Leatherman PST chronology project

[J-sews]

The original PST was a standard catalog item from 1983 when it was introduced to 2004 when it was discontinued. In those 21 years there were many subtle - and not-so-subtle - changes made to the legendary tool. Most were evolutionary sort of things that made the tool better, like the stronger plier head pivot in 2000, or the hard wire notch added in the early 1990's.

I'm trying to compile these changes and put together some sort of chronology time line. (With Roadie doing the actual time line art work of course!)

What follows is a list of PST features and my best guess as to when they were implemented. It starts with the original riveted tool of 1983 and then ends up with some of the final changes of the early 2000's. The dates are only educated guesses.


PST CHRONOLOGY:

1] 1983 Made in USA for Cabelas
•   Knurled screw construction
•   No lanyard attachment
•   Small diameter plier pivot
•   Only LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot
•   No hard wire cutter notch
•   One handle stamped: LEATHERMAN TOOL, US PAT 4238862, PORTLAND OR
•   Other handle marked CABELAS
•   Inch ruler only, no metric
•   No date codes
•   Drop point knife blade
•   Knife tang not stamped (blade etched LEATHERMAN USA)
•   Milled awl blade
•   Off center screwdrivers pivot IN
•   Can opener has left hand cut

2] Early to mid-1980’s
•   Knurled screw construction
•   No lanyard attachment
•   Small diameter plier pivot
•   LEATHERMAN USA cast into plier pivot
•   No hard wire cutter notch
•   One handle stamped: LEATHERMAN TOOL, US PAT 4238862, PORTLAND OR
•   Other handle stamped POCKET SURVIVAL TOOL
•   Inch ruler only, no metric
•   No date codes
•   Drop point knife blade
•   Knife tang stamped LEATHERMAN USA
•   Milled awl blade
•   Off center screwdrivers pivot IN
•   Can opener has left hand cut

3] Late 1985 – early 1989 Made in Japan concurrently
•   Riveted construction
•   Hollow base rivets
•   No lanyard attachment
•   Small diameter plier pivot
•   Staked plier pivot
•   Only LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot
•   No hard wire cutter notch
•   One handle stamped: LEATHERMAN TOOL, US PAT 4238862, PORTLAND OR
•   Other handle stamped POCKET SURVIVAL TOOL
•   Inch ruler only, no metric
•   No date codes
(Note some Japan tools appear to have handles obtained from the same source as some USA tools)
•   Drop point knife blade
•   Knife tang stamped LEATHERMAN JAPAN
•   Milled awl blade
•   Off center screwdrivers pivot IN
•   Can opener has left hand cut
(Note Japan tools appear to have several of their blades obtained from the same source as USA tools)

4] Changes to tools produced in Japan:
•   Solid base rivets
•   Lanyard attachment added
•   One handle stamped: LEATHERMAN in large font. Also stamped TOOL, US PAT 4238862 (no PORTLAND OR)
•   Other handle left blank

5] Still more Japanese changes:
•   US PAT 4238862 replaced by REG’D TM 1325473
•   Can opener has right hand cut

6] Mid-1980’s changes to USA-made tools
•   Added lanyard attachment
•   Handle stampings: US PAT 4238862 no longer appears. (LEATHERMAN TOOL, PORTLAND OR remains)
•   Other handle blank

7] Later-1980’s changes
•   Handle stampings: REG’D TM 1325473 added
•   Ruler becomes inch/metric
•   Switch to saber-clip point knife blade
•   Knife tang stamped LEATHERMAN USA
•   Ground awl blade replaces milled awl
•   Can opener switched to right hand cut

8] November 1992:
•   Date codes added

9] Mid-1990's?
•   Opposite faces of handles stamped for the first time, with LEATHERMAN TOOL
•   Clip portion of knife blade made shorter (no longer a Saber)

10] 1996
•   Hard wire notch first appears
•   Handles no longer stamped with REG’D TM number

11] 1998??
•   New off-center screwdrivers pivot OUT (0997 earliest seen)

12] 2001??
•   New plier head has larger pivot (0601 earliest seen)
•   Hard wire cutter notch has cast in indicator arrow
•   Knife tang stamped LEATHERMAN only (USA dropped)

13] 2002?
•   LEATHERMAN TOOL cast into plier pivot (USA dropped)

14] 2004
•   PST Discontinued (1004 latest date code seen)




But I need some help. Please take a look at your PST (everybody has a PST don't they? ) and tell me where it fits in. Does your PST have:

•   Rivets or knurled screws?
•   Lanyard attachment?
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
•   LEATHERMAN alone cast into plier pivot? Or with USA? Or TOOL?
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
•   Date codes?
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point? (saber?)
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN alone? Or with USA? Or JAPAN?
•   Screwdrivers: pivot-in or pivot-out?


Thanks in advance for your info!


 

[Leatherman123]

This is quite interesting! I have two PST's and I'll look at them thoroughly and get back to you!

