The Hacked Leatherman Owners Club.

[Poncho65]

Did zoid do that mod someone put the big scissors from the SURGE into ST300  but I can't remember who

           

[Happy Gilmore]

Nice Mods all.  I am working out a ST300 mod inspired by Dutch Tooler.  I have some OG surge parts that seem to scream to be in the ST300.   I still need to decide.

The deal breaker for the st300 for me are the screws. A surge is so easy to field strip and clean. However it does weigh a lot more. The bit exchanger is an easy slot in but all u need is a st300 eod tshank exchanger which works perfectly. Converting the surge scissor to work in the st300 is more effort than it's worth when u can modify a 91mm SAK scissor to fit easily.

I also wonder how effective the can opener would be as an awl. I have plenty of spares to try it on atm

[zoidberg]

...to field strip and clean.
...more effort than it's worth...

*PHBBT*

Seriously, apart from Fuzzy, who field strips?
Clean yeah, water blaster, air compressor or a can of WD40.
I like SAK scissors and I'm not against mixing brands but the Surge scissors are more fitting and capable for a HD MT.

[Happy Gilmore]

*PHBBT*

Seriously, apart from Fuzzy, who field strips?
Clean yeah, water blaster, air compressor or a can of WD40.
I like SAK scissors and I'm not against mixing brands but the Surge scissors are more fitting and capable for a HD MT.

Not sure what that means but I love having the ability to fully clean a tool. The surge I got looked like it was taken to the desert of Iraq it had so much grit and sand in it (being easy to assemble and disassemble is important to me). I do this with guns, why should a MT be different?

The surge scissors are in a league of their own as sheers but the 91mm and 51mm Vic scissors can do things that are very different. The surge scissors don't really work for hygiene (unless you have some toe nails like wood bark).

[zoidberg]

Not sure what that means but I love having the ability to fully clean a tool. The surge I got looked like it was taken to the desert of Iraq it had so much grit and sand in it (being easy to assemble and disassemble is important to me). I do this with guns, why should a MT be different?

The surge scissors are in a league of their own as sheers but the 91mm and 51mm Vic scissors can do things that are very different. The surge scissors don't really work for hygiene (unless you have some toe nails like wood bark).

Yes absolutely dismantle and clean a tool, but at home right, not in the field.
Again, this isn't a LD MT for fixing your nails or other hygiene whatevers, we're talking a HD MT.

[SteveC]

 

[Dutch_Tooler]

Did zoid do that mod someone put the big scissors from the SURGE into ST300  but I can't remember who

           

Was this you zoid? Sounds intensely interesting... 

[Happy Gilmore]

Yes absolutely dismantle and clean a tool, but at home right, not in the field.
Again, this isn't a LD MT for fixing your nails or other hygiene whatevers, we're talking a HD MT.

From an overly paranoid SHTF perspective being able to service a MT in the field might be important. Family of mine who served in Iraq had to take apart their wave/surge each month on average. Good luck on doing that with ST300 and not having a Loki wrench.

[Poncho65]

Average Joe will never have to take one apart  that's why they are put together with those knurled screws inthe first place Military has different requirements as well as do preppers, I can take apart a ST300 without the Loki wrenches once the loctite has been broken free and sometimes with it still intact ( 2 pliers or 2 vise grips or a combination of both work fine as long as you are careful)  A prepper or military person will likely have both of those handy whereas they are less likely to have the star bits with them because they are more specialty orientated tools just my 2 cents

[Happy Gilmore]

Average Joe will never have to take one apart  that's why they are put together with those knurled screws inthe first place Military has different requirements as well as do preppers, I can take apart a ST300 without the Loki wrenches once the loctite has been broken free and sometimes with it still intact ( 2 pliers or 2 vise grips or a combination of both work fine as long as you are careful)  A prepper or military person will likely have both of those handy whereas they are less likely to have the star bits with them because they are more specialty orientated tools just my 2 cents

Wow, actually u make a great point about that. Also I wonder how easy it would be to replace a pivot with a standard hex bolt in a pinch.

[Poncho65]

I have seen several members over the years on here replace them with hex bolts or other fasteners (including barrel screws) that they preferred or had already messed the knurled screws up trying to take whatever MT they wanted to work on apart 

[zoidberg]

Was this you zoid? Sounds intensely interesting... 

Yeah it was, like five years ago.

[Poncho65]

So I was remembering correctly I love that mod I remember over this when I first came back

[Wspeed]

Nice one zoidberg that looks really good 

[Dutch_Tooler]

 

Yeah it was, like five years ago.

Do you still have (links to) more detailed pics by any chance?

Edit: do I see a thumb tab on the scissors? Sorry, on the phone at the well-lit beach

[Raoul Octav]

If i mounted an extra spacer to my Free P4.. Am i allowed to post here?

[Max Stone]

You’d be the first to mod a Free Raoul. 

[Wspeed]

Would love to see some pics Raoul 

[zoidberg]

Do you still have (links to) more detailed pics by any chance?

Edit: do I see a thumb tab on the scissors? Sorry, on the phone at the well-lit beach

Not exactly no.
There are a few pics from back then but nothing that really shows any kind of detail.
Thumb tab yes, the scissors are from an old gen surge.

[Dutch_Tooler]

Thanks zoid

I could imagine replicating that particular mod but my VX already has Wave scissors which, while inferior to Surge ones, will do the job in a pinch.

Meanwhile on a Florida resort balcony...

[munecito]

Who got a plus head and an awl?

I can live without the can opener and for stripping wires I can do it with the pliers.

[SteveC]

 

[Raoul Octav]

Long story short:
Free P4 uses on the 4 subtool side this approach:
Spacer Saw Spring spacer 4xtool spacer Spring spacer Serrated B spacer
I have put a Wave spacer next to the Saw and it opens much smoother.
On the other side there is:
Spacer tools Spacer. And i shall mount at least 2 spacer next to the sprinhs so the main tools open smoother. I just jave to canibalize something.

[munecito]

  to the first free modder

[Max Stone]

Raoul, you get the prize! 

[gerleatherberman]

Quick question. The extra width of the tool set, does it cause the locking tab to move side to side any? I was looking at mine this evening and think you'd need to swap the stock scale-spacer washers to slightly thinner ones to accommodate the extra thin spacers to the springs.

[Raoul Octav]

The lock tab does move side to side  without the extra spacers.
 I have used that real slim washer from a Wave, going to add 2 on the other side, it wont make any difference.
The thick spacer that sits on the scale, is there because the scale is stamped for ergonomics/looks etc, so the tool does not scrape the pressed part of the scale.
Definitely a thinner spacer can be mounted, yet not to thin so the main tool does not interfere with the pressed part of the scale

[gerleatherberman]

Thanks, Raoul!

Definitely a good idea, since the tool stack does seem to "sway" a tiny bit. The extra washers would remove that and enhance the action, correct?

[Sam Lim]

With the washers in place, doesn't that make the pivot post too short? Now the screw side's scale is not sitting in the pivot post but on screw itself doesn't that make it undersized and would the scales move sideways? I am just saying from what I think.. Didn't note on that when I unscrewed it the last time. I could be wrong. 

[Happy Gilmore]

With the washers in place, doesn't that make the pivot post too short? Now the screw side's scale is not sitting in the pivot post but on screw itself doesn't that make it undersized and would the scales move sideways? I am just saying from what I think.. Didn't note on that when I unscrewed it the last time. I could be wrong. 

I would imagine that depends on the thickness of the washer and how tight you make the pivot. Still, since u already have it apart, might be worth trying both ways.

Raoul should get hacker badge just for doing this to a Free so fast.