Fresh Juice

[powernoodle]

A few Leatherman Juices for your consideration.


L-r:  KF4, new and old C2, 3x S2, CS4, naked XE6 and new style XE6 in stomach-churning green.

The Juice lives in that no-mans land between the micro MTs (PS4, Micra) and the big boys (Wave, etc.), and is in my view an acquired taste.  Its not for everyone.  At a similar size and weight, the Rebar is a more traditional form factor that will elicit fewer giggles on the job site.  But the Juice provides good utility in a sleek, colorful and pocketable form factor.  Its just the right flavor for someone who does not want a big multitool on his belt, but requires more functionality than the PS4 delivers.


I peeled this XE6 with a dremel - and then figured out that this method is sub-optimal. Purple highlights are still clearly visible. There is probably a better way, i.e., magic through superior chemistry, to get the anodizing off of a Juice.  I'm sure that some of you cats have done it.

A special thanks to the awesome Captain Spaulding, who increased my mojo by gifting the gray C2 in his fine giveaway earlier this year.   

[sLaughterMed]

Nice collection. Lately ive been thinking of acquiring a Juice, as ive only owned midsized and full sized tools, and have been wanting something smaller. Which is your favorite flavor, and favorite color?

[eamo]

Sweet collection. I've recently got a C2, pre 2014, for two reasons - as you said, beefier then my Squirt (which i think is a great tool), the other reason is the non locking blade.
So far I like it, my only real issue with it is the screwdrivers, i've scratched myself a few times opening them 

[powernoodle]

Which is your favorite flavor, and favorite color?

I think I like the C2 or S2 in gray. When I carry a Juice, it is primarily for the pliers and drivers. I'll supplement it with a small SAK in order to get the more precise scissors.

As the Juice lineup goes up in weight, maxing out at 6.9 oz with the XE6, for me at least the incentive to carry one goes down.  The XE6 is heavier than a Rebar (6.7 oz.), that gives you locking tools, replaceable cutters, a sharpened awl, etc.

And yeah, eamo, the flat drivers are well known for causing pain.  The drivers, along with the dull awl and frequent interference (drivers blocking the pliers) if you don't close the tool in a particular way, are the Juice's Achilles' heal. 

Like almost everything in life, the Juice has its place.  It is better than one thing, but not as good as another.

[AimlessWanderer]

Acquired taste is an interesting way of describing it 

The Juice line does indeed hold a ground all of it's own, and no other company has successfully gotten a foothold in offering the level of promised function in such a compact size. Some have tried, and one could argue that the Wenger Minigrip and SOG Switchplier are two that almost captured that ethos. The slightly larger Gerber Balance, and it's predecessor the MP700 are other examples. Each of these offers a form or a function to rival the Juice, but in my opinion the overall promise of the Juice is still a more appealing concept.

However, people are divided as to whether the Juice actually delivers on the promise, or at least delivers enough to forgive any shortcomings.

The Juice can be found lacking in a number of specific areas:

• Scissor quality (both performance, and walk and talk)
• Unsharpened Awl
• Finger biting drivers
• Uneven Scales
• Undersized blade (on newer models)
• Blade Cross Section (not a good slicer)
• Saw deformation (prone to misalignment)
• Performance of can opener / corkscrew assist

The shortfalls will be lesser or greater subject to variations in manufacturing and in customer taste/preferences. However, despite these issues, the promise and lure is still strong, and there are some very distinct successes in the toolset too.

The diamond file is brilliant, and the thin saw with it's pull cutting tooth profile works well and reduces removed material and effort needed. The tips of the drivers are very well sized, even if they can be a little too short for certain jobs, and bite into screws just as well as they bite into your flesh. The urban people friendly format, also means this is a tool which is likely to cause less unrest around certain people in certain settings, and you get a lot of function for the tool size, even if some of it is impared.

From a personal perspective, the Juice was the second Leatherman I ever bought, and the second one I considered to be defective. Despite this, I have been unable to abandon this tool completely for the promises it makes as described above. Even though I am gradually offloading most of the tools I have acquired since being a member here, I have chosen to keep two Juice models in my reduced arsenal.

The Climber Small and KF4 are a match made in heaven



The KF4 offers pretty much everything you could need that isn't on the SAK, which in turn offers all the tools which suffer most on the Juice line at a higher standard of quality and performance, and also the tools missing on the KF4 model (scissors, awl, corkscrew, bottle opener, cap opener, superior slicing blade, and scale tools). Keep the SAK in your trouser pocket for the basics, knowing the KF4 is there to cover any shortfalls - but without getting annoyed with it as a primary tool.

The CS4 promises to render a SAK surplus to requirements, and again fall's short. I keep tweaking mine occasionally to try and get it to a level of function where I would feel comfortable foregoing a SAK on days where a single tool solution would be better. I'm not there yet, but I've not given up either.

So much promise, yet so much disappointment, but no competition. Probably the biggest teaser for me in all the pocket tools. Maybe some viable competition would be all Leatherman needs as a kick in the pants for a little refinement and let the Juice deliver on the promises it has been making for so many years.

Noodle,
Nice write up, nice pics, and nice collection 

[AimlessWanderer]

The tl:dr version of that is....

