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Best Leatherman-Style Multitool? 200

Posted by Cliff from the a-toolbox-on-your-belt dept.
An anonymous reader asks: "I'm in the market for a Leatherman style multitool, but some new players have come to the table in the past few years, and I've heard a couple of anecdotes that Leatherman might have been eclipsed. So, I'm asking Slashdot for lots of anecdotes; what are your experiences with your multitool? What's the best one you've seen or used? Have you ever broken one? Do the tools wiggle around after a lot of use? Those are some general questions, but there are two specific ones. First, does the knife blade lock? The quickest way to hurt fingers is using a folding knife when a fixed blade is the right tool, but you can't carry a fixed blade knife into many places. The second question is, how long is the main knife blade? You can't carry a folding knife with tool long of a blade, either (unfortunately). Thanks for any and all help!"
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Best Leatherman-Style Multitool? More

Best Leatherman-Style Multitool?

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  • Leatherman (Score:4, Informative)

    by GlL ( 618007 ) <gilNO@SPAMnet-venture.com> on Monday February 28, 2005 @06:59PM (#11808219)
    I have the leatherman Pulse. It comes with a locking mechanism that holds a fully extended tool in place. I have had it for a year so far and the tools aren't loose.
    • I have a Leatherman PST-something. It has locking tools. It takes a bit to snap them out of the lock and close them.

      The body folds open and you select the tool of choice. For most of the tools you can close it back up with the tool extended so they don't snap shut on you and cause oh-so-painful hurting.

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:3, Informative)

      by xanderwilson ( 662093 )
      I'll second that. Two years, same experience. Locking blade makes it safer and as far as I remember it's identical to my previous plain-old Leatherman.

      Got to REI or some other sports store and try out all the brands you can find. Different strokes and all of that.

      Alex.

    • Re:Leatherman (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Gontrand ( 606971 )
      I've got an original Leatherman PST, bought in an army surplus about 15 years ago... Long before multi-tools were in vogue like they are now. I can't believe the multitude of models they have these days. All those fancy names... Funny how they manage to make anything "marketable" nowadays... After all, a multi-tool is a pair of foldable pliers with a couple of blades and a screwdriver! And what's with all those colored handles? No marketing fuss needed! Give me plain old MILSPEC stainless steel!!!

    • Leatherman NEW Wave. (Score:3, Informative)

      by Ch_Omega ( 532549 )
      I got myself the New Model Leatherman Wave [mytoolstore.com] at the moment it came out, and can't be happier. It has 2 large knives, saw, file, 2 bits-holders(which includes two two-sided bits, additional bits are available from Leatherman), scissors, Large flat screwdriver(phillips-screwdrivers in two sizes in the included bits), can opener, better ruler, etc.

      You can also get a 21 piece bit-kit for it, which is great for technicians(check the link [mytoolstore.com], and scroll down.). It also appears that it's has a lower price than the ti
      • ....and the whole thong is just dandy. :)

        I guess this is what you get when you're surfing porn while writing Slashdot comments.

        I did ofcourse mean that the whole THING is dandy. :)
      • I recommend the older version of the Wave. Do you really need a whole rack of bits hanging off of your belt? The only down side of the old Wave is that it only has one size phillips bit, but that bit fits most thing just fine (just not the really small phillips screws).

        The newer Waves DO have some nicer main blades, but the scissors are worse, and I do not like havinge to carry extra bits just to use a screwdriver.

        But, in the end, there is not one-size-fits-all solution. Stick with the reputable brands

  • Squirt and Juice (Score:3, Informative)

    by lathama ( 639499 ) <lathama@lat h a m a . c om> on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:07PM (#11808274) Homepage Journal
    Both the Leatherman Squirt and Juice are great. I would suggest testing the phillips driver on any multitool first as some are different. The Squirt has a flat phillips that actually works, a little strange but it does work. I also keep a Gerber multitool in the back pack. The Gerber is nice and locks closed or open. I don't care for the size but the pliers are a little better because you can spread apart things that the leatherman can't. Overall I would say that with the low prices on most multitools it is worth while to have multiple of them, one in the truck, one in the apparment, etc....
    • I carry the Juice C2. Large enough to have real pliers, small enough to fit in the watch pocket of my jeans. No locking blade though.

      Great if you don't want to wear your multitool on your belt.

