Multitool Time Line

[J-sews]

(This is a running list, to be updated as new info is added to the thread below)

1983
Leatherman PST

1986
Leatherman Mini-Tool

1988
KutMaster MultiMaster

1991
SOG ToolClip
SOG Micro ToolClip
Gerber Multi-Plier

1992
SOG ParaTool

1994
Leatherman SuperTool

1996
Leatherman PSTII
Leatherman Micra
Bear MGC Bear Jaws
Buck BuckTool 360
Wenger SwissGrip
Swiss-Tech Micro-Tech

1997
Victorinox SwissTool
Kershaw Multi-Tool A100
Schrade Tough Tool ST1

1998
Leatherman SideClip
Leatherman Wave (original)
SOG PowerLock
Gerber Multi-Plier 600 (originally called Multi-Lock)
Gerber Multi-Lite
Buck MiniBuck 350

1999
Leatherman Flair
Leatherman Crunch
Gerber 400 Compact
Gerber 600 DET model
Victorinox AutoTool
Wenger PocketGrip
Spyderco SpydeRench
Schrade Tough Chip ST2
 
2000
Leatherman Pulse
SOG SwitchPlier
Gerber 800 Legend
Buck BuckTool 360FL and 360CL

2001
Leatherman SuperTool 200
Leatherman Juice series (C2, S2, KF4, CS4, XE6)
Gerber 600 Fisherman
Bear Locking Bear Jaws
Schrade i-Quip
Schrade NaviTool
Imperial Schrade TMT1
Meyerco Paradox
Vise-Grip 5WR Toolbox

2002
Leatherman Squirt series (P4 and S4)
Leatherman Juice Pro
Gerber 650 Evolution
Schrade Tough Grip ST6
Vise-Grip 6LC Toolbox
Imperial Schrade TMT2 snips
Buck Navigator

2003
Leatherman Squirt EL
Leatherman Juice SC2
Gerber 500 Recoil
Gerber Eclipse
Schrade Tough Tool ST5E
Kershaw National Geographic carabiner tool

2004
Leatherman Charge Ti & XTi
Leatherman Wave (New)
Leatherman Blast
Leatherman Fuse
Leatherman Kick
Gerber Solstice
Victorinox Spirit
Imperial Schrade TMT11
Swiss-Tech Micro-Pro

2005
Leatherman Core
Leatherman Surge
PowerPlay PT-510
PowerPlay PT-525
Gerber Diesel
Gerber Suspension
Gerber Shortcut
Gerber Clutch
Caspian Arms Pocketsmith

2006
Leatherman Hybrid and Vista
PowerPlay PT-540
Gerber Freehand
Buck X-Tract 730
Victorinox Spirit S
Spyderco Byrd Tool Harp
Loggerhead Immix 10X

2007
Leatherman Charge AL, ALX, and TTi
Leatherman Skeletool
Leatherman Skeletool CX
Leatherman Genus
Gerber Radius
Gerber Flik
Gerber Method, Crux, Resolve, Tread
SOG PowerLock 2.0
SOG PowerCut   
Wenger NewRanger 70, 71, 172, 73, 74, 75
Wenger Alinghi 176, 177
Spyderco SpydeRench (reissued)
Spyderco ByrdRench
CRKT Zilla-Tool
CRKT Guppie

2008
Leatherman Wave, 25th Anniversary
Leatherman Silver Charge, 25th Anniversary
CRKT Zilla-Tool Jr
CRKT Li'l Guppie
CRKT Get-A-Way Driver
CRKT Lumabiner
Topeak Ratchet Rocket
Buck X-Tract LED 731
Buck X-Tract FIN 732
Gerber Artifact
Gerber Shard
Swiss-Tech Micro-Max
Swiss-Tech Transformer
Wenger NewRanger Touring 174
Leatherman Argentum luxury models
SOG PowerAssist

