The old Waves

navihawk

navihawk

Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Messages
4,677
Catching up on some pictures. Some eye candy for a few maybe? Funny, one has smooth "bolsters" and one has textured.

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I still carry mine often.

Mine has the textured ends.

Hate the 5-point security torx fasteners, and what was the point in using them?

Nice picts!
 
The 5-point Torx TX bits were used to keep users from taking the tools apart. Same reason the PST had knurled fasteners.

As little as 2-3 years ago it was almost impossible to buy the Torx TX bits without a lot of hassle but now it's usually as easy as looking on eBay or buying a Chinese-made security bit set.

navihawk, nice pictures! A knurled Wave was one of my first multis almost a decade ago. What year is that knurled Wave? Those handles look a lot more polished than I've seen before.
 
The inside stamp says 0402A and 0502B so I'm not sure.I took the just the handles to a buffing wheel to be different, scotchbrited the blades to get rid of the lines, and took a sharp diamond file to the large screwdriver and can opener tips to put a nail nick in to open them easier.
I take it it is a 2002? I think I've had it for that long. The one before it I dropped and the little dimple on the master blade that is the end stop chipped off.That one was the old old style Wave without the springs to keep it closed. It used to clack when I walked. i think the box is the very original, as is the old sheath.

The untextured one says 0504A & 0504B
 
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I'd never part with my original Wave. Thanks much for the pics! :thumbup:
 
Harry Callahan said:
I'd never part with my original Wave. Thanks much for the pics! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Me either. If the user breaks and I send it in I'm sure they will replace it with the locking one. When I sent in the last one I specifically asked for the old style and they sent it, so maybe they still have them kicking around. I'm set for life.
 
I really wish they still made those. "Improving" the Wave was one of the dumbest decisions ever made, IMHO.
 
I know, the ones I have when you close it , it has a spring like a slipjoint. the new ones use some friction thing.
 
The new ones have some lame "lockback" mechanism that doesn't work, and it has horrid removable bits, instead of the old, solid phillips screwdriver. And the action on the new ones is nowhere near as nice as they used to be. I can flip my old Wave open and closed like a Bali- no way that's happening with the new ones.

"Improving" the Wave was one of the dumbest decisions ever made" is a bit of an overstatement, but it was a dumb decision. I've never heard ANYONE say they like the newer version- and you STILL hear folks complaining about it. It's been years since they changed it. I've retired my old Wave, because it's so nice, and will probably never be made like that again. Plus, it's about worn out anyway. ;)
 
I have two old style Waves myself. One I used at work for as long as Ive had it,must be about ten years now,and its still going strong. Its taken getting run over by heavy equipment,ice,snow,rain,grease etc. It isnt pretty,but it is still working. The other one was a gift shortly after I bought the first one. Its basically in new condition. I really enjoyed using it over the years,but I always wondered if it would snap apart cause the action became so loose. It is easy to swing open the handles. But it isnt broke yet! If it had a locking awl,it'd be perfect. Only problem is,as a gadget person,family and friends buy me new ones as gifts. Now I also have a Swisstool and a spirit. These are very well made and look absolutely bombproof. I was contemplating the newer style waves,but now I think I will pass.
 
We should all go to leatherman and suggest to bring back the old style wave. I'm going over there right now.
 
I just sent this off.


Hi Tim Leatherman
I am writing to you on behalf of a multitude of people who consider the old style Wave the best tool you have made so far. I have had different brands, along with your original leatherman and Supertool and I also have the Juice 3. The original Wave, or more specific, the second one, without the locks and with the spring that clacks it closed, is by far the best tool available. I also have a Surge TTI, which is like the new Wave. It is still in the box. I belong to a blade forum and in the multi tool forum everyone who has had the original likes it best. Don’t get me wrong, your new wave and surge are great and a lot of people like them, but it would be a nice option to have the original Wave available to people who want it. I think it would be a great addition as well as a great seller.
Sincerely,
Steve


If some more people write maybe he'll bring it back.

You can still get the original
Wave sheath at Leatherman for $6.00
 
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I feel the positives of the New Wave greatly outweigh any negatives that came with the design change. The Old Wave was nice but it suffered from "too many flatheads" disease, had tools that were more difficult to open and was overall a weaker design. Please don't misunderstand, I like both models very much but I really feel the New is quite a good upgrade. The fact that it has a pocket clip alone makes it worthwhile to me.

with the spring that clacks it closed
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There isn't any such system in either the Old or New Waves? The Old models do have a different friction ramp on the plier tang that may give it a little more snap than the New model but I think the triangular ramp and the increased longevity it provides for the new plier design are worthwhile.

I think a better idea would be to lobby for a Wave 3. Incorporate some of the New design improvements with some of the things from the Old that should have stayed on. Although, I will admit that an Old Wave Sprint Run would be something I would buy in a heartbeat. I do lament the fact that more recent tools are generally larger without any added functionality, or in the case of the Kick and Fuse; larger with a decrease in implements when compared to the original PST.

navihawk, I think they need to hear about how poor the current sheaths are as well. I cannot understand how they expect such a good tool to reside in such a poor quality sheath. :thumbdn:
 
I know what you mean. My surge sheath ia hideous. If you look on the old waves, not the old old or original ones they have a small two fingered spring that puts pressure around the round part of the plier. Thats what I was talking about springing back. I agree on the philips side about getting the tools out. I take a sharp diamond file and cut a little groove in the large screwdriver and can opener. It doesn't hurt the function and I can get a fingernail in there. The design on that part of it ,they went too far in with the nail nick.
 
navihawk said:
...If you look on the old waves, not the old old or original ones they have a small two fingered spring that puts pressure around the round part of the plier. Thats what I was talking about springing back. ...
Click to expand...

Here's a photo of the spring. The earlier example which lacks the spring is on the right.

wave_pliers.jpg


Although the new ones are nice, I wouldn't mind Leatherman bringing back the original Wave.
 
Nice shots supratentorial. Which original, the one with the spring or the older one? I wouldnt mind the older one either. mine used to clack when I walked it was so loose.Sure opened easy though. I like the spring one. It sounds nice closing. Thats the only difference from the two I believe.
 
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