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Charge Ti Scissors
- Thread starter Will
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2001
- Messages
- 887
Not really. I don't think they are much better...
S.
S.
I just got a Charge Ti yesterday and I love the scissors, I also have the old Wave and Yes the scissors on the Charge are smaller, I think they work better. They are very sharp and the spring action is great! I think Leatherman took a hard look at what the Scissors are used for and they come up with a design that fits most Multi tool uses. I suggest you get a charge and see for yourself. The only thing I don't like about the Charge is the Bit Driver, the bits are just to small and square. All in all it is still a major improvement over the old Wave.
I thought the ones on my classic wave were ok, but the SAK ones are better.
The ones on the Charge TI are about 60% the size, they seem to cut ok, but they are pretty underwhelming.
I'm not so sure the Charge TI is a good purchase. I don't like having to change bits to get to the next driver blade. Besides that you NEED to carry the little carrier in your sheath, or the multitool is severely hampered in its usefulness. When you do that, it makes the whole sheath package stick out more so it gets caught on things.
So here is my short list of pros and cons after two weeks:
+ better blades
+ better one handed opening.
+ Less twisthing of body.
+ no clumping.
+ moving parts work much better.
+ Locking blades in all positions (YES! FINALLY!)
- much worse screwdrivers.
- Screwdriver depth is not enough.
- you have to change bits to change screwdrivers.
- What the heck were they thinking when they added this tiny eyeglasses driver? I need a multitool for that?????!!
- Scissors are tiny - approaching toy category.
- grind on non serrated blade is poor. sharper in some places than in others.
- ruler is next to worthless. It is on the inside of the tool and difficult to use in a straight line fashion. You really need to apply the object to be measured to the tool instead of the other other way around. This needs to be on the outside of the tool.
I noticed that the new Wave will have the same blade set up as the TI. If I were looking for one, i would get the old wave first.
I'm pretty underwhelmed with the TI.
I'm thinking the XTI is a better choice since the scissors are just play things and with the XTI you get a better choice of blades sans scissors.
J
The ones on the Charge TI are about 60% the size, they seem to cut ok, but they are pretty underwhelming.
I'm not so sure the Charge TI is a good purchase. I don't like having to change bits to get to the next driver blade. Besides that you NEED to carry the little carrier in your sheath, or the multitool is severely hampered in its usefulness. When you do that, it makes the whole sheath package stick out more so it gets caught on things.
So here is my short list of pros and cons after two weeks:
+ better blades
+ better one handed opening.
+ Less twisthing of body.
+ no clumping.
+ moving parts work much better.
+ Locking blades in all positions (YES! FINALLY!)
- much worse screwdrivers.
- Screwdriver depth is not enough.
- you have to change bits to change screwdrivers.
- What the heck were they thinking when they added this tiny eyeglasses driver? I need a multitool for that?????!!
- Scissors are tiny - approaching toy category.
- grind on non serrated blade is poor. sharper in some places than in others.
- ruler is next to worthless. It is on the inside of the tool and difficult to use in a straight line fashion. You really need to apply the object to be measured to the tool instead of the other other way around. This needs to be on the outside of the tool.
I noticed that the new Wave will have the same blade set up as the TI. If I were looking for one, i would get the old wave first.
I'm pretty underwhelmed with the TI.
I'm thinking the XTI is a better choice since the scissors are just play things and with the XTI you get a better choice of blades sans scissors.
J
I was very tempted to get a Charge, but the idea of lugging around extra bits turns me off. Granted I only use standard drivers 95% of the time.
Also, many people have commented that the bits are too short... this should be easy for LM to fix.
I'm waiting to see more opinions and real-world tests of the charge.
I'm currently using a SOG PowerLock which I re-arranged and added some things...
Keep those Charge reviews coming! Soon this forum will have more practical info than the LM site or any other site.
Also, many people have commented that the bits are too short... this should be easy for LM to fix.
I'm waiting to see more opinions and real-world tests of the charge.
I'm currently using a SOG PowerLock which I re-arranged and added some things...
Keep those Charge reviews coming! Soon this forum will have more practical info than the LM site or any other site.
I checked out the Charge in the store today, and the model I looked at was defected. The scissors had a burr on one of the blades that prevented them from closing. I looked at another model, which worked, and it overall feels smoother, and beefier than Wave. The tools open more easily and don't clump. (Mind you I don't have any problems opening the tools on my Wave, or it's beefiness, so these are not reasons to upgrade.) The scissors are smaller, and have a stronger spring in them, but somehow don't feel as refined as the SAK ones. I can't tell whether they are really any better at cutting than the ones on Wave. THe salesman told me that the dimond file is suppose to be better; that the diamond dust is better adhered to the file. He also told me that you are suppose to use it wet to preserve it. Anyone ever heard of that?
I really like the idea of the pocket clip, and it seems the bits give the tool added versitlity, but others claim the bits are not as good as the drivers on the Wave. Could be, but having more drivers seems convenient. Overall I am not sure it is worth the upgrade yet. My Wave does everything I want, but I really just want a new toy, so who knows...maybe if I can sell my Wave...
Will
I really like the idea of the pocket clip, and it seems the bits give the tool added versitlity, but others claim the bits are not as good as the drivers on the Wave. Could be, but having more drivers seems convenient. Overall I am not sure it is worth the upgrade yet. My Wave does everything I want, but I really just want a new toy, so who knows...maybe if I can sell my Wave...
Will
Don't sell your old Wave because the new Wave has the same tool configuration as the Charge TI. I have both, just got the TI and I'm thinking of selling it and switching over to the XTI.
The scissors are pretty tiny, I'm not sure how useful they will be. They are reasonably tough though. I'm willing to bet the reason the ones you saw didn't work right was someone trying to cut something that dinged the blade.
