The Juice is Loose (Leatherman)

[craytab]

I thought the CS stood for corkscrew. Are there versions with no corkscrew?

I really like the s2, but I wish the scissors were on par with the victorinox tools.

No clue. Guess they should just put out the damn S2!

 

[Ourorboros]

Old or new stock, there absolutely is a hole in the line-up that these fill. Hopefully leatherman sees that with this venture and make a permanent reintroduction or a new model that fills the gap between the squirt and everything else.

I do hope you are right though, and they dust off some S2s for sale.

And Victorinox has a distinct lack of scissors in their 84mm line. Micras and Squirts have been impossible to find on most sites.
I'm hoping that for Leatherman it's just current material prices and shortages that are the issue.

 

[Ourorboros]

I thought the CS stood for corkscrew. Are there versions with no corkscrew?

I really like the s2, but I wish the scissors were on par with the victorinox tools.

The 'S' stands for scissors and the 'C' for corkscrew, I think.
Then with the XE6 the just said f* it, we're just cramming stuff on there.

 

[craytab]

And Victorinox has a distinct lack of scissors in their 84mm line. Micras and Squirts have been impossible to find on most sites.
I'm hoping that for Leatherman it's just current material prices and shortages that are the issue.

If scissors are what you want, there are some low cost imports out there that deliver above and beyond anything Leatherman has produced, IMO.

 

[Ratatoskr]

The 'S' stands for scissors and the 'C' for corkscrew, I think.
Then with the XE6 the just said f* it, we're just cramming stuff on there.

I vote "eXperimental Extremism"!

I went ahead and ordered one each off leatherman's site, mainly because I have a multitool problem. I'm sure they'll find good homes among my gear.
It's always been a puzzler for me, though - I think the victorinox swisstools are better made in that each individual tool is nicer, but they don't offer one-hand opening of anything and the handles are too smooth and slick to use with dirty or sweaty hands, so I've religiously used leathermans instead. The Juice line has those same smooth handles, but I don't use them as work tools, mainly hiking or paddling or other recreational activities where I won't be stressed or pressed for time.

 

[Guy McVer]

I have a multitool problem.

Well you're in good company then.

I think the victorinox swisstools are better made in that each individual tool is nicer, but they don't offer one-hand opening of anything

They changed that a little while ago. They now offer one hand opening and a pocket clip. Still no replaceable wire cutters though.

 

[Ourorboros]

If scissors are what you want, there are some low cost imports out there that deliver above and beyond anything Leatherman has produced, IMO.

I actually have the Nextool (middle) and I'm pleasantly impressed. The quality is easily above Gerber at the price of a Dime.
I don't think the quality is the same as Leatherman, but $ for $ it delivers.

 

[craytab]

I actually have the Nextool (middle) and I'm pleasantly impressed. The quality is easily above Gerber at the price of a Dime.
I don't think the quality is the same as Leatherman, but $ for $ it delivers.

I agree that the overall quality isn't at leatherman level but the scissor quality is well above leatherman scissors (bigger, better cutting performance, and adjustable), imo. The big river has these nextools listed under different brand names and with a little searching you can find them at an even deeper discount. At 1/3 the cost of a squirt and 1/2 the cost of a dime, these things are serious contenders.

 

[Sventhelumberjack]

XE6's have landed! These are fantastic! Daughter will love the moss green. I need to work on lightening up the springs for the flat driver deployment; the three of them are nail breakers, and will also gouge your knuckle if you aren't careful opening them. Those of you who have ordered these closeout juice models and have received them, did you get a users instruction sheet? Neither of mine had one.

 

[Ourorboros]

XE6's have landed! These are fantastic! Daughter will love the moss green. I need to work on lightening up the springs for the flat driver deployment; the three of them are nail breakers, and will also gouge your knuckle if you aren't careful opening them. Those of you who have ordered these closeout juice models and have received them, did you get a users instruction sheet? Neither of mine had one.

How thick are they? The reason I never ordered the XE6 is that they seem rather thick for a medium sized multitool. Good in the pocket? or is it to be stuffed in a bag?

 

[StuntDouble]

I got my wife one of these years ago, but can't remember which one off hand. I just know it was purple, seemed to have a lot of wasted space, and the tools were extremely hard to deploy. I think that's my main hang up with getting one of these. The driver tools are what I would likely use the most, and they just don't seem all that easy to deploy.

Edited to add: Turns out I got her an XE6, I guess it just must be the older version. I actually managed to cut myself opening the two smaller standard drivers, while the opening nubs on the largest one and the Philips driver were smaller and harder to use. Unless they've changed that on the newer versions, I think I'd have to skip out on these.

 

[Ratatoskr]

My CS and XE6 just landed. I'm really liking the CS, having an awl is a big factor for me. The XE6 is like a little brick, and I agree with all above that the opening layers are overly tight. Having said that they'll find a home in various gear bags or outdoor kits.

I think I've had every leatherman model out there (as of 2017 or so) and the Charge is definitely my favorite to use and work with; what I would love for hiking and woods bumming is a full-sized, skeletonized version with good pliers and the same toolset as a Vic Farmer X.

 

[Blades of Glory]

XE6's have landed! These are fantastic! Daughter will love the moss green. I need to work on lightening up the springs for the flat driver deployment; the three of them are nail breakers, and will also gouge your knuckle if you aren't careful opening them. Those of you who have ordered these closeout juice models and have received them, did you get a users instruction sheet? Neither of mine had one.View attachment 1970438

Ordered one of each and both did not come with manual. Just Multi-Tool, info slip and box. Would really love to know the story behind these from someone at Leatherman.

