The Rebar has some serious pliers in a smaller package. The main thing is that it is smaller and lighter in weight, and carried on my belt in a Leatherman sheath is (mostly) not noticeable. Vic quality is, of course, second to none, but I am not sure why there are so many unfavorable comments about Rebar quality. Mine seems to be good enough for most purposes, although I do need a backup for scissors, which is supplied by a Vic Manager carried in my watch pocket (I wear jeans 99%.) Leatherman quality tends to be iffy, but in the more than six years I've owned it, my Rebar has retained its fit and finish quite well. Also, depending on which model you own, it has both plain and serrated blades.
Ah, gotcha. I read your post as saying that the Vics lacked some of the tools compared to the Rebar. As far as needing an SAK for scissors, I don't personally count that as a knock against the Rebar. I carry an Explorer Plus in my pocket regardless for some of its tools. Plus as much as I like the Spirit overall, I find the new design of scissors that they used on it to be absolutely terrible so to me a backup is necessary even though it has what is apparently supposed to be a scissors. On the plain+serrated blade, I know that's available on the Swisstool RS, but I'm not sure about the Spirit.
It isn't that I question the reports of Rebar being less well made than Vic, but my experience with it may be unique. I first discovered the tool at Amazon, thought it looked like Just The Thing, so I ordered one. While waiting for it to be delivered, I happened to be at Dick's, which had a Rebar on display, so I asked to handle it, and was alarmed at what I found. The sample was rough, getting the tools out was sticky or near impossible, and my heart sank. Why was I so impulsive as to buying one unexamined before actually trying one out at a store that was selling them? I waited with trepidation for the mail order Rebar, and when the package was finally delivered, opened it with dread. Well, unlike the one at Dick's, the sample I got from Amazon was perfect. Six + years later, it's still perfect, and if anything, even smoother than when it was new. I have no idea of why Dick's put such a crummy sample on display, but dumb luck worked in my favor, for once. Maybe I should have just accepted but not generalized about my particular Rebar. Apologies to all.
No apologies needed as far as I'm concerned. Lots of people use the forum as a source of information to decide on purchases. For that to be most valuable they need all sides of the story. What people liked about a model and what others didn't. If a particular product has issues they need to know about them but they also need to know if there are examples out there that don't have the problems. That way if something looks like just what they want, they can make an educated decision on whether they should order online, check different examples in person until they find a good one or look for a different model all together because of some issue that they find unacceptable that seems to affect all of the model they were researching. That yours has been awesome for you is just as important for someone researching a new multitool to know as anyone else's less favorable impressions of the rebar. The more points of view, the more it helps people build a better picture of what to expect from a tool based on their own needs and wants.
For the record, my Rebar doesn't seem to have any of the serious problems others have found either.
The irony, for me, is those in the thread holding the wave to a higher standard ocer the Rebar is that I have had more issues with sticking tools and lost bits on my outside opening LM tools like the Wave and Surge than I ever have had with my Rebar/ST.
I can't say that I've ever had much problem with sticking tools on anything except in circumstances that would affect any of my multitools regardless of design, like water freezing in it. Then again a lot of what I do involves working in and around one form of oil or another, so my multitools generally get a lot more incidental lubrication than most get intentional lubrication. I probably wouldn't ever need to actually spend time oiling my pivots, but I still do occasionally. As far as losing bits, I don't think that's a fair comparison since you're comparing models with a bit driver to those without. It's tough to lose bits on a tool that doesn't have any, plus the bit driver is an inside folding tool anyway, much to my personal chagrin.
I will give Vic props all day long in terms of fit and finish. I'm 100% with y'all there. I have just not found the extra expense worth it for me to invest in one. I use my MT hard. I get it ridiculously dirty. I may twist with a driver that is too small and chip it out. When I get home I hose out the mud. I sharpen the blade if it needs it and oil the pivots. I will take the chipped screwdriver to the grinder and turn it into a slightly shorter, thicker, stronger one. For me, the basic LM tools just fit my rough and tumble work style better for what I pay for the tools. Plus I have never had LM deny a tool I sent to them for warranty work. I think thats been 2 times in 20 years over 30 tools.
The extra expense of the Vics is a major sticking point. Everyone has to make up their own mind on whether it's worth it to them and there are really no wrong answers.
For what it's worth, I'm a rancher who uses tools hard as well and I've never had my Vics come up short in that respect. Getting ridiculously dirty is actually an area where the Vics really shine. All those polished surfaces clean up super easy when you're done. That's why most professional mechanics use more expensive, highly polished wrenches instead of something with a rougher finish. It's not about the bling, it's about the clean up afterwards. They can be slippery as heck though. I slipped and cut myself pretty badly cutting heavy PE pipe working on a water line a few years ago because I wasn't careful enough.
All told, I think Leatherman is an awesome American company with generally great products and first class customer service. I really want to find one that suits my personal uses as well as my Vics to support that. I just haven't yet. I'm going to keep trying though.
