Effective ways to loosen up the Leatherman Wave???

K

Kelt

Joined
Aug 8, 1999
Messages
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I sent an e-mail to them, but i also wanted to see if there was any feedback here...I have a new Leatherman Wave and also purchased one for a friend (from that Mercata deal that was going on). The handles are super-tight and I don't think there is a tool for that "star-like" screw in the handle.
Are these made using Lock-tite? Would it make them really that tight? I've tried working it over and over; at that rate I'd have them loosened up in time to give to a grandchild!
Thanks!
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by KELT34:
The handles are super-tight and I don't think there is a tool for that "star-like" screw in the handle.</font>
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It will void your warranty but you can grind the center of the screw out with a dremel tool and adjust or lubricate as needed with a torx head. (If you don't mind the scratches I imagine you could do it with vise grips on the outside of the screw.)

 
Send it back. Otherwise you will void your warranty if you mess with it. It's not worth it.

Dick
 
Mine was pretty tight when I got it too, but it started loosening up after the first month of use, even more by the second, think it took about four months until I could play with it the same way I played with butterfly knives as a kid, I would just try giving it a little time and use, you may be surprised!
 
I believe torx screws have six lobes while the Leatherman screws have five. It might be possible to remove the center post and use a smaller torx or flat blade across opposite lobes, etc.

 
The screwhead used in the Leatherman Wave is commonly called a 'tamperproof torx screw'.

Drivers for these screws are usually available at electrical contractor supply houses, or an electronics distributor, or thru your Snap-On, MAC,or MATCO tool dealer.

Mike

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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dfhoward:
I believe torx screws have six lobes while the Leatherman screws have five. It might be possible to remove the center post and use a smaller torx or flat blade across opposite lobes, etc.
</font>
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Boy, don't I feel stupid! Went to the trouble of grinding out the center without counting the lobes in the screw!!! Have never tried to adjust it . . . just did not like the thought that I "couldn't if I needed to" so out came the dremel!?! Thankfully I found the tamper-proof tool and it works equally as well without the center pin. "Fools rush in" you know!!!!!
Signed,
Ingorance ain't bliss afterall!

 
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