 

[Sventhelumberjack]

How thick are they? The reason I never ordered the XE6 is that they seem rather thick for a medium sized multitool. Good in the pocket? or is it to be stuffed in a bag?

Just under 0.800" inches by my calipers, a little over 3/4 of an inch, not including the rivet heads. Definitely thicker than many people might prefer for pocket carry.

 

[Ourorboros]

I got my CS4 and it's as big as I'd like for pocket carry. A clip would help.
I'm reasonably happy with it, though I'd rather have a double sided file rather than a cork screw.

If the Juice and some other missing models were discontinued for low sales, then it would be great if Leatherman started an economy line. Have Nextool make them. The S2 was slimmer and would be great for carry. Maybe play around with the tool set.

 

[Guy McVer]

I have a new theory about where these Juices came from. I still think the prevailing wisdom is correct. These are in fact from some old stock that Leatherman has dusted off and decided to sell. The evidence confirming this is from the old manufacture dates stamped on the inside of the handles. The interesting thing about this is that there have been mismatched dates found in each handle of the same Juice, indicating that the individual parts were manufactured at different times and were subsequently assembled at a much later date.

I think what may have happened is that these Juices were recently assembled from a stock of old parts that were probably intended for use in warranty repairs. If that's true, then it's interesting that they only built two models instead of assembling the full lineup.

I need to work on lightening up the springs for the flat driver deployment; the three of them are nail breakers, and will also gouge your knuckle if you aren't careful opening them. Those of you who have ordered these closeout juice models and have received them, did you get a users instruction sheet? Neither of mine had one.

The flat drivers should loosen up over time. I have worked mine for a bit and they have improved a little.

It seems that Leatherman did not bother printing any instructions for this final run. Mine didn't have any instructions and nobody else appears to have gotten any with their orders either.

How thick are they? The reason I never ordered the XE6 is that they seem rather thick for a medium sized multitool. Good in the pocket? or is it to be stuffed in a bag?

I placed one of the Juice XE6 on a table next to a brand new 91mm Victorinox Ranger with the corkscrews of both multitools facing up. Side by side, they are identical in thickness. I'll state that again: The XE6 appears to be the exact same thickness as a Victorinox Ranger.

The XE6 is also shorter in length than the Ranger, and fatter in width. The XE6 does weigh more than the Ranger, but the XE6 also has more tools in it than the Ranger has.

To give you a better idea, the Ranger is a 5 layer swiss army knife model. It has a layer with 2 knife blades, a metal file layer, a wood saw layer, a scissors layer, and an opener layer for bottlecaps and cans of food. It is only 1 layer thicker than the popular Huntsman or Explorer models, and it is significantly less thick than a Swiss Champ. The XE6 is often compared to a Swiss Champ, but in truth the XE6 is a lot less thick than a Swiss Champ is.

 

[Sventhelumberjack]

For those of you who have carried and used the XE6, does it fit well in the medium size Leatherman nylon snap sheath with side pockets? I purchased the bit driver adapter to go with the tool, and would like to carry them together.

 

[Guy McVer]

If you just got your Juice and you are unsatisfied with the factory edge of the main blade...

If you own a Spyderco Tri-angle Sharpmaker...

Use the brown rods with the 20 degree per side slots (40 degrees inclusive). It won't contact the whole surface of the bevel. You are just adding a quick micro bevel to the edge.

Light passes. It doesn't take long. It goes quick.

Test sharpness, if it has noticeably improved, then move to the white rods. Again use light strokes. This will take very little time.

Test again. You should have much better cutting performance now. For testing, I like to use thin magazine pages from the knife catalogs that they won't stop sending me even though I asked them to stop.

If you have the ultra fine rods that cost extra, don't even bother using them next. You will get better results on the Juice's blade if you only use the normal white rods that come with the base unit.

 

[Lesknife]

I grabbed up an S2 back when I heard they were being discontinued. It’s a nice size for pocket carry and it is still a decent size for some medium-light work more so than the smaller squirt or micro and similar tools. I usually carry it when I’m going on a road trip to visit my kids and other errands when I’m not doing any heavier work. It’s sturdy for its size but it’s not nearly as able as a Wave or Surge or other larger sized tools.

Idk, it seems that a lot of people want either a small or a large size and don’t settle for a medium sized tool. In a way I agree but for general usage and having a tool that will handle a bit more than a small micro or squirt it don’t take up much room or weight a half pound. I don’t carry the S2 every day or every where but on occasion it is handy to have in pocket for the unexpected need.

 

[Guy McVer]

Idk, it seems that a lot of people want either a small or a large size and don’t settle for a medium sized tool. In a way I agree but for general usage and having a tool that will handle a bit more than a small micro or squirt it don’t take up much room or weight a half pound. I don’t carry the S2 every day or every where but on occasion it is handy to have in pocket for the unexpected need.

I really like the KF4 and I wish they had put together a few of those. The S2 seems like everyone's favorite model and I'd like a chance to pick up one or two of them as well.

Going by some of the QC complaints that I've seen and by the mismatched date stamps in the handles, it's very obvious that these last Juices were probably assembled very recently from a stockpile of old parts. They should have assembled some of the other models too and it's frustrating that they don't seem to have done that.

For those of you who have carried and used the XE6, does it fit well in the medium size Leatherman nylon snap sheath with side pockets? I purchased the bit driver adapter to go with the tool, and would like to carry them together.

All I know is that it fits in the leather Rebar sheath. It's a little tight but it definitely works. There's no room for bits though.

Maybe see if you can find out whether the Rebar fits in the sheath you're looking at. If the Rebar fits, then the Juice XE6 should fit too.