[J-sews]

As regards stamping on PST's, there are quite a few variations. Here are just four of them:


POCKET SURVIVAL TOOL, from the early- to mid-1980's (note inch ruler)



Large font LEATHERMAN, from the mid-1980's (inch ruler)



LEATHERMAN TOOL, standard font, from late 1980's thru 1990's (note inch/metric ruler)



No REG or PAT number, from early 2000's (inch/metric ruler)

[Spoonrobot]

 

PST #1
•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled screws.
•   Lanyard attachment?
Yes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Old
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
Yes, USA
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
Yes
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
Leatherman Tool, Portland OR
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Inch/metric
•   Date codes? What are they?
0900/0900
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Clip point
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman -USA-

PST #2
•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled screws.
•   Lanyard attachment?
Yes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Old
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
Yes, USA
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
Yes
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
Leatherman Tool, Portland OR
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Inch/metric
•   Date codes? What are they?
0298/0298
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Clip point
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman USA

PST #3
•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled screws.
•   Lanyard attachment?
Yes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Old
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
Yes, USA
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
No
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
Leatherman Tool, Portland OR, US REG TM 1325473
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Inch/metric
•   Date codes? What are they?
0296/0296
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Clip point
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman USA

PST #4
•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled screws.
•   Lanyard attachment?
Yes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Old
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
Yes, USA
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
Yes
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
Leatherman Tool, Portland OR
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Inch/metric
•   Date codes? What are they?
0596/0696
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Clip point Saber
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman USA

[Poncho65]

Except for the date codes my PST is same as Spoons PST #3   A 94 model without Hard Wire Notch

PST #3
•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled screws.
•   Lanyard attachment?
Yes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Old
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
Yes, USA
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
No
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
Leatherman Tool, Portland OR, US REG TM 1325473
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Inch/metric
•   Date codes? What are they?
0794/0794
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Clip point
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman USA

[J-sews]

Thanks Spoon and Poncho. Your information has already prompted some changes in my original post.

What now reads as this:

1992?
•   Date codes added

Mid-1990's?
•   Hard wire notch added
•   Handles no longer stamped with REG or PAT number
•   Backside of handles stamped for the first time, with LEATHERMAN TOOL
•   Clip portion of knife blade made shorter (no longer a Saber)


Used to read as this:

1992?
•   Date codes added
•   Hard wire notch added

Mid-1990’s?
•   Handles no longer stamped with REG or PAT number
•   Backside of handles stamped for the first time, with LEATHERMAN TOOL
•   Clip portion of knife blade made shorter. (no longer a saber)


Spoon, the fact that you have two 1996 tools, one with US REG TM markings and one without, would seem to indicate that is the year they dropped that info.

[woofer]

Does your PST have:

•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled
•   Lanyard attachment?
SYes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Don't know, need basis of comparison
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
Leatherman and USA
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
No, only self-inflicted damage
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
Leatherman(R) Tool; US REG TM 1325473; PORTAND OR
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Inch/Metric
•   Date codes? What are they?
0294/0394
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Clip Point (I think)
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman USA

Also has a Marlboro Country Store stamp on the reverse of the handle. It's amazing how many cigarette cartons you can find on the streets of NYC just walking around as a kid.

It's also notable that Spoon has two 96 PSTs, only with hard wire cutter and one without. Maybe that's the year it was added in?

[J-sews]

.......It's also notable that Spoon has two 96 PSTs, only with hard wire cutter and one without. Maybe that's the year it was added in?

Good catch Woofer, thanks! (chronology in first post has now been updated)

And thanks for the info. I'll snap some pics here so you know what I mean about plier pivots and knife blades.

[DaveK]

Oookay:

PST 1 (Black Oxide)

•   Rivets or knurled screws?
Knurled
•   Lanyard attachment?
Yes
•   (Old) small diameter or (new) large diameter plier pivot?
Old (with cap crimper)
•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
LEATHERMAN TOOL
•   A hard wire cutter notch?
No
•   Handles stamped with what? (see pictures in next post for examples)
US REG TM 1325473
•   Inch ruler only, or inch/metric?
Both
•   Date codes? What are they?
0493
•   Drop point knife blade or clip point?
Pointier than the regular (later) blade whatever that is!
•   Knife blade tang stamped LEATHERMAN, JAPAN, or USA?
Leatherman USA

I'll post some more up tomorrow Bob as it's late here!

[J-sews]

Oookay:

•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
LEATHERMAN TOOL

Dave, when you get a moment could you double check this? I would think a 1993 model would have USA cast on the plier pivot.
Thanks!

[J-sews]

To elaborate on this business of pivots and blades, please see the following pics:


Sometime around the year 2000? (need more date info please) they switched to the new style plier head, which is obviously stronger than the old one was.



The middle style blade is nicknamed the "saber" because of its big sweeping clip point. Later on they made the clip point smaller (top picture)

[appletree_man]

Knurled screws

Lanyard attachment

Large pivot (I think)

LEATHERMAN name around pivot, the other word is ground out as if the mold was altered

Hard wire cutter

Metric & inch ruler

Date codes, 0601 on both.

Clip point blade

Tang stamped LEATHERMAN USA

[DaveK]

Oookay:

•   LEATHERMAN cast into plier pivot, along with USA or TOOL?
LEATHERMAN TOOL

Dave, when you get a moment could you double check this? I would think a 1993 model would have USA cast on the plier pivot.
Thanks!

  Thought I was answering about the handle stampings - sorry. Yes, of course it is Leatherman USA.

[DaveK]

LEATHERMAN name only around pivot, the other word is ground out as if the mold was altered

That's interesting. I've seen the Juice models with USA ground out, but never a PST. Keep hold of that one appletreeman ( or trade it with me ).

Bob - it is the middle of the three blades (sabre) on the PST I mentioned.

[J-sews]

Bob - it is the middle of the three blades (sabre) on the PST I mentioned.

Ahh good, so we've narrowed it down to sometime after 1993 that they switched to the new knife blade. (Darn, I should have been asking about this from the start so we could see what Spoony's 1996's were)