2009
Leatherman Damascus Wave
Leatherman red-white-blue Micra
Leatherman Freestyle
Leatherman Freestyle CX
Wenger Evogrip NewRangers
Wenger Mike Horn Knife
Gerber Crucial
Gerber Splice
Gerber Vise
Gerber Curve
Gerber Flik Fish
CRKT Cicada
Buck Essential
Leatherman Super Tool 300
Victorinox Spirit X
ToolLogic SL Plier
AR Multitasker

2010
Leatherman MUT
Leatherman Squirt PS4
Leatherman Squirt ES4
Leatherman Style CS
CRKT Flux
Gerber Grappler
Gerber Strata
Gerber Octane
SOG Micro ToolClip

2011
Gerber Bear Grylls tools
Gerber Crucial F.A.S.T.
Gerber Fit
Gerber Balance
Gerber Cable Dawg
Leatherman Sidekick
Leatherman Wingman
Leatherman Style PS
ToolLogic Micro ToolClip

2012
Gerber Dime
Gerber MP600ST sight tool
Gerber Groundbreaker
Gerber Steady
Gerber Balance
Leatherman Rebar
Leatherman OHT
SOG PowerDuo
CRKT Tool

[David Bowen]

Hey Bob, or anyone else for that matter. Can we put together a comprehensive multitool timeline? Like what time a tool what released? I am not talking pre-leatherman, not yet (heavens no) but from PST to now. I think I remember that the Paratool was SOG's first tool and it was the second tool on the market (next to Leatherman's PST). I think a time line would be great for a sticky and maybe for the main site to show people how things progressed as things got moving. Any ideas?

David

[Roadie]

I like this idea! Would give a nice insight into how they have progressed and changed over the years. But also how companies reacted to other bringing out new products and how they tried to increase their market share.

[M.TEX]

 Wow that's a good idea...but who wil be the brave one to do that ?
 I wouldn't know where to start...

[Roadie]

This page should be of some use to this http://www.leatherman.com/about-leatherman/history/default.asp
Leatherman
1983 - PST
1986 - Mini tool
1994 - Supertool
1996 - Micra
1998 - Wave (Original)
2001 - Juice series
2004 - Charge Series (New Wave?)
Gerber http://www.gerbergear.com/history.php
1991 - Multiplier
2003 - Recoil Auto Plier
Thats my bit done! Although i will try and find out more.

[supratentorial]

Hey Bob, or anyone else for that matter. Can we put together a comprehensive multitool timeline? Like what time a tool what released? I am not talking pre-leatherman, not yet (heavens no) but from PST to now. I think I remember that the Paratool was SOG's first tool and it was the second tool on the market (next to Leatherman's PST). I think a time line would be great for a sticky and maybe for the main site to show people how things progressed as things got moving. Any ideas?

David

If I recall correctly, the ToolClip was actually SOG's first tool.  And the Paratool was SOG's first US-made tool.  I'll look for more dates later but here are a few dates for Leatherman:

PST     1983-2004
Mini   1986-2004
SuperTool  1994-2001
PST II    1996-2004
Micra    1996-present
SideClip   1998-2004
Wave (original)    1998-2004
Flair    1999-2004
Crunch    1999-present
Pulse     2000-2004
Juice KF4     2001-2005
SuperTool 200     2001-2005
Juice C2     2001-present
Juice CS4     2001-present
Juice S2     2001-present
Juice XE6     2001-present
Juice PRO   2002-   2003
Squirt P4     2002-present
Squirt S4     2002-present
Juice SC2     2003-present
Squirt EL     2003-present
Charge Ti & XTi     2004-2007
Blast    2004-present
Fuse   2004-present
Kick     2004-present
Wave  (new) 2004-present
Core      2005-present
Surge     2005-present
Charge AL & ALX   2007-present
Charge TTi     2007-present


Is it possible to upload an excel file?  It's not listed in the allowed file types.

[Roadie]

Good info there, the only ones i see missing are the pruner tools (Hybrid etc)
Another good thing to add into the mix would be what each tool has in it, but that might get a bit complicated.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

This time line idea's really starting to come together well already

[David Bowen]

And by time line I dont mean, one for leatherman, one for sog, etc. But one that is interwoven so people can see what product came out at the same time, kind of like a which came first thing (chicken or the egg).

