Arc vs wave vs surge vs charge

Arc, Charge, surge, or wave?

  • Arc

    Votes: 15 30.0%

  • Surge

    Votes: 6 12.0%

  • Wave

    Votes: 21 42.0%

  • Charge

    Votes: 8 16.0%
  • Total voters
    50
beeinak said:
I have not noticed any flex, but I admit that I do not crank on them like my Channel-locks.
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Doing some more reading, I think what I was feeling was the inherent looseness in the pivot hinge created by the plastic bushing, which is required for the smooth one-handed opening. I guess ultimately if that becomes an issue (for instance, if the bushings become worn or damaged) I'll have leatherman's excellent warranty to fall back on.
 
I love the arc, but if for nothing else, it definitely beats the wave or any of the other leathermans without the FREE tech. For me, opening with one hand is so handy and also the magnacut blade is a huge upgrade (I think)
 
I carry an s30v or Magnacut blade already, so the blade is less of an attraction to me. It will be a nice backup, but I’d gladly trade it for a prybar/chisel/wire stripper combo tool like the Swisstools have. I know I’m significantly in the minority, there, though.
 
VTer said:
Doing some more reading, I think what I was feeling was the inherent looseness in the pivot hinge created by the plastic bushing, which is required for the smooth one-handed opening. I guess ultimately if that becomes an issue (for instance, if the bushings become worn or damaged) I'll have leatherman's excellent warranty to fall back on.
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Forgive the rant in advance! Their warranty is awesome. I keep a vintage Leatherman in my chainsaw box. Turned out that the kid of my land neighbor broke the blade on it and stuck it back in the box without telling me while we were felling some trees. I wrote to Leatherman letting them know it was over 25 yrs old, and that I did not know what happened. They replaced the blade and I had it back in 2 weeks. I will be a Leatherman customer for life.
 
VTer said:
Finally decided on the Arc and used a gift card and my teacher's discount to order it along with the ratchet driver and a full bit set. Saved over $90.
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you won't regret it! unrelated question, what website did you buy yours on? I didn't know there was a teachers discount and Ive bought on straight from Leatherman and one from blade HQ.
 
Linus Knives said:
you won't regret it! unrelated question, what website did you buy yours on? I didn't know there was a teachers discount and Ive bought on straight from Leatherman and one from blade HQ.
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Leatherman has a 30% discount for teachers. You have to get verified through their third-party verifier, then you can get one 30% off code per year. Takes about 10 minutes. https://www.leatherman.com/teacher-discount.html
 
It’s probably sacrilege to already be thinking about modding my Arc, right? But I stumbled across a #3 scalpel holder mod in a YouTube video that replaces the can opener, swapping it to between the bit driver and saw. An easily replaceable razor sharp utility blade would be so much more useful to me than a can opener…
 
VTer said:
It’s probably sacrilege to already be thinking about modding my Arc, right? But I stumbled across a #3 scalpel holder mod in a YouTube video that replaces the can opener, swapping it to between the bit driver and saw. An easily replaceable razor sharp utility blade would be so much more useful to me than a can opener…
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sounds like fun! I'll have to look into that modification.
 
Here’s the website: Scalpel Blade Holder for Leatherman Arc and Free Series

And an image (let me know if the the image doesn’t show):

20240117_200547.jpg
 
ShaiHulud said:
When I started this thread I just wanted to read opinions, I already had mine established beforehand, if I'm to buy another leatherman it would be the wave, I've bought at least 2, including 1 charge, and a sidekick (all at separate times) and all had issues that couldn't be adjusted away, those were primarily front and back blade play on the knife, on one of them the scissors was so tight it wouldn't disengage the lock, also it was plastered in some kind of gel, still even though I'm incapable of getting a good one I won't bad mouth the company. I will try for a wave again, i just don't know when.
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No offense but I own 17 Leathermans, all users, and never once tested or noticed any blade play. They are meant for cutting crap, but being perfect (most are made from sheet metal which makes them strong, light, and cheap) but they were never meant to represent the quality on a machined knife like a Sebenza. If the scissors are tight, adjust them or send them back. These are tools, meant to be used to the point of being worn out then sent back because of Leatherman’s awesome Lifetime Warranty!
 
Got my Arc in today. Looks and feels great, has great tolerances, the grind on the blade is very even. I had been worried because the demo I handled at Cabella’s had what seemed to me to be excessive flex in the plier pivots, but this has none. It’s great to have all of the tools externally-accessible, and the whole thing is wonderfully compact.

The only disappointment is the sheath, but I suspected as much. I will probably end up using it to hold just the bit kits and ratcheting driver extension and get something nicer for the tool itself. Anyone have experience with the American Bench Craft riveted sheaths?
 
VTer said:
Got my Arc in today. The only disappointment is the sheath, but I suspected as much. I will probably end up using it to hold just the bit kits and ratcheting driver extension and get something nicer for the tool itself. Anyone have experience with the American Bench Craft riveted sheaths?
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I have the American Bench Craft for my old SOG and it's held up well. I got my ARC about a year ago and have just been using the stock sheath because of the bits. You should call (email?) American Bench Craft and ask if they'll make an ARC sheath a bit deeper to accommodate the bits. They probably will by now, the Arc has been pretty popular.
 
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