Leatherman: 'Handier than a Ka-Bar'

That was a good read except the bit about changing the tire. My friend and I bought bought our friend a Supertool 300 and he said it was really useful throughout.
 
pyro777 said:
That was a good read except the bit about changing the tire. My friend and I bought bought our friend a Supertool 300 and he said it was really useful throughout.
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Yeah the tire bit is some bs but interesting otherwise. He's a politician so we should have expected at least one falsehood.
 
Doen't surprise me a bit. In the real wold even military, a multitool is way more needed than a large knife. Being an engineer battalion our supply room had a steady supply of the old Camillus MIL-k-818. They got them in bulk, so everyone had two. Troopies from other units, medics, MP's, motor pool mechanics, and even clerks, would pay to get a MIL-k-818. They were valued enough that in some parts of Saigon, they were a valued trade item. Toss in a carton of American cigarettes in the deal and you'd have a good time.

The 'demo' knife was valued enough that you used a length of paracord as a lanyard, or as we called it a dummy cord, to secure the knife to a belt loop on your fatigue pants. Or you made a sheath for it using the green nylon webbing that was just the right size for a sheath. So fast forward in time, and it's no surprise that the modern soldier values a Leatherman tool over a Kabar. The knife is a one trick pony, but a multitool can deal with a very wide range of jobs. And if you need to cut, it has a blade for that as well.
 
It wouldn't hurt one bit to have a Leatherman wave, as a stowaway in the bag, or in a vest pocket. better to have it and not need it. As for a larger knife, the two combined isn't such an obscene concept. It's not a matter of the smaller knife on the leatherman is better than the larger knife on a kabar, it's the other tools the leatherman comes with that essentially adds the value over a dedicated fixed blade. However if and when a stronger blade (longer) is needed, you'll have it because you didn't decide to only carry a Leatherman.
If you end up never using the kabar or similar, oh well, at least you had it so it was an option.
 
In pretty much every situation that does not REQUIRE me being forced to split/chop something or stab a living thing, a MT is going to be more useful. Almost everything that you can force a fairly fragile Kabar into doing can be handled by the Leatherman. If I were in a wartime setting, I may want the Kabar AND the Leatherman. A 7" fixed blade can do a lot of work and handle a lot of nasty things. However, I wouldn't take it over the LM. A tool that gives me options to handle a problem will always be more valued than one that just sorted gets pressed into doing a thing.

Drop me into the woods and make me choose a quality MT or a Kabar, and I will take the MT every single time.
 
I wore an LB7 when everybody else was wearing the 110 Bucks. Late 70's, early 80's. I used that knife for everything, including beating on stuff that didn't fit. Cutting stuff, prying stuff. Absolutely could not live without it.

I only retired it when I discovered multi tools.
 
I found (for myself), that I only needed the other tools on a swiss army or leatherman when I was carrying it, magically I'd often run into tasks that required the tools on them, but when I'm not carrying either, again magically i don't. Suddenly there are no chores or tasks that required them. For me anyway. Turns out I created the chores just so I can use the tools...
It's a phenomenon, but hey, stranger things have happened.
 
ShaiHulud said:
I found (for myself), that I only needed the other tools on a swiss army or leatherman when I was carrying it, magically I'd often run into tasks that required the tools on them, but when I'm not carrying either, again magically i don't. Suddenly there are no chores or tasks that required them. For me anyway. Turns out I created the chores just so I can use the tools...
It's a phenomenon, but hey, stranger things have happened.
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And THAT my good ShaiHulud, is the red gods of fate screwing with. When I leave my Leatherman squirt home, without fail, I will need small pliers. But if it's there, not so much. I think "they" watch us waiting for a chance to screw with us.

But in all seriousness, I will take the multitool over a large knife anyway. Particularly the big Ka-bar. Especially if the tool has a saw blade.
 
jackknife said:
And THAT my good ShaiHulud, is the red gods of fate screwing with. When I leave my Leatherman squirt home, without fail, I will need small pliers. But if it's there, not so much. I think "they" watch us waiting for a chance to screw with us.

