Multi-Tools (Leatherman)

[Sideways]

I hve a leatherman wave. My second after giving away the first. It's too heavy to keep in your pocket but a great way to take a minimal essential toolkit when travelling and you need to keep weight and size to a minimum. I rate leatherman much higher than Gerber, but have heard good things about the bigger heavier swiss army multitool.
I'm another who finds the Wave's diamond file to be a useful tool but if you're thinking about "every day carry", far and away the most useful tool is a quality small, light pocketknife that you can open, use and put away single handedly. That's the tool that gets used day in, day out more than any other and the ability to open and close it with just one hand makes it far more useful than a swiss army knife.

 

[Trevanion]

far and away the most useful tool is a quality small, light pocketknife that you can open, use and put away single handedly.

That's why I wouldn't swap it for my Milwaukee Fastback Gen 1, the ability to flick it open and closed is an absolute lifesaver sometimes. Although I think if I was stop searched with it on my person they would throw the book at me and then some for having a gravity opening knife that also locks, I think the only ground I would have to stand on is that it's a Stanley type knife and not a blade and I DO use it for my work day in day out.

 

[flying haggis]

I also have a no name multi tool that goes in the luggage along with the swiss army knife (if only just for the corkscrew!!)
PS to trevanion Lidl have a multi tool version in stock at the moment if you want to try out the concept and it wont break the bank

PS i bought one of the Lidl ones just out of curiosity

ok it is not a leatherman but I shall keep it in the car and for under six quid....and with a 3 year guarantee!

 

[Trevanion]

It's been just over two months now so I thought I would report back on my opinion: It's good.



Wait, you wanted more information? Fine...

It's been very handy to have in the holster pocket day to day and it has definitely helped me out many times in the past couple of months. The pliers are a perfect balance between being nimble enough for some precise holding and being man enough to grip down on something well. I haven't had much use out of the wire cutters but they work well enough and chew through pretty much anything. The smooth blade is now my go-to for sharpening my pencils, never again will I have to put up with a dull stanley knife blade trying to tear off pieces of pencil to get it sharper, a couple of swipes with the razor-sharp blade in the Leatherman and it's back to marking out. The serrated knife looks a little worse for wear as I cut a piece of linoleum with it which had some sort of fibres in it, the blade did the job but it's all scratched too hell now. Haven't really used the wood saw, Diamond file is indispensable. Screwdriver has saved me a few times from having to walk 500 miles to the nearest screwdriver and walking back 500 more just to be the man to walk a 1000 miles to put that door handle on your door. Scissors has also been quite handy.

All in all, happy chappy.

 

[Robbo3]

Thanks Trevanion.
I see this week, Aldi are selling a version for £6.99

 

[marcros]

far and away the most useful tool is a quality small, light pocketknife that you can open, use and put away single handedly.

That's why I wouldn't swap it for my Milwaukee Fastback Gen 1, the ability to flick it open and closed is an absolute lifesaver sometimes. Although I think if I was stop searched with it on my person they would throw the book at me and then some for having a gravity opening knife that also locks, I think the only ground I would have to stand on is that it's a Stanley type knife and not a blade and I DO use it for my work day in day out.

I agree with this actually. I have a Leatherman wave but also the bessey version of the fastback. Mine lacks the hook on the back which I assume is for opening packaging.

 

[Suffolkboy]

When I started reading this thread I was thinking how I was going to tell you how useful my leatherman is and how it is always in my pocket and it has gotten me out of a pickle on more than one occasion.

It's a bit like triggers broom, it's been posted back to Leatherman and been fixed free of charge twice in it's life time (heavy handed buffon)

But then I read you already have one and not only that you have taken the time to review it!

Feels like the wind has been taken out of my sails a bit.

 

[Trevanion]

7 Months or so in...

I've had it out of my pocket for one day in that time, and it was one of the most annoying days I've ever had. It's daft how mindlessly handy it's become that you don't really think about it until it's not there.

Take a lid off a can of paint? Leatherman.
Loosen off a screw without running across the workshop for a screwdriver? Leatherman.
Try and handle something a bit hot to touch with your hands? Leatherman.
Tighten up that screw on your spectacles? Leatherman
Cut that little bit of wire or cable? Leatherman.
Open a bottle of bitter at the end of the long working day? Leatherman.

I'm a convert.

 

[adidat]

very rarely do i go anywhere without my surge!

Adidat

 

[HappyHacker]

To add my 2penyworth.

I have had a couple of imitation leatherman tools and they have been crap and risky to use. A friend, a builder, has a Leatherman on his belt always and uses it all the time.

My favourite tool was a lock knife on my belt but I kept on forgetting to remove it when going shopping in my work clothes so risked a talk with the police. The ability to take it out of the sheath open it with one hand and fold it and put it back in the sheath with one hand was very useful.

Now I usually have a small Swiss arm knife in my pocket and take the large one when I go on holiday in my luggage. I find the knife to be the tool I use most with the bottle opener and corkscrew rescuing a few parties. Although it is a pain having to use both hands to open it and closing it with one hand is potentially painful if you are holding it the wrong way around.

 

[Rorschach]

very rarely do i go anywhere without my surge!

Adidat

Make sure you have a good reason in case you are stopped by the police

 

[Lons]

The kids bought me a Leatherman Rebar for Christmas and I love it. Compared to my old cheapie the quality is exceptional and feels much more solid than the Victorinox I've got kicking around somewhere, underused!

 

[Rorschach]

The kids bought me a Leatherman Rebar for Christmas and I love it. Compared to my old cheapie the quality is exceptional and feels much more solid than the Victorinox I've got kicking around somewhere, underused!

I have a rebar (and many others) and think it is probably the most low quality of their tools so that really says something about the victorinox etc.

 

[Lons]

The kids bought me a Leatherman Rebar for Christmas and I love it. Compared to my old cheapie the quality is exceptional and feels much more solid than the Victorinox I've got kicking around somewhere, underused!

I have a rebar (and many others) and think it is probably the most low quality of their tools so that really says something about the victorinox etc.

Really? I'm shocked at that as I'm impressed by the build quality, it is the first Leatherman tool I've owned though.

If that is the case I'll be having a word with the sprogs....bl**dy cheapskates :lol: :lol: :lol:

Edit:
Just looked it up and the going rate is around £70 so maybe I'll let them off, this time. :wink:

 

[Rorschach]

I'm not saying the Rebar is bad as such, but compared to tools like the Surge or Wave it is definitely a bit more rough around the edges. Then again, it's about 2/3rd the price so to be expected really.
I have not handled a victorinox or a gerber for comparison.

My wave is my favourite, really nice quality. The Rebar I do like but it lives in the car with my emergency kit. I did swap the jaws out though as the rebar jaws are much better than the wave jaws. On the newer version of the wave I notice they use the rebar jaws anyway, but I have had mine almost 10 years.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I have one somewhere that's about twenty years old. I hardly ever used it as the one thing I used the most - the knife - was useless. I didn't rate them at all.

 

[Trevanion]

14 months in and having got used to having it on my side and being aware of its use for small tasks rather than mindlessly walking off to get a tool for the job, it's become an absolutely priceless piece of equipment!

No idea how much time it actually saves but probably a fair bit.