Leatherman jaws question

C

Captain Surge

Joined
May 17, 2015
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Hi. New guy here. Thanks for letting me in.:D

I just read on another thread that Leatherman pliers jaws are cast and not forged. What about the new "stronger" jaws like that on the LM Super Tool 300 and the Rebar? I had been carrying an old LM Wave for more than ten years (meaning to upgrade for the last few years but never getting around to it) and finally upgraded to the LM Surge. (Hence my username)(really love this thing) It has the new jaws and I'm really liking that. But I'm a bit concerned now after I read about the cast jaws being weaker. Does anyone know if the new jaws are any stronger?
 
the new jaws are beefier, due to the screw hole being a bit of a weak point. I wouldn't be too worried, if you can break plier jaws, its not going to make that much a difference.
 
Yea I was trying to get more info about it on the internet when I started to realise maybe I'm worried about nothing. I find Leatherman after sale service here in South Africa quite good. So if I should somehow find the "Pop-eye" strength to snap a LM Surge's jaws I'm sure I won't have a problem having it sorted out. Lol.

I'm still gonna wonder if its cast or forged though . . .
 
To my knowledge, all makes of multi-tool plier jaws are cast, not forged. That holds down manufacturing expenses and is considered strong enough for most multi-tool uses. For higher demand purposes, dedicated tools are always preferable, but the trade-off is worthwhile for the convenience.
 
Captain Surge said:
Hi. New guy here. Thanks for letting me in.:D

I just read on another thread that Leatherman pliers jaws are cast and not forged. What about the new "stronger" jaws like that on the LM Super Tool 300 and the Rebar? I had been carrying an old LM Wave for more than ten years (meaning to upgrade for the last few years but never getting around to it) and finally upgraded to the LM Surge. (Hence my username)(really love this thing) It has the new jaws and I'm really liking that. But I'm a bit concerned now after I read about the cast jaws being weaker. Does anyone know if the new jaws are any stronger?
Click to expand...

I did break a set of jaws on an older Super Tool several years ago. And I was probably misusing the tool. I called customer service to explain how I broke them, and ask about a repair cost. I was told to ship it to them and they would take care of the rest. I was expecting contact with a price, but what I got was a new tool (at least as far as I could tell), and no charge!

So I did the only honest thing I could think of, continued buying their products for my use, and for several family members. As in a few hundred dollars worth.

I, and many other firefighters I know carried their products, because they pack a lot of functions, that weigh less than carrying an entire tool kit in my pocket.

As far as how I broke it, I was using it to tighten a fitting on a fire engine interfering with me getting water on a fire. I knew it might break, as I could only get part of the jaws on it. It was the tool I had on my hip, so that's what I used. I was willing to cover the cost of my choice, but they didn't let me.
 
And with all of the other tools, I've had zero failures.

I'm not a little guy, and I don't baby my tools. I try to use the right tool for the job as much as I can, though sometimes you have to use the tool that you have with. And while not trying to brag, a few years back, during a departmental fitness screening I was actually asked to please try not to break the grip strength dynamometer they were using...

So, what I'm saying is use it. And be like me, buy a spare or two for your vehicles, so on the very slight chance you do break it, you have another to keep you company while Leatherman takes care of you.
 
Thank you for responding and thanks for the info, I appreciate it. I was so impressed with the Surge that I got a second hand one for quite cheap and am carrying BOTH. :-D But then I realised I also miss my old Wave and am now carrying all three. Do you think I'm going crazy? Lol.

I just don't wanna get caught in a tough situation without a LM close by. I read somewhere that the Swiss tool had forged jaws but I'm not sure how true it is. Either way I'm a LM fan and don't want anything else.
 
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Captain Surge said:
Thank you for responding and thanks for the info, I appreciate it. I was so impressed with the Surge that I got a second hand one for quite cheap and am carrying BOTH. :-D But then I realised I also miss my old Wave and am now carrying all three. Do you think I'm going crazy?
Click to expand...

Of course! Why else would you have three multi-tools? Normal people don't act that way. Face it, you're one of us. :D

I read somewhere that the Swiss tool had forged jaws but I'm not sure how true it is.
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Not true. All current m-t plier jaws are investment cast, including Victorinox.
 
Thanks Znapschatz, for a moment there I started getting nervous, thought I was in the company of normal people. Lol. And thanks for that info, (didn't think it was possible but) now I like my LMs even more. :D
 
Captain Surge said:
BTW, is there anyone else here who carries more than one LM at a time? Or is my obsession unique?
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Absolutely not unique, but I don't think of it as obsession, just a practical coupling of tools. Even now as I type these words there is a Rebar on my hip and a Micra in my 5th pocket, a pairing that supplements each other to provide just about any medium to small tool needed for quick fixes around house and yard. During a day of chores, both got used, but although it is now evening they are still on me. Could that be the obsessive part?
 
Carrying a Rebar with a Micra makes sense (like you said, you have all the basics covered), carrying two of everything also makes sense 'cos that means you have a spare of everything. And Znapschatz, if the missus would let me (cos she doesn't) I would have all my Leatherman Pliers under my pillow when I get into bed (just in case I have one of those nightmares where your stuck on a cliff and your SAK is in your other jeans pocket, at home, in the closet, away from the cliff. Lol). So having your edc with you while you're still awake at night also still makes sense. You see, Ive had situations where I had to get out of bed late at night because of an emergency. So you wouldn't want to be caught in any situation or emergency without at least two locking folders and at least two Leatherman pliers, just in case. :D

Neko2, if I may ask, which Leatherman pliers do you carry?
 
I used to carry a juice pro (for over 15 years) but I finally got tired of the tools closing on my fingers and picked up a Surge that was on sale. My backup was always a skeletool in my bag but I may switch to the juice there since it has some tools that the Surge does not.
I also keep a micra in the bag too so I guess that makes three :rolleyes:
 
Yes it does! :-D and its so functional too. The Pro is cool and its versatile and I like that it even has tweezers! But then again I discovered that I can put a pair of tweezers into the detachable pocket clip slot at the end cap. Which is aven cooler. Lol. But the Surge is definately better :-)

I recently got a Leatherman PST II (definately a keeper and part of my collection) and a Leatherman Sideclip and looking at the shape of the pliers comparing it to the later models I can see how the plier jaws could easily break off. I believe the Super Tool had the same jaws just bigger. The later models are much stronger and the new Surge is even stronger.
 
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