    • The Squirt EL [RadioShack -- $40 [radioshack.com]] is very nice and pocket sized, the difference between it and the normal Squirt is that it has plyer/wire-strippers/cutters in the normal plyer -OR- cutter spot.
    • I have a Leatherman Juice C2 [leatherman.com] that I picked up to replace a lost Swiss Army knife. I've had it for two years now and find myself carrying it around more than I had carried my knife.

      pros:
      * red color (I would lose it otherwise)
      * the the assist makes the corkscrew easier to use that any I have used elsewhere
      * high quality (same as any Leatherman or Gerber)
      * good looks
      * not too bulky or heavy (fits in a pocket)

      cons:
      * badly need a locking blade. The shape of the handle and blade make it especially not obvious

  • Cybertool 41 (Score:4, Informative)

    by Shadow_139 ( 707786 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:07PM (#11808277)

    The Best version and about half the price is the Victorinox Cybertool 41

    http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/3653/ [thinkgeek.com]

    Plus it take full size Hex/Torx heads... And good and solidly mad with lifetime warranty.

    Or if you want one to beat a users head-in for disturbing your /. reading, try the Victorinox Swiss Champ XLT

    http://www.swissknifeshop.co.uk/swisschampxlt.html / [swissknifeshop.co.uk]

  • Leatherman vs Gerber (Score:5, Informative)

    by Bourbon Man ( 76846 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:15PM (#11808370) Homepage
    I had a Leatherman for several years and somehow lost it. Shortly afterwards I was in a situation where I needed a multitool *now* and the only one I could find on short notice was a Gerber. I like the Gerber better, mainly because the blades are on the inside of the fold, and that makes the grip more comfortable. The saw blade is nothing more than a standard jigsaw blade, thus you can change it out with any jigsaw blade from any hardware store for any purpose you need it for. The knife blade is a nice combination of smooth and serrated for fine cutting or box ripping, and it has all the quality of Gerber's famous line of knives.

    • Re:Leatherman vs Gerber (Score:2, Informative)

      by ub3r ( 589156 )
      I second the gerber recomendation for the same reasons above. However i think that it is up to you to shop around and check out the ones you like, play with them a little before you decide which one to buy. I have been using gerber knifes for years and stand by them.
    • Shortly afterwards I was in a situation where I needed a multitool *now*...
      I'm trying to imagine a situation where you have to have a multitool and nothing else. I mean, a multitool doesn't do anything unique, it just does it in a small (and rather clumsy) package.

      • Re:I need a multitool! (Score:3, Informative)

        by DavidTC ( 10147 )
        Maybe he was about to be stranded on a desert island with only one item.

        Me, I don't know what all the fuss is about. I just carry a standard cheap-ass pocket knife, got it for two dollars at a dollar store. It's got scissors, a saw blade, a very useful hole punch, and a whole lot of things I rarely need. Once in a while, I break the blade, usually doing something I shouldn't have been doing with a knife blade, and I go buy another one for two dollars. I have it as a keychain, along with a triple A powered

        • Need plyers? You have two choices:

          1) Reach to your belt and pull out something that, while not being perfect, is quite functional.

          2) Leave whatever building you are working in, and go out to your car to get pliers.

          Replace "plyers" with "screwdriver," lather ,rinse, repeat.

          Multi-tools are certainly not perfect, but they are useful enough to carry -- just for the convenience factor of NOT having to go all the way out to the car. I have carried my Wave for over three years, and I love it.
    • I can second the Gerber recomendation.

      My favorite feature is the one-handed opening. Basicly, you flick your wrist and the pliers drop out.

      As for the blades inside, the serrated knife is my fave. In my cable plant, people were incredulous that I could go through 200-pair cable with a Gerber. Furthermore, I added that I could do it faster than the actual ratcheting cutter designed to go through 200-pair cable. I picked up the cable (about 4" thick) and started sawing. Took less than 30 seconds to go t
    • The Victorynox also has the blades on the inside... but the one I have is too heavy. Like Swiss tools better than American... less hype.

      But that said, the Leatherman Micra and wave are pretty cool.

      But then again, the most important purpose for a tool in my country is for self-defence.... does that count?

      So I carry a 'Cold Steel' Vaquero (medium size). I needed something with a silver blade and looks mean (for law purposes)

  • Leatherman Wave (Score:5, Informative)

    by Vertigo01 ( 243919 ) <nhume@nosPAm.myrealbox.com> on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:18PM (#11808393)
    I work as a professional theatre technician. My multi-tool is my life, literally, and it gets used and abused on a daily basis.