 

[rishardh]

I share some of your thoughts. Easier to use than a  key chain MT and can get most jobs done that a full size MT does. If you don't like colors you can get it in grey. The weight and bulkiness of the XE6 makes it not worthwhile carrying it around when there are better options but the other Juice models are great EDC options.

The retired Juice KF4 is my favorite. I hope they bring it back. Paring it with a Micra will cover the missing pieces.

[Mextreme]

Nice write up.
It sums up a lot of what I think too.

I like  the S2 as an EDC in theory. It has my most used tools and carries great on a suspension clip.
They also look friendly and most juristiction permit carry of it.
As mentioned some of the implements are not perfect, otherwise it would probably be THE EDC


Nice collection by the way.

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice write up.
It sums up a lot of what I think too.

I like  the S2 as an EDC in theory. It has my most used tools and carries great on a suspension clip.
They also look friendly and most juristiction permit carry of it.
As mentioned some of the implements are not perfect, otherwise it would probably be THE EDC


Nice collection by the way.

So very painfully true....

[powernoodle]

Lets all pretend that 2016 is the year of the completely revamped and upgraded new Juice. 

- Victorinox build quality
- precision scissors
- locking tools (why not)
- razor sharp awl
- new "E-Z Pull" flat drivers
- long shank phillips
- scale symmetry
- full length, full flat grind blade in 154CM or S30V (one can dream)
- redesigned can opener; or, get rid of it.
- I'm flexible on this, but I would throw the corkscrew in the river
- black oxide option

 

If it makes you guys happy, we can call it the Powernoodle Edition.

[AimlessWanderer]

Non-locking blades please Mr Noodle 

.... and you forgot G10 scales with scale tools, and pocket clip, but other wise not a bad effort 

[powernoodle]

Non-locking blades please Mr Noodle 

Yeah, I keep forgetting about that.   

[Marcellus]

The   Juice
I really wanted to like this MT
But for me ,  the weight to utility ratio , is a fail on most  days , of course YMMV
If the day requires Pliers I carry   something bigger , but not much heavier  than the Juice
That said, I own two, old and new versions , so I did give it a second chance , both S2 ,full disclosure here

Too bad, it could have been a Contender

I did mod the driver notches with a small round file to fix the problem of  cut fingers while accessing them

[eamo]

The   Juice
I really wanted to like this MT
But for me ,  the weight to utility ratio , is a fail on most  days , of course YMMV
If the day requires Pliers I carry   something bigger , but not much heavier  than the Juice
That said, I own two, old and new versions , so I did give it a second chance , both S2 ,full disclosure here

Too bad, it could have been a Contender

I did mod the driver notches with a small round file to fix the problem of  cut fingers while accessing them

what are your thoughts on pre 2014 V post ? From my reading here on MTo, the older version seems superior ?
Any pics of where you filed the notches ? That is my biggest grievance with my juice, otherwise I quite like it.

[Marcellus]

EAMO

No pics, computer issues

Just used small, round, jewelers file to deepen fingernail notch to provide more leverage

Filed bottom about 2mm more

A little lubrication helps

But, I am still careful opening drivers, use the edge of thumbnail


Also, no. real preference between versions , personally the shorter non locking blade  is safer to use IMO

[eamo]

EAMO

No pics, computer issues

Just used small, round, jewelers file to deepen fingernail notch to provide more leverage

Filed bottom about 2mm more

A little lubrication helps

But, I am still careful opening drivers, use the edge of thumbnail


Also, no. real preference between versions , personally the shorter non locking blade  is safer to use IMO

thanks for that Marcellus, yeah i learned quickly to be careful opening them, and with use they do get easier to open.
might file mine, i'll see

[eamo]

50ft, what does the climber offer that the KF4 lacks ? I don't have a climber, but looking at pics the KF4 sems to have all the tools covered, so what am i missing here ?

[AimlessWanderer]

50ft, what does the climber offer that the KF4 lacks ? I don't have a climber, but looking at pics the KF4 sems to have all the tools covered, so what am i missing here ?

The KF4 has no scissors, can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew or scale tools. Also, the blade is better for slicing (such as cutting an apple) as the Juice blade has a rather wedge shaped effective cross section. Only real overlap is the awl, which is never supplied sharp with a Juice, and I haven't reprofiled mine yet (no need if I have the Vic one, so the Juice one is a blunt general purpose pokey thing)

[eamo]

50ft, what does the climber offer that the KF4 lacks ? I don't have a climber, but looking at pics the KF4 sems to have all the tools covered, so what am i missing here ?

The KF4 has no scissors, can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew or scale tools. Also, the blade is better for slicing (such as cutting an apple) as the Juice blade has a rather wedge shaped effective cross section. Only real overlap is the awl, which is never supplied sharp with a Juice, and I haven't reprofiled mine yet (no need if I have the Vic one, so the Juice one is a blunt general purpose pokey thing)

i really should have looked at a pic of the KF4 too before asking 

[AimlessWanderer]

 

So long story short, everything on the Climber (or Climber Small in this case) is justified 

[eamo]

So long story short, everything on the Climber (or Climber Small in this case) is justified