Improving the Leatherman Charge ....

P

Perfectionist

Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
290
Hi, I just discovered this site and am really glad I found you guys !

I'm looking to buy the new Charge and will probably go for the Ti version BUT I can't understand why LM decided to remove a couple of the extra features which the XTi has which could have very easily been incorporated into the Ti but were actually "designed" out ?

Specifically the Cutting Hook which is placed on the back of the Serrated Knife, and the Crimper which is a small modification to the Pliers - surely from a mass-production perspective it would have been easier to make only the one design of knife and pliers for both models ?

From a marketing angle this would have made the Ti even more versatile and of course even more saleable !

All I can think of is that it was a clever ploy to make Leatherman enthusiasts see a big enough difference between the two versions and so "force" them to go and buy both models !

I think I will wait for the soon to be released SwissTool Spirit before I spend my cash - hopefully some of you guys will get hold of one and post your reviews !

By the way, great forum !
 
I have wondered about that since I got my Charge XTi.I have wanted the scissors from the Charge Ti since I got this but I NEED the cap crimper so i got the XTi.I am thinking about buying a Ti and swapping the extra driver for the scissors from the Ti and then giving the scissorless Ti away as a gift with the extra bit driver installed.

I sure wish somebody sold the various tool components seperately though.
 
I've wondered the same thing and I've even pondered taking a Ti and an XTi apart and merging them. I haven't done it yet, but I would call it a Charge YTi.
 
I modified my new Wave by putting the long phillips screwdriver from a Kick in the place of the bit holder tool. The reach on the bit holder is just not long enough. You should be able to modify the Charge in the same way as they are built on the same frame with the only difference being the blade steel and the outside titanium handles.
 
What about taking the blade off the Charge and putting it on the Surge? Are they the same size blade? For me, that would be near perfect.
 
Stepa said:
"By the way, great forum " It only took you 250 posts to figure out?;)
Click to expand...

Actually, the "249" is the number of posts he has total, not the number that his above post is. But, you probably already knew that considering the ;)!
 
That tears it,once the holidays are over I am doing the YTi conversion on my XTi!

Other than a lack of scissors I must say that my Charge tool is the highest quality/best engineered tool I have owned to date.

Broke My SOG Power Plier
Lost my Supertool due to lack of pocket clip
Broke Gerber
Almost cut my finger off with the Swiss Tool
Couldn't keep my old SOG Paratool folded open while working

I have used my Charge XTi on the road trucking and while hunting and not a single complaint yet other than I miss having some small scissors and an awl.
 
I called Leatherman and was told that they could not modify or customize their products due to their extremely complicated manufacturing process. Which, or course, is nonsense. And they told me if I did it (which appears to acknowledge that it can be done by an amateur), it would void the warranty.
 
it would void the warranty.............hmmm I know someone who modified his PST tool, elimanating a screwdriver in place of a hoof pick(he's a farrieir), eventually broke the main blade and they replaced the tool!
He did send an explanation about the modification though.....maybe that helped?

Kap
 
kapt kopter said:
it would void the warranty.............hmmm I know someone who modified his PST tool, elimanating a screwdriver in place of a hoof pick(he's a farrieir), eventually broke the main blade and they replaced the tool!
He did send an explanation about the modification though.....maybe that helped?

Kap
Click to expand...

I'm sure that ultimately, even if the owner did do some modification, as long as the mod wasn't inherently harmful to the proper functioning of the tool, LM would replace or fix it under warranty. All I really wanted to do was swap out the blade--I idn't see how that would have an adverse effect on the tool itself.
 
josekym said:
@sopmodm4,

How did this almost happen? What model of SwissTool did you use?

=)
Click to expand...


Whatever model they made back during my Y2K shopping at Sam's Wholesale.I was whittling a stake and the damned blade closed on my finger! Cut me deep into the joint of my index finger.

I threw it in my tacklebox and never bothered with it again until the day I threw the tackle box in the trash, I remembered that the Swiss Army Tool was in there afterwords but I remembered what an utter piece of crap it was so I didn't bother to dig it out before the trash truck hauled it away :D
 
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