First day out, and my Surge bit the big one.

[mley1]

Well y'all, I began today with a plan to put an electric fence along area of my chain link fence. My dogs have been getting under the fence. So, I figure a bit of electricity will help steer them elsewhere. I got four of the electric fence posts attached to the chain link, no problem. I was using my Surge to pull and bend the cotter pins tight to secure the posts. On the fifth one the pliers head broke off, almost at the pivot on one side. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I wasn't even putting much force on it. I'm not a big guy either. I'm 5'7" and weight 195.

Well, my wife was helping me. And, she used a Wave. Sooooooo, I used my wife's Wave to finish the fencing job. The job involved attaching another 30 or so electric posts to the chain link, running the wire, attaching the hot wire from the controller and plugging it in. I done it all with the WAVE as my poor Surge lay injured on the sidelines. I was able to use the Surges saw blade a few times clearing some brush away from the fence. But, the WAVE saved the day.

I took a few pics for y'all. And, I've already printed up the warranty form. The Surge will be in the mail tomorrow.










The Wave sure saved the day. I'm confident that Leatherman will make it right, and send me a new Surge. From the pics it sure looks like there may have been a bubble or inclusion in the steel at the point where it broke. I don't know though. I'm no metal expert. What do y'all think?

Thanks,

Marty


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[ducttapetech]

Wow! I have done way worse with my Surge and it is going strong. It does look like a bubble. Luckily, LM will cover it.

[mley1]

BTW, I took the first pic so I could post on one of the threads that talk about what you did today with your tool. So, the before pic was great. It was just a few minutes after that first pic when the Surge broke. I was certainly surprised. I was even more surprised at how tough and well made the Wave was. That Wave finished the job without a hitch. So, at this point, I'm not sure if packing around the extra weight of the Surge is really worth the effort if the Wave will get my jobs done with less weight and less hassle. Time will tell.

Thanks,

Marty

[Obi1shinobee]

Well y'all, I began today with a plan to put an electric fence along area of my chain link fence. My dogs have been getting under the fence. So, I figure a bit of electricity will help steer them elsewhere. I got four of the electric fence posts attached to the chain link, no problem. I was using my Surge to pull and bend the cotter pins tight to secure the posts. On the fifth one the pliers head broke off, almost at the pivot on one side. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I wasn't even putting much force on it. I'm not a big guy either. I'm 5'7" and weight 195.

Well, my wife was helping me. And, she used a Wave. Sooooooo, I used my wife's Wave to finish the fencing job. The job involved attaching another 30 or so electric posts to the chain link, running the wire, attaching the hot wire from the controller and plugging it in. I done it all with the WAVE as my poor Surge lay injured on the sidelines. I was able to use the Surges saw blade a few times clearing some brush away from the fence. But, the WAVE saved the day.

I took a few pics for y'all. And, I've already printed up the warranty form. The Surge will be in the mail tomorrow.
(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

The Wave sure saved the day. I'm confident that Leatherman will make it right, and send me a new Surge. From the pics it sure looks like there may have been a bubble or inclusion in the steel at the point where it broke. I don't know though. I'm no metal expert. What do y'all think?

Thanks,

Marty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zoidberg]

Before you send it off could you note the date codes (four digits inside both handles on wall by plier rest) for me please.   

[SAK Guy]

My CORE broke in the exact same place when I was straightening stays on a barb wire fence. Leatherman replaced with another one. It was the torquing that snapped it. I didn't even twist very hard.

Added:

Re-read your post and my wife was working with me too and I finished the job with her CORE.

[NKlamerus]

Just seems like a bad spot in the metal. It most definetly should have handled that a lot better. I'd send them the story with photos too.

[mley1]

Before you send it off could you note the date codes (four digits inside both handles on wall by plier rest) for me please.   

Please forgive me. I'm new to Leathermans. I don't see any numbers anywhere other than on the measure that's on the edge of handles.

[zoidberg]

My CORE broke in the exact same place when I was straightening stays on a barb wire fence. Leatherman replaced with another one. It was the torquing that snapped it. I didn't even twist very hard.

Added:

Re-read your post and my wife was working with me too and I finished the job with her CORE.

Side loading it?

[mley1]

Here are pics of the box, if that may help.





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[mley1]

My CORE broke in the exact same place when I was straightening stays on a barb wire fence. Leatherman replaced with another one. It was the torquing that snapped it. I didn't even twist very hard.

Added:

Re-read your post and my wife was working with me too and I finished the job with her CORE.

Side loading it?

Pulling the cotter pins did put a bit of side load on it, but not really that much. The Wave handled it just fine, and finished the job.

[zoidberg]

Before you send it off could you note the date codes (four digits inside both handles on wall by plier rest) for me please.   

Please forgive me. I'm new to Leathermans. I don't see any numbers anywhere other than on the measure that's on the edge of handles.

Sometimes the stamp can be faint, using a flashlight might help. This is 0813, stands for August 2013.

[mley1]

My CORE broke in the exact same place when I was straightening stays on a barb wire fence. Leatherman replaced with another one. It was the torquing that snapped it. I didn't even twist very hard.

Added:

Re-read your post and my wife was working with me too and I finished the job with her CORE.

Could the wives be bad luck??

[sawman]

unfortunately that can and does happen with any die cast multipliers. You just never know the true strength until put under the right amount of stress.

LM will get you squared away

[mley1]

Before you send it off could you note the date codes (four digits inside both handles on wall by plier rest) for me please.   

