Leatherman Folding Knives Reputation

[WAYGFT]

I have been a long, long time fan of Leatherman multi-tools but have never bothered to look into their folding knives. I found myself wondering, "How are Leatherman knives regarded compared with other mass manufactured knives: CRKT, Benchmade, Kershaw, Spyderco, etc.?" Also, "What segment of the market are they trying to tap?"

Thanks

[Pacu]

the two (c33) i had were decent well made for the money. I'd say mine were as good as a starter made in the usa Buck batam . I never tried the higher end -better steel leatherman knives but heard they are pretty good.

[scrappy]

I think they are better than crkt for sure. Although they use quality steel like 154cm I don't think they are in the same league as benchmade or spyderco but they are a better bang for the buck.i have bought a couple in 154 cm for 30 dollars each.

[edcgear]

I have C33T and it's a great value for money!!

[Styerman]

I have almost bought one a few times , never pulled the trigger .

Chris

[Benner]

I have almost bought one a few times , never pulled the trigger .

Chris

Same here.

I may be outta line here, but for me there always seems a better option than a LM folder.

[turnsouth]

Counterpoint:

Leatherman knifes are the best high value, low cost knives I have ever used.

Have near a dozen, use them every day.

Kershaw's are my favorite medium priced knife, and you can feel the difference in quality over the LM's.
But for everyday "I'm not too worried about losing it", "I'm not worried about breaking it", and "I need a knife I can depend on" kind of knife, you can't beat a Leatherman.

[jekostas]

Counterpoint:

Leatherman knifes are the best high value, low cost knives I have ever used.

Have near a dozen, use them every day.

Kershaw's are my favorite medium priced knife, and you can feel the difference in quality over the LM's.
But for everyday "I'm not too worried about losing it", "I'm not worried about breaking it", and "I need a knife I can depend on" kind of knife, you can't beat a Leatherman.

Nor can you beat 154CM and a 25 year warranty new for $35.

Also, I do like the blade launcher system.

[jzmtl]

If you want something that cuts they are good, if you want a high quality pocket knife they are pretty crappy. Not that their build quality is low, but they are put together with a different mindset. Case in point, the blade doesn't stay centered in closed position, so they molded a bump on the back half of handle to push it over. 100% functional yes, but not something you'll ever see a knife company do.

That said I keep a c33x in pocket at home, I'm not afraid to beat on it and the edge can be brought back very fast if wrecked.

Their discontinued hunting folders are neat though, I have relatively large hands and I still think they are huge.

[Flying Dutchman]

They are a good useful tool, and have always gotten the job done for me. I've never wanted to say they were low quality, but it does seem they are built different, as said above. Thanks for that terminology. I have the e33bx and e55bx and think they are excellent for the price. Word from LM is that most are going to be discontinued for 2012 so that may be another reason to get one