Leatherman or victorinox who do you thank is better

I've got a classic sd, pioneer, and climber.
I've previously owned the style cs, and currently have the micra, and wave.

Not sure if that's the greatest amount of experience, but I prefer victorinox.

I think the victorinox knives are better. I know leatherman is supposed to be 420hc, but it seems that victorinox cuts better, holds the edge longer and also sharpens easier. Frankly, I've had better edge retention with Bucks 420j2 than Leathermans 420hc. But that may just be sample size.

Victorinox also seems to have better thought process in their ergonomics. The tools are easier to access and open smoother. The nail nick on the style cs is in a useless place. Some of the inside tools on the wave are really difficult to get to open.

Leatherman has a slight advantage, as they seemingly pack the tools I want in a package together better. There are often SAK tools I don't really use. Also, the 'featured' tool of Leatherman is nice.

Each of my multitools has their place in my life. I think my micra and classic sd near evenly split time in my edc usually in pair with another knife. My pioneer is in that list of other knives I edc with the small multitool. The climber only comes out for camping or a picnic. The wave sits in the glove compartment on my car - for "emergencies" - today's emergency was that my 2 year old daughter was throwing a fit, she wanted to picnic. Must picnic or else the world will end. So we went to a market, the wave's knives got used to cut an apple, bread, chicken, and the can opener for a canned olives.

So with my limited multitool experience, if I look to purchase one in the future, I'll look at victorinox first, and then go to leatherman second if victorinox doesn't have the right tool combination I want. I really don't have an oPinion on any other brands, other than my experience with knockoff no name copies isnt very good, I wouldn't buy them even for $1.
 
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...sigh... ya had to poke the bear didn't you lol :) :thumbup: I think comparing victorinox with leatherman is chalk and cheese, most victorinox tools are way lighter than leathermans, its a heavy weight vs a bantam weight. with the spirit tool that is surprising but as you said you broke the same tool twice it might be that it was a dodgy model. I have a tti, had an xe6, and have had 7victorinox knives. Victorinox' style, fit and finish and quality of design beat leatherman hands down but the leatherman tools tend to be bigger and more sturdy. can't speak to the swisstool however so it might be poorly made. I vote for victorinox.
 
Leatherman. I completely believe you broke 3 SAK's. Most that I've had have fallen apart too. That's why i stick to Leatherman's.
 
Ulf Krogstad said:
Leatherman. I completely believe you broke 3 SAK's. Most that I've had have fallen apart too. That's why i stick to Leatherman's.
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I've used dozens of SAKs for 40 years in the army, as EDCs all over the world. None have failed.
Also used several Leatherman tools and no problems with them either.
Both are great tools of excellent quality. if you have the habit of breaking any of them you probably need a better understanding of how the dimensions, materials and construction influnces the kind of torque and force you can apply.
A few times I ask a little more than I expect and both brands have excelled.

I would say victorinox excells in fit, finish, ergonomics and QC.
Leatherman in ruggedness, and innovation and is no slouch in none of the above either.
 
Gima Nord said:
Ulf Krogstad said:
Leatherman. I completely believe you broke 3 SAK's. Most that I've had have fallen apart too. That's why i stick to Leatherman's.
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I've used dozens of SAKs for 40 years in the army, as EDCs all over the world. None have failed.
Also used several Leatherman tools and no problems with them either.
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Yup, I too have used SAKs and Leatherman all over the world (some places more crappy than others). Though I've carried a SAK more often than a Leatherman, I've never had either fail. Can't go wrong with either. I just prefer a SAK.
 
Leatherman's are probably more useful than an ordinary SAK but they take up a pile more room and add a lot of weight in a pants pocket. I'm biased from having worn out many pant pockets over the past 48 years from always having had a SAK Spartan in them. That's the right side pocket, in the other is a slick little pair of adjustable mini-pliers from the 1950s made by Bahco Sweden and currently marketed as Bahco model 421D but twice as thick/heavy and now made in China. SAKs aren't great either when they're Bible thick so you can't move or sit down. Everything in life is a trade-off. The Klein linesman pliers and other assorted real-life tools I keep in the car and truck easily outperform any Multitool.
Best way to find out what works for you overall is to carry 'bare minimal' at first until you discover what is and isn't important to you.
 
Both the companies produces high quality knives but with my personal experience I would prefer leatherman as something to carry in a pocket and yes leatherman toughness is great and better than victorinox ( depend person to person). But most importantly choosing in between them should be done according to what you want to do with it and work from there....
 
