Lets looks at Minis, Shears, Pocket Tools, Z Rex, and Other Stuff.

[Chako]

Part 1: (Looks like I exceeded the character limit in this article. Had to break it up into two parts)

This looks like a catch all for other Leathermans that I have missed. When I started, I hadn't planned on a series, but that is exactly what it morphed into. Hence this last thread on the Leatherman side of things. In this article, I will be talking about very old Leathermans to the newest to join the ranks. I am going to start off in chronological order (have to keep the status quo), which means, the Mini is up first. Time to get to it.

The Mini is a very old design. Interestingly enough, it was Leatherman's second model, which was introduced back in 1986. It had a good run, being discontinued I believe in 2004. What sets the Mini apart from all other Leathermans, was the notion that you can have a full sized multi-tool stored away in a very small package. The Mini's claim to fame are handles that fold in half. Each handle features a bottle or can opener. Likewise, because of design necessities, there was only room for one folding tool in each handle...and because the whole thing folded, these tools are short in comparison. If you can live with a limited tool-set and a physically short one at that, the mini was an excellent compact tool.

I have 5 minis in my collection. This is an area that I know I am under represented. If you follow the link below, you will find a thread with a good explanation of all the different variations of the Mini. Much like the PST, the Mini appears to have quite a few minor changes over its lifetime.

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,39718.msg800430.html#msg800430

Here are my examples. The top one is a custom painted Camo Mini. 3 stianless, and 1 BO. I have no duplicates.


Here you can see the uniqueness of the Leatherman Mini. Even to this day, there are no other tool like it...well, except for a clone made in China that I happened to stumble upon. I guess someone somewhere will copy anything.


Here is the major downfall of the design. You only get a wee file and knife blade. No need for a folding can/bottle opener however as these are cleverly cut out of the folding handles. Yes, the first time I carried one and someone saw me pull this out and transformed it into a full tool, it was an immediate conversation starter. I guess that is something that not many other multi-tools can top. Yep, instant cult classic.


In 1999, Leatherman introduced its first and only locking plyers multi-tool, the Crunch.


Not so surprisingly, this tool is still in production. The Cruch is a rather unique design in the world of locking plier multi-tools. Because the pliers unhinge from one of the handles, the whole assembly can fold upon itself into a very compact if not so convenient tool. I say not so convenient because it is a bit of a pain to assemble the tool. I know some people can flick the tool open, but I haven't managed that yet.

The Crunch however does score major points for being unique, and quite an engineering marvel when all is said and done.

The Crunch features:

Regular Pliers
Locking Pliers
Hard-wire Cutters
Wire Cutters
Wire Stripper
420HC Serrated Knife
Ruler (8 in | 19 cm)
Pin Vice
Bottle Opener
Wood/Metal File
1/4” Hex Bit Driver
Phillips Screwdriver
Large Screwdriver
Medium Screwdriver
Small Screwdriver

Speaking of cult classics, here are a trio of interesting tools that strayed well off the beaten path for Leatherman. Two of which came out in 2006 and were discontinued in 2010. Meet the Hybrid, and Vista.


The Hybrid (fetching yellow) is geared towards gardeners.

The Hybrid features:

420HC Stainless Steel Grafting Knife
Bark Lifter
Bottle Opener
Medium Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
Ruler
Saw
Wire Cutters
Sprinkler Head Adjustment Key
Stainless Steel Bypass Pruning Shears
Weed Remover

Everything that a gardener would need in one simple and convenient package.

Next to the Hybrid, the Vista looks dull and drab for a reason. This one is aimed squarely at the hunter in need of a pair of shears to clean up shooting lanes and brush from tree stands.

The Vista features:

420HC Combo Knife
Awl w/ Thread Loop
Bottle Opener
Choke Tube Wrench
Medium/Large Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
Saw
Wire Cutters
Stainless Steel Bypass Pruning Shears

Now both of these fairly large tools feature locking shears, and textured rubberized hand grips. I was a bit sorry to see them discontinued. I understand they are a bit hard to find these days.

