I gave Leatherman another chance, I'm impressed...

[MacTech]

I've just gotten back into Leatherman multitools, I had a Blast for a while, but I never warmed to it, it was okay, but I just couldn't get past the knife blade coming out of the "middle" of the tool (top handle), so I sold it a while back, and got a Victorinox SwissTool, mainly due to the correct knife blade deployment (bottom handle) and the supposed more rust-resistant steel

I found the SwissTool wasn't without it's own flaws, the tools were difficult to unfold without fingernails, there were many tools I never used (saw, file, flathead screwdrivers, I basically used the blades, the pliers, the phillips, and the "packing crate opener/prybar") the highly polished finish was slippery, and the pliers were too stubby for my needs, so it went into the B.O.B.

A couple days ago, I decided to give Leatherman another try, and purchased a Wave, and immediately fell in love with it, I love the true needlenose pliers, the one-handed opening blades, and the versatility of the bitdriver, heck, being a Mac repair tech (hence the username), I even use the "eyeglass screwdriver" for the tiny screws common on PowerBooks/iBooks/MacBooks and MacBook Pros, it has just the right amount of tools for my purposes, no useless flat-blade drivers, how many different "prybars" do you need, really, I almost *never* encounter flathead screws.....

the only thing I don't like is the lack of reach of the bitdriver, I like the length of the Phillips on the Blast/Kick/Fuse series, I do encounter recessed phillips screws rather often, and could really use the extra reach of the longer drivers, but I don't like the knife blade coming out of the "middle" of the handle, and I'm not a fan of the plastic liners, it gives the tool a bit cheaper feel, yes I know they're just to make the handles less "bitey" on the classic style Leathermans and they don't compromise durability, but it just feels wrong, I find that the exterior-mounted tools on "Wave-chassis" style Leatherman tools are far more useful for my purposes

I know Leatherman sells a bit extender for the Wave/Charge/Surge series, but I don't have the patience to order it and wait for it to ship, so I went to my local hardware store, picked up a cheap, generic extension bit, and took my bench grinder to it, taking the corners down.

it fits the bit holder almost perfectly, it doesn't engage the lockspring, and it's a *tiny* bit wobbly, and the Leatherman bit isn't exactly stable in it, but it's not too bad, probably not any worse than the Leatherman bit adapter, and it gives me access to the standard hex-style screwdriver bits, with a standard bit in it

Now I have the reach of the standard Leatherman screwdriver (more reach, actually), *and* the ability to use the Leatherman bits and standard hex style bits

If you have a spare bit extender and a way of grinding it flat, it's well worth doing, it greatly extends the versatility of an already quite versatile tool

I was so impressed with the Wave that I purchased a Surge yesterday as well, I don't know why people are complaining about the weight of the Surge, when carried horizontally the weight issue is negligible, and the Surge has a far more versatile toolset (for my purposes) than the already quite versatile Wave, the scissors and blade exchanger in particular

and as an added side-benefit, having both a Wave and Surge means I'm all set for my multitool needs, and won't "need" to buy any more multis....

yeah, just like with my knives and flashlights, right?

[Spoonrobot]

Welcome to MT.org!

Interesting to see your remarks about the blade on the Blast v. Swisstool. I actually prefer the blade layout of inside openers like the Blast because it protects the fingers if the lock fails and always allows you to use the knife blade in the stretch position if you need extra reach. Although you do trade off the speed of those outside opening blades.

If you don't like the short bit driver on the Wave you can always mod the tool and add a philips driver from another Leatherman. I think a few of the members here have done that.

[NeitherExtreme]

Welcome to the forum! Thanks for the write-up, and I'm glad to see the tools are working for you! I actually don't have either, but I have the Charge TI, and I really want a Surge, but I'll have to wait till I have either a good reason or more $$$. I also have come to like the bit adapter, although it bothered me at first. I've run into a few times where I needed a tight right-angle, and a long driver wouldn't have worked. So now that you've got an extension, you've got the best of both worlds! (any chance for a pic?) And of course you've gotta love the outside, one-hand blades! ;D

[J-sews]

the only thing I don't like is the lack of reach of the bitdriver, I like the length of the Phillips on the Blast/Kick/Fuse series, I do encounter recessed phillips screws rather often, and could really use the extra reach of the longer drivers,

I've had a couple run-ins with deeply recessed screws recently myself. Big problem was that the diameter of the recess was smaller than the bit adapter. I had to break down and (gasp!) use a regular screwdriver instead of a multitool. 

I'm thinking about taking a full hex, extended length phillips bit, then grinding a couple flats on it to fit the Charge flattened hex driver. Seems like that would work.

[NeitherExtreme]

J-sews, that was what I wanted to do with my charge, but never got around to it. I figured to slim down a phillips and a straight, and store them in those side pockets in the sheath. Still seems like a good idea to me, I just never get around to doing it. I wish LM would do something like that and add it to their bit kit, at least it would give them a reason for having those side-pockets on the sheath!

[J-sews]

...... I figured to slim down a phillips and a straight, and store them in those side pockets in the sheath. Still seems like a good idea to me, I just never get around to doing it. I wish LM would do something like that and add it to their bit kit, at least it would give them a reason for having those side-pockets on the sheath!

