What are your thoughts on Leatherman?

I love the skeletool cx I got for Father's Day, even though I have more dedicated tools than I can use. One thing I have noticed is the blade(154cm) is a little chippy under hard use. Anyone else encounter this? I ask, because the upgraded steel was why I indicated this model to my wife...
Thanks, Neal
 
The Skelletool CX is my most used leatherman, I've never had a problem with chipping.
It's sharpened to 18 degrees per side with a 600 diamond.
 
Love the quality and heft of Leatherman. I haven't owned a SAK for decades, and some of my buddies have knockoffs. So when they complain that the quality isn't there.....:) :) :)
 
I have several Leatherman tools.

I have settled on the Leatherman Rebar as one of my every day carry items , I have been carrying it for about 5 years now.

It is useful , strong , and not too big to lug around all day.

:D.
 
Leatherman tools are like "the victorinox" of plier tools.
They are the Original pliertool brand, being the very first in the game
and yet somehow, always trying very hard to reinvent their
Finest plier tool.
Whilst lacking refinement or design styling of today,
Anyone picking up the PST original plier tool now
Would Find all the necessary qualities one could ever want
In a really handy working tool package.
In fact, it's just the right size with size dimensions
Which could easily fit, slip and lie really low in one's pocket
All day long without raising much of a fuss.
Every pliertool after the original model were attempts at tweaking "improvements".
That lead to increment in size, added weight & bulk.
The modern day urbanites need for Pocketability, saw some smaller and shorter models being churned out,
With capabilities trying very hard to match the standard plier models.
Improvement's have always been attempts at managing key designing factors concerning
Portability, handling comfort, tool leverage and safety.
No matter which tool one picks up, nobody just stops at one.
Hoping the 25 year warranty would hold out far longer
than the dexterity of their aging fingers.
Whilst the swiss makes a very high quality product
Any Leatherman still makes the cut as an investment for life.
 
Last edited:
For me, Leatherman's first tool was more promise than fulfillment. I loved the idea of a compact tool kit based on "industrial" grade implements, including really useable pliers, but after carrying one around for a couple of months, found that except for the pliers, it was not enough of an upgrade from a SAK to justify itself. (glove box in the car, okay). But then the Super Tool came out, and it was an instant bond. I carried that exclusively for the next 9 years, along with a Micra for the scissors and other supplementary accessories. It was a perfect size for my hand, all the implements were tool grade, and except for the hurt it put on the hand when crunching down hard (finessed with a folded bandana), handled beautifully, even to the point of making an effective improvised fist load for a confrontation that fortunately didn't take place. I even liked the sound it made when folding up after use. None of the later upgrades or new models had the same character, although other improvements were too good to pass up, like one-hand opening, less clumsy unlocking mechanisms and greater flexibility with accessories. Nowadays, I use Super Tool 300, Rebar or Charge for their various strengths, and the Micra is still in the rotation. The Super Tool is in retirement, although I visit once in a while, open and close the tools, and crunch down on the handles when closing it, just to hear that sound again.
 
Last edited:
GIRLYmann said:
Leatherman tools are like "the victorinox" of plier tools.
They are the Original pliertool brand, being the very first in the game
and yet somehow, always trying very hard to reinvent their
Finest plier tool.
Whilst lacking refinement or design styling of today,
Anyone picking up the PST original plier tool now
Would Find all the necessary qualities one could ever want
In a really handy working tool package.
In fact, it's just the right size with size dimensions
Which could easily fit, slip and lie really low in one's pocket
All day long without raising much of a fuss.
Every pliertool after the original model were attempts at tweaking "improvements".
That lead to increment in size, added weight & bulk.
The modern day urbanites need for Pocketability, saw some smaller and shorter models being churned out,
With capabilities trying very hard to match the standard plier models.
Improvement's have always been attempts at managing key designing factors concerning
Portability, handling comfort, tool leverage and safety.
No matter which tool one picks up, nobody just stops at one.
Hoping the 25 year warranty would hold out far longer
than the dexterity of their aging fingers.
Whilst the swiss makes a very high quality product
Any Leatherman still makes the cut as an investment for life.
Click to expand...
I think the Leatherman fuse is a great tool which I wish they still made. I honestly don't like the modern format at all.
I would love to find a good condition pst at a yardsale or something.
 
I gotta admit, of all the innovations;
I was pretty happy with the second product from leatherman tools

31ZVYSRZWJL.jpg

http://www.leatherman.com/mini-tool-83.html
Mostly because it was a pair of collapsible pliers.
It was soooo "Q-like" - truly compact.
I honestly thought those full sized pliers itself really
Out did those fidgety tiny SAK toy pliers.
Ok, maybe it wasn't the most comfortable
Pair of Handles to be tinkering with,
But in the field, that innovation would turn out To be
A really neat and unobtrusive pair of pliers to lug around.
Of cause, like any totally equipped "highly skilled gadget operator",
There would have to be a supplementary SAK
Included in the carry kit For good measure :)
Yup, for any innovation to work there must be purpose.
And at times, the product mostly ends up being
A compromise due to the limitations of its working
Perimeters of size dimensions versus weight,
practicality vs coolness, and more importantly
Escalating Production Cost vs producing a "pocket friendly"
Tool for the masses.
 
