Any Leatherman Owners?

[stioc]

speed bump, are you the one that posted about the EDC forum in one of the posts here? If so you're exclusively to be blamed for my latest obsession lol can you post how you carry your EDC? I want to carry a couple of useful things in a very discrete way, i can't have a murse hanging off my belt

 

[boiler7904]

I've had a Leatherman Sideclip for a couple of years. It generally stays in the console of my truck. Tends to get a work out each fall when I work on the farm.

 

[mkdive]

I have the titanium Charge by leatherman, as well as a couple of the Gerber multipliers. I have always had a preference for the front opening of the Gerbers...but for the last year or so I have been carrying the leatherman, and haven't looked back. The only downside of the Gerber to me is the pinch hazard, I have on more than one occasion pinched the **** out of my hand between the handles as the tool slipped off what ever I was gripping. I have never had that happen with the leathermen. Both are handy as hell and I wouldn't leave home with out them.

 

[Norton155]

I had a leatherman my brother in law gave me for standing up at his and my sister's wedding eight years ago. Used it a lot until a few weeks ago. My truck got broken into and it along with about $500 worth of tools got stolen. I definately plan on getting another one, hopefully Santa checks this forum.

 

[speed bump]

speed bump, are you the one that posted about the EDC forum in one of the posts here? If so you're exclusively to be blamed for my latest obsession lol can you post how you carry your EDC? I want to carry a couple of useful things in a very discrete way, i can't have a murse hanging off my belt

No I didn't even know about the EDC forums until someone else here posted. I went over there and checked it out but how I carry most of my stuff and what I do with it didn't seem to mesh to well with culture over there.

I carry one set of keys, my thumb drive and buck knife in one pocket along with my change. In the other pocket I have my pen, light, crescent and work keys. I carry my leatherman in the stock case on my belt. I don't have a cell phone so that really frees up the pocket space. You can kind of see the layout from the picture below

When I am trying to be really discrete with my stuff I ussually don't carry the flashlight or the crescent or the second set of keys and I put my leatherman in my pocket. If I had to have a dressier look everyday I would probably invest in one of the penlights that actually looks like a pen and one of those Juice or whatever there called Leathermans that seem more at home being carried in a pocket than the wave.

 

[stioc]

Speed bump, I felt the same way about the EDC forum (for those like me, EDC stands for Every Day Carry [items]). There are people there that carry full combat style gear with glocks and Rambo knives. The LED lights they carry range from $50-100+ I think everyone's trying to be James Bond

It's a good idea though, a decent flash-light and a good multi-tool should do it for me (and most) though. A small adjustable wrench, a pen, a small notebook, a small pack of band-aid type stuff are nice to have and will be about the limit without carrying the dreaded murse (man-purse)

What brand adjustable wrench is that? it's tiny next to the pen. The wave looks pretty small too. I think I'm getting the Wave for $55 from amazon, a stylus pro pen style light for $20.

Norton, sorry to hear about the break-in, that happened to me once and it was upsetting. Hope you get your toolbox restocked soon. Looks like you can't go wrong with the leatherman's Surge, Core, Charge, Wave, Skel are all highly recommended based on the reviews I've thread on Google.

 

[speed bump]

Its an old old old crescent brand thats headed to be a keepsake as soon get around to getting a Klein or Channellock.

As far as the size of the wave its not bad but its kind of bulky to carry in your pocket.

 

[Diesel-Mech]

I have had a few Leatherman Multi tools but since being introduced to Gerber by a coworker they are now my preference.

 

[stioc]

I have had a few Leatherman Multi tools but since being introduced to Gerber by a coworker they are now my preference.

Can you please list some of the advantages of the Gerber over the Leatherman and the particular model you have?

I'm telling myselt that a multitool is a multitool as long as the quality is good it should meet my needs for carrying one on a daily basis and camping - which is where it'll mostly be used. The only thing I prefer is having longer blades and lot of the knock-offs use small and flimsy blades.

 

[Diesel-Mech]

Can you please list some of the advantages of the Gerber over the Leatherman and the particular model you have?

I'm telling myselt that a multitool is a multitool as long as the quality is good it should meet my needs for carrying one on a daily basis and camping - which is where it'll mostly be used. The only thing I prefer is having longer blades and lot of the knock-offs use small and flimsy blades.