    I've had a Leatherman Wave since they first came out (I was told by the guy at the store that I was the first person to buy one) and have NEVER had a problem with it. It's not super-heavy-duty. You can't use the knife-blade as a chisel. You can't exert > 40 or 50 lbs of torque pressure on the tool. Having said that, if you need a specialized tool, then you need a specialized tool. Don't try and do it with a multi-tool.

    The wave get's my vote, hands down.

    • Re:Leatherman Wave (Score:3, Interesting)

      by n1ywb ( 555767 )
      I love my Leatherman Wave. I use it on a near daily basis. I can really crank on the pliars without gouging my hands. It's very good for stripping wire, which I do a lot. And it will cut pretty heavy guage steel wire, I've even cut through barbed wire with it (don't ask). I hate flying because I can't carry it on. Living in Vermont I've seen a lot of different multitools, and the Wave is still my first choice.

      I did break it once, but I was absolutely abusing it. I grabbed something with the tips of the pl

    • I buy myself a new Leatherman Wave every year or two. It's my present to myself. The joy of having a brand-new one more than justifies the cost.

      Truly a day does not go by that I don't draw my leatherman for something. I'm hard enough on them that I do gradually wear them out in some way or another. I keep the old ones around, though, and more than once I've been grateful to fall back on an old one when I temporarily misplace my current one.

      I'm definitely less of a man without my Wave. :)

      - Peter

  • SOG PowerLock (Score:3, Informative)

    by Skorgu ( 704392 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:19PM (#11808409)
    I was looking at leatherman-type tools last year and came to the conclusion that the SOG PowerLock (S60) [1sks.com] is the one to get. Its not quite as ergonomic as the new Leatherman Waves but its insanely tough. All the tools lock and the main pliars have a nifty gear reduction on them that makes hanging onto things much easier. Mine cost about $60 and hasn't left my belt since.

    • I'll second that. I've used Gerber, Victorinox, SOG, and Leatherman tools, but SOG is the one I have come back to. I purchased one of their multitools years and years ago, and it has lasted forever. I finally stopped carrying it and bought a new one because the really old ones did not have locking blades, a feature I really wanted, for obvious reasons. Aside from being sturdy and well, made, the SOG multitools provide a slight mechanical advantage to the pliers through some robust gearing. They also hav

  • Know your knife laws (Score:5, Informative)

    by eengstro ( 171218 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:20PM (#11808412)
    Make sure you know the knife laws for your locality. You might not think of a Leatherman as a weapon, but the local police may disagree--especially around schools and colleges. Here are some useful links:
    http://www.thehighroad.org/library/blades/knifelaw s.html [thehighroad.org]
    http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm [netcom.com]

    California-specific laws:
    http://www.equalccw.com/knifelaw.html [equalccw.com]

    Always keep in mind that info on the Internet may be wrong or out of date, so take with appropriate seasonings.

    Eric
    • Someone mod parent up....

      Seriously, if you travel via air, none of these work. If you travel, you are going to have to pack everything tool-wise, since nothing is allowed in your pockets anymore. Given that, Jensen [jensentools.com] is your friend.... That being said, there's nothing wrong with Craftsman. Visit your local Sears, and assemble a small kit. Consider including a 1/4" ratchet, sockets, and some pliers. I'd recommend a small set of vice-grip needlenose, a set of straight and curved needlenose w/ wirecutt
      • Good point about air-travel. I used to always carry a Swiss-Army knife with me (more compact), but can't unless I'm checking now.

        OTOH, ThinkGeek has this little toy [thinkgeek.com]. I guess that will get through most security checks on a bunch of keys.

    • I would think that the knife laws do not apply to workers. After all, do you see the police arresting chefs or rading Wal-Mart?

      No! The law was intended to apply as a secondary charge in cases where a criminal was being detained. "I'm gonna pat you down now. Will I find anything?" Boom, a knife. Automatic 24-hours in jail while they investigate other charges.

      Kind of an "Atlas Shrugged" situation where they know you are acting in an illegal manner...It's what they want and need.

      If a cop overlooks an
      • Don't know how the laws are where you're from, but in Canada the laws surround concealment of a weapon.

        You're more than welcome to play Crocodile Dundee, as long as the knife and sheath are in plain sight. Hide it however and it's a concealed weapon which is very much illegal.

        Oh, and butterfly and switchblade knives are always illegal, concealed or not.
        • Oh, and butterfly and switchblade knives are always illegal, concealed or not.

