Swisstool worth it or Leatherman Wave/Surge

F

Ford1911

Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
366
First off, Leatherman fans don't take this as me bashing Leatherman. It is what it is.

I have a few plier based multi-tools but I hardly use them. That being said, I want to get another one lol.

I am looking to buy either a Swisstool CS or a Leatherman Wave or Surge. Leaning toward the Wave for now I think.

My hang up is this. I have only ever owned one other Leatherman. A Juice CS4. I had it for about 30 minutes then mailed it back to the online vendor I bought it from for a refund.
The tool just seemed very cheap to me.

I was told that the Juice line was not as well built as other leathemans.
So the question is, is a Wave or Surge a better quality tool than the Juice Line? I have some Gerber's and even a couple cheap Mullti-Tools I bought from Wal-Mart that are better built than the Juice so I don't think I was being overly critical of it.

I am sure the Swisstool is nice but is it worth paying 2.5x more for it than a Wave? The Juice has just scared me away from Leatherman's.
 
Ford1911 said:
First off, Leatherman fans don't take this as me bashing Leatherman. It is what it is.

I have a few plier based multi-tools but I hardly use them. That being said, I want to get another one lol.

I am looking to buy either a Swisstool CS or a Leatherman Wave or Surge. Leaning toward the Wave for now I think.

My hang up is this. I have only ever owned one other Leatherman. A Juice CS4. I had it for about 30 minutes then mailed it back to the online vendor I bought it from for a refund.
The tool just seemed very cheap to me.

I was told that the Juice line was not as well built as other leathemans.
So the question is, is a Wave or Surge a better quality tool than the Juice Line? I have some Gerber's and even a couple cheap Mullti-Tools I bought from Wal-Mart that are better built than the Juice so I don't think I was being overly critical of it.

I am sure the Swisstool is nice but is it worth paying 2.5x more for it than a Wave? The Juice has just scared me away from Leatherman's.
Click to expand...


All three are nice, also not very far apart in price, at least in the USA. A quick web check finds the Swisstool CS +/- $130, the Surge around $!25, both including a number of useful accessories, and the Wave comes in at $90.
 
Ok... generally speaking Vic is making a more quality tool in view of Fit & Finish. This means no sharp edges where they should not be and all in all a bullett proof design. I have a Swisstool and a Swisstool. I own a LM Wave and LM Rebar. So I have several to compare.

To open the tools from the exterior is great and should not be out of view. But the Vics have their weight. If you wanna carry them in your pocket, I wouldn´t recommend it. Some things are not made for pocket carry. The LMs are no featherweights but still a tad lighter than the Vics.

If it is worth 2,5 the price is something that is up to your. I would really recommend at least to try a Wave AND a Swisstool Spirit. Or a SuperTool / Surge and a Vic Swisstool ;)

I like 'em both - LM and Vic. But if you just want ONE MT; I´d go with the Swisstool.
 
Swisstool vs. Wave/Surge is a bit like comparing apples to pears. They are both good quality tools but...Swisstools have all implements accessible from the outside, and they are simpler tools when it comes to locking mechanisms and have a more "open" handle, which can make for easier cleaning. The Wave/Surge has 4 one hand opening tools but the balance of the implements are hidden in the handles and require extra steps to open, and there are a lot of hard-to-clean nooks and crannies. The Wave/Surge has "pointier" pliers than the Swisstools. Swisstools have a polished finish that some folks like, bot other folks complain that the polished screwdriver blades are more likely to slip out of screw slots. Wave/Surge has some changeable driver bits, again good and bad, easy to replace a broken bit, or change from a phillips to a square, but also possible to lose a bit out of the tool...Swisstools have gotten a bit more expensive lately, but the Wave/Surge is not cheap either. Try to handle them both before making the choice if you can
 
I think you would be happy with any of those tools. Its hard to say, I would think that the fit and finish of the Vic is worth the premium price. It comes down to the few differing features. The Vic scissors are by far superior. But the LMs have the bit-holders (although the Vic does come through with the wrench or ratchet kit) The Vic has a higher tool density, but the trade off is weight. The Vic has stronger jaws, but the LMs have thinner needle-nose and the option of the replaceable wire cutters with the surge. Also as has been mentioned, the LMs have one handed blades. Pick the features you want, and see what fits.
 
The Swisstool is better designed IMO, doesn't rattle, opens like a bank vault door, has a smooth, polished finish, fits more tools more efficiently in the same space, and I think that almost everyone would agree that its a more refined MT. The Wave/Surge work just fine. If you are just looking for something to turn a screw, then any of them will do that. But if you are looking for something that transcends mere utility, then you need a Swisstool.

6368e6f3-5bb8-45f8-81c8-62932a5d9b34_zps6d9f1e63.jpg
 
As with anything Swiss, one comes to expect precision fitting and life long dependability.
The spirit is a very well made basic utilitarian tool.
leathermans have tech styling and are visually appealing.
it is a question of placing ones complete trust with a particular choice of manufacturing quality.
Having then decided upon a brand's integrity
To then commit to a personal preference and trust in given model manufactured by the brand of choice.
 