The next tool in this series was introduced one year later in 2007, and like the others, was discontinued in 2010. This tool is the largest production Leatherman, and is a tank in the world of shears. Meet the Genus.


This professional grade landscaping tool has one trick up its sleeve, and it is a neat one at that. With the press of a button, you can manually rotate one of the handles to better access all of the folding secondary tools.

The Genus's features are:

420HC Knife
Bottle Opener
Combo Diamond-coated File and 5/16" Pruner Head Adjustment Wrench
Medium Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
Replaceable Stainless Steel Bypass Pruning Shears
Saw
Wire Cutters
Sprinkler Head Adjustment Key

It is best to think of the Genus as the Hybrid's big brother. It also came with a beautiful holster style sheath.

Next up are two tools that made a big splash when they first were introduced. It also saw one of Leatherman's most corny ad campaigns ever. All this excitement came about in 2011 when the Wingman and Sidekick were introduced. Both are considered one of Leathermans economy tools, as the price point is very good, and so are the included features. Construction overall not as high as on some of their other more expensive tools, but overall, these are very value oriented, and you do get more than what you pay for.

The Wingman is the cheaper of the two. It also featured a very annoying advertising campaign as seen in the next link.

http://pollinate.com/work/leatherman/wingman/

It is a toss up between the Bionic Lobster, or the Wingman, for title of most annoying Leatherman ad campaigns. The more I think about it, the Wingman wins.

I must also add, there are two variations of both the Wingman and Sidekick. The original run all featured an indented handle on the back. Only later did people start to notice a flush back for engraving. I could be wrong on this however, but I do recall only seeing the flush back version approximately a year later. What I do not know is if they are still producing both versions.

Here we have a pair of Wingman.


And you can see the variation on the back handles. Note the newer Wingman on top, and the indented handles of the older Wingman below.


For the price, you can't fault the feature set.

Spring-action Needlenose Pliers
Spring-action Regular Pliers
Spring-action Wire Cutters
Wire Stripper
420HC Combo Knife
Spring-action Scissors
Package Opener
Ruler (1.5 in | 3.8 cm)
Can Opener
Bottle Opener
Wood/Metal File
Phillips Screwdriver
Medium Screwdriver
Small Screwdriver

The Sidekick is priced a little higher, however, you do get a nice leather pouch with a giant metal grommet that fits the included carabiner. Unfortunately, you lose those scissors for a saw. For this reason alone, I personally prefer the Wingman over the Sidekick.

Here we have a pair of Sidekicks.


That also have the same handle difference as the Wingman.


Like the Wingman, it also packs a punch in functionality.

Spring-action Needlenose Pliers
Spring-action Regular Pliers
Spring-action Wire Cutters
Wire Stripper
420HC Knife
420HC Serrated Knife
Saw
Ruler (1.5 in | 3.8 cm)
Can Opener
Bottle Opener
Wood/Metal File
Phillips Screwdriver
Medium Screwdriver
Small Screwdriver

Now of interest to some collectors, there are a quite a few custom examples from Texas Toolcrafter. For example, here are a pair of gold plated Wingman and Sidekick.


Texas Toolcrafter even laser etched quite a few designs on these tools, like the following examples that I have.






And the last photo shows the carabiner that is included with the Sidekick.


Of interest, there appears to either be a different font used on these two carabiners, or the stamping was problematic for the one.


Next up, in 2012, Leatherman introduced the Z REX, a one handed emergency tool. I have seen a few different prototypes circulating. I have a later pre-production version that was sent to me from Leatheman. In the following photo, it is the top left with the slighly rounded handle. The bottom right is the straight handled production version.


The Z REX features:
440C Indexable/Replaceable Cutters
Oxygen Tank Wrench
Carbide Glass Breaker
1/4” Hex Bit Driver

In 2013, the Raptor was introduced. The Raptor is geared towards emergency medical personnel. I tend to clump it with the other shears that Leatheman produced, but it could probably stand on its own. I just like to categorize it like that.