I have a Gerber 800 and a Gerber suspension, the last leatherman I had was the Super tool multi-tool. Some of the advantages of the 800 over the Super tool are.
1. Everything but the pliers are accessible with the tool closed.
2. With the tool open the parts of the handle that your fingers and palm grasp
while using the pliers are smooth and comfortable.
3. The plies are spring loaded to stay open.
4. The carbide cutting teeth on the pliers have 3 sides and are replaceable.
5. There is a lock system to prevent any of the tools from closing while using.
6. It has a actual Phillips head driver on it.
7. The blade is long enough to be useful and holds a edge well.
Over all the 800 feels Incredibly robust and has put up with me abusing it for 6 years with it failing me in any way. I received the Suspension as a gift and although I have not used it much I suspect it will hold up as well as the 800 has.

 

[KraftwerkMk1Jetta]

I use my Leatherman "Kick" nearly everyday at work. I never leave home without it.

 

[dwilliams35]

I have a Gerber 800 and a Gerber suspension, the last leatherman I had was the Super tool multi-tool. Some of the advantages of the 800 over the Super tool are.
1. Everything but the pliers are accessible with the tool closed.
2. With the tool open the parts of the handle that your fingers and palm grasp
while using the pliers are smooth and comfortable.
3. The plies are spring loaded to stay open.
4. The carbide cutting teeth on the pliers have 3 sides and are replaceable.
5. There is a lock system to prevent any of the tools from closing while using.
6. It has a actual Phillips head driver on it.
7. The blade is long enough to be useful and holds a edge well.
Over all the 800 feels Incredibly robust and has put up with me abusing it for 6 years with it failing me in any way. I received the Suspension as a gift and although I have not used it much I suspect it will hold up as well as the 800 has.

Modern Leatherman tools have pretty much fixed the items of your list that were real problems: I have one gerber and probably four or five assorted leathermans: the gerber stays in the drawer I threw it in when I broke one of the jaws off the pliers. The new models Leatherman has have smooth handles, actual phillips drivers (although I don't remember anything but a Micra NOT having an actual phillips) and locking tools. It's a lot of personal preference, but Gerber really kinda pissed in their cheerios with me when that jaw broke under nothing but hand pressure.

 

[stioc]

I ended up ordering the Leatherman New Wave from Amazon for $56 or so. I also ordered a Gerber LED keychain flashlight.

 

[rhandwor]

Some of the newer ones use a torx plus tamper to tighten the blade. Use ebay and type in torx plus they sell little screwdrivers for this.
http://www.autopart.com/tools/toolsmain/tool/T_9680.htm This is a decent set for a good price. Or search SK 84231

 

[TejasBimmer]

Super Tool, was my first Leatherman...bought it 1996.
I used and abused it...still have it...a little loose, broken....
Back then I was the ME for our Injection Molding, Painting Dept's.
And managed the machine shop...I put my Leatherman to great use.

But now, I am more of a desk jockey and more design and implementation than getting into stuff and making it work...so I really have not need to find a replacement.
But I have been eyeing the Surge.

 

[plinker]

I bought a Schrade tough tool four years ago (when they were still US made).

Some of the best $45 I've ever spent.

 

[stioc]

Just an update: I just got my Leatherman New Wave and my Gerber Tempo LED light.

Leatherman: Wow, the construction is really solid. It's hefty though, there's no way I can carry it on my key ring or even in my dress pants pocket - that's the only downside. Some of the blades are hard to open too, with use they should loosen up.

Gerber Tempo: Small and nice 1 AAA battery light not much bigger than the battery itself. The only thing I don't like is that it turns on and off by twisting the top which can accidentally happen on the keyring.

 

[Skyline]

For those that mentioned that they have old, broken or worn Leathermans, all you need to do is send it back to them. As mentioned above, they have a 25 yr warrantee. They will return it to you good as new. I sent in two that had broken blades, (definately from misuse), but were repaired free without a problem. I think satisfied customers are more important to them that dickering about the cause of a broken tool. You really gotta love customer service like this.

 

[Frank Elson]

Another Gerber owner here. Lived on my belt for the past ten years or so. On my left, with my Swiss Army knife on my right.

 

[TejasBimmer]

For those that mentioned that they have old, broken or worn Leathermans, all you need to do is send it back to them. As mentioned above, they have a 25 yr warrantee. They will return it to you good as new. I sent in two that had broken blades, (definately from misuse), but were repaired free without a problem. I think satisfied customers are more important to them that dickering about the cause of a broken tool. You really gotta love customer service like this.

**** == I guess, I bought my new Surge this past Sunday.
I think I will resend my Super Tool back in and get it fixed...thanks for the info!

 

[Frank Elson]

Gerber also do a lifetime warrantee. Send your broken one in and they'll send you another one back. No repair, a new replacement.