Please forgive me. I'm new to Leathermans. I don't see any numbers anywhere other than on the measure that's on the edge of handles.

Sometimes the stamp can be faint, using a flashlight might help. This is 0813, stands for August 2013.

I looked again, in the spot your pic indicates, and I don't see any stamped numbers.

[enki_ck]

Open the tool, pull out the inside tools from the handle and on the inside of the handle on one side should be a four digit date code, month and year if manufacture.

[zoidberg]

It certainly isn't normal for the Surge. There are a few of us here who regularly use our Surge for much more. Definitely more than I would use a Wave for anyway.

[mley1]

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[mley1]

Still can't see any numbers inside.


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[AimlessWanderer]

  Don't worry, it'll buff out 

1) Sounds like a casting defect, and the break was slightly lower than I'd expect it to be if it was operator error. Leatherman will fix it 

2) That said, cast pliers aren't ideal for twisting jobs. Castings are typically good under compression, and crap under tension. With gripping and turning a bolt for example, the forces are going through the thick axis of where that break is, whereas torquing like you were send the forces through the thin axis, increasing the chances of a break like this.

3) If you do have to do a twisting type job with cast pliers, it may help in the way you orientate the pliers. Twisting so the wire cutters are being forced together rather than apart may help, as there are both compressive and tensile forces as the jaws try to support each other. Twisting the opposite direction so the cutters are being forced apart may increase the chances of failure. I appreciate you won't always have the luxury of choice.

4) You're bang on the money about the Wave. I consider the Surger to be no heavier duty than the Wave. The size merely optimises the tool for different hand sizes. I can generate far more gripping forces with a Wave than a Surge because it fits my hand better. In the same way, a size 11 shoe is no more heavy duty than a size 9. All this Nut'n'fancy crap about heavier tools being heavier duty is very often total BS IMHO. Pick the frame size that suits you best, and don't underestimate the Wave. The casting thickness where it broke is essentially the same on both tools.

[mley1]

Open the tool, pull out the inside tools from the handle and on the inside of the handle on one side should be a four digit date code, month and year if manufacture.

I did that, and still don't see any numbers.

[mley1]

Don't worry, it'll buff out 

1) Sounds like a casting defect, and the break was slightly lower than I'd expect it to be if it was operator error. Leatherman will fix it 

2) That said, cast pliers aren't ideal for twisting jobs. Castings are typically good under compression, and crap under tension. With gripping and turning a bolt for example, the forces are going through the thick axis of where that break is, whereas torquing like you were send the forces through the thin axis, increasing the chances of a break like this.

3) If you do have to do a twisting type job with cast pliers, it may help in the way you orientate the pliers. Twisting so the wire cutters are being forced together rather than apart may help, as there are both compressive and tensile forces as the jaws try to support each other. Twisting the opposite direction so the cutters are being forced apart may increase the chances of failure. I appreciate you won't always have the luxury of choice.

4) You're bang on the money about the Wave. I consider the Surger to be no heavier duty than the Wave. The size merely optimises the tool for different hand sizes. I can generate far more gripping forces with a Wave than a Surge because it fits my hand better. In the same way, a size 11 shoe is no more heavy duty than a size 9. All this Nut'n'fancy crap about heavier tools being heavier duty is very often total BS IMHO. Pick the frame size that suits you best, and don't underestimate the Wave. The casting thickness where it broke is essentially the same on both tools.

Thanks for that info. It makes a lot of sense. And, I'll sure be more mindful of how, where, and which directional forces I place on the Surge. The Wave just took it all in stride, and kept on working.

[mley1]

I certainly hope this is an isolated anomaly with this particular Surge. If all the tools with that plier head act in the same manner it would not be good. I feel like I didn't put very much force on the pliers, and certainly don't think it should have broken in the manner that it did.

[ducttapetech]

It is an isolated incident. 

[mley1]

It certainly isn't normal for the Surge. There are a few of us here who regularly use our Surge for much more. Definitely more than I would use a Wave for anyway.

You know, that's what I was expecting out of my Surge. I got it over the Wave, or any other tool, because I liked the larger blades, the interchangeable saw blades capability, the awl, and I really liked the larger scissors. I figured the larger pliers, with the replaceable wire cutter pieces, would be just the ticket for most of my jobs around the house and yard. Well, that lasted about ten minutes into the fencing job.

[zoidberg]

It is an isolated incident.

 

[mley1]

It is an isolated incident.

Good to know. I figured with a company like Leatherman, who are known for their quality tools, that this is an isolated incident. There is a dark area INSIDE the break that sure looks like some sort of inclusion or something. Like, maybe, when the head was cast there was some impurity in that part of the steel. And, perhaps, that's what weakened the head enough to break in the manner that it did.

[ducttapetech]

I believe your right. This is a very rare case. The Surge is a heavy duty tool and I have put my threw hell and back and it ask for more with a side of barb wire and nails.

[mley1]

I believe your right. This is a very rare case. The Surge is a heavy duty tool and I have put my threw hell and back and it ask for more with a side of barb wire and nails.

I'll be anxiously waiting for my new Surge to get here!! I gots me more work to do!!! 

[zoidberg]

I believe your right. This is a very rare case. The Surge is a heavy duty tool and I have put my threw hell and back and it ask for more with a side of barb wire and nails.

I'll be anxiously waiting for my new Surge to get here!! I gots me more work to do!!! 

Time to use the ST300.