The Raptor is a fairly large folding scissors that come in a neat plastic sheath that allows an EMT to carry them pretty much any way they would like. You can have the scissors folded and stored away, or you can have them open and stored away. You can even rotate the sheath to position the scissors to your liking.

Here we have the Raptor folded and stowed away.


Here we have the Raptor open ready to go, and stowed away.


The Raptor not only folds, but it also has a belt cutter which also has a liner lock. Can't forget the ruler markings on the blade.

[Chako]

Part 2

In 2012, Leatherman purchased PocketToolX, a company that was known for their small metal pocket tools. The first models were essentially PocketToolX products with Leatherman on them. This explains the Brewzer, Mako TI, and Piranha. It didn't take long for Leatherman to quickly expand their pocket tool lineup, especially as Tim Leatherman's son is into outdoor sports, which added an impetus I guess, into the design and product placement of this family.

Here are the release dates of the current Leatherman Pocket tool lineup...as far as I can ascertain.

Brewzer 2012 - Present
Mako Ti 2012 - Present
Piranha 2012 - 2013
Piranha 2 2014 - Present
Hail 2013 - Present
Hail+Style PS 2013 - Present
Rime 2013 - Present
Cam 2013 - Present
Pump 2013 - Present
Rail 2013 - Present
Jam 2013 - Present
Jam+Style PS 2013 - Present
Grind 2013 - Present
Shooter 2013 - Present
Thruster 2013 - Present

Here we have the diminutive Brewzer and the larger Mako TI.


Here we have the various versions of the Piranha. The simple Croc was a Home Depot exclusive, and came shipped with a Sidekick. The first run Piranha see in the middle, is a copy of the PocketToolX Piranha. This first run was quickly changed to the newer Piranha with the cut out seen on the bottom. The first run Piranha was quickly discontinued.


The Leatherman Hail is a snowboard tool. Interestingly enough, you can also buy it with a Style PS. The Hail is designed in such a way that a Stype PS can be slid into place and securely held. Here are two examples of the Hail with Style PS, one being stainless, the other a BO finish.


Here you can see how the Style PS is held inside the Hail.


And with the Style PS removed.


The Hail has the following features:
Scraper
Bottle Opener
Lace Assist
#3 Flat/Phillips Screwdriver
10 mm Wrench

The second snowboard tool is simpler in that it does not offer the capability of stowing away a Style PS, meet the Rime.


The Rime is a bare bones tool that features:
Scraper
Bottle Opener
Lace Assist
#3 Flat/Phillips Screwdriver

For a change of pace, Leatherman then focused on the shooting sports, and developed a trio of similar tools to meet the needs of most shooters.


With a name like the Pump, you can this one is for the shotgun shooter/hunter. The Pump features:
Gut Hook
Choke Tube Wrench
Replaceable Firearm Disassembly Punch
1/4” Hex Bit Driver
1/4" Box Wrench
8mm Box Wrench
3/8" Box Wrench
Scope Adjustment Tool

The Cam on the other hand is designed for archery. The Cam features:
Gut Hook
Carabiner Tool
1/4” Hex Bit Driver
Broadhead Wrench
Broadhead Sharpener

There are so many AR specific tools out there, including Leatherman's MUT, it was a bit surprising to see them come out with another such tool. That tool is the Rail. The Rail features:
Front Sight Adjustment Tool
Replaceable Firearm Disassembly Punch
Carabiner Tool
Oxygen Tank Wrench
1/4” Hex Bit Driver
3/8" Open End Wrench

No clue why they threw in an oxygen tank wrench other than to fill empty space.

The next Leatherman pocket tool is called the Jam. This is a tool designed for the skateboarder. Like the Hail, you can get this one with a Style PS. In this case, you get a cute red coloured Style PS. Oh and you can only buy it with a Style PS in tow.