          <sarcasm>
          Makes sense. Wounds from butterfly knives always bleed more.
          </sarcasm>

          That type of law makes absolutely no sense at all. In the right hands, a kitchen knife is just as dangerous as a switchblade. If somebody asked me if I would prefer to be cut by a 4" fixed-blade knife, or a 4" butterfly knife, I would ask "what difference would that make to me?"

    • Wow, some states are nuts! Gun control is bad enough but "knife control"? I'm just glad I live in SC where you can apparently carry any knife, any way you like, the way a free citizen should be able.

      It reminds me of a camping trip my friends and I took while teenagers in the early 1970s. We went for a walk at about 2:00 a.m. and eventually found ourselves on a two lane highway. After a while a sheriff's patrol drove by and stopped us. We were all carrying at least 12" sheath knives plus pocket knives

      • The 70s were good compared to today when carrying a lighter onto an airplane is going to be a crime in a few weeks.

        It's interesting that knives and lighters are both banned on planes, but buying a big bottle of wine or spirits in the duty-free shops and then taking it onto the plane in your hand-luggage is completely fine.

        A broken bottle (and one full of alcohol too) makes an excellent weapon. Something like high strength vodka could be used to make a rudimentary Molotov cocktail - although maybe not if

        • Who needs a lighter?

          Most Planes have local power sockets for passengers.

          Get a power adaptor for your laptop for the plane. If your careful you can strip out a small section of the power cord for each conductor. Wrap in tape. plug in the adaptor, and bring the two striped sections together near your molotov wick. Spark'em baby.

          You don' need fire, you need creative thought.

          In the words of my Generation MacGyver it.

          • Exactly! And when one realizes how ridiculous the claimed reason for such a ban is, one has to wonder what the real reason is. It quickly becomes apparent the only possible reason is to tighten the screws on the population and get them more conditioned to unquestioningly doing what they are told by the government.

            In the next election we need to vote against every single incumbent in every office, regardless of how good we think they may be (everyone always thinks the problem lies with the other guy's ca

    • This is a great series of links. Does anyone have ones for International law? I'd love to carry my Leatherman around Sweden this year, but after Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was stabbed in that department store a few years back, I don't know how paranoid they are.

  • Leatherman wave, blade length etc. (Score:5, Informative)

    by cypherz ( 155664 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:23PM (#11808430)
    The Leatherman Wave tool is very nice. Specs from the Leatherman web site
    http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/wave-(200 4)/default.asp [leatherman.com]

    Length: 4 in. / 10 cm closed -- 6.3 in / 16 cm open
    Weight: 8.5 ounces / 264 grams
    Materials: 100% stainless steel (Optimum grade hardness for each tool/blade)

    There are two blades, one serrated and one plain. The blade length isn't described, so I measured my Wave. The length of each blade is approximately 3 inches. The sharpened portion of both blades is 2.5 inches.

    I've had mine for a while, so far it had been a wonderful tool. Each tool/blade locks open, making it fairly safe to use. My Wave tool rides in the knife pocket of my Maxpedition Versipack
    http://www.maxpedition.com/product/product_vp_fatb oy_s.htm [maxpedition.com]

    • "Length: 4 in. / 10 cm closed -- 6.3 in / 16 cm open"

      . . . that's not a knife. This is a knife . . . .
    • Length: 4 in. / 10 cm closed -- 6.3 in / 16 cm open
      Weight: 8.5 ounces / 264 grams
      Materials: 100% stainless steel (Optimum grade hardness for each tool/blade)

      Sounds far too complicated when compared with my standard-issue Universal Fixing Tool. Works on everything, from delicate computer equipment to petrol engines.

      Yup, it's a large, stout hammer... ;-)

  • Depends on what you're doing (Score:5, Informative)

    by Clueless Moron ( 548336 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @07:29PM (#11808479)
    I've got an old Leatherman, a Gerber, and a Toolzall Pro Electrical.

    The Gerber came with a nifty screwdriver bit collection, has a nifty one-handed opening action for the pliers, but the steel sucks: It's soft and rusts badly. I consider it an "urban survival tool", because it's good for typical city situations.

    The Leatherman is much better steel, is a bit more awkward, but you're less likely to pinch your skin when the pliers slip. This is your rural puppy. Water won't bother it so much.

