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I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge

ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #30 on: May 22, 2007, 08:27:50 PM
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It's sad that both blades are not 154/s30v but the plain edge is designed to be your main blade and the other to accompany it. So the main blade is going to hold an edge longer.

To be honest, I would think serrations would last longer in a harder steel like 154CM, and since serrations are such a pain to sharpen, I think it should be the one that is designed to last longer between sharpenings.  Additionally, any blade that is difficult to maintain or sharpen is really not a good tool at all.  If I wanted a super dense steel that could cut steel mooring line and the odd locomotive then I'd get a dedicated knife for that.  Multitool blades are for the guys who work, and having to spend time maintaining tools takes away from the time you have to work.

Don't believe me?  Look at your other tools.  Chances are, you have some screwdrivers, socket wrenches, pliers, wire cutters and a hacksaw stuffed away in a box somewhere in the basement or under the back porch.  They may look like hell with grease and rust spots on them, but they are there, waiting for the next time you need them.  They don't need much maintenance, and you probably use them hard and put them away wet, and never worry yourself about them.  Admittedly, they are a far sight cheaper than your multitool ($20 for a hammer?  Are you nuts?!) but they put up with anything.  That's what a multitool is to me. 

I appreciate the fact that you and I disagree so much on tools Dave!  Like you said, many of the reviews done on the main site (like yours for this very Charge model- http://multitool.org/content/view/58/67/ ) are all based in opinion.  It's nice to have a difference of opinions, and I don't think you and I ever agreed on anything in the past!  Certainly not when it comes to multitools!

Of course I am going to go through the rest of the reviews you wrote now and avoid anything that you were overly positive with! :P

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline J-sews

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #31 on: May 23, 2007, 01:33:54 AM
Seems like there has been a huge amount of debate about the Leatherman bit holders, both here and on other forums. Some folks love 'em, some folks hate 'em. Maybe because I work in manufacturing, I tend to sympathize with the Leatherman engineers on this one.

Think about it; they were handed a challenge to give multitool users the ability to work on a large (and getting larger every year!) variety of fasteners. Not just phillips and flathead, but also standard hex, Robertson, Torx, etc. Millions of guys buy and use Leatherman tools, and they want to use them on all different sorts of fasteners.

The only solution was a compromise. Either one or two bit drivers on the tool itself, flattened so both driver and bits take up minimal space.

But of course, like any compromise engineered for everyone, it is not the perfect arrangement for anyone. Some folks prefer longer, dedicated flathead and phillips drivers. We've even seen some mods here on MTorg to that effect. But why didn't Leatherman do the long dedicated drivers themselves? Because then the guys who need to work on the wide variety of sizes of hex, Torx, and Robertson fasteners would have been left out in the cold.

Bottom line, the bit drivers aren't ideal for everyone, but they are a good compromise for a company that has millions of customers.

In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #32 on: May 23, 2007, 02:09:11 AM
Good point.  I will concede that you do indeed have a point and make it well.

However, in the case of Robertsons, that's a pretty limited market, and Canadians are used to buying those separately.  Trust me- I know that one first hand!

Also, a multitool is about versatility- that's the point of multiple tools.  Otherwise it would be the Leatherman Hammer and Nail Company rather than Leatherman Tool Group.  Deliberate duplication of identical tools flies in the face of versatility.

Def 
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #33 on: May 27, 2007, 01:23:44 PM
I've been carrying the Charge XTi for a few days now and I have a few more observations about it:

1- It is very comfortable to hold and use as pliers.

2- I use the serrated blade more than the plain blade, but I'd still rather have the guthook turned around.  I'd also like the serrated blade (if any) made out of a nice hard wonder steel so the teeth wouldn't need to be sharpened as often.

3- I haven't used any of the bit drivers yet, but I have lamented at the lack of scissors.

4- I don't mind the pocket clip after all.  While I'd still prefer sheath carry in most situations, there are a few instances where the clip is handy.  Especially considering I have to fight the Charge to get it in and out of the sheath, but that will likely change with more use.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gb Offline Raukodur

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #34 on: May 27, 2007, 01:58:20 PM
Def, after you have tried using the XTI for a while, I would be fascinated to hear what you think of the TTI, and the configuration of tools on that.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #35 on: May 27, 2007, 02:16:37 PM
I am pretty certain that I would prefer the tool arrangement on the TTi since it doesn't have the duplication and it does have scissors.  Of course I'd still much prefer Leatherman's old scissor design as found on the old Wave and PST II. 

