinking from the Leatherman fountain for quite awhile. Good thread man!
 
I've used it daily since the cold weather rolled in making wood shavings and powder with the fine-blade, striking showers of sparks with the saw, and using the serrated to make micro-shavings to store for tinder. It's been a great companion, matched with a small kit, a maglite, and a small or mid fixed-blade and you've got it all! I even used it recently while putting up plastic over our windows--used the serrated-edge to cut the plastic, and the pliers to dig out dud staples. Also, I've used it frequently to peel oranges, crack nuts, and the usual. :D. For what I paid..I think 39.99..it's just as good as the Wave or Surge. Just needs a SHEATH! (Hint-Hint Leatherman!! Hello!!) I've even managed to yank out tack-nails with it. :-)
 
Another angle on this is that the Rebar is about $20 more than the Sidekick, and is "better" in almost all respects (in my view). It has better pliers, far better cutters (and replaceable), better phillips (3D vs. 2D), and vastly better serrated blade and file. You also get a sheath. All this for an extra $20. The Sidekick gives you a spring loaded plier head, which is very nice, and a removable pocket clip. The Sidekick and Rebar are the same size and weight.

Its true that you cry less when you lose or break a Sidekick, and there is something nice about abusing a $28 tool vs. a $48 version. But if you are not the kind of guy who drops his MT in the lake or leaves it at the job site, is it maybe worth a $20 bill for a "better" MT that you are going to be using for the next 5 or 10 years? I say yes, but I sure get it when someone says no.

IMG_2534.jpg

Leatherman Rebar.
 
:-) I think all of Leatherman's tools are great. For me (and folks like me) as I can't afford a more expensive tool, the Sidekick gives me all I need. I love the side-opening, liner-locking knife and saw. So easy to get a good fire going in the woodstove. The Rebar does have some nice cutters on there..
 
I love my leatherman Charge. Titanium scales, S30V blade, and a great set of pliers. It goes into the woods with me often.
 
There are shallow notches on the regular and Phillips screwdriver blades of the Wingman. Does anyone know why?
 
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