The Jam + Style PS features:

Spring-action Needlenose Pliers
Spring-action Regular Pliers
Spring-action Wire Cutters
Grip Tape File
Spring-action Scissors
Flat/Phillips Screwdriver
Tweezers
9/16" Open End Wrench
Bottle Opener
Nail File
Carabiner/Bottle Opener
1/2" Open End Wrench
3/8" Open End Wrench

Next up is the Grind, another skateboarder centric pocket tool. This time around, the Grind looks exactly like a wrench, that you can pry apart into two pieces...which makes working on nuts and bolts rather easy.


The Grind features:

Grip Tape File
9/16" Open End Wrench
Bottle Opener
Truck Key
1/4” Hex Bit Driver
1/2" Open End Wrench
3/8" Open End Wrench
#1-2 Flat/Phillips Screwdriver

Are we seeing a trend here? Looks like many of these special sports pocket tools appear to come in pairs. Our next and last two pocket tools are no different. Meet the Shooter and Thruster.


Not only are these eye catching designed tools, they are for your surfing crowd.

The smaller shooter features:
Bottle Opener
Bit Driver x1
Wax Comb
Spring Hook

The larger Thruster features:
Bottle Opener
Bit Driver x2
Wax Comb
Spring Hook

Both tools feature removable wax comb (The yellow part)

Well you might thing we are at an end here but I have one last bonus for you. Leatherman Tool Adapters. I have 4 kits as show bellow.


Here we have both old (top), and new (bottom)  universal tool adapters. Thee adapters fit between the handles of a multi-tool, which allows you to use standard sized driver bits. I also have a leather sheath designed to fit these plastic hard cases, seen in the previous photo.


Here is another newer style universal tool adaptor, this time in a nice sheath designed to fit a PST or PSTII.




And in the box, another style. This time, in a cute little tender. This one has the older style that fits most older Leathermans.


And a few bonus shots of the literature that came with the above adapter.




Before Leatheman settled on the "Now your ready" slogan, they had this more cumbersome one.


Well that finishes our Leatheman series.

[edcgear]

 

I want a Mini!!! 

[Huntsman]

Thanks Chako
Encyclopaedic knowledge and great reference as always!!

Those sports tools are pretty whacky - Not for me I'm happy with pliers based
But I wish I had someone to buy those tools for (eg surfer archer etc) - As I'd love to check 'em out!!

[kirk13]

How has this had so few replies?

Still....MINIS

Some very interesting and unusual tools! Thanks Dan

[Chako]

You are welcome. 

[CanadianLMfan]

Did you get Leatherman 1-10?

[Chako]

Yes I did.

[CanadianLMfan]

Yes I did.

Is there another thread for it?

[Huntsman]

Did you get Leatherman 1-10?

Silly question?    Or you don't know Chako vey well   

And silly product line from my perspective - They all seem the same to me
- Ok not exactly but pretty much; I know some are metric, some imperial (or 'English' as Leatherman strangely call it); some have two pointy bits; they are TSA compliant and fit nicely on a kr etc etc
- But what are they all about? - How would a customer or even retailer know when to buy/stock one over the other?
And they already have the Piranha, Brewzer, Croc? etc etc

The Lman website is pretty bad at describing them
What is needed is a nice matrix with all 1-10 on a page with a feature comparison.

Anyone here up to do this?  - Chako ??    
I might even do it myself because, at the moment this product line, just annoys me .   

Hmm I must be in a grumpy mood this morning  - Apologies my friends

[Huntsman]

Is there another thread for it?

Try this:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,52371.msg906148.html#msg906148

[cedricada]

I like the look of the more general purpose ones. The shooting ones look very pokey and unfriendly to the pocket.

[parnass]

I miss the Leatherman Mini.     

Looking back at all the different Leatherman offerings, I think it is difficult to improve on the original PST and Supertool series.  They were home runs.