    The Toolzall is designed for electrical work. Damn, but it's nice. Excellent steel, all the blades lock, superb wirestrippers, rock solid. It's all I carry for electrical work.

    Then there's knives with USB drives in them and computer case drivers, and so on, but I've never tried them. Really, you just have to figure out what you're after and look for that. Just pay attention to the steel: good steel doesn't bend like plastic.

    • I haven't had any problems with my gerbers, but then again, everyone uses them a little bit differently.

      My first 'multitool' was the original Gerber Multitool, annodized black. You can't get it anymore, as the non-locking blades were a problem. [I don't have it, because someone borrowed it, and I never got it back -- but it held up well for many years, even through my time working on a solar car team in college.] It also had the problem that the Philips screwdriver in it was a #2, so it was useless for
  • Regrettably, my personal favorite multitool is no longer produced (that I am aware). Gerber, for a time, produced a set of tools similar (as I recall) to their "600 series" but for which you could choose the type of head (standard pliers, needle-nose, rounded, etc.), which tool package to install in each arm, and of course the all-important finish color.

    I myself have a stylish dark blue tool with a 3-inch blade, dual-"grit" (don't know the proper term) metal file and three sizes of slot screwdrivers (one
  • I have this tool, bought it from McMaster-Carr [mcmaster.com], item #5102A2. It has vice-grip style locking pliers - they're great to have available. Also a one-hand-openable knife blade, philips + flat screwdriver, file, saw, bottle opener. Nice solid stainless steel. It's big and heavy, though.

  • Gerber all the way... (Score:2, Informative)

    by NRP128 ( 710672 )
    I've carried Gerber blades almost exclusively for 5 years now. I have a Leatherman, one of the originals, and hate it. i *had* a Gerber Sport Multiplier but it has gone missing. Hopefully i will find it by summer when i need it most. I have a full size set to replace it if it doesn't turn up, but the sports are a little more compact, lighter, and just as robust. all the tools lock with the best locking method i've seen on any mutlitool yet, it holds the blade with no worries, yet can be disengaged even

  • Both. (Score:2)

    by Zapman ( 2662 )
    The best advice is to go to a store, and try them. The one you're more comfortable with is the safer knife. This is pretty much universal in knives, from multi-tools, to wood carving, to kitchen. If you're comfortable with it, you'll use it more, and more safely.

    That said, I've had more experience with Leatherman's products. The 'SuperTool' is nice, but the 'Wave' is greatly improved: rounded handles, blades available on the outside (one handed). Both of these offer locking blades.

    Gerber is very nice

  • Multitool? Bah (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Chunky Kibbles ( 530549 )
    Overall, I've discovered that I don't actually want, or need, a multitool.

    I have a single knife, a Kershaw Avalanche partially serrated. Overall, I find that I simply don't want, or have a use for, all the other bits & bobs you find on a multitool.

    If you want a simple knife with a little more capability, then get a balisong [aka a butterfly knife]. Learn a couple decent opening/closing moves with it, and you can then use it for all the other things you don't normally do with a simple knife. It makes a
  • Looking for a mini keyring tool that does just about everything and has locking blades. The SeberTech M4 SeberTool is great.

    I own a couple of them and have had them for 3 years so far. The fit in your wallet or coin pocket. I buy one for each of my staff and have been known to give them to friends for christmas.

    I buy mine at Fry's http://shop4.outpost.com/product/2522351 [outpost.com] but you can find them elsewhere.
    • seconded. there's horses for courses: i've tried just about all the multitools out there, and if it doesn't fit on my keyring, it's not always with me. having an M4 or leatherman squirt with pliers option in my keyring has got me out of a few holes, whilst my huge (for an office environment) leatherman wave sits at home in a drawer. having said that, being found in a comms cupboard wildly slashing CAT5 with the wave serated 4" blade during a frustrated rewiring clearout *has* stopped people asking me dum
    • I have one I bought at Sears, but I can't tell if they still sell them. It had the craftsman name on it so it has a lifetime warranty. It also came with a nice plastic cover that slips over it when it's on my keyring. Keeps out the pocket lint that killed my last few keyring knives.
  • Do the tools wiggle around after a lot of use?
    Not if you buy from a company that has been making good knives for a long time...

    Victorinox [victorinox.com] is probably the right company to stay with...They are one of only 2 companies that make genuine swiss army knives (Wenger is the other)...They have a good selection of tools...their Spirit is a good choice for a general multitool...