But in all seriousness, I will take the multitool over a large knife anyway. Particularly the big Ka-bar. Especially if the tool has a saw blade.
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I might give leatherman one more chance, every time I buy the wave or surge there's sidexside or horizontal play on the blade and other annoyances I can't adjust away, but as far as the iconic kabar is concerned, I stopped caring them years ago. Much more use in a smaller folder, right now all my folding knives are opinels 👌
Some MAMs on the way however
 
ShaiHulud said:
I might give leatherman one more chance, every time I buy the wave or surge there's sidexside or horizontal play on the blade and other annoyances I can't adjust away, but as far as the iconic kabar is concerned, I stopped caring them years ago. Much more use in a smaller folder, right now all my folding knives are opinels 👌
Some MAMs on the way however
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I'm not a Leatherman fan by any stretch of the imagination. If I need a can open er or screw driver, or bottle opener, the few small flat tools in my wallet will do. My P-38 and Victorinox quatro do almost all of what the small tools on a Leatherman will do. But I do like the little squirt, for the small pliers, and the squirt is the only Leatherman product I own. With the demise of the squirt, Leatherman has lost me for good. If I need a knife, I have a SAK and a pocket utility knife on my, always. Since I keep an emergency tool kit in each car, I doubt I'll need a Leatherman. I managed to not have a Leatherman until 2015ish, when a squirt was gifted to me. There's nothing on the squirt that is not on a SAK, except the pliers, that I only need very, very occasionally.

It's very hard to go wrong with an Opinel or MAM as far as a dedicated knee goes. One trick pony to be sure, but at minimum cost yet high effectiveness of the job, that of cutting. For many years in the past, I got along very well with an Opinel and some flat tools in my wallet, and a 58mm SAK on the keyring. I've never had a MAM, but if they work as well as an Oipnel, you'll have no complaint.
 
If you actually need a full sized fixed field knife , then a SAK or MT is not going to work very well .

And the reverse is equally true .

They are different tools , best at different chores .
 
jackknife said:
I'm not a Leatherman fan by any stretch of the imagination. If I need a can open er or screw driver, or bottle opener, the few small flat tools in my wallet will do. My P-38 and Victorinox quatro do almost all of what the small tools on a Leatherman will do. But I do like the little squirt, for the small pliers, and the squirt is the only Leatherman product I own. With the demise of the squirt, Leatherman has lost me for good. If I need a knife, I have a SAK and a pocket utility knife on my, always. Since I keep an emergency tool kit in each car, I doubt I'll need a Leatherman. I managed to not have a Leatherman until 2015ish, when a squirt was gifted to me. There's nothing on the squirt that is not on a SAK, except the pliers, that I only need very, very occasionally.

It's very hard to go wrong with an Opinel or MAM as far as a dedicated knee goes. One trick pony to be sure, but at minimum cost yet high effectiveness of the job, that of cutting. For many years in the past, I got along very well with an Opinel and some flat tools in my wallet, and a 58mm SAK on the keyring. I've never had a MAM, but if they work as well as an Oipnel, you'll have no complaint.
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I found that I almost never need the pliers on a Leatherman, In all liklihood I will run into a job once a month where pliers off a Leatherman (may) be an option, but I can also survive without using it, and most likely will have to fish them out anyway. As for the tools in a multi tool I found of all the features, the knife was the most used tool, however I'm not opposed to having a tinker or a Spartan for the other tools in the need it and not have it scenarios. Occasionally ill need the bottle opener, Occasionally the scissors, never in my life have i been out and about and thought (I really need a screwdriver right this second) 🤪
I've come to appreciate locks on a knife for the safety, versatility and added cutting strength they provide but I also am completely okay with some of the cheapest knives I can find because I use it as a tool when I need it, I no longer "worship" it
 
I don’t really keep track of how often my Leatherman gets used. I know the pliers get used everytime I mow and use the string trimmer since it’s one of the ones where you have to put in the pre cut lengths of line.
They don’t make can openers like they used to and they’re always breaking so my Super Tool lives in the kitchen with the can opener out. Back then that version of the can opener is a lot better than today’s.
My Charge TTi the screw driver and scissors get used a lot. And it’s really useful on Christmas morning when I have to put batteries in everything and open packages for the kids. It’s nice not having to hunt down different items that half the time have disappeared.
 
remington79 said:
They don’t make can openers like they used to and they’re always breaking so my Super Tool lives in the kitchen with the can opener out. Back then that version of the can opener is a lot better than today’s.
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It’s true. I have never owned a “real” can opener. I always used a p38 army can opener or my Swiss Army knife.

When my then girlfriend and I first moved in together, i remember her being she very confused how a pocket knife was supposed to open a can. A crank style can opener appeared the next day. I still use the Swiss Army knife
 
Daedric Panther said:
It’s true. I have never owned a “real” can opener. I always used a p38 army can opener or my Swiss Army knife.

When my then girlfriend and I first moved in together, i remember her being she very confused how a pocket knife was supposed to open a can. A crank style can opener appeared the next day. I still use the Swiss Army knife
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I showed my kids how to use it and made them use it. Trying to do my part to keep them from being the dumbest generation lol
 
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