I have been carrying a leatherman in my pack for about 5 years and, until the other night, had only used it once before to free a kangaroo with its leg wrapped around a wire fence. While that was at least 2 years ago, like the old story of the lion and the mouse I am still waiting for the kangaroo to return the favour.
But at least I have now used the leatherman for a second time the other night. I was riding with some friends and mid-ride one of their lights went out. It was a Dinotte with home-made extension cable for the li-ion battery. The join between the wires wasn't too good and we needed to cut the connection, bare the wire and twist them back together.
The leatherman's pliers are not the best thing for the job, but it was certainly the best thing we had, and before too long we were back on the tracks.
I havent used my Leatherman much on the trail, but being in the Army I use it quite a bit, of course I have since moved on to a SOG and really enjoy it
I almost always carry a Leatherman too. In fact, I find bike-specific tools useless and/or low in quality, so my emergency tools are assembled using higher quality hexes from a tool manufacturer, and a couple other pieces, such as a chain tool, then my leatherman.
In an emergency, few tools will compare to a multi-tool of this type. I use mine practically everyday in life outside of biking.
I am looking for a Sog multi-tool or a Gerber, but don't know how much more usable they would be. I note that my Leatherman (new) Wave does have rust spots certain tools.
PS-The reason you can't find ANYWHERE on the packaging or the tool itself of where the Leatherman is made is because they make it in Taiwan, then ship it here for assembly.
I almost always carry a Leatherman too. In fact, I find bike-specific tools useless and/or low in quality, so my emergency tools are assembled using higher quality hexes from a tool manufacturer, and a couple other pieces, such as a chain tool, then my leatherman.
In an emergency, few tools will compare to a multi-tool of this type. I use mine practically everyday in life outside of biking.
I am looking for a Sog multi-tool or a Gerber, but don't know how much more usable they would be. I note that my Leatherman (new) Wave does have rust spots certain tools.
PS-The reason you can't find ANYWHERE on the packaging or the tool itself of where the Leatherman is made is because they make it in Taiwan, then ship it here for assembly.
I thought they were made in Portland Oregon. I know I've seen all the bits and parts go thru northwest metalurgical for tempering. My friend's wife is one of their QC people and I got a Charge XTI from them for Christmas a couple years ago. Love the thing and been all over the world with it.
I believe they are tempered or finished there as well. I found this out reading through the catalog for one of their dealers which makes it a point to indicate where an item is made. They made light of the absence of "made in..." markings as I had noted as well. None on the packaging, none on the tools, and I just bought another a couple days ago and saw the same thing.
2 cool things happened at the same time in 1996. While exiting my box van, after a day of delivering the freshest fish in Seattle, there it was a Gerber on the ground. I snatched it up and put it in my pack when I got home. It has been a very useful tool on the trail since then and has survived many of new packs and bikes. I just throw it in the large cargo area of my pack along with the other small bits like.... chunks o chain, nylon 'flat' back, Crank Bros. multi tool, bunch of junk and other hard metallic items including rocks.
So, there it is. One heavly disregarded and beaten tool that stills works like new to this day!
Thank You Baby Food Makers
Last edited by dlbennett; 12-23-2007 at 01:50 PM.
Back riding again in Sunny SoCal. Outskirts of Palm Springs.
I have a Leatherman Blast that I carry in my pack whenever I ride. It sees limited use on the trail, but is invaluable in everyday life. One of the finest tools I have ever purchased to be honest. I wouldn't consider going on any adventure without it.
I believe they are tempered or finished there as well. I found this out reading through the catalog for one of their dealers which makes it a point to indicate where an item is made. They made light of the absence of "made in..." markings as I had noted as well. None on the packaging, none on the tools, and I just bought another a couple days ago and saw the same thing.
I was talking to my friend about this yesterday (his wife works there) and he said they make everything there. If they get behind they sublet some work in other northwest cities but its all finished in Portland
I was talking to my friend about this yesterday (his wife works there) and he said they make everything there. If they get behind they sublet some work in other northwest cities but its all finished in Portland
I was talking to my friend about this yesterday (his wife works there) and he said they make everything there. If they get behind they sublet some work in other northwest cities but its all finished in Portland
That rocks! Thanks for the heads up. I'll try and find the link for the dealer claiming they are made in China and assembled here, the reason for the origin not being printed anywhere.
The only thing I don't like about the Leatherman is not having locking pliers.
Got the Juice, and in the process found my long-lost Micra and put it back on my keychain: that thing has taken a 2-year beating and just needs a sharpening of the scissor blades.
Gerber fan here! I had a 10 year old Gerber that I didn't use much. One of the parts came loose and was lost. Sent it back to Gerber to see if they can repair it. I was prepared to pay to fix it. They sent me the current model multitool for free. Great customer service. I bought the Gerber Shortcut for my keychain yesterday which has an intergrated scissors instead of the pliers.
National Athletic Trainers' Association, www.nata.org
My friend had a leatherman for around 6 years. One day while on his boat he dropped it in the water. About a week later he went down and got it. There was some slight rust and the little pivots the tools are on were a little rough to move. Leatherman gave him a new one. That is some excellent customer service right there.
I know this is an old thread, but I found it while searching for another oldie of mine and figured I'd make some more contributions.
I recently came back to the US and decided to buy a Gerber version of this tool, along with the full sized wave for my gf's father's birthday.
What I found with the Gerber tool is that it's garbage. I thought the locking pliers, or lack of, on the Leatherman was a big problem, so I went over to Gerber as the SOG and Victorinox varieties weren't immediately available.
The Gerber tool has locking pliers, a big plus, but first the tool is so unbelievably unergonomic, reducing it's utility significantly (think holding a broken part or wires together with one hand, then needing three to open the damn thing). I'll make a list to make it clean:
1. Pliers are wobbly, but they do lock. This is part of the design to wobble. The arms of the tool do not contact it to reduce side play.
2. They claim you can flick the pliers open, but it's difficult and you run the risk of putting the point through the floor tiles.
3. Pliers don't retract fully, leaving a point sticking out.
4. Any other tool's use requires first pulling the pliers out to allow the tool to partially unfold (does not open fully), then pulling said tool out, then retracting the pliers, then out again to close the tool.
5. No complaints about the knife, but it does make me miss the New Wave's one handed opening using a thumbhole in the blade. They are a bit small, however.
6. Scissors not easy to fully open.
There's probably more criticism I have about Gerber, but as it stands, between the Leatherman and the Gerbers, the Leatherman wins, hands down. The quality and usability isn't even touched by Gerber.
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Originally Posted by Jerk_Chicken
