Looking At Multitools, Leatherman Charge TTi

[Ozy]

Well, just got my Leatherman Charge TTi, and I must say it is HUGE! It also weighs much more than I thought. Some had complained that their knife blades were dull, but my knife blade came very sharp, but unevenly ground. Whoever ground it did so in a hurry and it was just dropped into a bucket and moved on. Had I been an inspector at the factory, I probably wouldn't have let it go through. One side was fine; the other side wasn't. For an S30V blade, I expected a little better fit and finish.

The titanium is nice, but again, the overall look and feel was on the massive side. No one can deny that these tools are much more than just tools you have in case you don't have your toolbox. The design is brilliant and the tools are rugged and fully capable of first tier use. The knife can be used as a full fledged knife; the screwdriver also is capable of fairly heavy use, as are the pliers, saw, file and the other knife blade. The only two that are lightweights are, of course, the scissors and the bottle opener. As for the diamond coated side of the file, that remains to be seen. I'm sorry it's not detachable, as it could most likely be used to sharpen the S30V knife blade.

I got the leather case, which while initially appealing, soon had me wondering if I shouldn't have gotten the version with the nylon case. I love leather, but the tool's a tight fit, and I believe the nylon case might have been a bit roomier. I also see that there's room for the screwdriver extender, but at ten dollars I'm not sure it would be worth it. Oh, and the tiny eyeglass screwdriver? It's one I hope I never have to use, but it's very nice to have. I see increasingly more devices these days that open with tiny screws, and eyeglass screws also tend to come loose on occasion.

It's a bit bulkier and heavier than I would have liked, but it's like having a tool belt on one's...belt. In the end, I don't know whether I'll end up using it a lot or not, but the quality is there. It's certainly just the right tool for a bugout bag but, of course, with a better set of knives. Even so, the smallish blade would be good on more detailed work and the file looks like it would be a workhorse.

All in all, it's a great tool and is robust enough to be worth the hundred dollars it cost. As it is, I may want to try out something smaller and lighter down the way. Perhaps I should add a Victorinox to my collection and go from there.

If you think the Charge is heavy, you'll break your back with the Victorinox

 

[dextersp1]

Well, just got my Leatherman Charge TTi,

Send it back and get the CS4 - see post #2

 

[Confederate]

No, it's got to be the Charge TTi. I like the screwdriver bits, the locking tools and the small screwdrivers. (I'm always opening small gizmos with tiny screws nowadays.) I also think these things are way overpriced for what you get, but the TTi Charge seems to be as good a value in mutitools as you'll find.

 

[attej]

Send it back and get the CS4 - see post #2

I just recently ordered a CS4, havent received it yet though. The main "reason" (yeah, like I need yet another multi-tool) for this new purchase was that the TTi Ive had for quite some time is just too damn heavy for pocket carry, and I dont like belt pouches. Another issue for me is that the TTi is pretty large, and the knife-blade isnt comfortable to use. Other than that, its a great multitool; one of the sturdiest out there.

Due to these issues Ive more and more ended up carrying a SAK. Even though SAKs are great, a plier-based multi tool has functions that cant be achieved by a pocket knife. Ive noticed that a saw and pliers are two things I really want to edc, and the smallest SAK to have these features is the handyman, which IMO is too thick for convenient use.

About the weights, the listed weight for CS4 is 156 g, and for TTi 232 g. So there definately should be a considerable difference.

If anyone here owns or has used a CS4 Id love to hear some thoughts :thumbup: Like I said, I already ordered one, but its gonna take at least two weeks before I receive it

 

[znapschatz]

I just recently ordered a CS4, havent received it yet though. The main "reason" (yeah, like I need yet another multi-tool) for this new purchase was that the TTi Ive had for quite some time is just too damn heavy for pocket carry, and I dont like belt pouches. Another issue for me is that the TTi is pretty large, and the knife-blade isnt comfortable to use. Other than that, its a great multitool; one of the sturdiest out there.

I suppose we all have different tolerances about the stuff we carry. Because for years my everyday multitool was a Super Tool, the Charge doesn't seem like a burden at all. Since I don't mind belt carry, my TTi rides in a nylon pouch along with bit extender, extra bits, an awl mod, and a small flashlight. It has been just the right outfit for me, tried and tested for some time now. I seldom use other gear anymore to the point of selling or giving some away (but I do keep a Rambler in my jeans watch pocket for the grooming aids and when discretion is necessary.) For traveling lighter, the pocket clip is okay, but I don't like raggedy pockets, which is how they get sooner or later.

Due to these issues Ive more and more ended up carrying a SAK. Even though SAKs are great, a plier-based multi tool has functions that cant be achieved by a pocket knife. Ive noticed that a saw and pliers are two things I really want to edc, and the smallest SAK to have these features is the handyman, which IMO is too thick for convenient use.

About the weights, the listed weight for CS4 is 156 g, and for TTi 232 g. So there definately should be a considerable difference.

