No more Wave for me.

E

ElCuchillo

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Oct 3, 2006
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I am officially retiring my Leatherman Wave in favor of my Blast. Once AGAIN today I got a blood blister..... TWO actually. One from the plier handles meeting in the middle and pinching my thumb, and later when I was using the screwdriver, the lock failed, and itclosed on my thumb. Not closed all the way, but it pinched me. I love this tool, but the fact that it BITES like it does, and the fact that it's profile when closed is so friggin sharp makes it not as user friendly as my Blast. It's not very ergonomic. Even when using the knife blades, the handles are really sharp and hurt if doing some heavy cutting. My Wave has served it's purpose well for quite a few years, but now it is time for it to saunter into the next room and make way for it's cousin.
 
ElCuchillo said:
...It's not very ergonomic. Even when using the knife blades, the handles are really sharp and hurt if doing some heavy cutting...
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The Blast is a good multi-tool but if you want a slightly more ergonomic version Wave, you might take a look at the camouflage Charges. I think the titanium covers and camouflage coating make them a bit smoother and more comfortable to grip. The camouflage XTi is my favorite of the new Wave-style multi-tools.
 
I just received a Charge SLX for Christmas. The handles are incredibly comfortable. I also have the camoflauge Charge from Bass Pro Shop and it is quite comfortable. I agree about the new Wave having too many sharp edges on the handles - same reason why I don't like the Surge.
 
JoeBW...in my mind I clearly saw SLV!! It's bad when you can't even get three letters right! Hehehe


Thanks for the correction!
 
Been tempted by the new AL Charges for a while. I've been through hell and back with my Wave, from the outback, cross-country and back through the commutes and daily grind. At one point it was my primary blade.

Still an excellent tool, I'd pick it over the rest, but its flaws have caught up with it recently. The worse steel just can't compare with a better knife, rendering it a back-up to my main folder. But more importantly, as solid as it still is after all these years, it's not the weight but the bare stainless finish that gets me. Holding it just now, I picked up my folded Wave and held in my hand vertically. Not a death grip, just holding it. Within a millisecond, I could feel it sliding down against my fingers from its weight. With a tighter grip it works simply fine, has for years. But the fact is, the weight and bare finish of the Wave makes it more inclined to slide around in your hand when trying to find a grip. The idea of using this thing for defense, was laughable from the start because of this. After a workout it's like my fingers have to tap-dance around to keep a grip on the thing to get at the opening hole, then there's getting a grip on the blade.

If the outer finish of the steel were machined differently, such as the grid finish of my new Alox SAK, I imagine the sliding problem would be decreased considerably but add to the cost. The finish has held up amazingly well for how much I abuse this tool, it could still pass for new thanks to the WD-40 treatments despite years of hard use, but I'd prefer a less fancy grid finish for grip. Type 3 HA is naturally rougher to touch because it's molded to the metal, even the smooth parts are easier to hold than steel and other aluminums. I never went near the TI models because I expected the same problems as with steel. But now, I'm waiting for something to go wrong with my Wave, because a HA-Charge would fix the grip problems and offer a better blade steel.

As much sense as it would make to change the finish and improve the Wave for the larger market...it's an unadvertised incentive to go for the Charge. Leatherman having to fall back on HA-3 because of the increase in titanium price is actually a blessing in disguise performance wise.
 
I use a wave for some leather work often, and I've given myself about a dozen blood blisters from those damn pliers crunching down on me. :mad:
 
Try the Blast, Spooky. Just about the same tools, plier handles don;t pinch when in use, and very lightweight. It has the Holy Trinity of Multitools.
I. Rounded, comfortable edges
II. No clumping
III. Locking tools.
 
AlexSchira said:
Type 3 HA is naturally rougher to touch because it's molded to the metal, even the smooth parts are easier to hold than steel and other aluminums. I never went near the TI models because I expected the same problems as with steel. But now, I'm waiting for something to go wrong with my Wave, because a HA-Charge would fix the grip problems and offer a better blade steel.
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Your comments caught my attention. Is this from actual experience, or theoretical? Lately, I have been considering an AL model, but there have been no local opportunities to lay hands on one (damn blister packs!:grumpy:). I would really like to handle one before making any decision, but the opinions of others is certainly valuable.

You might want to gives ti a second look (feel?), though. Some while ago I had the use of a Charge Ti and found the handles quite comfortable, not slippery like on the Wave.
 
AlexSchira said:
But more importantly, as solid as it still is after all these years, it's not the weight but the bare stainless finish that gets me.
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I've told the story of having my black finish wave stolen, but I think you've hit the nail on the head for me as to why I'm just not quite as happy with the stainless replacement I bought. The matt black finish just has that tad more grip to it. Just enough to stop it being slippery.
Mind you - my stainless Wave has done sterling service at the farm over the holidays. From putting mutton chops on the table to fixing the pipes running into the water tank.
 
I understand the TI models were shaped and textured around the center, which on second thought would offer more grip and function. The advantages the Charge models have is both the less slippery metal, and the textured grips which I'm told are more rounded to grip and easier to hold casually. HA-3 is a molding process that leaves a very, very faint pattern in the finish, resembles a machined grid pattern like canvas weaves or clothing. Is it enough to use without etching? Of course not, my fingers can still slide around the smooth sections of a Surefire light, but it doesn't increase dramatically if my fingertips are sweaty or oily. It just feels like I'm holding smooth metal. With my Wave, getting my fingers positioned out in the heat or rain is like running on ice, it's that slippery. Stainless steel was designed to repel oils and fluids to preserve itself, which our skin happens to be covered in. Even surgical scalpels have etching along the handles for grip, it's just a very slippery metal by nature.

The Wave is a great tool, its design is what went on to become the best tools Leatherman makes, the Charge series is nothing more than improvements and refinements on the Wave design. They kept around the dated original because it was cheaper to make, and is still very usable. At some point enough people must have complained that they went and improved the design, the steel, and other tidbits. That might be where the high-end Charge series came from, it's them saying 'If you want us to fix it, it's going to cost more'.
 
I have a Charge TTI and it's not slippery at all. I don't have a Wave, but the textured scales on the Charge TTI provide a much grippier surface than the smooth SS on my SuperTool 200 (though I don't find the ST200 problematically slippery).
 
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