My gawd, it's almost scary how you read my mind sometimes.   

[NeitherExtreme]

Maybe there's only so many thoughts to be had about something like multi-tools, so if we spend too much time thinking about them, we're bound to have the same one eventually

[MacTech]

Well, my Surge got it's first couple of "Beauty Marks" this afternoon, I was getting out of the car, and the velcro flap on my belt holster (not a Leatherman one, a Nite Ize holster) opened up, as i took about five steps from the car I heard "CLUNK, Rattle", I looked down, and my four-day old Surge was lying on the pavement.....

I picked it up, turned it over, inspecting for damage, there was just a faint scuff mark on the back edge of the serrated blade scale cover, right above the word "Leatherman", aside from the almost unnoticeable scuff, the tool was unscathed, I could almost hear it laughing at me....

"C'mon, is *that* the best you could do, you've got to try harder than that"

(is it a bad thing when you hear your multitools talk to you? )

I flipped it open, inspected it for damage, looseness or other malfunctions, nope, just as solid as ever, completely unscathed

I thought to myself "Meh, thought so" as i reholstered the Surge, *CLOSED THE FLAP* and admired the tiny dent it had made in the pavement, and went in to get my lunch

It's funny, had this been my SwissTool or SwissTool Spirit, I would have been dissapointed/annoyed with the damage to their highly chromed finish and would be obsessing over the potential damage I had done to them by letting them come down with pavement poisoning, but somehow I *knew* the Surge could take it, so I shrugged it off and went on with my life, it's a tool, it's going to get dinged up with use, accept the inevitability and move on, it's a hardworking tool, not a finely crafted wrissmurfch......

Yes SwissTools may be more corrosion resistant, and have a much more polished fit-and-finish, but Leathermans are just good, honest, hardworking tools, completely unpretentious

I'm not knocking Vic multitools, heck, I have a SwissTool *AND* a ST Spirit, they're exceptionally finely crafted tools, but they seem to be missing that "knock me around and abuse me hard" feeling I get from my Leatherman tools

as Sal Glesser of Spyderco says;
"All good, just different"

[David Bowen]

That Sal guy is a smart man, Def seems to think a little different than I. I feel that a company who introduces not only one hand opening knives to the market but pocket clips as well, deserves some kind of a badge of honor. Sal is one of my "respected" people of the knife community. I don't know Tim (Leatherman), maybe he isn't as geeky as he seems on video  hope he doesn't take that too hard 

David

[J-sews]

I do hear what you're saying abou the knock-around factor, but....

it's only the first scratch or two on the SwissTool that is depressing. After that, it acquires the same knock-around-ability as the others.  :grin:

[CQC-7]

I have the same philosophy about guns as I do multitools.  Scratches and scars tell that tools story.  I remember when my dad told me almost those same words about the new scratches on my remington 870 20ga. slug gun after its first season afield.  Today my 870 has more scratches and nicks than any other firearm that I own.  Despite its battered appearance, I have never pointed it at a deer that did not fall where it stood.  Those scratches make it "unique" it is my gun and all the markings are from what I did with it and the adventures that it has been on. 

[Sparkey]

I have the same philosophy about guns as I do multitools.  Scratches and scars tell that tools story.  I remember when my dad told me almost those same words about the new scratches on my remington 870 20ga. slug gun after its first season afield.  Today my 870 has more scratches and nicks than any other firearm that I own.  Despite its battered appearance, I have never pointed it at a deer that did not fall where it stood.  Those scratches make it "unique" it is my gun and all the markings are from what I did with it and the adventures that it has been on. 

My dad always called them "character marks" 

[CQC-7]

He could not be more correct.

[MacTech]

Don't get me wrong, scratches don't bother me, after all, these are multi*TOOLS*, not Shelf Queens, they're designed to be used and used hard, that doesn't mean I don't take care of them, I do, I just find the matte finish of a Leatherman tends to make me treat it more like a tool and less like a fancy knife

My Vics I tend to keep highly polished because they look so cool that way, sort of like with my knives, i have my "tool" knives (Spyderco Delica4 Wave, Paramillie/Millie/Dodo/Harpy/Cricket, etc....) and "My Precioussss" knives that I just like to look at and don't like getting dirty and smudgy (Kershaw Titanium-Anodized "Rainbow" Chive and Leek)

the strange thing is, as nice looking as Kershaw's titanium ano is, it's also very durable, both the Chive and Leek were used knives i bought from a local pawnshop, the Chive is an '03 vintage knife that's clearly been used, yet the titanium finish is at least 95% of new, the Leek is an '04 vintage and is essentially *unused*, it's absolutely flawless, perfect and still has the factory edge

the Chive is a user, but the Leek is a collector, if the Leek had usage marks it'd be put to work though....

my multis are similar, the Vics are nice and shiny, and I hate getting them all smudgy, the Leatherman tools are workers, they get cleaned, and lubed, but they're not babied, if I drop them onto pavement, meh, they're tough, they can take it, they're tools