Differences between leatherman wave/charge

Artfully Martial

Artfully Martial

Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
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I've been looking at adding a multitool to my growing collection and to replace my ollll SAK cybertool. The Leatherman wave has caught my eye, and I might sort of be able to afford it. I really don't care that the Charge is titanium-I have a titanium 560C, and it scratches too easily for me. In any case, I know that the Charge is in 154 CM, but I can't seem to find out what steel makes up the Wave. They seem to be very similar, but I see different screw-driver bits. I mostly use the screwdriver on my SAK, so this is pretty important to me.

Anyone help me with the differences on these? Personal experiences?
 
The new Wave is quite a bit different than the old one. The tools are one-at-a-time unlike the old one where you'd try to pull out one and they'd all come out. Plus, they all lock. Instead of the phillips driver, you get the bit holder, but just the one bit. They also put phosphor bronze washers in the blade pivots to make things smoother.

There's 2 Charges, the Ti and the XTi. The differences between the two can be seen on their website. Assuming you're looking at the Ti (which keeps the scissors, but only has 1 bit holder), it's very similar to the new Wave. I can tell you that the handles are much more comfortable with the Charge when using the blades, since they're thicker and rounded off (the Wave digs into your hand). Don't worry much about the titanium scratching much, since they're orangepeeled and'll hide scratches well.

The biggest differences though between the Wave and the Charge are the the main blade and the pocket clip. The pocket clip FINALLY lets you carry your leatherman as an EDC without requireing the sheath or having it bounce around awkwardly in the bottom of your pocket. And of course, the main blade is made from premium 154CM. All the other tools made by leatherman (regardless of model) are junko-quality 420J :barf: (except the interchangable bits, which are S2 tool steel). OK for light use blades and other tools, but if you're carrying the knife as an EDC (again, thanks to the pocket clip), the 154CM is a huge boon.

Plus, with the charges, you get an excellent 4 position sheath (normal vertical plus horizontal) sheath that not only holds the knife, but also the bit holder with a bunch of bits. The bit kit is extra with the Wave (and buying the Wave with the bit kit costs about the same as a Charge :rolleyes: ).

I chose the Charge XTi over the Ti because I already have scissors on my Squirt S4 that I keep on the keyring. I don't carry my Charge like a knife though, it stays in the sheath and I keep it in my backpack.
 
Darn. It sounds awesome, but it's simply out of my price range right now. I'll definitely wait to get the Charge if I do eventually buy a new multitool at all. Any other recommendations for a guy who actually uses the screwdriver bits and pliers?
 
The Victorinox SwissTool Spirit gets pretty glowing reviews. No pocket clip though, if that matters.

In addition to my regular knives, I also carry a V'nox Cybertool 29 SAK. The thing I like most about the Cybertool over the LMs for pocket carry is that one of the included bits is a T8 TORX. Quite a few of my knives have T8 pivot screws. The smallest TORX bit LM's bit kit includes is a T10.
 
The thing is that I already have a SAK cybertool. I like it for the screwdriver function, but the rest of the knife sees no use. I could really use some pliers and a wrench would be a godsend. Plus the SAK is heavy and huge.

I think I'm in love with the spyderench though...why did spyderco have to cancel it...why....augh. Jacks the ebay prices through the roof. But I must have it. One day....it will be mine...
 
I know what you mean about the Cybertool. I used to carry a 41, and it was entirely too big. I eventually carried it by haning it into my pocket suspended by one of those pull-apart keychains. When I got my Charge XTi I retired the 41 and started carrying a 29 instead. Admittedly though, only the bits/driver sees any real use. And although half the size of the 41, it's still awkward to carry, and I was carrying a Pioneer Ranger (basically a Soldier but with a pruning blade instead of the canopener) instead since it's much thinner...until my sunglasses fell apart at the chiopractor's office and I found myself wishing I had my Cybertool. :rolleyes:

I think the reason Spyderco discontinued the Spyderwrench was they had trouble with consistant QC, and rather than pumping out shoddy knives, or inflating the price, they discontinued it. However, it's supposedly only temporairly discontinued (although for several years now), kind of in limbo, until they work the problems out and crank production up again.
 
Nonetheless, it looks like an amazing product. And "bad" spyderco quality might equal pretty good or decent every one else quality. Except for benchmade of course ;-)

I don't know....the Spyderex just seems like it was made for me...it has this unique art style to it also...there is a term for it, and I can't recall. I'll never make it as a know it all hippie. Guess I'd better pull back that application to CU Boulder.

I wish I could play with one in real life though. Weirdly enough, I had no idea spyderco made a multitool until tonight. I was like--man, I wish Spyderco made a multitool. And what do you know! They did. But in an intentional personal attack aimed at frustrating just me, Spyderco preemptively pulled the spyderench three years before I saw it.

Clever, clever spyderco.
 
After carrying the Wave for years, I bought a Charge xti. It was ok, but I like the Wave better so I sold the Charge. I also have a Juice Pro which is nice but doesn't have the 'one-hand' capability.
 
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