Leatherman Juice XE6, my thoughts

appletree_man · **on:** March 11, 2008, 12:39:32 AM

It's the first time i've wrote anything like this so please forgive my sloppyness. This is my thoughts on the Leatherman Juice XE6, I got the "Storm Grey" version.

http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/xe6/default.asp

Overall impressions - Very nice indeed. Superb fit and finish, almost on a par with Victorinox. No locking tools (good, it means I can actually carry it outdoors), but the back springs are great, again almost Victorinox like in their snappyness and tightness when open.

Screwdrivers - Nice and crisp, perhaps a little short but certainly more useful than the average SAK in the screwdriver dept. I didn't have any problem getting them out with my thumbnail, but the design does tend to cause the driver end to poke you in the thumb when it flips up (I even drew blood). But now I know about that "feature", I can take extra care.

Tin/bottle opener - Hmm, not sure what the idea is here but it certainly didn't open a tin. A few minutes with a diamond stone improved the edge 100%, but now I have to practice as the edge is a little short, a Victorinox type is easier.
Looks as if bottles will pose no problems but I didn't have one handy to try it out.

Saw - Very good, not as good as the Victorinox one in terms of stiffness, but close. I really can't see much of a problem with the awl hitting it, and the warping, that others have mentioned, but time will tell.

Awl - Oh dear, not good at awl (sorry

). Blunt as a butter knife, but again a diamond stone had it performing almost as good as a Victorinox Alox type awl.

Plain blade - Excellent, sturdy and nice and sharp straight from the box.

Serrated blade - Must admit i'm not a fan of these, especially such an 'aggressive' edge, but use may change my mind in time. It sure looks interesting, but why so fierce ?

Corkscrew - Hey, great for carrying a Vic mini screwdriver, but probably the only use i'll put it to. I'm sure it works fine.

File - Wow, I love the two sides, one diamond, the other course. There are many jobs when only a really fine cut will work, this looks to be far superior to Vic files.

Scissors - Nice, stronger than a Vic, and work really well. The only improvement I can think of it a Wenger type stop to prevent the free side from swinging about.

Folding lanyard ring - Sir, why does it fold ?

Plier heads - Last but not least. A little thinner than I would like, and with all the recent talk of plier strength i'm still a bit worried, but again this is something which only time will tell. Given the short handles I doubt anyone could actually put enough pressure on them to break. I think they will be fine for 95% of jobs so i'm quite confident they won't fail. The cutters worked fine chopping up some stiff steel wire.

Conclusions - An excellent little tool which I am planning to EDC for the foreseeable future. I'm getting a custom leather belt pouch made for it.

Sooooo that's it, sorry i'm not as articulate or detailed as the proper reviewers, but I hope this has been of some use

Benner · **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2008, 12:48:32 AM

Just going to move this to the review section mate.

appletree_man · **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2008, 12:50:24 AM

Whoops

J-sews · **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2008, 01:39:49 AM

Very good write-up sir! I agree with most everything you said by the way. Pity about that poor can opener and awl blade though. Seems like they could have been a lot more effective with just a little improvement from Leatherman.

E. Danny · **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2008, 01:52:27 AM

I love the Juice XE6, I like the fact that it is darn near being a SAK. Add tweezers and I think there would be some kind of infringement suit or something!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2008, 02:58:54 AM

Quote

Folding lanyard ring - Sir, why does it fold ?

That's what I've been wondering for years!

Def

appletree_man · **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2008, 07:37:56 PM

Quote from: Defender on March 11, 2008, 02:58:54 AM

Quote
Folding lanyard ring - Sir, why does it fold ?

That's what I've been wondering for years!

Def

I was thinking of your reviews when I wrote that

Benner · **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2008, 07:40:48 PM

It folds, so that guys like me who don't use lanyards, don't have to constantly look at an unused ring, but it is still there for guys like you who do want to use them.

appletree_man · **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:31:59 PM

I would never use a lanyard, don't see the point of them on a multi, a SAK possibly, but not a multi.

Benner · **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:33:41 PM

I can't even get on with them on a SAK. $:-\$

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:40:30 PM

There's no reason for a folding lanyard ring. It's something that can be incorporated into a design so easily without being in the way that it really does bother me. By putting it inside a tool the manufacturers are wasting space that they could fill with something useful- like maybe yet another freakin' flathead!

Look at the lanyard rings on the PowerLock:

or on the PST II:

and you'll see how easily a lanyard ring can be added but not be obtrusive. I don't think I have ever heard anyone complain that these lanyard rings were awkward or got in the way, whether they use a lanyard or not.

Def

Benner · **Reply #11 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:43:56 PM

Def, you took that bait a lot easier than I expected.

