New Leatherman Arc is out

G

Guy McVer

Joined
Mar 22, 2022
Messages
2,221
It is the new Leatherman pliers based multitool built around the Leatherman Free series frame. It has a magnacut knife blade.

Reportedly this was released early through REI in a limited fashion. Some people already have their hands on them. Check youtube for more info.

I'm not impressed by it. It looks like it's just an upgraded version of the Leatherman Free P4. Main differences are:

1. It comes with a pocket clip which can be moved to either side.
2. Magnacut knife blade
3. Has a proprietary Leatherman flat bit driver
4. Flat exterior finish. There are no little divots on the outside.
5. The serrated knife has been replaced by a proper 3 sided file with a diamond coating on one side.

I never liked the Free series. Too gimmicky, and the magnets in the Free series will attract metal shavings.

I also hate the Leatherman Proprietary bits. They're too soft, they cost too much, and they've been hard to find replacements for a lot of the time because nobody has them in stock. You can't really buy individual bits in most cases either, so you're forced to buy a whole set or the half of the set which has the bit you need. It's a dumb system. I could excuse it a little if the bits were more durable. The bit selection is also limited to just the bits which Leatherman manufactures, and that's not a whole lot.

Still, I think a lot of people will swoon over this just because it has a magnacut blade, even though they don't use their multitool blade as a primary knife anyway. Too small. I think most people usually carry a larger dedicated folder in addition to their multitool. Even for people like me who don't do that, it's hard for me to justify the inclusion of a magnacut blade. I think multitool knives should be made of cheap budget steel. It makes the most sense to me, especially when all the other tools in the multitool are made of cheap steel as well. Including a magnacut blade in a multitool is like putting a golden toilet in a Winnebago.

I'm curious to know how other people feel about it.
 
Last edited:
Hard "pass" here, too.
My Chrarge+ TTi and/or SAC Hercules do everything I need a multi tool for.
I don't care about the blade steel. I don't use the knife blades on my MT anyway. That is what my slipjoints are for. They are much more feel better in the hand long or short session, as well.
 
Last edited:
The original Wave. It has been downhill since then.

Magnacut does not impress me. Making a multitool knife blade with it is lipstick on a pig. Loose parts on a multitool are each on a mission to get lost, which they generally achieve. Leatherman's flat bits are an abomination and should be illegal.

Hard pass for me as well.
 
yablanowitz said:
The original Wave. It has been downhill since then.

Magnacut does not impress me. Making a multitool knife blade with it is lipstick on a pig. Loose parts on a multitool are each on a mission to get lost, which they generally achieve. Leatherman's flat bits are an abomination and should be illegal.

Hard pass for me as well.
Click to expand...

I'm in the market for a multitool since I sold my old usa made gerber. What would you suggest?
 
SwissHeritageCo said:
If you could only buy one leatherman model what would it be?
Click to expand...

I can't give a satisfactory answer to that because it really depends on what you need it for.

If we're talking about an emergency survival or bushcraft use, then it would have to be the Rebar. It is compact, relatively light weight compared to other models, it has everything that you would need in a multitool for an emergency or outdoor survival situation, and it still falls within an affordable price range. It's like a better quality more robust and more veratile version of the original Leatherman Pocket Survival Tool.

The Rebar can also use Leatherman's square adaptor in case you want to be able to use screwdriver bits with it. The Rebar is missing two features that are a deal breaker for some people: it doesn't have outside opening tools and it doesn't have scissors. This is not a deal breaker for me because I don't view the Rebar as an every day tool or an on-the-job tool. For something like a jobsite tool, I would suggest the Leatherman Surge. For EDC I would go with something which has a tool selection which is narrower and more specific to what you find yourself using the most.
 
It's a pass for me on the Arc (or any Leatherman right now). I already carry a MagnaCut EDC blade, a Knipex and some SAK with (most of?) the other things. I'm a bit worried about their warranty, especially the lack of communication. If there's an issue, they might decide to send back a micra. ;) If I were buying this level of tool right now, it would be a Spirit.
 
I never did like the free series, I have a Wave, Signal and a wingman. They do what I need and 420hc blade is plenty good for a backup knife. I have a 110 Magnacut and I’m very pleased with it and others that are my primary knife. As for me a multi tool is a backup tool for when I’m in a pinch not as a end all.
 
Guy McVer said:
I can't give a satisfactory answer to that because it really depends on what you need it for.

If we're talking about an emergency survival or bushcraft use, then it would have to be the Rebar. It is compact, relatively light weight compared to other models, it has everything that you would need in a multitool for an emergency or outdoor survival situation, and it still falls within an affordable price range. It's like a better quality more robust and more veratile version of the original Leatherman Pocket Survival Tool.

The Rebar can also use Leatherman's square adaptor in case you want to be able to use screwdriver bits with it. The Rebar is missing two features that are a deal breaker for some people: it doesn't have outside opening tools and it doesn't have scissors. This is not a deal breaker for me because I don't view the Rebar as an every day tool or an on-the-job tool. For something like a jobsite tool, I would suggest the Leatherman Surge. For EDC I would go with something which has a tool selection which is narrower and more specific to what you find yourself using the most.
Click to expand...

This is a great reply, thank you :)
 
I think it's cool and will get one eventually.... however:

The Leatherman Wave or Wave+ is simply the best multitool ever and will likely never be replaced in my lifetime as the best. It just nails everything. The full size blades, both file and saw, etc hits everything. It's smooth, great pliers, and I happen to love the thin bit driver. I also have a couple Free P2's and love them. They are the perfect fishing tool as they deploy with one hand and have great scissors on the outside (fishing is the only time I use multitool scissors). Also the Rebar and Skeletool fit perfect roles (Rebar for hiking and Skeletool for lightweight 1 tool/knife only carry when I know I'll need pliers and a screwdriver).