Great tools; I have a Super (lives in the Harley saddlebag) and an original, both about 25 years old now, tho' I drool over the Swisstool from time to time.
 
I picked up a Leatherman Juice B2 at a store last week. While it is not a typical Leatherman multitool, it is simply a 2 blade, congress type pocket knife with a drop point and serrated sheepsfoot blades, I like it. The blades have good grinds, it came out of the box very sharp and knife has a nice overall feel with sunken joints, smooth action, not as snappy as some but not bad. With a reasonable msrp price, this little knife will certainly get some EDC time from me as it is very pocket friendly.
 
I do like Leatherman and have several of their models and keep a Charge TTi in my work bag. For pocket carry it's a SAK most of the times and sometimes an other small pocket knife.
 
I won't buy any more leatherman products. The quality just isn't there anymore and I never warmed up to the brick like feel of them. I'd rather have a sak and a separate pair of pliers.
 
When I am wanting a new multi-tool, I look at Leatherman first. I have used a Wave for almost ten years. In college it was literally all that was in the tool box.

I really like the Skeletool as well, especially with the 154cm blade.

I highly recommend Leatherman multi-tools.
 
Shotgun said:
I won't buy any more leatherman products. The quality just isn't there anymore and I never warmed up to the brick like feel of them. I'd rather have a sak and a separate pair of pliers.
Click to expand...

I like Leatherman products, think them functional and well made, but have to admit that the last one I bought was 6 years ago, and the rest older than that. Has anything changed since that has affected quality?
 
znapschatz said:
I like Leatherman products, think them functional and well made, but have to admit that the last one I bought was 6 years ago, and the rest older than that. Has anything changed since that has affected quality?
Click to expand...

it is generally agreed that newer Leathermans have worse QC (loose parts, rubbing blades, sharpening problems, bad tolerances and pivot problems that make the handles either too hard to open or too loose and free-moving) and their prices have gone up in almost all models.

It's also very evident a lack of innovation and that they're putting out tools that are but smaller,
downscaled versions of previous ones or nothing original at all, just recycling old ideas and tools

I still love them, and carry them, but don't buy any new LM, only older ones.

0yqEnR6.jpg
 
I had the original leatherman years ago and liked it but like most of my SAKs as a kid, I didn't use anything but the blade and there are better blades out there. Fast forward to about five years ago and I picked up a couple Juice models and placed them around and found them useful a little more often. I would use the screwdriver or scissors, but still didn't carry one daily. Then I grabbed a micro that sat on my keychain for a while until I started wearing scrubs everyday and decided to minimize my keychains mass and dropped the multi-tool. I added back the Gerber Dime because that was the best package in a keychain MT that I found. Eventually though, the bulk got to me and I dropped it.

When I picked up my knife game a little, I did start getting some used leather mans just to give them another try and there are three models that I feel are really well designed. The Wave, the Wingman and the Skeletool. The Wave had most every tool I would use and laid out so I could access without opening the pliers. The Wingman has what I liked about the Wave (accessible tools), improved the scissors and made them accessible without unfolding the pliers, and added the pocket clip. The Skeletool had the tools I use the most (pliers, blade, screwdriver, pocket clip) and nothing else which lightened the weight.

Is the quality as refined as a victorinox, probably not. Have they evolved to give me options that I want and am willing to pay for, yes. The Wave is around the house but rarely carried. The Wingman is in the console of my car. The skeletool gets carried quite a bit.
 
I have owned a lot of Leathermans over the years. Juice CS4, Rebar, Wave, Surge, Charge Ti.... I now own 2 Surges. The thing I like most is the warrantee and having a tool on me all the time that can handle most, spur of the moment tool situations. I have had the Juice, Wave, and surge replaced under the warrantee.

Things I use all the time: Pliers, Scissors, File/Diamond file, bit driver.... Things I use occasionally: Saw, Flat screw drivers, can/bottle opener, sewing awl. The plain edge knife I use when I don't want to damage my good carry knives (for questionable "cutting", my good knives get used for real cutting)., I only use the serrated edge to sharpen pencils since it makes a closer to round tip when done.

I sold all but the surges, which I carry one daily and keep one as back up when I need to send the user in for warrantee replacement or repair. I work in an office/lab environment and still break things at times. The tools are great and I carry that surge on my hip every day.
 
I love Leatherman. I also love the Vic multitools. I kinda look at those as similar to Jeep and Range Rover. Both are supremely capable of doing the job you want. It’s just deciding between the “Rough and Ready” and the “Refined but tough as nails”. You can’t go wrong either way.

That said, I’m not as crazy about SOG and Gerber.
 
October 2017 EDC (still a work in progress)http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/PUAAk4CbOtHRwCi
http://vault.sfu.ca/index.php/s/PUAAk4CbOtHRwCi

Pliers, scissors, knife and tools. What's not to like?

After seeing the new Wave with bits, bit extension and sheath that can hold it all plus a fire steel (prepared mind 101's video). Oh my, what a power pack. Perfect for adventures when you want all your bases covered.

Kinda happy to see this post. I think I've owned this earlier version Wave for ~10 years. It's only just made it out of the portable bicycle repair kit and back on the belt. I think I'm falling back in love.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top