Leatherman quality control.

[zoidberg]

I recently purhased a brand new TTI from a store here in South Africa. I have found that both main blades are gritty and difficult to open, I tried a bit of oil, but does not help. I do not want to return it to Leatherman RSA, as they replace units with refurb units. These sometimes have scratches and marks on them. I can see that there is only one copper washer between the frame and the blade, and not one on the handle side. Would it improve it by adding one on that side?



I also have a Charge Al and Alx, and do not have this issue, blades open smooth, but i see there are washers on both sides of the main blade.



Greetings from South Africa.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Can you not write and ask for a new replacement as it is a new product. Surely a phone call or email could do the job.
Re the Charge TTi, the ones I have worked with don't come with washers between the tools and handle slabs.
If you have the tools, it isn't difficult to dismantle everything. A clean and maybe a quick polish and it should work well.

[BASguy]

I've said plenty of times before, I have had more than my fair share of quality issues with Leatherman, and actually came to believe for a while that any "B Grade" goods in the factory were destined for overseas sale rather than rejected or rectified. These days I just think they're bloody sloppy  The first two tools I bought of theirs were unquestionably defective (not just design issues), and I have had others since then, and heard of plenty more.

I DO NOT associate the brand name with a high quality reliable product!

I have several Leatherman tools that I own, like and use. These tend to be older models (from back when they cared about quality), or ones where I have done some modification. If I was to look for a new multitool for someone today the first brands I would consider are Victorinox and Gerber.

Victorinox does occasionally let the odd lemon out of the factory, but these are rare. Gerber are more hit and miss with their QA, probably on a par with Leatherman in my opinion, but their tools are often better priced, and generally offer better value for money in my opinion. As for SOG, my current perspective is that the odds of them getting something right, is about on a par with the odds of Victorinox getting something wrong.

That assessment seems to be spot on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Syncop8r]

I have three Leathermans.
They are all perfect.
I am happy.
 

[pfrsantos]

I have one Leatherman.
It broke.
I am not happy.
 

[AimlessWanderer]

I have three Leathermans.
They are all perfect.
I am happy.
 

You are lucky 

[anditsgone]

Yeah they do not care much about customer service. They're warranty is great.
But i have needed it on every tool I've owned. Except my wave and MUT.

I guess that if you grind the leatherman logo of the tool and gave it to someone who is not in to MT s he will probably say it is an convienent invention, but of you have them a Vic after that i think i will know the outcome.

If you forget the brand and examine the products like they are brand less they are not that good as every body is raving about.

[sawman]

As I've said many many times before, I don't think anyone at LM is actually looking at these tools before they go to packaging.

If each tool were examined as I know Victorinox DOES, there would still be warranty issues, just not nearly as many.

So I hope you're taking note LEATHERMAN:

LOOK at the product instead of just blowing it out the door. 

BRING BACK the PST 

[Kampfer]

I purchased over 100 leathermans since I joined MTO, the only QC issues I had was With Waves. Everything else was perfect.

[AimlessWanderer]

I purchased over 100 leathermans since I joined MTO, the only QC issues I had was With Waves. Everything else was perfect.

For me, it was only when I bought my Wave that I thought "maybe they do make some decent tools after all"  It's the inconsistency that is so frustrating. It's a bit of a lottery, and an expensive one too. I might buy another Leatherman from someone I trusted here, but am very unlikely to get anything of theirs retail (unchecked by someone knowledgeable)

[anditsgone]

Yeah in comparison to my other leathermans the wave was pretty good. But i had to loosen all the torx screws and spent allot of time adjusting the knife pivot so that it stopped turning with the knife because if it goes with the knife it is hard to open.
These kind of things drive me nuts.

I also don't see leatherman as a quality brand, more as a brand that has made a good invention.
There are others that can build them better.

A watch is made like a Victorinox, not as a leatherman. If your watch is build like a leatherman you have a problem.

The tread is Swiss made

[Kampfer]

Let's not forget We are talking about MT here, not watches.

[anditsgone]

Let's not forget We are talking about MT here, not watches.

I agree but i used it as an example for what the leatherman brand feels to me.

[Kampfer]

I understand. I also see Leatherman as a brand that has made a good invention.
Victorinox is really behind the game in the invention department.

[captain spaulding]

I understand. I also see Leatherman as a brand that has made a good invention.
Victorinox is really behind the game in the invention department.

Not sure I follow. 

[Kampfer]

I was saying Victorinox offers no new inventions that I know of.
Correct me if I am wrong.

[captain spaulding]

I was saying Victorinox offers no new inventions that I know of.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Not sure if you are referring to the Leatherman Tread as a invention, but I would not call it such. I guess I am confused by your wording, but I believe you are saying Leatherman is more innovative than Victorinox maybe?

[Kampfer]

I was saying Victorinox offers no new inventions that I know of.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Not sure if you are referring to the Leatherman Tread as a invention, but I would not call it such. I guess I am confused by your wording, but I believe you are saying Leatherman is more innovative than Victorinox maybe?

You are correct, that is what I was saying.
Leatherman brought many new ideas on their products, "Pliers based MT", "OHO blade" (but I think Kershaw offered the first MT with OHO blade), optional pocket clips, flat bit system, high end steel, etc... Designed and offered specific MT for specific group of users.  They also tried many new things in many new directions, many IMO are good, some are bad (Thread), at least they are trying.

