Leatherman article on CNN

[zackhugh]

I just saw this at CNN.com:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2007/07/01/100123045/index.htm?postversion=2007072506

Sorry if the link is too long.  I forget how to shorten it.

[dingosrun]

great read
thanks for the find and for sharing
cheers

[J-sews]

Very interesting. Most of it I'd read before, here and there, but never all in one article.

[zackhugh]

I liked that the article reported his dogged persistence just to get the tool made.  And also that he briefly discussed his original design with the needlenose and locking jaw features.  I guess most of the forumites have read about this somewhere in various threads but unfortunately most of the world is still ignorant of multitool.org.

[Spoonrobot]

5 new products by December?

Hot.

[joebw]

Five new products probably refers to the two versions of the skeletool, the two versions of the knife wioth light and the new pruner.

Joe

[zackhugh]

Five new products probably refers to the two versions of the skeletool, the two versions of the knife wioth light and the new pruner.

Joe

Do you remember where there was reference to a knife with light, either article, thread, or web site?  I might like to let one of my friends know about that.  Thanks.

[NeitherExtreme]

Cool article, thanks for the link. 

[joebw]

Hi zackhugh,

This was in the Leatherman newsletter.  Go to the Leatherman site (www.leatherman.com) and go and poke around.  Sign up for the newsletter and you'll find out about such things.

Joe

[zackhugh]

Thanks, I was surprised not to read more about it here though!  Didn't see anything like that at SHOT either.

[J-sews]

Here is the recent Leatherman newsletter for those folks who didn't receive it:

What If Your Leatherman Could Talk?
We wondered the same thing and about five months ago, we asked our advertising agency to come up with the answer. Now running in national and regional publications is the new Leatherman Monologues advertising campaign. They're fun to read and definitely make you think…What would my Leatherman say if it could talk? What if you could say it for your tool?

When we developed this new campaign we took it onto the Web site as well. As part of the redesign, we decided to update our Leatherman World section and include a place for you send in your very own Tool Tales. Over the years we've gotten hundreds of stories sent to us by Leatherman users the world over. We love to read them and we thought other users might too. Plus when you send in your tale, there's a chance to win some cool Leatherman stuff.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Sneak Preview
As a Leatherman World reader you'll always be in the know about upcoming Leatherman products before the rest of the public. This summer and into fall we have three new products that will be hitting the shelves. The K500L folding knife featuring a removable LED light; Genus, the professional landscaping pruner multi-tool; and Skeletool, the new multi-tool/knife combination platform. Here's a little more info.

Genus - The Professional's Pruner (and multi-tool)
Take everything you know about professional pruners and turn it on its head. Or in the case of Genus™…Rotate it. These new pruners feature an industry-first: A rotating handle that stores a full set of professional tools. Just push the button and flip the handle around and you'll find a knife, Phillips screwdriver, sprinkler head adjustment tool/flat screwdriver, bottle opener and very aggressive saw. Included with this professional-grade pruning tool is a diamond-coated file that doubles as an open-end wrench to adjust the pruner nut when necessary.

K500L/K501L Folding Knife
This folding knife is predicated on one of our most popular existing Leatherman models, the k500x/k501x (an even number indicates a straight blade and odd indicates a combination straight/serrated blade). For this latest model, we've added a versatile and convenient LED light feature that can be used while remaining attached to the body of the knife, or removed to clip on anywhere. A pivoting head allows you to direct the light as you need it. The premium quality blade is 154CM stainless steel, and the hidden carabiner doubles as the best bottle opener we've ever made.

Skeletool™ and Skeletool™ CX
You want to keep weight and overall size to a minimum without sacrificing quality and true functionality. While multi-tools have multiple options, they're often heavier with more features than are used on a regular basis. Conversely, pocket knives are light and streamlined, but render themselves useless when necessary adjustments call for a tool. Enter the new Leatherman Skeletool platform: Minimal weight, compact size and endless capabilities. Premium stainless steel blade, pliers, bit driver and carabiner/bottle opener. That's it. Only the most necessary multi-tool features, that are as slim as a knife, because sometimes that's all you need. Easily clips onto a belt, pack, or vest, no sheath required.

Last minute tweaks are being made to designs as this is being written this, so stay tuned for more information and visuals.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I want to design my own Leatherman!
And now you can. Starting in July the Leatherman Design Contest features five unique scenarios for you to design a tool for. Go to the Leatherman World section of our Web site and enter your design idea for a chance to win up to six new Leathermans!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leatherman in the community
Leatherman has been in Oregon for nearly 25 years, manufacturing and shipping a variety of products from their Portland headquarters. In an effort to give back to the organizations that support the community Leatherman calls home, we decided to partner with Mercy Corps, Habitat for Humanity (Mt. Hood chapter), Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Big Brother Big Sister program and Portland Fire and Rescue.

In the past, Leatherman has supported US troops overseas, fundraisers for environmental conservation groups, local charities and individuals across the country who had gone above and beyond the call of duty to help their fellows in a time of need. This year the company decided to maximize resources and focus efforts on the local community. These groups are experts at making sure donated resources to the places they are needed most, so we're confident the tools will be put to great use.

In addition to product donations, Leatherman is also supporting employees who want to donate their time to volunteering with the Big Brother Big Sister program or our local Habitat for Humanity project. Both groups' operations rely heavily on volunteer time and both also presented a great match for the skill sets of many employees at the company.

The cornerstone of all Leatherman engineering is preparedness. Product donations to all these partners will be used to work on wilderness restoration projects, help in disaster situations here and abroad, build homes and much more. Many of these groups may have local chapters in your area as well. We encourage you to visit them and other volunteer organizations in your area to lend a helping hand!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How do I find Leatherman products?
We often get questions about how consumers can find stores in their area that carry our products, as we don't sell direct. On our Web site we have a Dealer Locator that you can access from any page. Just find the top navigation bar and you'll see it there in the middle. You can look for stores in your area and/or online dealers. Keep in mind that our product line has grown quite a bit (by more than 20 tools and knives in the last 2 years), so very few stores carry the full line of Leatherman products. You'll want to call before you visit a store in your area, to make sure they have the specific model you're looking for.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How does the Leatherman warranty work?
Did you break a screwdriver tip? Are the pliers not opening because of the wire cutters? If you have an issue with your tool, remember it's under warranty for 25-years. Just visit the Leatherman Warranty section of the site and all the directions for sending in your tool are listed there.

[zackhugh]

Thanks, J-Sews!  I signed up for my newsletter but probably won't start getting it until the next issue.  I forwarded the relevant information on to my friend for his perusal.  And I got all excited myself reading about the Genus and the Skeletool.  More tools for the collection.

[J-sews]

No problemo.
I actually signed up for the newsletter about a year ago. I wasn't sure what to expect, and was a bit.....surprised..... when absolutely nothing happened for the first six months. Maybe I'm underestimating, but the copy above is only about the third newsletter I've seen from Leatherman in the past 12 months. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.)

[NeitherExtreme]

I could tell the same story as J-sews, but I'll just agree with him instead. 

[airballrad]

I think I read this article when it was new, but it's still a neat read.

[Gareth]

Nice bit of necromancy mate, I hadn't read that before.