If Canadian Tire had the Ti and not the XTi (or both) I think I would have been much happier with the Ti.  I am also certain I'd be pretty happy with the TTi except for the price.  All in all, I think the Charge line has some merit, I just got the wrong model based on availability and my preferences.  If both had been available I would have gravitated towards the Ti simply because we already had a review of the XTi posted here.

I think my next Charge will be an AL model- I don't see the benefit of Ti, and it has a similar configuration to the TTi and XTi which I think is what I would prefer.

I still don't care for the rubbing file though.  At least if it was a steel file that couldn't hurt the expensive titanium, or a steel side like on the Wave that wasn't so expensive, then I think my inner Scot wouldn't have such a problem with it.  I still miss the hook sharpening groove though...

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline J-sews

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #36 on: May 27, 2007, 04:26:18 PM
When the Ti and the XTi models were first introduced, I naively assumed that the XTi was somehow better -a premium version- simply because it had the "X" in its name. It was not until some months later, as I began to pay more attention to the specs, that I changed my mind. The Ti (and the TTi, and the AL) package makes more sense for yours truly.

I think the XTi (and the new ALX) arrangement only makes sense for a relatively few people: those who need specialized bits, and are either not willing to swap bits a lot (perhaps because of the time it takes?) or do not have the remaining bits on their person (perhaps because they use the pocket clip carry and leave the extra bits at home?). 
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #37 on: May 27, 2007, 05:59:15 PM
That would be my guess too.  But then everyone knows I complain about too many screwdrivers on a tool and this is just ridiculous!  :grin:

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline Viper

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #38 on: May 31, 2007, 09:13:07 PM
I guess I'm late saying this, but in your first post: Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't titanium an extyremely HEAVY metal, therefore making it heavier?
[


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #39 on: May 31, 2007, 09:22:07 PM
Nope.  Titanium is very light and very strong, which is why it's used in all kinds of fancy applications like fighter plane components, race engines and the like.  It's also nonmagnetic, but that's kind of moot when the rest of the tool is made of steel!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline Viper

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #40 on: June 01, 2007, 05:17:39 AM
Hmm, maybe I'm thinking of something else...
[


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #41 on: July 08, 2018, 12:41:10 AM
Since I just linked to this thread on Facebook I figured I might as well make it today's Def's Dirty Dozen Thread Necro!

For the record, over a decade later and the XTi is still my least favorite Charge model.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #42 on: July 08, 2018, 01:49:55 AM
Another great thread from memory lane Grant :dd: :like: :like:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #43 on: July 08, 2018, 11:34:08 PM
Yeah, I thought so too!

I have had a number of Charges over the years and just about all of them have had the file grinding problem.  Some worse than others, and with the Charges I have, it's an even bigger upset.







Apparently I don't have a good pic of the black ALX that Leatherman sent me, but you can see it in the background here:



I'll have to dig it out and photograph it properly.  :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Obi1shinobee

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #44 on: July 09, 2018, 01:07:49 AM
 :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :ahhh :o :o :o :o :o :sa: :sa: :sa: :sa: :sa: :like: :gimme: :drool:


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #45 on: July 09, 2018, 03:04:27 AM
The tiger stripe has always been one of my favs :dd: :like: :like: :drool: of course the solid color MTO ones are not shabby either :drool: :like:
« Last Edit: July 09, 2018, 03:06:10 AM by Poncho65 »


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #46 on: July 09, 2018, 03:35:37 AM
Congratulations on getting your first Charge, Grant. A bit belated congrats though. :2tu:
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ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #47 on: July 09, 2018, 10:32:19 AM
Congratulations on getting your first Charge, Grant. A bit belated congrats though. :2tu:
He seemed pretty pleased with that Charge, I think.  :think: :whistle:
Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

All hail the hook!


nz Offline Syncop8r

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #48 on: July 09, 2018, 12:31:07 PM
Can the scale be packed out a little to avoid contact with the file?  :think:


ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #49 on: July 09, 2018, 01:28:22 PM
Can the scale be packed out a little to avoid contact with the file?  :think:
Probably not without some bad consequence of some sort.
Otherwise LM would have done it already. Right? Right?
Why is everyone rolling their eyes at me?   :P
Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

All hail the hook!