Come to think of it, Leatherman has had very few flops. The Arc's biggest flop is the $230 price tag. Holy smokes! I have several used Waves I got for less than $50 and it's arguably a better tool.
 
I agree with you that the ARC is underwhelming, and with a few questionable design choices such as adding a DLC coating on a magnacut blade.
230 USD is also outrageous, but think about us europeans that will get a nice 20% mark up.
My order of a Garage 5 was a total mess from Leatherman, but I am ashamed to say that I will probably jump on the ARC as soon as it will be available.
 
I'll be in on it as soon as they are available. Reddit is saying Oct 17...right after my anniversary, so maybe Christmas:)

The price doesn't scare me. I plunked down $139 for the P4, and I have carried that almost every single day for 4 years. I'm not a huge fan of the LM bits and prefer the solid drivers of the Free, but them including a sleeve of bits at least will give me a chance to build out what i might want to carry as I have 2 or 3 partial sets bumping around here. I like premium MTs.

I'm the kind of guy that can get along with just a MT and no folder if the tool has one hand access to the blade. I've nearly purchased a TTI several times, but I have always found that it wasn't exactly what I wanted. I did like the upgraded blade steel. The Arc coming in with Magnacut would make for a viable MT I could carry by itself if I really wanted to pack light.

For me, the Arc seems to check off all the boxes I need in a MT for EDC. I'm not really sure if I would change a thing about it.
 
Macchina said:
I think it's cool and will get one eventually.... however:

The Leatherman Wave or Wave+ is simply the best multitool ever and will likely never be replaced in my lifetime as the best. It just nails everything. The full size blades, both file and saw, etc hits everything. It's smooth, great pliers, and I happen to love the thin bit driver. I also have a couple Free P2's and love them. They are the perfect fishing tool as they deploy with one hand and have great scissors on the outside (fishing is the only time I use multitool scissors). Also the Rebar and Skeletool fit perfect roles (Rebar for hiking and Skeletool for lightweight 1 tool/knife only carry when I know I'll need pliers and a screwdriver).

Come to think of it, Leatherman has had very few flops. The Arc's biggest flop is the $230 price tag. Holy smokes! I have several used Waves I got for less than $50 and it's arguably a better tool.
Click to expand...

$230 for a multitool... 😯
 
SwissHeritageCo said:
$230 for a multitool... 😯
Click to expand...

I think Leatherman is leaning in on the more premium stuff. So much of classic design line is being copied "good enough" for less that $30 from China. I actually have a Wave knock off that I like better than the LM. Its not as good, as well made, and the blade tip stick out proud (ouch), but it has a standard driver so I can use regular bits. It lives in my tool bag and gets used when I don't want to find the "right" tool for the job.

I plan getting the Arc and actually using it pretty hard. I don't shy away from my P4 getting down and dirty, and the magnet set up has held up fine for me as a multi year EDC.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I'll be in on it as soon as they are available. Reddit is saying Oct 17...right after my anniversary, so maybe Christmas:)

The price doesn't scare me. I plunked down $139 for the P4, and I have carried that almost every single day for 4 years. I'm not a huge fan of the LM bits and prefer the solid drivers of the Free, but them including a sleeve of bits at least will give me a chance to build out what i might want to carry as I have 2 or 3 partial sets bumping around here. I like premium MTs.

I'm the kind of guy that can get along with just a MT and no folder if the tool has one hand access to the blade. I've nearly purchased a TTI several times, but I have always found that it wasn't exactly what I wanted. I did like the upgraded blade steel. The Arc coming in with Magnacut would make for a viable MT I could carry by itself if I really wanted to pack light.

For me, the Arc seems to check off all the boxes I need in a MT for EDC. I'm not really sure if I would change a thing about it.
Click to expand...
You're echoing some of my thoughts here. I know more people who's primary knife, maybe their only knife, is on their multitool. I don't know if they'd be willing to foot the bill for an Arc, but many of them were willing to pony up for a Wave when it was among the most expensive options. For me, a Free P2 has been my only multitool for the past couple years, and other than a couple nitpicks as far as tool selection goes, it's probably been my favorite multitool out of all the ones I've owned. I've seen the whole metal shavings thing brought up on the forums, but in practice it has never been anything more than a hypothetical issue for me. If I had one wish for the Arc, it would be to replace the bit holder with an actual Phillips driver. But It otherwise looks like an interesting option.
 
StuntDouble said:
You're echoing some of my thoughts here. I know more people who's primary knife, maybe their only knife, is on their multitool. I don't know if they'd be willing to foot the bill for an Arc, but many of them were willing to pony up for a Wave when it was among the most expensive options. For me, a Free P2 has been my only multitool for the past couple years, and other than a couple nitpicks as far as tool selection goes, it's probably been my favorite multitool out of all the ones I've owned. I've seen the whole metal shavings thing brought up on the forums, but in practice it has never been anything more than a hypothetical issue for me. If I had one wish for the Arc, it would be to replace the bit holder with an actual Phillips driver. But It otherwise looks like an interesting option.
Click to expand...

I feel the same about the Philips driver, but I guess if I were to consider "value added", having the option of the bit holder makes it feel more premium.

I look at it this way in terms of the magnacut. I can purchase a Spyderco native for about $153 for a magnacut blade. For $100 more I can have all the tools of a P4 that should clock in at $140. For me, that's a value added for what I look for in an EDC.

When I am out on the jobsite, I pack an ST300 or Rebar. They are just great hard use tools. For the weekend or a light hike, the Arc would do more than enough. I just bought a $500 folder that I want to come up with as much of an excuse as possible to carry, but a $250 Arc would make it redundant if I am honest with myself.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top