If anyone here owns or has used a CS4 Id love to hear some thoughts :thumbup: Like I said, I already ordered one, but its gonna take at least two weeks before I receive it

One of the few Leathermen I still keep around and occasionally use is a CS4.
It functions pretty much like a SAK but with usable pliers. Actually, I love SAKs and have used them for decades, but they don't have comparable pliers
in any of their offerings. In that size, Leatherman has the field to itself. All the implements work well enough, although the awl needs sharpening to be at its best. However, resist the urge to sharpen the can opener. A combo tool, it will open cans with only a bit of patience necessary, but a sharper edge will puncture bottle caps. It's a compromise, but so is the basic concept of a multitool, and indeed, much of life.

The Juice has its limitations, though. Don't expect it to be as tough as the Charge. Once I got over-enthusiastic about squeezing down on something, causing a quick visit to Leatherman Warranty (fixed perfectly, no charge.) Just keep your inner gorilla in check and you should get good use out of the CS4. It's a right-sized piece which I like to carry suspended into a pocket by shoestring with a quick release clip for those times I can't or don't want to carry my Charge kit.

 

[navihawk]

I still use the old style wave without the locks. i have a NIB as a backup, and figure when the one I have been using breaks and I send it in for a new one, I'm sure they won't have any without the locks. The thing I like about the lockless ones is how it folds up. It has springs like a pocketknife. The TTI is nice but theres a littl pin inside that sticks out. A guy at work broke his and it doesn't close right. other than that they are nice.It would be nice to get some silver slabs for the thing.
It's funny, on the waves, the ends or "bolsters" on my older one are bumpy or textured and my new one they are smooth. You can still get the old style on Ebay. I've owned the swiss tools and I'm not crazy for them. F/F is outstanding like any vic, but just not my style. Wave=#1
I think I'm set for life here.

 

[attej]

I suppose we all have different tolerances about the stuff we carry. Because for years my everyday multitool was a Super Tool, the Charge doesn't seem like a burden at all. Since I don't mind belt carry, my TTi rides in a nylon pouch along with bit extender, extra bits, an awl mod, and a small flashlight.

Ive got no awl mod and Ive added a space pen, but other than that, you just described my TTi set

About the belt pouches, I shouldnt have said I dont like 'em, its just that often they are not the most convenient way to carry a multi tool. Sometimes I just need a SAK or something similar that I can just slip into my pocket on the way out. But, if I know for a fact that Im gonna need a multi tool, carrying a TTi is not a problem. The CS4 is gonna be more of an EDC; kind of the minimum of what Im gonna be carrying.

It's a right-sized piece which I like to carry suspended into a pocket by shoestring with a quick release clip for those times I can't or don't want to carry my Charge kit.

That's exactly what Im looking for (and the carry method Ive been using for SAK)! I think I made the right choice here :thumbup:

Thanks for the tip about durability, I'll keep that in mind

 

[vaj1111]

As luck would have it I was out with the wife on Black Friday and saw a Leatherman Charge TI at Marshal's Discount Retailer. It was normally $100.00 and it was marked down to $39.00. I thought, "What a Deal" but I already have a Victorniox Swiss Tool so I just put it back on the shelf and left the store. When I got home I started thinking about it, how cool it would be to have a Leatherman Charge TI and what a great gift it would make. The more and more I thought about it, I started feeling sick to my stomach, thinking about it lying there. So this morning I got up early and raced back to the store and luckily it was still face down, way on the back of the shelf where I kind of hid it. How lucky was I that it stayed in the store on Black Friday and that I got it for only $39.00.

 

[attej]

So this morning I got up early and raced back to the store and luckily it was still face down, way on the back of the shelf where I kind of hid it. How lucky was I that it stayed in the store on Black Friday and that I got it for only $39.00.

:thumbup:

Btw, talking about prices, the retail price for Leatherman Charge TTi in Finland is 189 EUR. With the current exchange rate that sums up to ~280 USD

 

[Confederate]

The Charge TTi is growing on me. I think I'm going to have to get a nylon case,
though, because I need another tool to get the blasted thing out. I've already
had cause to use the pliers, something I didn't think I'd use much. The tool is
strong, but there's plenty of room for competition in multitool manufacturing. I have
three SAKs and I'm not at all impressed with the blade quality. The blades actually
bend, they don't stay sharp very well and steel quality seems mediocre.

I'm thinking about buying some Gerber multitools as gifts. Does anyone carry
and use them? The tools seem a bit small, but they look like good buys.

 

[navihawk]

$39.00 is incredible.

 

[Confederate]

So this morning I got up early and raced back to the store and luckily it was still face down, way on the back of the shelf where I kind of hid it. How lucky was I that it stayed in the store on Black Friday and that I got it for only $39.00.

You are indeed fortunate. I trust by your account that there was only one left. Even a hundred dollars is a good price and Smokey Mountain Knife Works, which used to have great prices on many knives, wants $129! They make great gifts, though. I'm just wondering if it was mismarked.