    I personally own a CyberTool [thinkgeek.com] (according to Victorinox, official equipment for NASA space shuttle crews)...but I carry a Signature [victorinox.com]....

    The
  • I was given a Gerber Multitool (the needlenose variety) for Christmas in 1995. 9 years later I still carry it. The way it slides open allows the blades to be on the inside. It also means you can lock the knife blade open so that you can't fold it down on your hand.

    The only reason I've considered upgrading is that mine is an early model with a flaw that has long since been corrected. The early models folded together completely when used as pliers, which meant that if you slipped you could pinch yourself

  • What I want is a tool that... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) ( 613870 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @09:11PM (#11809122) Journal
    ...tells me if I'm in range of a wireless network, tells me if there is activity on an ethernet network, provides 1GB of storage via USB, tells me if a serial port is working, functions as a logic probe and multimeter and provides a 3V and 5V power supply (not high current, just enough to provide input to a logic gate) and fits in my pocket. If there's room it'd be nice if it were a wireless gateway and serial over bluteooth dongle. In other words, I want a Leatherman for the early part of the 21st century, not some medieval hacking and slashing tool.

  • Get a Leatherman Micra, too (Score:4, Insightful)

    by RevAaron ( 125240 ) <revaaron@hotmail. c o m> on Monday February 28, 2005 @09:30PM (#11809204) Homepage
    No matter what multitool you decide on, I'd reccomend also getting a Leatherman Micra [leatherman.com] tool. It's a mini-leatherman, works as a keychain. I'm the kind of person who hates having unneccesary crap in their pockets, but the Micra is useful enough that it's more than worth the 1 x 6.5 x 2 cm it takes up in my pocket. I have one of those handy keychain seperators, for times I need the micra for more than a few seconds, to get my bulk of my keys off. The lot of it collapses into a nice ball that takes up little space in my pocket, alongside my wallet. It has the majority of tools I need as a desktop maint/support guy at a library. The only time I have to go back to my desk to get my full toolkit is when I need my 8" long phillips bit to get somewhere annoying. Unlike my Swiss Army Knife (closest current model seems to be the Herc [victorinox.com]), the scizzors is still fully springy, even after sitting in my pocket for 3 years (4 now?) and getting a fair bit of use. You'd be surprised how often you need to clip a coupon out of a flier found at the grocery store, left in a cart, or need a pseudo-phillips screwdriver. I really love this lil guy.

    Beyond that... I prefer a regular, original Leatherman. If I were to buy a new tool today, I may consider one of the other Leathermans, perhaps one geared toward tech stuff, be it a Leatherman or otherwise, but I'm in no need to replace this one.

  • Read Doug Ritter's reviews (Score:4, Informative)

    by gkuz ( 706134 ) on Monday February 28, 2005 @09:36PM (#11809235)
    Before buying anything in this arena, you really owe it to yourself to spend some time perusing Doug Ritter's Equipped to Survive [equipped.com] site. Honest, objective reviews of all the hardware. I'm not affiliated with him in any way.
  • What was it Aristotle had to say about tools designed for more than one purpose?

  • Classic Leatherman (Score:2, Informative)

    by douthitb ( 714709 )
    I have to go with the classic Leatherman. I have had mine since I was 10 years old, and it still works great. Other than getting the knife blade sharpened here and there, I have not had any problems with it in 13 years, and I have put it through considerable abuse.

    I understand your desire to have a locking mechanism for the blade. That being the case, the Leatherman Wave would be a good fit. It's very similar to the classic Leatherman in terms of quality and function, and the blade lock is a nice touc

  • Get a multi-tool and a real knife. (Score:5, Informative)

    by pi_rules ( 123171 ) * on Monday February 28, 2005 @10:19PM (#11809476)
    Gerber, Victorinox, Leatherman, SOG - whatever floats your boat for the multi-tool.

    However, if your primary concern is one that has a locking knife blade just get a knife to compliment the package. I find knives on pocket tools clumsy and of dubious quality/utility. I don't like fumbling around with my Victorinox when I just want to quick cut something, so I carry a CRKT M16-14M. I've had a few CRKT knives in my posession and have found that they take a nice edge, keep that edge, are ambidexterous, and of fairly good quality for what you're paying.

    A good folder with a thumb-stud for easy opening and a locking blade means that you're knife can be out and ready in just a couple seconds, vs however long it takes you to unfold a Leatherman. You can deploy, use, unlock, and clip them back onto your belt with a single hand and that's handy if you ask me. Comes in handy at work, and makes it easier and cleaner to open packages, snipping a cable tie, or stirring my tea.