Last edited:
Do the Swiss models offer one handed opening of the main blade's and do they have both serrated and plain edged main blades like the Leathermans ?

I've never really considered one .
They would have to be very good to better my Surge .

Ken
 
harronek said:
Do the Swiss models offer one handed opening of the main blade's and do they have both serrated and plain edged main blades like the Leathermans ?

I've never really considered one .
They would have to be very good to better my Surge .

Ken
Click to expand...

Some Swisstool models have both plain and serrated blades, others do not. The Spirit has an unusual serrated blade that looks like a butter knife. Some like it (me included,) others do not, but there are two other versions, one with conventional PE blade, the other with both, although you lose the scissors on that one. None of the Swisstools have one hand opening. They are very well made with a high level of fit and finish, but I prefer Leatherman pliers and screwdrivers. After experience with most of these, my choice would be the Surge, boat anchor that it is, but the Charge TTi suits me better as an EDC. When I need something heavier duty, I roll with a Super Tool 300, also because of better tools and accessories. Bottom line: It's really a golden age of multi-tools. Pick what appeals, you really can't go wrong.
 
Thanks for all the replies.
I found a new Swisstool for $65 and grabbed it.
i kind of wanted scissors but for the price I just went with the Swisstool with the 2 knives. I need a serrated blade anyway and I have scissors on my SAK.
 
I owned a SwissTool RS, a Leatherman Wave, a Leatherman Surge, and a Leatherman Juice XE6. Want my honest opinion about them? They are a waste of money.

My Victorinox Fireman + Vic Classic SD + a pair of needlenosed pliers that I got at Home Depot for $5 is all that I truly need.
 
I carried a wave for everything, from the city to multiple weeklong canoe trips. After I lost it I got a swisstool and I think I still prefer the wave but not enough to buy another one while I still have the swisstool. I do prefer the way the swisstool carries on the belt and like the sheath. Both are great but for what it's worth, my vote goes to the wave. I am not as fussy as some and have never given much thought as to what tools are accessible without opening the tool but it's definitely something to consider. And maybe I am a bit nostalgic because my wave days are before I found myself owning multiple knives and having to decide what to take for what trip. Before it was just always the wave, always.
And if your time outdoors often involves fishing or finding yourself in need of basic tools in a pinch than they are both well worth it. Just a matter of preference but to have all the functionality of multiple tools in one package(ie multi tool) is not a waste for me.
 
The Swisstool has much better corrosion resistance and just looks and feels like a higher quality tool compared to the Wave. It's like comparing a Ferrari to a Ford. But I can't and won't argue that a Swisstool is better than a Charge tti.
 
mlapan said:
I owned a SwissTool RS, a Leatherman Wave, a Leatherman Surge, and a Leatherman Juice XE6. Want my honest opinion about them? They are a waste of money.

My Victorinox Fireman + Vic Classic SD + a pair of needlenosed pliers that I got at Home Depot for $5 is all that I truly need.
Click to expand...

But how do you carry them all, especially the pliers? My Charge TTi has all the tools I could need while away from a proper tool kit in one easy to carry unit on my belt in a horizontal sheath @ 12:30. In place, I hardly notice its presence, in fact a few times wishing I had it with me for some spot chore before realizing it was there! Some of the implements are better than those on the Vics, like screwdrivers, and the tools are definitely tougher. That's why Tim Leatherman invented the pliers based multi-tool when he found SAKs lacking for "semi-serious" tasks ("serious" usually requires dedicated tools.)

Don't misunderstand, I love SAKs, own a few, carry and use them often, but mostly as a convenience for light duty, except for an OH Trekker, which really gets a workout outdoors when its that season again (if ever :(. ) Other than that, I'm pretty well sold on the Leatherman concept. Victorinox makes good ones, too.
 
For me the ability to access the main blade or blades one handed is an absolute must .
My Surge years ago was what introduced me to the one handed opening idea , up until then I'd never owned a knife that could be opened that way . It revolutionised my knife world . I wouldn't buy a modern knife or tool that doesn't have that feature . Traditional's are a different thing , but over time I realised they have no place in my working day , the couple that I use are reserved for after hours , weekends and special occasions when my pace of life is slower .

Ken
 
I have 3 of each brand with that said:

Victorinox:
Better F&F by a noticeable margin
I prefer the can opener
The philips is almost a little too polished
Better Scissors
Don't really like the squared off shape of the serrated blade
I prefer the Locking mechanism of the Vic
More expensive in general
I prefer the Vic steel to the 420HC of the basic leatherman blades
Lifetime Warranty- Never had to use it

Leatherman
Less expensive
I prefer the Phillips
Better Metal saw/file
I like that some of the models have interchangeable wire cutters and 154cm/S30V blades
The F&F tolerances definitely feel looser
25 Year warranty- used it once on a 17 year old Supertool that my dad used everyday got back a new one in about a week and half.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top