What to expect of Leatherman pliers

[annasoH323]

I'm a total multitool newbie but just got a used Juice S2 to carry around. I have a quote from some review knocking around in my head that Leatherman pliers have the best mating that this reviewer had ever seen. So, I checked out the mating of the pliers and they're actually a tiny bit off. In the closed position, they start off with just a hair's width gap but then slightly taper to maybe a millimeter gap on the bottom. I just want to know what's normal and if perhaps I've got this unhealthy notion of what "well mated pliers" means.

Bonus question! What works for people in getting off cosmetic rust and stain spots? Since it is used, it's got a bit of rust here and there and some in hard to reach places. I did give it a touch of WD-40 and I'm not super anal about cosmetics, but I'd also like it to last as long as possible. Thanks all!

 

[Airman123]

So what well mated pliers is referring to is the way the jaws mate on the sides and top. It is not the inside of the jaw but the out side. The gap that you are talking about is perfectly normal and they all come that way. Know for the rust issue I can not say mush about cleaning it yourself but if it becomes a problem send it off to Leatherman to get repaired or replaced. Leatherman has a very nice 25 year almost unconditional warranty.

 

[gomipile]

I have a Blast, and the pivot and jaws are actually better fitted than some really nice stand alone needle nose pliers I own.

Though, from what I've heard, the Wingman (and those in the same budget line) have pliers that are fairly loose, to the point that the wire cutters are useless for anything other than large gauge copper wire.

Basically, it seems to depend on the model.