[AimlessWanderer]

That was a very eclectic overview Dan  Great pics as always, and thanks for putting the effort in 

The Mini tool is something that since it's conception has never really had a rival. Packing a full sized pliers package into something so small was genius! The mini does get a hard time for it's teeny blade and file, but those two tools are (in my mind at least) still superior to the size equivalent tools on it's younger siblings such as the Squirt range. Mocked also for lack of function, the Mini's offerings of can opener, bottle opener, file, knife and full sized pliers are still a very laudible ofering for a tool of this size. Maybe the only negative to it's descendents is the weight issue due to the fold out handle extensions, but when size rther than weight is the limiting factor, the Leatherman Mini is still King! Bring back the Mini!!!

The Crunch ... meh (for me - sorry). Too fussy with the need for reassembly at evey use, with stubby and limited supporting tools in more ways than one. Better pliers than the Grappler from it's Portland neighbour (if you can handle the assembly/disassembly needs), but overshadowed by the Grapplers fully OHO and more capable supporting toolset IMO. For me the sovereign of the locking plier tools are still the Schrade Vise Grips. Proper locking pliers, with functional and useful tool loads

The Gardening tools are a nice idea, but I can't help thinking that LM's Genus is akin to Wenger's Business tool. The constituent parts add up to less than the whole. Gimme a good heavy duty pair of secateurs and a large frame SAK instead. Oh no, wiat - that's what I've already got  (Wenger Ranger 14 and a pair of heavy duty shears with adjustable pivot tension). The Hybrid and Vista, well again I'd rather have seperate shears, and the supporting tool sets offer me a lot of stuff I have no use for.

The Wingman for me failed in a couple of ways. Firstly, it fell foul of Leatherman's trademark "lets set the handles far wider than they need to be in the closed position" recurring design faux pas, and if you get the handles the wrong way up when using them as pliers, there's quite a nasty pointy corner which digs into your hand. Aside from this it's not a bad entry level tool, but for those who already own something else - stay clear. It really doesn't offer anything to the more established multitool user IMHO (unless of course for reasons of collectability). Sidekick, same deal but at a higher price as you are forced to buy a Carabiner one piece thingummy whotsit with it.

Bit adaptors ... great idea and very useful.

Everything else .... totally lost on me Never seen the appeal of the OPMT offerings or the extortionately expensive pair of shears that is the Raptor

[Chako]

Yes, it was definitely a grab bag of items.

I will be reviewing the 1-10 pieces when the rest of those one piece tools come in from eBay. I then plan on doing a big overview of what I have at a later date. 

[ReamerPunch]

What a nice thread! 
Glad to see love for the mini. 

[Poncho65]

  !!!MINI!!!



Great pics and great write-up Chako Even if I am a couple years late in reading and posting about it

[sLaughterMed]

Hey Chako, what exactly are the differences between your Mini Tools? You said you had no duplicates, but you have 3 SS Minis

[ReamerPunch]

I'm guessing
no cap crimper - no hard wire notch
no cap crimper - hard wire notch
cap crimper - hard wire notch

[Aberdrew13]

I'm guessing
no cap crimper - no hard wire notch
no cap crimper - hard wire notch
cap crimper - hard wire notch

But all awesome!

[gregozedobe]

I'm guessing
no cap crimper - no hard wire notch
no cap crimper - hard wire notch
cap crimper - hard wire notch

    I couldn't see any cap crimper pliers in Dan's (excellent) photos of his Minis.  In fact I can't recall ever seeing a Mini with PST style cap crimper pliers.

[Chako]

They all have slight production differences.

[Poncho65]

I'm guessing
no cap crimper - no hard wire notch
no cap crimper - hard wire notch
cap crimper - hard wire notch

    I couldn't see any cap crimper pliers in Dan's (excellent) photos of his Minis.  In fact I can't recall ever seeing a Mini with PST style cap crimper pliers.

Never have saw a cap crimper on a  !!!MINI!!!   Nope never