Classy or Gangsta ? Gold Leatherman

[dks]

As long as you are using them in some way you are not a hoarder!
You like looking at them, playing with them and showing them so it is not like you hide them in a secret box and do not get any use or pleasure out of them Chako.

Most people here have more tools, not just multitools, than they actually use on a daily basis anyway.

[Chako]

Exactly.

Another peak. 

[MultiMat]

Dan I am keen to hear how the high friction areas hold up like on the blade detent ramps etc.
I think the pimped Skeletool looks the best  . I wonder if they disassemble the tools & have them plated or if they coat/paint the tools in their assembled state  .
I think if they pulled them apart,coated them & then reassembled them they would be more expensive that they are 

[Chako]

I have looked at the joints very closely, and cannot see any missed areas. I think they disassemble them personally...otherwise there would be missed areas. The flathead driver on the other hand is of a lighter colour to the rest of the tool...making me think it got less gold plating.

I was curious...and I did buy all those painted tools...so why not something I wouldn't be caught dead wearing. 

[Syph007]

You'd for sure have to take them apart to coat, but leatherman's come apart pretty easy so that's no barrier.  Try that with the swisstool line.

[dks]

I have bought several items from the gold LM dealer before (they changed their name a few months ago) and was happy with the service.
I am sure they must have done a pretty decent job with the gold coating.

Now lets wait for a youtube review with a paint detruction test!

[MultiMat]

You'd for sure have to take them apart to coat, but leatherman's come apart pretty easy so that's no barrier.  Try that with the swisstool line.

I don't know having this many parts(that was the best photo I know of) , having everything coated & then reassembled.That would be a $1000+ tool in Oz   

[Syph007]

Ive had my wave apart for cleaning twice now and it felt like a pretty smooth process.  I found it best to keep both halves separated, and treat it like 2 knives joined by pliers, to keep the parts organized.  But luckly most of the little fiddly bits only go on one way, and taking pics as you take it apart helps tons too.

[David]

Mat I got to agree that Skeletool is really sweet. I`m trying to talk myself into buying one.

[Chako]

Some more photographs for you.

[MultiMat]

Mat I got to agree that Skeletool is really sweet. I`m trying to talk myself into buying one.

David I think you need to shout yourself a late birthday present 

I have sent the seller some questions about their coating , I wonder what they will have to say 

[David]

Mat I got to agree that Skeletool is really sweet. I`m trying to talk myself into buying one.

David I think you need to shout yourself a late birthday present 

I have sent the seller some questions about their coating , I wonder what they will have to say 

Mat, the durability of the finish is the only thing that has me concerned. It will be interesting to see what they have to say. I`ve bought several tools from them in the past with no problems.

[MultiMat]

OK here is the response they gave me ;


'Firstly, these tools are gold plated, an electro-chemical process (uses electricity to replace surface particles on a material).  It is not a paint (like enamel), and it is not a purely chemical process (like black oxide).

Regarding the hardness of the gold. The formula we use has a .001% cobalt hardener in the gold that makes it much more scratch resistant than a normal gold finish.  It is MUCH more durable than a gold plated piece of jewelery, for instance. The MIL spec refers to this wear resistance (instead of a purely ornamental finish).

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the black oxide finish. Just due to the nature of the process, the finish is extremely uneven, and as you mentioned, starts to look worn very quickly. I've pulled brand new ones out of the box that already had some of the scratching. The gold finish isn't a miracle finish, but it will wear more like the base stainless steel than either the black oxide or enamel.  It will not chip but can be scratched just like a stock Leatherman tool would be scratched. It is possible that you will eventually wear through the gold layer with heavy use, but we haven't experienced this yet. As an added benefit, the gold plate is incredible corrosion resistant (even in salt water).

These tools are entirely disassembled for plating and each part is fully submerged for an even finish. You should be aware, however, that the finish isn't 100% perfect as any imperfections in the stainless steel will show through the plate.'

So they do disassemble 

[Lynn LeFey]

After the detail photos, I very much like the black and gold one more than the all-gold.

Good to know about the process.

[David]

Mat thanks for posting their response. I just got a reply about the durablity of the finish and got a similar reply as yours.