Leatherman Vista

Peter Lezard · **on:** October 21, 2006, 09:21:28 PM

Hi everybody! I may be a new guy but I've been around various forums for years, so what better way to intro myself than my first reveiw?

Overall thoughts; Gee wiz is this thing B I G!!!! Here it is next to my ole Buck tool

Peter Lezard · **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:27:20 PM

I bought this after seeing it several "hunting stuff" catalogs. They made it sound like it would be perfic for cutting brush to hinde your treestand or ground blind. But before you take anything into the woods, you might want to see if it works at home, soooooo off to the back yard for some waaaaaaaaay overdue yardwork. I have an elm tree that is trying to take over one corner, as well as some other plants that think they own my yard. I'll show them! (evil laugh) I tried out the pruner first. I call this pic "bitting off more than I could chew" Well, even a Leatherman has limits I guess.

Peter Lezard · **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:30:40 PM

Time to break out the saw! Ents lookout! (sorry LOR geek thing) Anyway, Inkster called me on the phone at this point, so I put him to work timing me and the tool doing various tasks. This branch; 1 min 48 seconds.

Peter Lezard · **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:35:08 PM

So far so good. After about 20 min my backyard looked like a windstorm had come through!

My wife came out to see what I was doing, and if I had shead any of my own blood. (That happens alot when I do yard work) That and she wanted to trim the gnarly rose bush that guards the front window. She liked the tool alot, and gave it a "4 otta 5" Here she is "in action."

Peter Lezard · **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:48:50 PM

Good things; The pruner and saw worked very well. The camo condura sheath carried easy, and the tool came out and could be resheathed with ease. Despite its metel and plastic frame (as opposed to all metel) it had a solid feel to it, and just yelled "Work Me!" It felt good in my hands as well as my wife's.

Not so good; Non locking tools. In the catalogs they say that you can "start tree steps" with the big beefie looking awl. But since it dosn't lock, that is pretty hard to do with out it folding up on you. I got it to stick in tree, but thats about it. Makes for a good pic though... Also, It's pretty hard to get one tool out without getting everything out on that handle of the tool.

Final thoughts; Most of us wouldn't use this guy for an EDC, unless you work at greenhouse, or a tree farm. If you did then I could see it being a useful tool to have on you belt, as opposed to hunting around for a "real" pruner, or saw. As far as the hunting thing, I could see it having use there as well. Agian, something to have on your belt, or pack, "just in case." Like any other of Mr Leathermans tool, this is one that you could always have on you, as opposed to walking back to the truck for a saw or axe, just cut some brush..

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2006, 11:05:50 PM

Nice review Phil! One question though- how does the length of the saw compare to the big Vics (111mm) and/or (120mm) Wenger saws?

Def

Peter Lezard · **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2006, 03:33:48 AM

I don't have a big Wenger, but here it is next to a 111mm.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2006, 03:58:47 AM

Awesome, thanks!

Def

parnass · **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2006, 05:51:19 AM

Speaking of cutting plants and tree branches -- spraying WD-40 on a blade, letting it soak, then wiping it off after 10 minutes works great for removing the plant sap.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2006, 02:11:44 PM

I'll have to try that... I have a few SAKs with a nasty mess on them.

Def

J-sews · **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2006, 02:14:10 PM

Thanks for the Vista review Peter!

Quote from: parnass on October 22, 2006, 05:51:19 AM

Speaking of cutting plants and tree branches -- spraying WD-40 on a blade, letting it soak, then wiping it off after 10 minutes works great for removing the plant sap.

Yup, WD40 works the best for removing that sticky stuff.

Fred · **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2006, 03:03:10 AM

great way to introduce yourself on a new forum Peter!Glad to have you buddy!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2006, 01:52:17 AM

Now posted in the Main Site for all to see...

http://multitool.org/content/view/49/67/

Def

J-sews · **Reply #13 on:** December 01, 2006, 04:25:36 AM

Okay, I just bought one of these things, and I agree with pretty much everything Peter had to say. Even with the plastic & rubber overlaid handles, it feels like a stout tool. Leverage on the pruner jaws feels about right. Reasonable blade selection, too bad they don't lock.

HOWEVER,
I do have one major gripe: What the heck is with this puny knife blade?! For such a large-sized tool, this thing should be well hung with a knife to match! But instead, it has an itty bitty combination blade, measuring a scant 2-1/4" long.

It doesn't make sense, because there is PLENTY of room in the handle for at least another one inch of knife length.
I don't get it.

Fred · **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2006, 01:39:03 AM

that's weird.There's nothig inside to block a full sized blade at all?

J-sews · **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2006, 03:07:28 AM

Nope.
The knife blade could be (and SHOULD be!) at least an inch longer.

665ae · **Reply #16 on:** December 03, 2006, 06:26:08 AM

Just from the pictures.... wouldn't there be a clearance issue with the pivot on the pruner jaws? It looks like you wouldn't be able to get the blade out without it contacting the screw...

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #17 on:** December 03, 2006, 12:39:03 PM

I dunno- it looks like there would be space for it, and Leatherman is resourceful enough that if they wanted to put a larger blade in there they could have either used a smaller pivot pin or ground that one down a bit if there wasn't. That leads me to think there is a reason for the smaller blade rather than a larger one.

Methinks some additional poking around is in order....

Def

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #18 on:** December 23, 2006, 12:42:17 AM

It's kind of funny- the Hybrid has a good sized blade on it. I guess florists have a much more dangerous existance than hunters.

Def

J-sews · **Reply #19 on:** December 23, 2006, 03:34:39 AM

Quote from: Defender on December 23, 2006, 12:42:17 AM

It's kind of funny- the Hybrid has a good sized blade on it. I guess florists have a much more dangerous existance than hunters.

Def

Looking at the Leatherman site, I wasn't even sure the Hybrid had a real knife blade.

Link: http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/hybrid/default.asp

Good sized you say.....which one of those blades is the knife?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2006, 04:01:38 AM

It's an odd shaped blade, but it is a blade none the less. It's called a grafting blade and is similar to the Victorinox model you have. I am assuming the odd shaped spine on it has some purpose but I'm not much of a gardener so I can't say.

I am thinking about loaning it to a local florist for a few days to see what she thinks of it. Let a pro try it out.

Def

J-sews · **Reply #21 on:** December 23, 2006, 04:35:16 AM

Hmmm, the Leatherman site called that a "thoughtfully designed bark lifter and grafting tool." I'll know that phrase means "knife" next time I read it somewhere.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #22 on:** December 23, 2006, 11:38:58 AM

I guess the important thing to note is that it's a "thoughtfully designed razor sharp bark lifter and grafting tool."

Def

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #23 on:** December 24, 2006, 01:38:36 AM

Ok, I looked at the packaging again and it seems that the lumpy bits on the back is the bark lifter, and the blade is actually listed as a "Grafting Knife."

Def

J-sews · **Reply #24 on:** December 24, 2006, 05:20:09 AM

What do you suppose a "sprinkler tool" is? (#10)

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #25 on:** December 24, 2006, 06:00:58 AM

I have been wondering that myself- I am assuming it's for fixing or adjusting sprinklers, but I don't know enough about sprinklers to imagine how that's done.

Def

Fred · **Reply #26 on:** December 28, 2006, 02:38:03 AM

As long as I never see a urologist with one I'll be happy!

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