I completely agree, and as I have many Leatherman's myself, i agree that they don't get in the way whatsoever.

appletree_man · **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:49:29 PM

Perhaps the folding ring could be modified into a useful SAK hook

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:54:16 PM

Yeah, I'm an easy mark when it comes to what I see as silly stuff on tools that folks are forking out close to $100 on. For that kind of money, companies should lock a few designers in a room and not let them out until they come up with something more functional than folding lanyard rings or three dozen flathead screwdrivers.

Def

Benner · **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:57:22 PM

Quote from: Defender on March 11, 2008, 08:54:16 PM

Yeah, I'm an easy mark when it comes to what I see as silly stuff on tools that folks are forking out close to $100 on. For that kind of money, companies should lock a few designers in a room and not let them out until they come up with something more functional than folding lanyard rings or three dozen flathead screwdrivers.

Def

So is your favourite tool the Original Wave then mate?

Folding lanyard ring, 4 flat heads and no awl

Crazy.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2008, 08:58:59 PM

At least the old Wave has a decent set of scissors!

Def

Benner · **Reply #16 on:** March 11, 2008, 09:01:17 PM

Quote from: Defender on March 11, 2008, 08:58:59 PM

At least the old Wave has a decent set of scissors!

Def

Both me and my wife can vouch for that.

The best ones I have ever used on a MT.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #17 on:** March 11, 2008, 09:05:25 PM

I fell in love with them on the old PST II, and I wasn't too thrilled with the newer design found on the Fuse, Blast and Charge models. The newer design is perfectly adequate, but the old design was exceptional.

Def

appletree_man · **Reply #18 on:** March 11, 2008, 09:18:02 PM

Just thinking more about the Juice, i've came to the conclusion I don't like those Aluminium scales $:-\$
Bit too fussy & bulky, there's SS behind them so why bother backing it with the scales ?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #19 on:** March 11, 2008, 09:21:36 PM

Pretty colors sell tools...

Def

Tom Munch · **Reply #20 on:** March 11, 2008, 10:43:50 PM

Quote from: Defender on March 11, 2008, 08:58:59 PM

At least the old Wave has a decent set of scissors!

Def

We must be thinking alike. I decided to EDC my old Wave instead of my Juice S2 today.

Tom

E. Danny · **Reply #21 on:** March 11, 2008, 10:52:03 PM

The Juice does have some pretty sweet scissors, but I'd just pair scissorless tools with a Micra or Squirt S4.

J-sews · **Reply #22 on:** March 12, 2008, 01:05:15 AM

*sigh* I may as well take up this argument just to keep things interesting....

The way I see it, the folding lanyard ring on the Juice tools is a non-issue. It's there for folks who want it, and not there for folks who don't. Because the designers cleverly tucked it in behind a notch in the phillips screwdriver, it doesn't really take up any useful space. Nothing else I can think of would fit in where the lanyard ring is anyhow. Why not include it in the design?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #23 on:** March 12, 2008, 02:12:49 AM

Ok then Mr Smarty Pants, I'll bite.... why thin out the shaft of a screwdriver and weaken it for a folding lanyard ring when you could much more easily just put a scrap of metal with a couple holes in it on the end of the rivet?

Def

J-sews · **Reply #24 on:** March 12, 2008, 02:36:08 AM

I'm sure the engineers conducted extensive testing to prove that the screwdriver teeth would strip out long before the shank ever gave way.

....and besides, a piece of scrap metal with a hole in it hanging off the side would ruin the tool's graceful lines and aerodynamics!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2008, 02:50:54 AM

Form beats function? In a tool?

I personally prefer that something works rather than looking pretty. If I want pretty, I'll buy a dozen roses!

Def

J-sews · **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2008, 03:23:59 AM

So how about other "hidden" lanyard rings like on the Charge or the Pulse or the Super Tool 200?

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #27 on:** March 12, 2008, 10:02:17 AM

Nice review there mate

I keep thinking that a juice would be handy for those sensitive edc tasks, but I know I'd never use it

shame about the crap awl, and can opener though

appletree_man · **Reply #28 on:** March 12, 2008, 11:07:13 AM

Cheers, the awl's pretty good now after that bit of fettling.

Why do you think you would never use the Juice ?

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #29 on:** March 12, 2008, 11:51:35 AM

Quote from: appletree_man on March 12, 2008, 11:07:13 AM

Cheers, the awl's pretty good now after that bit of fettling.

Why do you think you would never use the Juice ?

I wouldn't use it because it's only a little smaller than my Spirit, so it would end up being left at home all the time

, and if I'm going somewhere where I feel the need to be totally legal, then I just carry a farmer, champion or huntsman

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Leatherman Juice XE6, my thoughts

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