Trusty *RUSTY* Leathermans?

[NeitherExtreme]

so why can't others have better steels?....

I guess that depends on what you consider "better"... I personally would usually take a harder, though more rust prone, steel over a softer more stainless steel. There are a few us at least who would actually like to see a MT made out of regular rusty tool steel.

[Spoonrobot]

Victorinox uses stainless, "Inox" it's called and they don't charge a ton more for it, and it doesn't rust/spot like the others so why can't others have better steels?....

This is always good for a hearty debate. I actually think you and I discussed this some time ago over at BF. 

I am of the school of thought that believes it's not the steel that is so rust resistant, but a combination of the steel and the polish that make the Vics so resistant. This comes at a trade off, the higher polish is generally slipperier when wet/oily. I prefer the medium polish seen on most modern tools, it just works better for in my experience.

[WhichDawg]

also it's tempering process is very important (and can be costly, like Infi).
My worry with harder steels is they could break easier during use then a softer blend.

I know some tools are double cut/bead blasted or satin finished and that would
help them from being so slippery (which is a good point) but would most likely bring up the cost.

[Singh]

Not sure if the oil soak would be a good idea. I've tried this before and the tool tends to leak oil for weeks afterward, it's a total pain in the rear. I think it's much better to clean the tool regularly and lubricate the moving parts as opposed to trying to keep the entire tool protected.

I can see where it might be messy until the excess oil leaks out. I'd only do that if the tool was exposed to some particularly hostile conditions: sea salt, the tropics, etc.

I didn't have too much of an issue with moisture being trapped under the inserts, but it does seem like an alcohol bath would be the prudent way to address this issue.

Thanks, spoonrobot. I wasn't sure if this was a good idea or me just being nutty. 

[jdailey4206966]

Am I the only Leatherman owner on here that has NEVER had any rust on any of their Leatherman tools???  I would say I am an average user of tools and I very rarely clean, oil or wipe them down and I have never had any issues.

What are you lot doing wrong? 

could be lack of use too

Much like a good old carbon steel knife, they are meant to be used, and not meant to stay in the pocket or sheath. If they are, than they will rust. I had some small rust on my wave this week from where it sweat in my pocket, but a quick wipe of wd-40 took care of this problem.

[AndyTiedye]

Many of us use Swiss Army knives for food preparation when we're camping.
Some of us also use them for harvesting veggies and herbs from the garden.
They get washed in soap and water afterwards, which tends to remove oil.
Fortunately, the alloys they use are extremely resistant to rust.

If you are going to do that with a Leatherman, you'd better anoint it with
olive oil or something like that.   Petroleum-based oils are somewhat toxic
and probably don't taste very good either.

[NutSAK]

Mineral oil would be a better choice.  It is food safe and doesn't oxidize and go rancid like cooking oils do eventually.