Leathermans

J

JoseyWhales

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Hello Gents/LAdies

I have readblog from this room for along time, finally decided to join in. Seems like a friendly place, anywayI recently bought a Leatherman h502 Knife and Multitool Combo on ebay for 18 bucks new, has a 420hc blade with some tool stuff as well. Wheni reseached howmuch they normally cost the range was 40-80 bucks, big range!!! I have another leather multitool i got yrs ago and that was 70 bucks for stainless steel,my question to the room what makes a leatherman so expensive ?..Is it the type of steel or just the name?
 
JoseyWhales said:
Hello Gents/LAdies

I have readblog from this room for along time, finally decided to join in. Seems like a friendly place, anywayI recently bought a Leatherman h502 Knife and Multitool Combo on ebay for 18 bucks new, has a 420hc blade with some tool stuff as well. Wheni reseached howmuch they normally cost the range was 40-80 bucks, big range!!! I have another leather multitool i got yrs ago and that was 70 bucks for stainless steel,my question to the room what makes a leatherman so expensive ?..Is it the type of steel or just the name?
Click to expand...

Leathermans seem to price by the amount of tools that are incorporated in the knife as well as when they use a premium steel like 154cm.
 
I mention something similar about Leatherman Multi-tools, but I will mention again.
*I'm only saying this from personal experience.
I would not recommend you buy a Leatherman if you want a serious Multi-tool.
... during my tour in Iraq I really got to see a lot of knives and multi-tools in real life field tests and I have witnessed failure of many of them. One of the worst being Leatherman multi-tools in numerous occations (I'm not talking about 1 specific model, but multiple models). Since then I mainly buy Gerber, Spyderco, and Cold Steel because I know from experience they won't fail and I can really depend on them. Last thing you want in war is to sustain an injury by a failed equipment vs enemy action.
...I sincerely apologize for offending anyone with this post, so I will remind you again that this is only from my personal experience and that other may have opposite experience with Leatherman than mine.
 
Victorinox multi tools are the best. Leathermans rust real easy.

The quality of a Vic multi tool is superior to others except for SOG.
 
I've had a SOG PowerPlier (long before the PowerLock) since the late 90's. It has gone through hell at work and at home. A little surface rust on the pivot screws is all. I really like my Leatherman tools as well. I have a first generation Wave that hasn't quit. As far as Gerber goes, I really only carry a Recoil, but I love it. I've never owned a Victorinox tool, but I've heard that they are very durable.
 
Leathermans are expensive.

My Charge Ti is a fine tool, but for a hundred bucks it's not going to do the work of a real toolbox. If you need something on your belt for when you don't have the regular tools you normally have, okay, take your pick. Paying extra for a tool with an S30V knife blade may be a good choice, because then you won't have an el cheapo knife in a time of need. A 420HC blade by Buck may be acceptable, but the 420HC on these tools have garnered a lot of criticism. Even so, it's best to use a regular knife on you.

To those who have SAKs and like them, great, but I'll take a good multitool any day. I've just never thought SAK blades were any good, but to each his own.

The Charge Ti has changeable bits, a better knife blade, locking tools and the blades can be opened easily, with one hand. But for long term use, none of them get my vote. Having said that, I have heard people who say they do use the tools all the time with no problems.
 
i like 'em both, i should have said.

i have one of the leatherman super tool 200's and it has been one tough mother, no doubt.

on the other hand i recently bought a victorinox spirit tool, and it is w/o question one of the finest tools i've ever handled...the fit/finish is superb.

whether or not it will hold up i have not been able to determine...does anyone else have one?

thanks
 
hate to repost but i'll put it this way (for firearm lovers):

leatherman is like a glock 19

victorinox is like a hk p7

i believe it is an accurate analogy.
 
pepper said:
hate to repost but i'll put it this way (for firearm lovers):

leatherman is like a glock 19

victorinox is like a hk p7

i believe it is an accurate analogy.
Click to expand...

More like a LM Wave = Jennings and Victorinox Spirit =HKp7

LM's rust and Glocks don't. Every leatheman i had rusted. Some even have rust inside the bubble pack before you even open them.

..and I am a multi tool guy:

http://forum.multitool.org/
 
I have a Leatherman wave from 5 or 6 years ago and it' s still going strong. Sure I need to clean it and lube it every once in a while but I'm happy with it's quality. I'm sure I'll be buying Leatherman products for a long while...or until one completely fails on me.
 
pepper said:
i too have never had any rust issues...using break-free about once a month or so.
Click to expand...

Nor I, with no more maintenance than cleaning them when dirty and applying some DW40 once or twice a year. Reports of rust keep coming up, and I have no doubt that it occurs, but from the standpoint of my experience with several Leathermen over 13 years, I am genuinely puzzled. Possible causes might be especially humid climates, frequent exposure to salt water or other corrosive fluids, or who knows?
 
My Kick did rust pretty easily.
I lost it.
SAKs all the way for me. I don't need pliers all that much. Like never. For those who do, I have handled the Victorinox Spirit and other multitools and must say that they feel extremely high quality.
 
In my experience, the only Leatherman that came even close to the Victorinox Multi Tool is the Surge with S30V blade, mostly because of the blade. But the Victorinox has the best choice of tools and it never rusts.
 
Gerber doesn't get much love in these forums but I like their MTs. Granted, I don't use them hard, just normal EDC and at work (IT/computer tech). Decent tool at a decent price. If I was a LEO or soldier, not sure what I'd get.
 
Is the Gerber the one where the pliers slide out from the handle? It seems kind of neat but I do not know how well they can take abuse.
 
colubrid said:
Leathermans rust real easy.

Every leatheman i had rusted. Some even have rust inside the bubble pack before you even open them.
Click to expand...

homerepicfailps2.jpg
 
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