Skeletool Yay or nay?

C

ColonelX

Joined
Aug 11, 2008
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what are your opinions on the new leathermn skeletool im considering getting one but cant really decide Pros & Cons ?
 
Good for hiking, sucks for Maitenance personel. I thought it was great to come home to take the Supertool off my belt and pop the Skeletool in the pocket for casual carry. But it can't at all match up to the performance of my hardcore tools (Wave, Core, Supertool, Kick, etc). Being in Maintenance I have to have a stronger tool with more implements. Ultimately I ended up selling it and going with the smaller Juice for casual carry. I also had a problem with the bit driver where the bit would keep falling out.
 
I like it for what it is. I carry mine often as it gets most jobs done. Honestly, my only gripe with my CX is that I hate that damned combo edge with a passion. I love everything else about the CX from the blade steel to the black coating to the CF insert, etc. I just really haven't made peace with the combo edge yet. I'm thinking that the next time I have little scratch burning a hole in my pocket that I'll just pick up a standard version with the 420HC.

I'll be plenty happy with that one:)

Right now the CX gets rotated with my used but loved Fuse. If the fuse came with a pocket clip, I'd never need another tool.
 
I picked up one of the 420HCs a few months ago. I would have gone with the CX, but that darn combo edge stopped me. For my purposes, it's been great. I don't usually wear a belt, and I don't like carrying very much in my pockets, so I didn't want to lug around a bigger multi-tool and a separate knife. I needed something light with a belt clip that had a one hand opening blade. I'm just a software developer, so I don't really need a huge assortment of tools everywhere I go, but the skeletool has enough to get me through the occasional tool-requiring job.

A couple of the dislikes for me (mostly minor):
From the factory, there was no way that it could have been considered a one handed opener. I had to take it apart and get rid of a couple burs and work it in for a half hour before it started to smooth out. Even now that it is pretty smooth, it's a bit awkward for me to open it with one hand. I have to choke up on my grip to open it, and have trouble when my hands are wet at all. I would have preferred a stud to the small thumb-holes.

The blade itself is thicker than I would normally use for its' size. Since it's the only blade I carry anymore, I guess I shouldn't be complaining that it's sturdy, but there have been a couple of finer tasks that I wished I had a thinner knife for.

The screwdriver and pliers are ok for quick tasks, but for extended use, I find the screwdriver to be really awkward to use and the pliers to quickly get uncomfortable (using a sog powerlock as a comparison). A bit extender so that the screwdriver could be used while the unit is closed would have been great, but I don't see how they could have fit it in. The bottle opener works great, but I have chipped a couple of bottles when not being careful.

For a light use EDC, I really really like the skeletool. The couple of issues are far outweighed by the fact that it's a package that I'm actually willing to carry all the time. However, as mentioned by the previous posters, if you are looking for a hard use multi-tool that you can use all day, I would look elsewhere.
 
I like mine for light use, and I even like the combo edge. With a Micra on my keychain, I make up for its lack of scissors.
 
Yeah they are good to go! Great for edc and trips about the town. I would'nt take it into the backwoods or the like, but it is purposeful and much more useable than say a SAK Tinker.
 
I have had my CX a little after it fist came out and I love it. Wear it almost every day and it has helped me out many times.

If you are someone who feels they need to have a lot of tools, then get a normal leatherman. However, if you are like me and want something with the essential tools in a light package, then you will probably like the CX.
 
It works OK as a bottle opener and reserve pliers. :)

The blade was very, very rough to open at first, and only smoothed up as the paint/coating wore off the lock bar. It's sharp enough, but too small (and I also don't like the combo edge). The pliers remain stiff to unfold; this is particularly noticeable next to my Wave.

I don't carry it as much as I expected. I generally either put my Wave in a bag, or just go without (i.e., with my one or two pocket knives instead :D).
 
I like it, even though it is over priced. and like many here, it's a minimalist tool, a "CityTool" nice and light, a few important tools,
and looks nice ;)
 
Depends on you're using it for. I like mine as a light duty tool for dress clothes or khakis. If I'm outdoors or in a warehouse I usually have a Charge or Swisstool with me.
 
I handled one and liked it. Good idea and fairly well executed. But still, it is only very slightly heavier than a full featured multitool (Spirit) and still somewhat bulky.

I couldn't justify the purchase to myself after handling it and noticing my Swisstool Spirit is only 0.2-0.3oz more and adds much more functionality. I can, however, see that it could be very useful for some people. Just not me.
 
carrot said:
I handled one and liked it. Good idea and fairly well executed. But still, it is only very slightly heavier than a full featured multitool (Spirit) and still somewhat bulky.

I couldn't justify the purchase to myself after handling it and noticing my Swisstool Spirit is only 0.2-0.3oz more and adds much more functionality. I can, however, see that it could be very useful for some people. Just not me.
Click to expand...

Your scale seems a bit off. The Skeletool weighs 5 oz, while the Spirit is a heftier 7.23 oz.
 
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I say get it I have one and dont have any problems with it. The knife is razor sharp, Has a pocket clip, Has 4 screw driver bits, Full sized pliers, And The Carbiner on the bottle opener catches you bottle cap.
 
I just got one recently and have carried it at work. I have a large toolbox at work, but if I'm in the other shop or the CAD office, it is a little walk away. I find it very comfortable in my left pocket, so I can still carry a normal knife clipped in my right pocket. It comes in handy when I need a pair of pliers or a screwdriver in a pinch.

The tools are perfect for what it is. I may add this or that, but that moves it away from being a SKELEtool. I have a wave, but I only use the file or saw when I'm hiking. The Skeletool is great for around town. I say get one because it puts a pliered mulitool in your pocket (I won't carry one around town on my belt).
 
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