Leathermans

[A_Blade_Afficionado]

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.

Yes, but you have to pop the pliers out every time you want to change a tool. Kind of good if you use a lot of pliers but not very effective for edc.

 

[LorenzoL]

I agree, any serious multi-tool should have the tools accessible from the outside.

 

[cbxer55]

One of my favorites is the old original "Supertool". I have one in all balck, purchased in the mid 90s. Still going strong, no broken tools or blades. The black finish is still intact, except on the file.
I also have a black Charge and a plain Charge. Both are excellent tools that have done me well at work and at play.
I never had a SAK, Gerber, or SOG. Not going to start now.

 

[jjtjr]

I bought an original Leatherman Tool when they came out in the early 1980's. I used it daily in work for 20 years. I never had any problems with it.

I have been using a Leatherman Wave since they came out. It is great. I tried a Gerber, a Sog and a Buck Tool, they are okay but not in the same league as Leatherman. When I'm not working I carry a Leatherman Micra.

Tim Leatherman designed the original Tool, every other tool is copying him to some extent.

Jim Treacy

 

[antonio_luiz]

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.

People on this forum can be very opinionated - makes for robust discussion. Your post was based on your experieces so your input is valid and appreciated - call it how you see it - there's no need to apologise for your comments. I have never liked any of the other mult-tool designs and have owned LM's since Tim's first PST and none of mine have ever failed - but then I try to work within my knives' limitations and don't expect them to do things they weren't designed to do.

 

[babakanoosh45]

Victorinox multi tools are the best. Leathermans rust real easy.

The quality of a Vic multi tool is superior to others except for SOG.

Sorry but I must disagree. I have had my LM Supertool for 15 or so years and used it day in and day out for about 7 of those. My Son carried my Blast through two(2) tours of IRAQ and brought it back in great condition. He said couldn't think of not having it..."A Life Saver".... As for RUST I have never seen any on on mine!!! As far as I'm concerned Leatherman makes some of the best production Multitool on the market. The Vic's don't come close IMO...

 

[14Tango]

I've carried a leatherman wave for nearly 8 years while working in the rain forests here in Hawaii and I've never had rust issues. I lube the pliers and the tool pivots periodically but other than that no problems what so ever. SAKS are great if you need a pocket tool to keep in your pocket but in my experience LM's are just more capable for hard use. I've never used SOG multi tools but I've used Gerber and I'm not a fan of their designs. Are LM's expensive? Maybe but among multi-tools they're worth it. When I upgrade my Wave it'll be to another LM probably a Charge Al.

 

[Roger999]

I only have a leatherman wave, and I have seen a little surface rust on the pliers but that was after using it a bit with water and it was new and not fully oiled, afterward cleaning it and oiling it with WD-40, I haven't seen any rust issues so far. The pliers I have found to be excellent for EDC tasks and around the house jobs, and the best part is the quick access to the plain edge blade, serrated blade, file, and saw.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Any mass-produced knife can turn out to be a lemon, but all the big multitool manufacturers turn out decent products. If you're seeing breakage or corrosion, you need to re-evaluate how you use and maintain your equipment.

I'm a big fan of Leatherman tools and I liked the SOGs also but I think the Swisstool Spirit is the best on the market today. Good tool selection, excellent fit & finish, and compact, lightweight design.

I do like the big Leatherman tools, the Wave and its offspring with their one-hander outer blades. They work nicely as EDC. Heavy as they are, they eliminate the need for a separate pocket knife.

(Who am I kidding? I carry 3 or 4 knives anyway. )

 

[riffraff]

This thread prompted me to pull out the old Gerber multi-tool I keep in the car. It probably hasn't been touched in four years, maybe more. It's one of the older designs where the pliers do not pull out. Anyway, since I had forgotten about it, I figured it would have a fair amount of rust on it, but no. It looks brand new. So, while it wasn't lying on wet carpet or anything, it withstood the lack of maintenance well.

 

[yans]

Victorinox multi tools are the best. Leathermans rust real easy.

The quality of a Vic multi tool is superior to others except for SOG.

Ya know I kinda chuckle evertime i hear this on the other forum. In my roll away I have a rusted up pair of snap on pliers. Does that mean theyh are garbage?

It just means is is made out of tool steel. Kinda makes sence dont it.