Leatherman Removable Bit Driver

J-sews · **on:** October 10, 2006, 06:43:37 AM

LEATHERMAN Removable Bit Driver

I recently had an opportunity to try out Leatherman’s removable hex bit driver. A friend of mine who works in the cable TV business had bought the adapter kit a few weeks ago. He encounters a variety of Torx and hex fasteners in his job, and figured this would be the best way to adapt his Leatherman Blast to the task.

Along with the Driver itself, you get five of Leatherman’s proprietary flattened hex bits and a molded plastic carrier. Also included in the kit is a ballistic nylon sheath, the kind with the elastic side panels that accommodate a wide variety of different width multi tools. More on the sheath later.

Empty spaces exist on the carrier for two more additional flattened bits. (At this time though, I do not know if individual bits are available from Leatherman?)

The Bit Driver is a cast steel affair, with a square hole on one end, and a standard 1/4” hex drive on the other. The square end is meant to slide over the heavy square Phillips screwdriver blade on your multi tool. Then snap the hex bit of your choice into the other end, and you’re ready to go.

What keeps the Bit Driver from falling off? The square hole has a gradual taper to it, and a gentle push wedges it onto the Phillips screwdriver securely. The instruction manual states that this Removable Bit Driver is an accessory for the Leatherman Kick, Fuse, and Blast. However, due to the tapered square hole, it also works on the Leatherman Juice series of tools, as well as (gasp!) all of the recent tools from Gerber with square Phillips screwdrivers.

Even though the included bits are the flattened Leatherman style, the Bit Driver has a full 1/4” hexagon. Which is nice, because you can use standard bits from the hardware store. The flattened Leatherman bits work in the full hex (sort of) but they rattle around a lot and don’t feel very secure. Maybe it’s just me, but it felt like they would twist in the Driver if subject to a lot of torque.

The bit is secured in the Driver by means of a spring clip. I generally prefer magnetic 1/4” bit drivers and screwdrivers, but I guess then you wouldn’t be able to securely hold onto double-ended bits. I suppose, (sigh) there’s always a trade-off.

The Bit Driver and Bit Kit seem like somewhat of an overkill to carry around with a Juice series tool. However, snapped into its plastic carrier and slipped into the included sheath, it would make an unnoticed companion to your Kick, Fuse, or Blast.

Speaking of the included sheath, it’s not bad as ballistic nylon goes. I generally prefer leather sheaths, but this one with its elastic side panels is meant to snugly fit three different multi tools with a wide range of thicknesses. The whole idea of including this sheath with the Removable Bit Driver kit is because it has a second compartment to house the plastic Bit Kit carrier.

In conclusion, the Removable Bit Driver does provide its owner with the ability to drive a wide variety of fasteners that he was not able to previously deal with. All things considered however, the wrench or ratchet driver kit from Victorinox is a much more capable solution, and the package is not much larger.

Good:
Fits a variety of different multi tools
Uses either standard hex bits or Leatherman flat bits
Entire kit is small enough to be hardly noticeable, until you need it

Not so good:
Included flattened hex bits fit loosely and rattle in the Driver
Although adequate, entire concept of an adapter for hex bits is not as good as Vic’s separate ratchet/wrench.

Dimensions:
Length of Bit Driver    1-1/2”
Diameter of Bit Driver    13/ 32” or 10mm
Length of plastic carrier 4-1/16”
Width of carrier 1-7/16”
Weight of entire kit,
including carrier,
Bit Driver, and five
flattened bits    1.5 oz

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2006, 12:12:21 PM

Another excellent review, however I am going to have to delete it. I have been looking at those bit drivers for some time and now I feel that I will actually have to go out and get one myself.

Def

665ae · **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2006, 08:43:37 PM

I agree... I don't even have a Leatherman (yet!) and I want the bit adapter already... ugh

Fred · **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2006, 01:47:53 AM

it just looks cool.I want to get ten of them and leave them in random places around my house to confuse people

J-sews · **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2006, 01:15:18 PM

You can leave a few in random places around my house if you'd like!

CacherX4 · **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2006, 04:54:55 AM

This will be the first thing I buy right after I win that Kick contest.

Great review J-Sews

Syncop8r · **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2015, 09:05:17 AM

My Removable Bit Driver doesn't seem to slide very far onto the phillips - about 10mm.
Anyone else?

temo · **Reply #7 on:** December 18, 2015, 10:37:29 PM

Agree with cons. And yes it slides and jams to drive so no click feeling or anything. Ok to use but for LM bits I would rather had adapter for flat bits. Not normal size adapter where included flat bits fit somehow. So I was dissapointed for this. With normal bits I use normal tools in same box then bits. And as this is not very good with the flat bits, quite useless for me.

zoidberg · **Reply #8 on:** December 18, 2015, 10:48:26 PM

Why limit yourself to the flat bits. Once they strip out you can still use full sized bits. I like it.

zoidberg · **Reply #9 on:** December 18, 2015, 10:51:18 PM

I'll just leave these here...

zoidberg · **Reply #10 on:** December 18, 2015, 10:52:59 PM

Welcome to the boards temo.

temo · **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2015, 12:11:22 AM

Flat driver example in wave was so good that adapter was dissapointment in flat bit fitting part. So size is the issue if you compare vic bit set, leatherman bit set for wave and this bit adapter set. So victorinox set uses normal size and works seperatelly. With set you can carry 10 normal size bits. Plus with leatherman bits are that they fit to small place. But as adapter takes room, you can carry adapter plus 5 flat bits (dual) okay. So I would be happy with that if flat bits would work great with adapter. But when not, I rather carry vic version when needed (driver and ten bit in compact package).

So bit driver works but not for me in that level that I would carry that

Best thing with the flat bits is size but if I need to carry same size package then normal size bits and still have a bit poor compatibility, that's not good. But as normal size adapter ok. So maybe adapter should come with normal size bits and container for those. As with those quite ok. But don't want to carry those in pocket or a bag.