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #50 on: July 09, 2018, 01:30:55 PM
Congratulations on getting your first Charge, Grant. A bit belated congrats though. :2tu:

Yes, I have added a few more Charges to the stable since then... 

Can the scale be packed out a little to avoid contact with the file?  :think:

Possibly, but if you spend $100-150 on a multitool you shouldn't have to modify it to make it function the way it was intended.  The issue is that the spring pressure from the liner lock pushes the file outwards and subsequently into the handle slab.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline chrono

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #51 on: July 09, 2018, 01:42:36 PM
Congratulations on getting your first Charge, Grant. A bit belated congrats though. :2tu:

Yes, I have added a few more Charges to the stable since then... 

Can the scale be packed out a little to avoid contact with the file?  :think:

Possibly, but if you spend $100-150 on a multitool you shouldn't have to modify it to make it function the way it was intended.  The issue is that the spring pressure from the liner lock pushes the file outwards and subsequently into the handle slab.

Def


A Wave + I bought recently has 4 blades pretty much right on center perfectly. I also have mutiple Charges without blade rubbing problem. The concept works. The QC and tolerance at LM is another matter though.

I do not think the OG Wave have this issue?  ???


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #52 on: July 09, 2018, 02:02:55 PM
Congratulations on getting your first Charge, Grant. A bit belated congrats though. :2tu:

Yes, I have added a few more Charges to the stable since then...

These necro threads are fascinating, Grant. Thank you for bringing them back. I, being a relatively new member, am fascinated by them. It was/is hard to imagine y'all as not having had/or having some of the pivotal MTs out there. Very cool.  :)
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es Offline ThePeacent

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #53 on: July 09, 2018, 02:48:07 PM
The tiger stripe has always been one of my favs :dd: :like: :like: :drool: of course the solid color MTO ones are not shabby either :drool: :like:

and don't forget the signed one!!  :pok: :ahhh  :like:
My toys:

MTs: Surge (2x), Skeletool CX, Rebar, Blast, Fuse, Micra, Squirt (3x), Wave, Crunch, Mini, Spirit (2x), Pro Scout, MP700 (2x), Diesel, Powerlock, PowerPlier (2x), PocketPowerPlier, Blacktip , ST6 (2x), 5WR, A100

SAKs: Bantam, Executive, Ambassador, Minichamp, Classic Alox, Champion, Farmer, Explorer, Swisschamp, Golf Tool, Wenger Champ, EVO 52, Pocket Tool Chest


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #54 on: July 09, 2018, 09:55:29 PM
Congratulations on getting your first Charge, Grant. A bit belated congrats though. :2tu:

Yes, I have added a few more Charges to the stable since then...

These necro threads are fascinating, Grant. Thank you for bringing them back. I, being a relatively new member, am fascinated by them. It was/is hard to imagine y'all as not having had/or having some of the pivotal MTs out there. Very cool.  :)

I'm glad you are enjoying it!  In 12 years we have covered a lot of ground, and yeah, I had (I think) maybe 12 multitools when I started the site.  When there didn't seem to be anyone else interested in them, that seemed like an awful lot.  The only forum that seemed to have any idea they even existed was Bladeforums, and even then, they had them lumped in with Swiss Army Knives, and given the popularity of SAKs (especially with what we'd built on Knifeforums with The Secret Order of Swiss Army Knives) there wasn't a lot of plier based tool discussions going on.  Certainly no collector info or reviews of discontinued models, at least, other than the cool stuff Bob (J-Sews) had written.

The hard part for me is trying to recall some of the really cool threads.... and then finding them!   :ahhh

Right now the forum says:

Quote
1,715,961 Posts in 73,817 Topics by 6,175 Members

Finding one in almost 74,000 topics is a bit of a challenge!  :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


00 Offline Mechanickal

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #55 on: July 09, 2018, 11:02:29 PM
Update your google-fu!
:whistle:


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: I did it- I broke down and bought a Charge
Reply #56 on: July 10, 2018, 12:13:47 AM
I have been known to just pick one of the older members and go in their post history and pick old threads out like that :tu:


 

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