Wave or Rebar? If you had to choose only 1

[ThePeacent]

For the same reason(s) as Poncho, in my line of work a design like the Rebar's is superior to the Wave's, and same applies for the ST300 vs the Surge.
Especially if you carry a separated OHO knife, which I always do.



Old, basic but reliable!

[Mechanickal]

ThePeasent's last line said all about the Rebar for me.

To me it's a tool that can handle alot of jobs, but in the end feels like an outdated design...
Which has it's charm, but not the practical side of a more modern tool.
I carry my Rebar to work because it's expendable in my collection as in "not the end of the world if it gets lost or broken"

[LoopCutter]

For me, it is always about the task.

My Rebar is my favorite and I do have the bit extender as card.  But also require regular bits which this handles well. 

The Wave sees duty, when blade is required.  And lately Diesel sees duty for more heavier duty action with pliers. 

I also, have Wingman in dedicated tools bag as scissors is there.   



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[israelpiper]

The Wave's lack of an awl is a big negative for me, as a woodsy bushcrafting type. I don't  find the Wave cuts wire as well as my Rebars. I have two Waves, and two rebars. I'll go Rebar. I have no problems with the Rebar awl or saw, though I work with mostly softwoods. But if someone markets an awl for the Wave bit holder, then I'll go Wave.

[Sazabi]

For me, I think of the Rebar as the modern, junk-in-the-trunk PST, and it is the tool I carry if I need/want to carry one.  The Phillips screwdriver is vastly superior to the flat bit Phillips of the Wave, in addition to the much longer reach, which the Wave can only achieve through the bit extender add-on option; the cutters of the Rebar are replaceable, and should be about as hard-wearing as those of the Wave.  As IP and a couple others have mentioned, the awl is a nice addition for the Rebar, which can be replicated on the Wave, either as a custom bit or as an exterior add-on (both mods I've seen on here), but in terms of off-the-shelf, straight-out-from-the-box comparison, the Rebar beats the Wave for me.

Now if I were to create that franken-Wave I've pondered doing, switching out some bits and bobs with one of my Kicks, then I might have to give the edge to the Wave, as it is a perfectly usable tool, which would be made more usable with that longer Phillips, but since I might carry a multitool a dozen times a year (slacks and soon, scrubs make for a non-existent carry), it isn't worth the hassle.

In true MT.O fashion, I would be amiss in not saying our favorite motto:  Just blame Kirky.  , err, just buy both.

[aurabattler]

My vote goes to Rebar. I think the decision is whether you need OHO blades and whether you need scissors on your MT. If you need them, Wave for sure. If you don't need them, maybe you always have a folder as your primary blade or maybe you have a SAK for scissor, I Rebar will be the choice. Hummm..  Why not a Spirit? 

[kaput]

My vote goes to Rebar. I think the decision is whether you need OHO blades and whether you need scissors on your MT. If you need them, Wave for sure. If you don't need them, maybe you always have a folder as your primary blade or maybe you have a SAK for scissor, I Rebar will be the choice. Hummm..  Why not a Spirit? 

I think you nailed it. For me at least.  It pertaining tot he scissors (I don't NEED scissors). But I think it comes down to if I'm carry a main blade the rebar pairs nicely with the lighter weight and smaller package. If I just want one and done, the wave is pretty close to perfect.

[gregpost]

I saw an interview with Tim Leatherman and he said he uses the Charge/Wave for demos and carrying around but loves the Rebar around the home.

I feel similar about the Surge or Wingman for carry and the ST300 and Rebar platform for home use.

[ReamerPunch]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

[King_Gorilla]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?       

[kaput]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?      

To be scared of a rebar blade, so sad... 

What if they got a look at Kampfers edc!! 

[T.Sawyer]

On an unrelated note, I believe that the wave is much more well thought out and usually made better than the surge. All the internal implements on the surge have aligned notches so you can't remove individual tools which is pretty stupid, my serrated blade has heat discoloring from grinding and is slightly warped, and the bolsters are poorly fit.

I agree with Wallace. My New Wave is perfect. Everything lines up perfectly where it should. However my Surge handles when closed don't line up perfectly. So just a quality thing that niggles me a little

[ReamerPunch]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?      