    While not of concern in your post, this also makes them a last-ditch self defense weapon. Not a very good one... but if you don't have a gun on ya, it's better than nothing!

    Personally I wish somebody made a multi-tool that didn't waste space with knives in them.

    Oh, and don't discount the idea of a neck knife! That would be a knife you hang around your neck with a sheath, the handle pointing toward your abodomen. Depending on your attire they can be very comfortable to wear and nobody knows its there... less stuff hanging off your belt too. However, I've found producing a fixed blade knife from under your shirt at a moment's notice tends to freak people out. Some also come with a sheath that could alternatively be mounted to your belt for extra flexibility (ie: You're out in the woods, you can keep your every day knife with you but in a bit more accessible manner).

    Most importantly, if you're using it for a knife most of the time, a real knife is more comfortable than a multi-tool -- which means better control overall.

    I'd recomment Knife Country USA [knifecountryusa.com] if you want to buy online. No special reason, but the prices are competitive and the owner knows the subject matter if you have any questions about this or that. Also, a very friendly guy. I found his booth at the local gun show and use him for my online purchases.
  • I prefer it when I can access the blades, screw drivers, saws etc. without having to unfold the whole device. In fact, this was a major deal breaker with the Leathermans (Leathermen?) for me.

    Victorinox got it right on their series of SwissTools. On the one I have, all the tools lock into place, the whole thing is quite sturdy, but the wire cutting part of the main tool can only cut very small things.

    chl

    • I second the recommendation on the SwissTool- all the tools lock, and it has a decent "lock" on the pliers portion (A spring and a flat) which is better than the "friction" lock I've seen on plenty of the other tools available. Another big plus- it has a smooth edged blade and a serrated blade. I've had one for six years, and been very impressed.
  • I've carried a Leatherman Supertool for about 8 years now and haven't found anything that makes me really want to replace it. Better wire stripping is about the only thing I really long for. I did a little surgery on my Supertool case and it also holds a 1-AAA MagLite and a tiny Victorinox swiss army knife (scissors, tweezers, toothpick). I also carry a PocketWrench II [mcfeelys.com] behind my Supertool, which gives me a solid pry-bar and a second wrench when I need it. I always carry a primary knife (unless I have to
  • Gerber makes some mean multitools, every bit as tough as the original Leatherman (maybe more so) and without the political contribution baggage that goes with buying a Leatherman.
    • What political baggage is that?
      • If you are a supporter of the DNC it won't bother you. Leatherman contributed a lot of money to John Kerry and other Democrat politicians. I'd rather they just dropped the price of the tool, made no contribution to any politicians, and let me as an individual decide who to give it to.

  • Multi-tool + a good knife (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Exocet ( 3998 ) * on Monday February 28, 2005 @10:59PM (#11809688) Homepage Journal
    Just as in Linux, the best tool is not always a "does-everything" tool.

    I have a Leatherman Micra that has the bare essentials: scissors, small and big flatheads. There's also a "philips" (flathead with tapered head). Plus it has a bottle opener. The knife blade on it sucks.

    I have a couple of dedicated knives, however - Benchmade Knife Company's 3550SBK [benchmade.com] (switchblade) and the 42S [benchmade.com] (butterfly). Sure, they're expensive, but buying cheap crap is stupid. :)

    PS: I work for Benchmade, but I owned their product long before I ever got a job there. :)
    • I also highly recommend the Spyderco Delica [knifesite.com] as an excellent general-purpose knife. They cut anything, and are a little less likely to raise eyebrows than a switchblade or butterfly. I agree with your assessment, though. I love my Leatherman Wave, but the knife is just so-so. It's certainly better than nothing, but severely outclassed by any dedicated blade.
      • For a cuts anything - and will last a lifetime - I suggest Benchmade's 556S [benchmade.com] or 555S [benchmade.com]. Yes, a switchblade or butterfly knife will raise eyebrows - and occasionally hands. Not around my office, of course. :)

        PS: Butterfly's are probably illegal in Canada and California. Switchblades are probably illegal everywhere - except Oregon. The exception is if you can prove you're law enforcement or active duty military. Benchmade only sells where we are sure our knives are legal or to whom we are sure can legally
  • While it would be neat to be able to carry a full-sized leatherman everywhere I go, the leatherman squirt p4 [leatherman.com] is the way to go. You won't wear holes in your pocket, or need to get a bat utility belt after adding on a cell-phone belt clip. Plus, it does 80% of what you need a full-sized leatherman for. Finally, the knife is wicked sharp.