300Six said:
Leatherman's are probably more useful than an ordinary SAK but they take up a pile more room and add a lot of weight in a pants pocket. I'm biased from having worn out many pant pockets over the past 48 years from always having had a SAK Spartan in them. That's the right side pocket, in the other is a slick little pair of adjustable mini-pliers from the 1950s made by Bahco Sweden and currently marketed as Bahco model 421D but twice as thick/heavy and now made in China. SAKs aren't great either when they're Bible thick so you can't move or sit down. Everything in life is a trade-off. The Klein linesman pliers and other assorted real-life tools I keep in the car and truck easily outperform any Multitool.
Best way to find out what works for you overall is to carry 'bare minimal' at first until you discover what is and isn't important to you.
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The solution for a Leatherman or a many-layered SAK is a belt pouch.
 
What leghog says - a belt pouch is the way to go when the tools are getting bigger and bulkier :)
 
I currently own the following-

Leatherman: Wave and Style CS

Victorinox/Wenger: Tinker Small, Hiker, Compact, Manager, Classic, Serrated Backpacker, Ranger, Apprentice, and Evo 16.

Future Orders: Victorinox Cadet, Victorinox Trekker, and Victorinox Farmer.

In my opinion Victorinox quality is a near impossible bar to hurdle. The fit and finish along with the awesome quality control and warrenty makes them probably one of the best knife companies on the planet. That's not to say that Leatherman isn't good, they put out a fantastic product in their own regards but for the price, nothing beats a Victorinox.

I've posted this video before but some of you may find it interesting:
[video=youtube;n2XJg_Hmceg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2XJg_Hmceg[/video]
 
Personally I prefer Leatherman multitools to Victorinox's multitools, but my preference is mainly based on product styling. I prefer leathermans square yet compact look as well as their bushed steel finishes (Vic Multitools tend to be more brightly polished). The only let down for me is that the steel leatherman uses in their pliers (420hc?) seems to dent when comming into contact with harder steel parts.

If I can find a used Vic multitool some day at a garage sale or flea market perhaps I'll give it a try. Until then my votes for Leatherman.
 
EDCanAdamas said:
Personally I prefer Leatherman multitools to Victorinox's multitools, but my preference is mainly based on product styling. I prefer leathermans square yet compact look as well as their bushed steel finishes (Vic Multitools tend to be more brightly polished). The only let down for me is that the steel leatherman uses in their pliers (420hc?) seems to dent when comming into contact with harder steel parts.

If I can find a used Vic multitool some day at a garage sale or flea market perhaps I'll give it a try. Until then my votes for Leatherman.
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Well that's why you choose Leatherman. You've never had a Victorinox multitool! :eek:
 
Capt. Spaulding said:
Well that's why you choose Leatherman. You've never had a Victorinox multitool! :eek:
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Ah, but I have, and have chosen Leatherman. They are, as multi-tools go, well made, sturdy in use and have better screwdrivers and pliers than the Vics. I've been using them since 1996 and they have done it all with no complaints. Much as I respect Vic fit and finish, I find that Leatherman tools work better for the chores and fixes in my daily doings. It's as simple and personal as that. Others may disagree (but just between us, they are mistaken.) ;)
 
znapschatz said:
Ah, but I have, and have chosen Leatherman. They are, as multi-tools go, well made, sturdy in use and have better screwdrivers and pliers than the Vics. I've been using them since 1996 and they have done it all with no complaints. Much as I respect Vic fit and finish, I find that Leatherman tools work better for the chores and fixes in my daily doings. It's as simple and personal as that. Others may disagree (but just between us, they are mistaken.) ;)
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I respect your opinion. Like I said earlier in this thread I believe the Victorinox is far superior in fit and finish. They both perform very well for me, but I kind of agree with you about the drivers. The high polish on the Vic drivers can cause slipping when turning the screw. I wouldn't say the Pliers are "better" on the Leatherman just different. I kind of like the hybrid blunt nose Vic uses. I do think the replaceable wire cutters leatherman uses now are a incredible improvement and wish all multitools had them. The only thing i'm not impressed with in the vic pliers is the wire cutters.

It all come's down to whatever works for the particular user. :thumbup:

As far as i'm concerned just having a (quality) multitool makes you a winner in my book. ;)
 
I think Victorinox are better thought out, better made in general. But I wouldn't rule out the Leatherman necessarily. I do like the plainer, older style, open-to-access-implements Leatherman tools for their simplicity and utility, from a Kick to a Supertool. The cruder designs just seem to have been more reliable. I also like the Micra, despite being pretty long in the tooth as a design, it just works, is compact and reliable.

