Why doesn't Leatherman sharpen the Juice can opener and awl?

[nothinghappenedtoday]

I love my Leatherman Juices, but can't figure out why they make their awls and can openers so dull. Granted, it is no problem to sharpen, and I've sharpened all of mine, but would the average, non-knife enthusiast consumer go through the trouble? If anything, a product should work right out of the box, and the awl doesn't. The opener will open bottles, but not cans.

Who here agrees, and who here think that they're fine as-is and haven't sharpened theirs?

 

[znapschatz]

I love my Leatherman Juices, but can't figure out why they make their awls and can openers so dull. Granted, it is no problem to sharpen, and I've sharpened all of mine, but would the average, non-knife enthusiast consumer go through the trouble? If anything, a product should work right out of the box, and the awl doesn't. The opener will open bottles, but not cans.

Who here agrees, and who here think that they're fine as-is and haven't sharpened theirs?

Yes, both components should have come workable from the factory. Apparently Leatherman cut manufacturing corners on these implements, although the rest of the build quality is quite good.
I'm not saying it is okay for a maker to do this, but by some standards, this might not be a bad thing.

My CS4 made in 2003, came with the can opener squared away and working well, but the awl needed sharpening. The combi tool on my new 2010 Juice S2 was also dull. It could open a can, but was more difficult to use and left a jagged edge. It didn't take a whole lot of time and effort to sharpen it, though. As a can opener it works smoothly now, but because it has a sharp edge, I have to be more careful opening a bottle or the cap might get pierced.

Although the CS4 awl has a nice point now,there is a case for keeping the awl as it comes to use as a probe rather than an awl, something to untie knots or poke things you can't or don't want to touch but not puncture.
Non-enthusiasts might be annoyed. For myself, I like the option of customizing.

 

[nothinghappenedtoday]

For myself, I like the option of customizing.

Me too. In fact, I have the can opener so sharp on my XE6, it's become my main utility blade because I can open it one handed. Same thing with the awl on my KF4. Granted, I wouldn't carve a spoon with the can opener or awl, but they're great for opening packages or boxes.

 

[IUKE12]

I bent the can opener on my Juice because it was so dull. I sent it back to LM with a letter suggesting they leave the factory a little bit sharper. I got the knife back two weeks later, new can opener, just as dull.

 

[Shotgun]

Me too. In fact, I have the can opener so sharp on my XE6, it's become my main utility blade because I can open it one handed. Same thing with the awl on my KF4. Granted, I wouldn't carve a spoon with the can opener or awl, but they're great for opening packages or boxes.

I never knew how useful an awl could be until I bought my Farmer. It's probably the tool that gets used the most. Works great at opening packages at work and it leaves your main blade clean from tape glue.:thumbup:

As to the question: I think that very few people who buy multitools will ever use either of those implements. So the minority who do have to fix them.

 

[nothinghappenedtoday]

I never knew how useful an awl could be until I bought my Farmer. It's probably the tool that gets used the most.

Agreed. That's also what makes the dull Juice awl so confusing! I generally won't carry a multitool that doesn't have an awl. Even had to make my own on my Wave and Charge by grinding down the large flat driver!

 

[Nikkogi]

The awl isn't sharp because it doesn't lock. Drilling and scraping could fold the blade back easily!