Current Leatherman build quality Q

The box is for the one on the right which is my user. I haven't touched the other one yet.I use it pretty hard but not all the time.The only fault I found in this model is if you drop it with the blade open the blade stop that is punched into the blade cracks off. Thats what happened to my last one that I had to warranty.
 
I owned an original PST in the 90's and gave it away because it was just too stiff at all the pivots. Lubrication did not seem to help. It worked fine once I got it open, but I did not like struggling with it, so I gave it away in 1997.

Several years later I bought a Wave and I like it a lot. The design is an improvement for my needs, and the operation is superior to the PST I used to own.
 
I have one that was left to me and also got another one recently for Christmas- both seem the same- maybe the new one has tighter tolerances?
 
I've had two Leathermans, and had rust issues with both of them. One of them, my Wave, kept developing rust that I had to work to stay on top of, despite it never being near much moisture. I also had a Leatherman Juice that I bought for my girlfriend to take to Africa, around 2002. This was a semi-arid inland country, and it was not used much. When she got back, it just sat unused in a drawer for a couple years until I pulled it out again. It was completely full of rust and I could hardly move any of the tools. Again, this knife saw hardly any use or moisture.

I was very disappointed.

The best multi-tool I've had has been the Victorinox Spirit. The fit and finish is the best out of any multitool I've tried, in my opinion, and Victorinox stainless steel seems as rust-proof as they come. I prefer the model with the old-style SAK spearpoint blade and not the semi-serrated blade.
 
I would say that any company can make a dud once in a while, it's in the nature of an industrialized product. So more then probably, there's no need to fret if you are going to get a defective unit instead of a good one.

That was yesterday. This morning I went out for some equipment that my PSK was missing, and at the store they had a few of LM's products. Recently I saw Nuntnfancy's review of the Squirt S4 and got very interested, since it could be a great replacement for my Micra as an EDC MT. The store was basically out of LM's products, but still had 2 Skeletools (would have been perfect if they only had scissors) and 2 Squirts S4.

I asked to handle the Squirts and with both you couldn't close the pliers into the handle if the pliers had the jaws open - if opened, the tip of the jaws gets under/in front of the screwdrivers and will not close. I asked the salesman about it and he said he remembered another one that he sold that also did that, but the guy who took it didn't mind
hmm-1.gif
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I have a Wave coming and now I'm pretty worried, since it was an eBay buy and it would be totally unpractical to return it if it does come flawed :(.
 
LUW said:
I have a Wave coming and now I'm pretty worried, since it was an eBay buy and it would be totally unpractical to return it if it does come flawed :(.
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Did you buy it new or used off of eBay. If you are buying it new, it should be returnable. If you bouhgt it used and dont like it, PM me.. BTW, both of my PSTs are the same way. The pliers have to be closed to close the tool.
 
LUW said:
I have a Wave coming and now I'm pretty worried, since it was an eBay buy and it would be totally unpractical to return it if it does come flawed :(.
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New or used, if there is something wrong with the Wave, send it to Leatherman . They fix all, no questions asked.
 
As I said, it would be a hassle for me to return it, because I'm here in Brazil :(. What I would spend on shipping would basically be the price of a new one, so I'll be stuck with it.
 
LUW said:
As I said, it would be a hassle for me to return it, because I'm here in Brazil :(. What I would spend on shipping would basically be the price of a new one, so I'll be stuck with it.
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Sorry, I didn't understand your situation :o. Good luck to you.
 
The problem with the Charge/Wave etc. not closing properly is often (always?) due to a screwdriver bit getting in the way of the pliers.

If you have it with the phillips head side sticking out of teh bit holder you may have trouble but if you swap ends so the flat blade is the one exposed, it will close no problem.

With the Bit Kit, half the bits will let the tool close properly everytime, half may cause it to catch sometimes.

Hope that helps someone! :)
 
IMHO LM Blast that I have and LM Kick I had are not upto my old and still like new LM Pulse. Also the new Micra seems to be... inferior one I bought over 10 years ago. Maybe its just me...
 
stevenkelby said:
The problem with the Charge/Wave etc. not closing properly is often (always?) due to a screwdriver bit getting in the way of the pliers.

If you have it with the phillips head side sticking out of teh bit holder you may have trouble but if you swap ends so the flat blade is the one exposed, it will close no problem.

With the Bit Kit, half the bits will let the tool close properly everytime, half may cause it to catch sometimes.

Hope that helps someone! :)
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This is absolutely true, I found that my LM Surge would catch if I did not make sure to fully push in one of the internal tools after use. After forcing it back open a few times, I figured it out. Moot point now though, its broken in well enough that it never gets stuck anymore. The LM Charge AL I got to replace it works perfect though, smooth as butter, love that thing. :thumbup:
 
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