Leatherman does it again

[50ft-trad]

... by which I mean, makes me do this ... 

Just picked up a Squirt P4 and Wenger Evo 14 cheap. The squirt is to replace one that went missing ages ago, but which had a couple of issues. The file had a couple of bald spots, and the knife blade often caught up on the scales when stowing. Nothing too drastic, but annoying none the less.

Well, the Evo 14 is of course perfect ... and the P4 ... well, there's no bald spots on the file. The knife blade however catches on the scales even worse than the previous one When you open the blade you can actually hear a ping as the blade edge springs free of the scales, and to stow it you need to physically push the blade sideways to return it to it's slot. Or at least you did ... don a pair of leather gloves, grit your teeth and bend ... that's better. Two of the same model, purchased two different year from two different suppliers ... same problem 

EDIT: Problem is back  Ahhh, found it - rivets not tight enough allowing blade slop - about 3mm at tip, how did I miss that? Big hammer required, then possibly bend blade if needed Void warranty? Tough! I ain't pratting around with warranty claims or supplier complaints for this, I'd rather just take a hammer to it and call it done. We shouldn't have to do it though! It would have been better with Torx screws too, quick tweak and done. LM really smurfs me off sometimes  When was Gerber releasing the Dime again?

End of rant ... as you were ...

[turnsouth]

I know what you mean Al, QC really seems like feast or famine lately.

[50ft-trad]

Sorry, just had to vent a little mate. I've always found them to be erratic on quality 
I don't mind the odd cosmetic blip or something, but I do expect things to work

[maximus0723]

Their QC on LM's lower end items isn't up to par with ones of higher end.
LM QC is for sure lower then Vic QC.

LM really needs to address this.

[Syph007]

Ya that's been my experience.  On the full size tools you get good stuff, but the keychain size is pretty random.

[Zed]

I think this is a shame , Most of us here are long time LM users and i personaly have liked all the LM's ive owned and whitbys service is top notch, but ive read a few new MT users on here buying tools like the wingman etc and having issues, this for me would put me off for future purchases, i really think LM need to up there game on Keychain and entry level tools, ive been put off the wingman and sidekick from comments ive read, 

[Gareth]

Al, you have a most impressive gift of picking out some real turkeys mate.   I had to go grab my P4 and give the blade a wiggle, I won't say there's NO blade play, but nothing like what you've got.

[Farmman]

Ok al. In future if you want a leatherman, just let me order it.

[50ft-trad]

Al, you have a most impressive gift of picking out some real turkeys mate.   I had to go grab my P4 and give the blade a wiggle, I won't say there's NO blade play, but nothing like what you've got.

As I said in another thread, I'm a turd magnet - I don't pick them, they pick me  It's just seems to be the two companies though  My Vic's, Wengers, Bucks, SOG's, CRKT's, Bears and everything else are fine in terms of manufacture and any gripes are just design and suitability. Gerber and LM however .... place your bets, place your bets ...
Not had the opportunity to bray it yet - I'll sort that out sometime next week

Ok al. In future if you want a leatherman, just let me order it.

Thanks for the offer Mark, but I'd feel worse if I got it through a mate and something smurfed up on it. At least this way it's just them and me in the equation and no one else can feel guilty  Besides, you might catch the curse 

[82brutus]

Leatherman could employ all of us to QC their new tools before they ship off to other people as you know we'd put the tools through the ringer checking quality before we'd let them ship out.      

We'd probably all work cheap too... just get to keep one for ourselves and then ship the rest out.    

[Max Archer]

It's warrantied like any other LM, right? I'd just send it in and have them take care of it, that way you're guaranteed one without issues.

[shamus]

And yet another post about Leatherman's poor quality control.

[Farmman]

Al, you have a most impressive gift of picking out some real turkeys mate. :-  I had to go grab my P4 and give the blade a wiggle, I won't say there's NO blade play, but nothing like what you've got.

As I said in another thread, I'm a turd magnet - I don't pick them, they pick me  :- It's just seems to be the two companies though  My Vic's, Wengers, Bucks, SOG's, CRKT's, Bears and everything else are fine in terms of manufacture and any gripes are just design and suitability. Gerber and LM however .... place your bets, place your bets ...
Not had the opportunity to bray it yet - I'll sort that out sometime next week

Ok al. In future if you want a leatherman, just let me order it.

Thanks for the offer Mark, but I'd feel worse if I got it through a mate and something smurfed up on it. At least this way it's just them and me in the equation and no one else can feel guilty  Besides, you might catch the curse 

Thinking about it the last two lm I got both went back because of problems. Both were skeletools and the lock was very weak on both. Not bought any lm recently as saks are cheaper.

[50ft-trad]

It's warrantied like any other LM, right? I'd just send it in and have them take care of it, that way you're guaranteed one without issues.

For a start it's a P4 so they're discontinued. If I send it to the UK centre, I'll get a PS4 off the shelf - so I could be swapping a P4 with issues for a PS4 with issues and not have the awl and mini driver I wanted. If it goes to US for repair, no guarantees I won't get the same, there'll just be a longer wait and it'll cost more in postage.

I'll just hit it with a hammer, it's easier. Worst case scanario, I'll try and track down a PS4 with torx screws and make the tool I wish LM had made in the first place: P4 with file swapped for scissors - awl and mini driver to remain

[Mercury]

I have had two different juice models come in with loose rivets.  I just took my SAK peening kit to it and fixed the issue.