David

[J-sews]

Great idea Dave! No wonder you get paid the big bucks!  ;D

Hey, I put a "master time-line list" up at the beginning of this thread. I included all the info I had close at hand. As we get more and updated info, it can be added to the master list. That way it will always be on top and easy to find.

(Please scan through the list and look for errors. This is just a bunch of notes I had here and there. I can't swear that it is all rock solid info.)

Also, note that there are still a bunch of significant tools not listed. For instance:
Buck 355 and 350
Gerber 600 and 700
SOG PP and PPP
Schrade Tough Tool ST1 and Tough Chip ST2

Bob

[supratentorial]

here are a few more:

Schrade:
ST1 1997-2004
ST2 1999-2002
ST5 2003-2003
ST6 2002-2003
TMT1 2001-2004
TMT2 2002-2002
TMT11 2004-2004

Buck:
360 1996-2002?
360BK 2000?-2002?
360FL 2000-2002?
360CM 2000-2002?
360WM 2000?-2002?
Harley Davidson BuckTool 360 2000?-2002?
Buck X-tract LED 2007-present
Note: I think some of those BuckTool 360 models were introduced in late 2000, and possibly even early 2001.

SOG:
Micro ToolClip   1991-?   
ParaTool   1992-present
PowerLock   1998-present
PowerPlier   1996? or 1997?   -?
Pocket PowerPlier... just pulling this one out of thin air but maybe 1996? or 1997?
SwitchPlier   2000-?   
ToolClip   1991-?
CrossGrip ?-present
CrossCut ?-present
PowerLock 2.0 2007-present
PowerAssist 2007-present
PowerCut 2007-present   
Note: I sent "Chris@SOG" a PM to see if he could help fill in the blanks (and/or correct my mistakes).

Suggested corrections:
I think the Schrade ST6 was from 2002 rather than 2001.
2002 is still missing the Juice Pro and 2003 is still missing Juice SC2 and 2007 is missing the new version of the Spyderco SpydeRench.

It would be nice to fill in some of the discontinue dates also.

I couldn't upload an Excel file but if anyone wants one, email me and I'll send it to you.  Here's a PDF file:

[J-sews]

List updated. Thanks!


Interesting to note how the number of new entries gets larger with each passing year. That's good for us! (But bad for our wallets) 

[NeitherExtreme]

Cool thread, thanks for doing the work J-sews! I didn't ever know about the Juice sc2 until I saw it on the list. I was kind of surprised, as it's not on the LM website. I guess the Pro isn't either though. I wonder why Oh well. One question I had though, I found this site that claims the sc2 was introduced in 2001. Are they confused?
http://www.smartknives.com/Leatherman-Multi-Tools/Leatherman-Juice-SC2.htm

[J-sews]

Cool thread, thanks for doing the work J-sews!

Actually, with DavidBinGA hatching the idea and Supratentorial and the other fellows supplying the dates, all I did was the easy stuff!  ;D

I didn't ever know about the Juice sc2 until I saw it on the list. I was kind of surprised, as it's not on the LM website. I guess the Pro isn't either though. I wonder why Oh well. One question I had though, I found this site that claims the sc2 was introduced in 2001. Are they confused?
http://www.smartknives.com/Leatherman-Multi-Tools/Leatherman-Juice-SC2.htm

The SC2 was somewhat of an odd duck. It was not one of the original 2001 Juice models as the other website claims, but instead came out two years later. I've been told it originated with a large special-order from Sam's Club, hence the "SC" prefix.
Other oddities:

• According to Fred's Da Jucie Code, the tool should have really been named the SC3, as it has three external functions, not two.
• It is the only tool in the Juice line-up whereby the knife blade and the scissors pivot from the opposite end as the pliers. The corkscrew is flip-flopped as well.

[NeitherExtreme]

I knew you'd have the answers ;D So the SC2 was for sams club. Was the pro also for them?