I just don't get why they waste the blade space on the tiny glasses screwdriver - that's sort of like using a tractor tool to do brain surgery. Seems to me its going to do in a lot of glasses by stripping the screw heads.
The other thing that I think is a waste is the bottle/can opener. I would rather have a good awl like on the juice series or maybe another fixed screwdriver blade.
There has to be a better use for both of these blades.
But, I still have my old Wave - there is much I don't like about it (twisty body, clumping tools, no locking interior blades, no ruler), but when its gone, the new one has the same screwed up blade set up as the TI.
The fact of the matter is that you HAVE to carry the bit carrier with the TI/XTI or you won't have the right scewdriver blades. When you stuff the whole mess in the carrier, it makes the package stick out farther so it is easily caught on things as you walk by.
But, it is stiffer, it does have all locking blades, the one handed knives are much better, the file is much better.
J
The scissors are pretty tiny, I'm not sure how useful they will be. They are reasonably tough though. I'm willing to bet the reason the ones you saw didn't work right was someone trying to cut something that dinged the blade.
I just don't get why they waste the blade space on the tiny glasses screwdriver - that's sort of like using a tractor tool to do brain surgery. Seems to me its going to do in a lot of glasses by stripping the screw heads.
The other thing that I think is a waste is the bottle/can opener. I would rather have a good awl like on the juice series or maybe another fixed screwdriver blade.
There has to be a better use for both of these blades.
But, I still have my old Wave - there is much I don't like about it (twisty body, clumping tools, no locking interior blades, no ruler), but when its gone, the new one has the same screwed up blade set up as the TI.
The fact of the matter is that you HAVE to carry the bit carrier with the TI/XTI or you won't have the right scewdriver blades. When you stuff the whole mess in the carrier, it makes the package stick out farther so it is easily caught on things as you walk by.
But, it is stiffer, it does have all locking blades, the one handed knives are much better, the file is much better.
J
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2004
- Messages
- 1,675
How much lighter is the Charge than the Wave?
I like carring my Wave, but it's too heavy for an active teen.
I like carring my Wave, but it's too heavy for an active teen.
My beef with the tiny screwdriver is that there is a whole blade slot wasted on it. The mechanism to hold this little thing is huge in comparison. I would think THAT would have been a good thing to make as an extra blade and put an awl, another screwdriver big socket or some other more useful blade in the same spot. Failing all that, put the little scewdriver in the tool the same way that SAK does with toothpicks and tweezers. It just seems to be that with a tool that has so few blades, it would have been better to use that slot for a more general purpose tool - like a real phillips driver bit like on the old Wave (instead of the sort of crippled phillilps driver bit that has shortened wings on one side).d
Also, the bottle opener could have been done how the Swisstool does it as a supplement to the large fixed screwdriver blade.
The ruler is not a good implementation either. I would like it much better if the ruler were on the outside of the tool so that one would have the option of applying the tool to the object to be measured and being able to configure the handles to get a double length ruler. As it is, one must (mostly) apply the object to be tested to the tool - limiting its utility.
I may be wrong and maybe these are the tools and bits that one really needs. I think they started off with a great idea and then it got sort of overcome by medocrity. Anyhow, I truly hope I'm wrong on this - I would love to love this tool.
J
Also, the bottle opener could have been done how the Swisstool does it as a supplement to the large fixed screwdriver blade.
The ruler is not a good implementation either. I would like it much better if the ruler were on the outside of the tool so that one would have the option of applying the tool to the object to be measured and being able to configure the handles to get a double length ruler. As it is, one must (mostly) apply the object to be tested to the tool - limiting its utility.
I may be wrong and maybe these are the tools and bits that one really needs. I think they started off with a great idea and then it got sort of overcome by medocrity. Anyhow, I truly hope I'm wrong on this - I would love to love this tool.
J
It is a tough call designing these multi-tools. Just look in your buddy's toolbox and see what he has in there compared to yours. Everyone has a different opinion and varying occasions to use varying things.
I only use an eyeglass screwdriver a few times a year, but every time I have needed one I couldn't find mine and had to buy another one. Now I have about four of them floating around someplace and can't find any of them. At least with this tool I can stop buying any more of those things.
Manual can openers are things I need every two or three years, and it is the same story - have to pick up a new one.
If it was up to me, I would have probably omitted the eyeglass screwdriver, can opener and flat screwdriver in favor of a couple bit sockets that use standard-size bits. But then I would have to be buying more eyeglass screwdrivers and can openers down the road.
I only use an eyeglass screwdriver a few times a year, but every time I have needed one I couldn't find mine and had to buy another one. Now I have about four of them floating around someplace and can't find any of them. At least with this tool I can stop buying any more of those things.
Manual can openers are things I need every two or three years, and it is the same story - have to pick up a new one.
If it was up to me, I would have probably omitted the eyeglass screwdriver, can opener and flat screwdriver in favor of a couple bit sockets that use standard-size bits. But then I would have to be buying more eyeglass screwdrivers and can openers down the road.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2001
- Messages
- 887
I'd like to see Leatherman came out with a bit that would fit in small driver that was an awl/large sewing needle.
S.
S.
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2002
- Messages
- 628
I love my Charge Ti, and it's can/bottle opener. The small bit driver is nice too, although more bits would be cool. Torx bits would be a nice addition to fill out the extra spaces in the bit holder. I have that "pliers do not clamp together fully problem, but can't think of somethin' that this would hamper. Has this been a problem for any one other than aestheticly? Overall, The Charge suits me well, and the sheath is great, although I am waiting to see if the horizontal carry loops will go the distance, as this is my preferred carry method. 