I've been less impressed with the Juice XE6 and the new Wave. The Juice seems to me more like a SAK competitor, with pliers added. But almost every tool on the XE6 really isn't all that impressive on its own. Some of the implements are clumsy to open despite opening from the outside. And are just not that well designed. I think the scissors are the nicest implement on the tool. The Wave, I've come to believe, is just too cleverly designed for its own good. It's been back for repairs a few times, and could stand to go back again. And not because it's been used hard or abused in any way. The scissors fell out one day (snapped off at the base) when I opened the tool despite never really being used. The plier head snapped doing what I consider light work (cutting and twisting some bailing wire). One of the locks fell off because... I don't know why. The little nub that stops the blade from opening when the pliers are in use fell out one day-snapped where the cam pushes it sideways. This last one isn't a huge deal, so it hasn't gone back. But still. And the whole thing has a strange affinity for rusting.

The Squirt P4 snapped its pliers fairly easily. Definitely light duty.

The Wingman, I have to say, has been pretty good to me, despite reports that seemed to have indicated some QC issues.

Leatherman knives have been surprisingly good for me. I have two of the cheapest, an older c301 and a newer c33. They are odd, though. Leatherman seems to have designed them with a whole lot of Not-Invented-Here syndrome, and as a result, seem to have small characteristics that may seem weird to knife nuts accustomed to modern folders. For being fairly simple, modern, flickable, one hand opening, pocket clipped knives, they have lots of small parts, with slightly odd ergonomics. All that said, they've been solid and reliable performers, and they're about as inexpensive as US made folders get.

Leatherman's warranty is top notch. It's a pity I've had to use it so much.

In contrast, my Vic Spirit has worked quite well, with a nice collection of tools in one unit. Design, fit and finish is much more refined than any Leatherman I've seen. And i don't think I've ever had any issue with a regular SAK.

I sometimes think better than an all in one plier based multitool, would be a SAK and a regular slipjoint plier combo. If one could stand to carry the pair rather than an all in one solution.
 
I have no experience with the Victoronix. My Leatherman was a gift from my late father 20 years ago and I've never needed another multi-tool (though my son & I have quite a collection.)

I have owned 2 of their watches purchased new & neither lasted a year.
 
I use a mulitool at my work every day and i mean litairly every day of tighting screws, cutting stuff, lockwiring bolts etc. (line maintance, airplane mechanic)
I've used a leatherman for while now and after three of them broke, i tried an Victorinox spirit, really liking it so far, the pliers seems to be more sturdier, no play at them at all after three months of heavy use (leatherman had play after only a week or so)
Scissors and philips head are better on a leatherman, but on the victorinox they are ok too, plus the Victorinox has an easier simple locking system for it's components (a must if you're using tools professionally, badly bruised fingers on co worker when his LM PST snapped closed tighting a screw).
So far i'm voting for Victorinox, but have see how it performs after a year or so.
 
jamestap said:
I have owned 2 of their watches purchased new & neither lasted a year.
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:eek: I can´t imagine a much stronger designed watch ETA 2824-2 is the swiss workhorse of movements well known for their reliability. They do also have quartz (ETA too) but they are even stronger,
http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/the-va...robust-sport-watch-built-to-survive-the-worst

The Scratch-resistant, triple-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal they use is absolutely top notch and the casings in metal are among the best in the industry.
I have three, the oldest one didn´t miss a beat since 1993. They also come with a warranty.

Are you sure they were not counterfeit?
 
Gima Nord said:
:eek: I can´t imagine a much stronger designed watch ETA 2824-2 is the swiss workhorse of movements well known for their reliability. They do also have quartz (ETA too) but they are even stronger,
http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/the-va...robust-sport-watch-built-to-survive-the-worst

The Scratch-resistant, triple-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal they use is absolutely top notch and the casings in metal are among the best in the industry.
I have three, the oldest one didn´t miss a beat since 1993. They also come with a warranty.

Are you sure they were not counterfeit?
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Apologies to the OP, I didn't intend to turn this into a watch thread:-)

I can only speak to my experience. Both were gifts from my wife, and I'm fairly certain she would have purchased from a high-end retailer and not the back of a van.
 
In full disclosure my main experience with leatherman is the Juice line. Based on that it's SAK and it's not even close. I actually wrote leatherman they should be embarrased to even put out a product like the juice models.
From my understanding the larger lethermans are much better. Well, they would have to be. I want something I can carry in my pocket, so I will stick with SAK's.
 
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