Super Tool-200 lock release question???

J

Judge_Blackhawk

Joined
Jun 9, 2000
Messages
109
Well, the testosterone was running wild today at the local Wal-Mart. They had the Leatherman Supertool-200 on display and well, dang it one of them little fellers jumped right into my shopping basket.

When I got home as was playing with my new manly gadget I noticed that one of the lock release levers is mightly loose. I mean really really loose. Loose to the point of sliding back and forth when you tilt the Supertool-200.

Is this normal??? I figured there might be some play in the lock release but I believe this is a might too much. The other side lock release seems to be stout and not loose by a long shot.

I reckon in the morning right after breakfast, me and my gadget will get on down to Wal-Mart and whip up and exchange. Which is a shame because this one has a perfect plier match up. That is what I was looking for when I bought the little feller, never once did I think to check the lock release levers.

Have any of you experienced this problem? Is it a problem?

Dang the multi-tools. They are worse than knives and I thought my knife problem was pretty bad, but then my firearm problem is terminal. I reckon I will die from something, it might as well be somthing that I enjoy.

Thanks for you help and advice.

God Bless the American People.

Forever in Liberty and Justice,

Judge Blackhawk
 
The lock is same as the kind on the Pulse, when it is loose do the tools on that handle stay locked? If they lock they should keep the thumb release mechanism stable, if no then there is something wrong. If it locks and it still is loose, then it is faulty and should be returned or sent for warranty repair, it sounds like it is a bad apple.

Martin
 
Judge, I can't say for certain if it is a safety problem with yours but the lock releases on my Pulse and ST200 are both tight enough that they don't slide when I tilt the tools. Thankfully Walmart has one of the best return policies around.
 
First of all WAL-MART rules, as far as I am concerned, at least for the moment. If they go the way of the Super-K then we will see.. smiles. The returned it with no questions asked, and even apologized. My goodness, Paul Harvey is correct, Wal-Mart is wonderful. And for my small town they have a nice knife collection, with lots of stuff on clearance at the moment.... oh the strain of it all.

I got home with my brand new (second) Leatherman Supertool-200 and buddy let me say this is a heck of a tool. Tim "The Toolman" Taylor would love this thing.

I don't know if I like the unlocking gadget levers or not... they will take some time getting used too...

Maybe this is a good reason to try to find an original Supertool so that I can compare... HMMMM that's an idea I can live with indeed.

I love the size of this tool. It is bigger than my wave which to me, is a bit on the small side. I don't mind totting it on my belt, since I am used to my Ruger Super Redhawk or Desert Eagle and the Supertool-200 is much smaller than these monsters...

This Supertool-200 seems to be very tight in the locking lever department, which is wonderful. Everything is sharp, pointed and polished like it is supposed to be.

What an excellant multitool, I like it more than my wave, so far. I have never really gotten comfortable with the Wave's outside blades. They are neat, but I am a bit set in my ways, so the Wave did not impress me as much as it intrigued me. The Wave is fun to play with and people that see it are drawn to it, but to me, I like the old reliable blades in the handle.

Well, now to put it through it's paces. Yard work, lawn mowing, boating and whatever else I can squeeze into this weekend.

Thanks and God Bless you all,

Forever in Liberty and Justice,

Judge Blackhawk
 
Judge, I,too, am a big fan of the Supertool because, as you will
find, it will earn the spot on your hip.

I bought a Pulse when they first came out to try and reduce my carry
weight. (I have difficulty walking due to arthritis) I found the lock to
be as promised but not the huge plus I expected. Remembering that
Leatherman took a pounding over the years for the super simple locks
they used they responded with the new lock. This , to me, is a case of
it wasn't broke but we had to fix it anyway.

The lock on the 200 and the feel in my hand just didn't get it at all.
I went back to my older original supertool. Then I went to E-bay and
bought two more as backups beause they are now discontinued.

The layout of the tools make the original supertool ,for me , makes the tool
both comfortable and simple to use ( the locks do catch on stuff once in awhile)
but once you learn to open the longest blade to close the one that"s open very
easy to use. I prefer the mechanical simplicity of the original.

I have carried and beat the sh!t out of this tool and it's never complained or failed
me in anyway once. Once I bought a nylon Leatheman sheath to carry it in I found
that the weigh was down enough to make carry easy and very convenient. I like the
tool combo in the original supertool so much I bought at Juice Kf-4 to carry for dress
as it has the same tools , only smaller, as the supertool.

So if you like the 200 once you find a closeout or e-bay (where I got mine) original
supertool you'll find a very useful friend to carry with you just as I did. I have noted that
the original is fast disappering so I'm not the only one who prefers it.
 
Judge,

My ST200 has locking levers exactly as you described. They are both that loose and have been from day one. I always thought they were intentionally designed this way, but maybe not. They have in no way affected the performance of the tool or the locks themselves. The locks are top notch and, if anything, difficult to unlock and fold the tool back. I use it practically everyday.

The ST200 is the only multi-tool I have ever used, and I see no reason to change. It is a solid little unit.

Whoops: upon second thought, I decided to look at the tool. The locking levers are indeed somewhat loose, but not nearly as much as you describe. It may have been wise to bring it back to Wallace- Market.
 
Mine was like that on one-side only and I sent it to Leatherman and they sent me a brand new one.
 
This is tangent, but I am curious, why many people who are "pro American" are pro Walmart ? Many news stories in the major newspapers 2 -3 years ago discussed their very deceptive practices, very un-American.
There is a book by Wall St Journal reporter, i can't recall his name, he wrote a book titled "In Sam we Trust" about Walmart. Not only he discusses how Walmart strategically squeezes out "mom & pop" stores in local communities, he also discusses how Walmart sells products with "made in USA" label when in reality they are made in China,some of it is made with prison labor too. Walmart is the biggest purchaser of communist China-made products.
Walmart is convenient, but i try to support "mom & pop" small business hardware etc. when I can.
Martin
 
Ever hear of "Free trade agreements"?? They drive business
such as Wal-mart & Target, etc. Write your congressman and
bitch him out. Without knowing it our base economy has been
eroded into the very rich making good money contoling business
and their kids working to peanuts. So it turns out that to make
money nowdays you have to be able to swim with the sharks or
be eaten by them. I.E. you can't have any scruples anymore.

Wal-mart is just the most visiable example.
 
My lock releaces are also a little loose,both sides the same. Those of you who got a replacement are they "tight"? Thanks!
 
The loose lock release levers on the new "200" is another reason why I cherish my "older" Supertool so much; Not much about it to go wrong.:).
 
I have a Pulse (both locks are tight) and a ST200 (one lock is a little loose).
I checked out three of the ST's (They had just come out and that's all the store had.) all of them had one loose lock on the same side. It must be something in production or the parts might not be exact.

The only thing I don't like about the new ST is, it gained weight.
What I love about it (and the Pulse) is the rounded handles, it's a hell of a lot more comfortable. Also if the locks ever fail, you could take them off and it would still work.
 
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