Both, sadly. It's illegal to carry any blade without reason, so even the Micra could potentially get you in trouble here. Pretty unlikely though. But the Wave/Rebar is another story. I could justify the Rebar, because it looks less menacing, and can be deemed a silly, awkward tool, but a tool nonetheless. The Wave has two oho blades, and "convenience" will not suffice as a reason of carry. I once took out a Huntsman to cut a strap outside my flat and a woman flinched when she saw a blade in my hands. I'd rather not get asked any questions and risk any sort or ramification, so if something needs cutting, I'll start small.

[Pattas29]

Wave everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. Don't get me wrong I want to love the Rebar. So much so I have owned 6 of them but every time I have had one rust spots have appeared on the plain edge blade. Contacted Leatherman about what might be the cause. Didn't get a reply I would call suitable. I love the tool set and the tool but I got annoyed it kept happening.

My wave I have battered to hell same as my Tti and had no issue.

Being the most popular tool in the Leatherman line the Wave must be doing something right 

Just my two pence 

[Pattas29]

So, is the rebar pointless if your edc'ing a Wave then? Rebar best for backup duties then?

Just get a Wave, and then get another wave as your back up 

[Pattas29]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?      

Both, sadly. It's illegal to carry any blade without reason, so even the Micra could potentially get you in trouble here. Pretty unlikely though. But the Wave/Rebar is another story. I could justify the Rebar, because it looks less menacing, and can be deemed a silly, awkward tool, but a tool nonetheless. The Wave has two oho blades, and "convenience" will not suffice as a reason of carry. I once took out a Huntsman to cut a strap outside my flat and a woman flinched when she saw a blade in my hands. I'd rather not get asked any questions and risk any sort or ramification, so if something needs cutting, I'll start small.

This was the main reason I got a rebar and wanted to carry it. It would appear if I was stopped for any reason by the police a rebar takes a bit of doing to get the blade out. The Wave looks a little more dangerous. Carried a PSTII for a good few months and I now carry a Juice. If the Rebar blade rust issue I had was not a problem I would carry one. But I still prefer the wave.

[ThePeacent]

Also, just because I remember, in the movie Proof Of Life the Wave's OHO serrated blade is used to attack and kill someone.   
Another movie which i can't remember featured the Wave's OHO blade as a killing tool in a dark alley, during the night.

Those OHO blades just don't get much positive screen time, a reason why the Wave is a hard thing to justify carrying in most Euro countries...

[aurabattler]

Both, sadly. It's illegal to carry any blade without reason, so even the Micra could potentially get you in trouble here. Pretty unlikely though. But the Wave/Rebar is another story. I could justify the Rebar, because it looks less menacing, and can be deemed a silly, awkward tool, but a tool nonetheless. The Wave has two oho blades, and "convenience" will not suffice as a reason of carry. I once took out a Huntsman to cut a strap outside my flat and a woman flinched when she saw a blade in my hands. I'd rather not get asked any questions and risk any sort or ramification, so if something needs cutting, I'll start small.

Yeah. It's sad but it just happens all the time. 
Knives are generally not accepted in my city although they are legal accept some prohibited types like autos or assisted knives.
However, most people don't like to see a knife even a SAK. If I pull out a 91mm SAK in the public, people around me will start walking away, not to say a knife.
So, I will try to resort with the minichamp or squirt before pulling out the knife when I am outside. Even if I am pulling out the knife, I will make sure I am in a place where nobody could see.

I am working in a Chinese social media monitoring solutions provider. One day, I tried to check the negative sentiment towards "knife" on social media. I found the percentage of negative sentiment towards "knife" in 2017 on Chinese social media is even higher than "Donald Trump" and "CY Leung" (Or City Chief Executive that almost everyone hates). Yeah, people here thinks knives are devils...

[Poncho65]

It's bad to see how knives are perceived across the world and in the USA as well  It use to be one of man's biggest tools and in certain jobs and in places like the kitchen this is still very much true Just wished people in general still thought of them as tools instead of weapons

[King_Gorilla]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?      