    Of course, this is for office/suburban duty. If you are out in the wilderness or in a workshop, there are a host of more appropriate tools.
  • I have a leatherman wave and a gerber. I usually keep the leatherman on my belt and the gerber in the glovebox, for those few times I forget the leatherman. I have yet to have a problem with either of them.

  • So I'd like

    1. the most useful multitool, that also
    2. is not so large that it chafes when you carry it, and, that
    3. you can carry onto an airplane without it being considered a lethal weapon
    .

  • Leatherman for me (Score:2, Interesting)

    by chrysrobyn ( 106763 )

    I got a Leatherman for Christmas before I was old enough to appreciate it. I was in awe that my parents bought me a butterfly... pliers? I broke it in High School. Sent it off to be repaired (under 25 year warranty, no receipt, only the knowledge that the product wasn't that old) and it came back fixed, and the handle still had my name engraved on it. Nice service. In Boy Scouts, I learned that the Leatherman was good for whittling, but anything I had to do with the pliers must not involve much force o

  • Both... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by confused one ( 671304 ) on Tuesday March 01, 2005 @09:56AM (#11812237)
    Leatherman and Gerber make good multitools. I have and still use one of the original Leatherman tools; and, although I broke off the file long ago, it's still tight.

    You can't beat real tools though. My primary toolset came from a combination of the Craftsman and Techni-tool catalogs. I only use the leatherman when in a bind.

  • Leatherman II (Score:3, Informative)

    by J05H ( 5625 ) on Tuesday March 01, 2005 @10:04AM (#11812311)
    I've had an original Leatherman (stolen by a hippie) and a Leatherman II for the past 10 years. The L-2 has two blades, many screwdrivers and all that, and mine came in anodized BLACK. It's the only one i've ever seen like that. Only problem after a decade of use is that I snapped the smallest flat-head driver. It mostly gets used for computer and bike repair, and all the tools lock and have no wiggle after intense use. The L-2 at least is heavy enough to open the pliers one-hand, but the little tools require both hands.

    They don't make that model any more, but the new Wave models are the follow-on. Some of them come with replacable screwdriver bits. Not sure about the new ones, but the original Leatherman is milspec, which is part of why they are so sturdy.

    I agree with one of the above posts, too, consider a completely separate knife for your toolkit. Nothing beats a good one-hand, thumbstudded, locking knife. I recommend Benchmade (I've got an Elishowitz StrikerII), CRKT and surprisingly the new Buck knives are pretty nice.

    Josh

  • Swiss-Tech is Neat (Score:3, Interesting)

    by kentborg ( 12732 ) on Tuesday March 01, 2005 @10:24AM (#11812504)
    I know it isn't what you are asking for, but the little Micro-Tech
    tool made by http://www.swisstechtools.com/ is really neat. It is
    really small, small enough to go in your pocket or on a keyring
    without geeking up. It is a small pliers, slotted screwdriver,
    phillips screwdriver, wire cutter, and small shears. The newer
    Micro-Plus models even have very little slotted and phillips
    screwdrivers.

    Really impressive is that the thing is dang well made: the various
    articulating joints are stronger than I am, and the driver bits stay
    sharp and square.

    Yes, it is no Leatherman, but anyone who is interested in a Leatherman
    probably *also* wants one of these.

    -kb

  • Victorinox SwissTool (Score:2, Insightful)

    by isaac338 ( 705434 )
    I have a SwissTool that I can't do without. It's sturdy, well built, has tons of different tools, locks on every single tool, and you can get a set of screwdriver bits that fit into the sheath and give you a bunch of different torx and phillips/robertson heads. The biggest benefit is that you can access the blades and such without opening the pliers - that fact alone really aggravates me about the Leatherman multitools.

    Sometimes the single phillips head screwdriver is hard to fit into small places (like in
  • it's similar to a leatherman but the handle hinges fold perpendicular to the pliers hinge rather than parallel to the pliers, so if the pliers get stuck on something it is easier to pull them open rather than have the handle start to fold.

    this design also puts the handle-folding tools on the inside of the handle when opened as pliers so they are more comfortable to use when squeezing the pliers.

    http://www.northdoorway.com/farmgarden/buck.htm [northdoorway.com]

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