Leatherman breakages

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ShaiHulud

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Jul 21, 2022
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After spending far too much time reading horror stories in the reviews on their official site, some even seemed flat out unbelievable, Im starting to wonder about their QC. I use to believe when enough people complain about the same issue then the problem starts carrying salt, but im not so sure if thats always the case.
I read last night (but can't fact check it that leatherman's pliers are not forged theyre casted, so breaking happens when you twist the pliers--- anyone here have any breakage stories or opinions/commentary/imput?
P.s. this is not a leatherman roast thread so please dont let it become one.
 
I have broken several Leatherman tools, including pliers. Every time it has been my own ham-handed fault, pushing them beyond what any reasonable person would expect them to survive. When I contacted Leatherman to see if I could get them repaired for a fee since the damage was entirely my fault, they replied "They're covered. Send them in." I did, and they repaired or replaced every single one. All I paid was the postage to send them in.

I did not see a single problem that could be blamed on a defect in materials or workmanship. There was nothing that Quality Control could have done to prevent any of the breaks. Leatherman Tools would have been entirely right to tell me to f___ off, or charge me $50 a piece to fix them. They went the extra mile for me.
 
I’m pretty sure all the major multitool manufacturers plier heads are cast.

I think Multitasker (or something like that) had a forged plier head multi-tool awhile back. And maybe a Schrade tool that didn’t fold like a traditional butterfly style.
 
I have only had to send in two tools out of....30-ish (?) in 20+ years. Once I had a pair of pliers that would jam up in the clumped tools because the pivot was so tight, you had to push it really hard to defeat the closing detent and it would end up mashing the jaws to the point of sticking and you couldn't shut the tool fully. I think this was an OG Wave. The other was a Surge I was using at work to repair a motor. I did not check to see if the motor was plugged in and the electric arc that shot out of the motor gouged a line across the jaws and pivot. Both times, LM covered it.

If you are using a multi-tool hard enough to break it. In my opinion one of two things is going on: You are using the wrong tool for the job when you need a real screwdriver or pliers. OR You are stuck so far out in the thick of things that abusing the MT is your last ditch effort. In that case, its better to have it and break it fixing an emergency than to not have it at all.

LM is my go-to tool brand and has been for years. Very few failures and 100% customers service.
 
I have yet to break any jaws, but I've never really wrenched down on anything twisting and pulling like a dog at the end of a rope toy either. I suspect there are anti leatherman(ers) who make it their online mission to roast the company because they felt slighted one time many years ago, so I stated some of the stories are a bit afar left- field.
 
gustophersmob said:
I’m pretty sure all the major multitool manufacturers plier heads are cast.

I think Multitasker (or something like that) had a forged plier head multi-tool awhile back. And maybe a Schrade tool that didn’t fold like a traditional butterfly style.
Click to expand...
The original Schrade tough tool used laminated riveted together steel plates.
 
Yes leathermans plier heads are cast ( in Mexico now I believe) and always were cast, but if the steel and treatment are right there shouldn't be many problems.

I beat the hell out of my fuse over 10 years and it never broke or really even loosened up much, but I also didn't really abuse it either.
I logically assume most of these significant failures are from gross abuse, but don't doubt that lemons have gotten through.
I don't know the people ,what they expected their multitool to take ,or whether they represent their failure accurately.
All I know what I expect of them and that they meat my expectations.
 
Don't feel like I have been kind to my LM tools. I have really cranked down on them beyond what is reasonable and haven't snapped the jaws yet. I've snapped off/bent screwdrivers, but the main body has been solid.

If you twisted my arm and made me pick one edged tool as the only thing I could use out in the wilds or dropped in a random unknown place, the Charge TTi may very well be the tool I would trust to carry me through.

Now I just need to get an Ark at some point ;)
 
I've got several ARC's and have beat them up a lot. Never broken the jaws or anything. Actually I did break the mini eyeglass bit but Leatherman has incredible customer service and replaced the blade, screwdriver tip, saw blade, and sharpened the scissors and other tools for me for free.
 
Last year my Wave pliers jaws sprung and wouldn’t close shut. They didn’t break but just bent trying to cut hard wire . I sent it in to Leatherman and they replaced the jaws with the newer Wave plus jaws and a new file blade as the diamonds were wearing off. Shined it up and good as new. The only thing was they attempted to sharpen the blade that didn’t need it and did a terrible job. I had to sharpen it back to the way I like it with a micro toothy edge. In all I was happy and satisfied.
 
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