[captain spaulding]

I do agree that Leatherman has been very innovative over the years, but I do not think Victorinox has been behind the ball on anything. They have found knives that work and that people like. Why drastically change something that is working and people are happy with. They have upgraded their knives by making slight tweaks over the years, but I don't think they want or need to make any dramatic changes in their knives or multitools. I'm in no way saying one is better than the other. It is just a different approach at how they run their business and it seems to be working fine for both companies.
   

[anditsgone]

I do not mean that Victorinox does not innovative enough.

What i mean is that Tim leatherman has done a great invention in making the plier based multitool.

Victorinox nor leatherman aren't really bringing new products on the market.
But i Personally think that Victorinox innovate more than leatherman, with their digital clock and altimeter barometer etc.

I do not want a new product every year. But if there is room for improvement i do expect to see that as a customer.
I dont think Victorinox can improve allot except for changing the tools ibn their products.
But we don't want that.
But leatherman, that is a different story.

[AlephZero]

Only going to say that I've had zero quality issues with my  5 (currently) Leatherman MTs.

[Kampfer]

If it aren't broken, don't try to fix it. = true
If you aren't moving forward, you are moving backward. = also true

Whichever way you decide to run your business, you will gain some customers and lose some.
Victorinox isn't winning me over.

[captain spaulding]

If it aren't broken, don't try to fix it. = true
If you aren't moving forward, you are moving backward. = also true

Whichever way you decide to run your business, you will gain some customers and lose some.
Victorinox isn't winning me over.

And that's fine. Obviously everyone has there own preferences. 

Leatherman has been doing the opposite for me lately. I am in no way impressed with their choice in products they have been producing. The price of their tools keep rising while the quality keeps dropping. Something is not right about that equation and sooner or later it could catch up with them and ruin their good name which would really be a sad day if that happened.

As much as it may sound like I am bad mouthing Leatherman I am not. I have always loved their tools and I will always own Leathermans. I just do not agree with how they are doing things as of late. This does not mean anyone is right or wrong, but rather we just see things differently. 

[anditsgone]

If it aren't broken, don't try to fix it. = true
If you aren't moving forward, you are moving backward. = also true

Whichever way you decide to run your business, you will gain some customers and lose some.
Victorinox isn't winning me over.

I get that we are MT freaks and we want always more and better tools.

But for the price of a small SAK you can't beat the price/quality.
 
What Victorinox sells in a year takes leatherman twenty years.
I think that Victorinox people are not that much on the internet because there are more leatherman people out here.
But there are millions of them.
Look at airport auctions.
Containers full with SAKs that have been taken from the passengers at the security.

I don't own a SAK either although i am a great Vic fan.
That has to do with the fact that i always want plier based MTs because they have saved me allot of times.
That's why i bought an Swisstool.

Iam curious why Vic isn't winning you over, is it because a regular SAK isn't plier based?

[anditsgone]

If it aren't broken, don't try to fix it. = true
If you aren't moving forward, you are moving backward. = also true

Whichever way you decide to run your business, you will gain some customers and lose some.
Victorinox isn't winning me over.

And that's fine. Obviously everyone has there own preferences. 

Leatherman has been doing the opposite for me lately. I am in no way impressed with their choice in products they have been producing. The price of their tools keep rising while the quality keeps dropping. Something is not right about that equation and sooner or later it could catch up with them and ruin their good name which would really be a sad day if that happened.

As much as it may sound like I am bad mouthing Leatherman I am not. I have always loved their tools and I will always own Leathermans. I just do not agree with how they are doing things as of late. This does not mean anyone is right or wrong, but rather we just see things differently. 

I have the same crisis over here.
I do want to love them, but i can not support a company that is going the wrong way.
And i think it is sad.
I agree that it will ruin the brand name. Also don't get why Victorinox doesn't get in to the MT s more.

They will probably do a great job making the Swiss-wave.
With the right tools and the Vic quality and a decent price it would be a leatherman killer.

Although the SAK is a proven design for over a century i do think that plier based MT s are also a great part of the future.
Vic only has to make them in more sizes and different models. They all ready have the brand name.
On that part i do agree that Vic has to make a greater line of MT s.

[Kampfer]

I like and respect victorinox products for what they are and what they cost.

But being a MT freak I don't find them interesting.

I like companies that willing to try new ideas, use new technology, push the envelope, improve existing designs, not just hold on to what they got.

Leatherman did great form early 80s to about 2010, I think they got off track since then. Hopefully they will find their way again soon.

[captain spaulding]

I like and respect victorinox products for what they are and what they cost.

But being a MT freak I don't find them interesting.

I like companies that willing to try new ideas, use new technology, push the envelope, improve existing designs, not just hold on to what they got.

Leatherman did great for early 80s to about 2010, I think they got off track since then. Hopefully they will find their way again soon.

We can only hope. 

[Syncop8r]

Some don't like Leatherman bringing out tools for surfers, snowboarders, etc. I don't blame them, they are trying to find new markets. Nobody is demanding that we must love the latest surfing tool or whatever, they can't keep making tools to cater for just one demographic.

Oops, gone a bit off topic.

[anditsgone]

I don't want Victorinox fragrance either.

I want a Swiss wave.

[ducttapetech]

Not me. I like my Waves and Surges to be made by LM and SAKs by Vic.

Nate
That's us mobile

[Etherealicer]

Biggest quality issue I had was with my Surge, it really looks and feels like an unfinished tool.

Scratched up pliers
Unfinished frame and scissors (look at that spine, its very rough).


I mean, main-blade lock does not engage correctly and thumb-hole on main blade is unfinished (just cut, with sharp edges).


Scissors need to be forced to close.

Took those pictures, when it freshly arrived.