Both, sadly. It's illegal to carry any blade without reason, so even the Micra could potentially get you in trouble here. Pretty unlikely though. But the Wave/Rebar is another story. I could justify the Rebar, because it looks less menacing, and can be deemed a silly, awkward tool, but a tool nonetheless. The Wave has two oho blades, and "convenience" will not suffice as a reason of carry. I once took out a Huntsman to cut a strap outside my flat and a woman flinched when she saw a blade in my hands. I'd rather not get asked any questions and risk any sort or ramification, so if something needs cutting, I'll start small.

That is so sad.  And upseting.  Is that just in the cities?  I've never been to Australia before but I was led to believe that you still had a lot of undeveloped open country over there.  Can people still carry knives, tools, machette, ect. if you are out in the wilderness?  or hunting? 

Also, just because I remember, in the movie Proof Of Life the Wave's OHO serrated blade is used to attack and kill someone.   
Another movie which i can't remember featured the Wave's OHO blade as a killing tool in a dark alley, during the night.

Those OHO blades just don't get much positive screen time, a reason why the Wave is a hard thing to justify carrying in most Euro countries...

  NO exageration or joking here  
I am seriously depressed to hear about this.  I knew all of the countries over there have strict gun laws but DAMN!  On a daily basis I complain that the laws pretaining to knives, guns, fireworks, etc. are WAY to strict here in California compared to states like Oregon, Nevada, Texas, and Montana.  I complain because the laws that restrict us from carrying auto knives and butterfly knives are totally outdated and based on the fear of people who dont know what they are talking about.  BUT I can still carry a Cold Steal Espada if I wanted to.  I can even carry a Ka-Bar knife as long as it is openly displayed on my belt in a sheath.        And I'm totally not satisfied with this.  I've even looked into ways that I can exploit religious legal loopholes to get away with carrying restricted or prohibited knives.       

I don't mean to rant or go on-and-on but seriously what is wrong with people in this world?  humans don't have sharp teeth or claws, we make tools.  Why cant they just leave us alone with our knives and MTs.   

One last question:  So, if and when i can finally afford to do some traveling, when I fly to the UK or Europe I should probably not even pack any blades or MTs???

[eamo]

One last question:  So, if and when i can finally afford to do some traveling, when I fly to the UK or Europe I should probably not even pack any blades or MTs???

UK carry thread is here

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,8384.0.html

[T.Sawyer]

That is so sad.  And upseting.  Is that just in the cities?  I've never been to Australia before but I was led to believe that you still had a lot of undeveloped open country over there.  Can people still carry knives, tools, machette, ect. if you are out in the wilderness?  or hunting? 

Here in Australia, it would be pretty rare to see a farmer without a some sort of knife or mt. When hunting though you sorta need a knife to be able to slaughter the animal after it has been shot and of course hunting is legal season dependant for sporting or feral animals whenever you can using appropriate methods in your surroundings. I live in the 'burbs' in Melbourne and always carry a mt in my belt and never been looked at funny or even approached. That said, I used to carry a buck 110 on my belt and that has a reasonable size sheath and again, no hassle. I can justify my carry for work however. Police are more interested in traffic infringements (revenue raising) here anyways.

[Kampfer]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?      

To be scared of a rebar blade, so sad... 

What if they got a look at Kampfers edc!! 

I got nothing on Peacent, look at his.

[ThePeacent]

I had to choose one, and went with the Rebar. I did eventually get more, but the Rebar is my edc.
I have a Charge AL and Surge, and like the oho feature, but if I were to flick open a blade with one hand in public, I'd be in trouble. Which is why the first blade to come out is a Micra's, or Manager's, or an EAB/Olfa razor, or the D.Tinker small blade.

Would you be in trouble for legal reasons?  or the "people tend to get scared by knives" kind of reasons?      

To be scared of a rebar blade, so sad... 

What if they got a look at Kampfers edc!! 

I got nothing on Peacent, look at his.

Hey I ain't the one who just got himself a half a pound, eight inch blade folding knife, mate   

...
LOLz   

[Elgie]

Rebar primary and wave back-up in the bag.  Mainly because I dislike having to fiddle with attachments for something as common as a recessed phillips screw head. 


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[ironraven]

Rebar

I have a gen 1 Wave, and I've tried more recent ones. They always feel like I'm about to slice my thumbprint off when I'm opening a blade. The Surge doesn't have that problem, I don't know why, but the Wave does