Leatherman Free Series

[Dutch_Tooler]

 

Question: is the lock pivot also the tool pivot? Looks like, right?

The file... well... it's very short. Trade-off for having full length outside scissors but no blade exchanger (à la Surge) I suppose...

Which makes me imagine that a P6 could have double-width outside slots for double the no. of outside tools at least on one side (looking at the progression P2->P4) and could therefore sport a full length file, which vacates an internal slot for a bit exchanger  , and then we'll have a P8 having this on both sides - think of the tools one could put in that !

[Wspeed]

Thanks for the chart Al
Excellent pics GLBM 

[SteveC]

 

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you, Matt!

More great info in here of the Free and great comparison/close up pics, glbm

Thank you, Poncho!

Thanks for the chart Al
Excellent pics GLBM 

Thank you, W!

Thank you, Steve!

 

Question: is the lock pivot also the tool pivot? Looks like, right?

Thanks, D_T!

If I understand your question, then the answer is no. The lock, rocks on a seperate pivot, 'behind' the tool pivot.

[Dutch_Tooler]

Ah, OK, thanks GLBM

[gerleatherberman]

Ah, OK, thanks GLBM

Yes sir.

[Mechanickal]

On FB, the national LM site posted a pic of the free and wrote:

The Leatherman P-serie helps you to break free and feel free as a person

[McStitchy]

[Wspeed]

 

[Buzzbait]

 

[roamingcat]

Has any folks residing outside the US already received their Free yet?


My local LM official distributor told me back in March they will release it simultaneosly worldwide in April. I called them yesterday they told me it will not be available until May this time, and they have no idea of the local pricing yet. I get the feeling I won't be getting it any time soon since they gave me the bum steer last time.


In the meantime, from what I read the P2 is very similar to the Swisstool Spirit in weight, configuration and pricing. I would love to hear from folks who have used both to see how they compare. I already have the Spirit straight blade version. What improvements would I be gaining from the P2 over the Spirit? Which one would get more of your EDC time in the longer term? Thank you in anticipation for your feedback.

[gerleatherberman]

Has any folks residing outside the US already received their Free yet?


My local LM official distributor told me back in March they will release it simultaneosly worldwide in April. I called them yesterday they told me it will not be available until May this time, and they have no idea of the local pricing yet. I get the feeling I won't be getting it any time soon since they gave me the bum steer last time.


In the meantime, from what I read the P2 is very similar to the Swisstool Spirit in weight, configuration and pricing. I would love to hear from folks who have used both to see how they compare. I already have the Spirit straight blade version. What improvements would I be gaining from the P2 over the Spirit? Which one would get more of your EDC time in the longer term? Thank you in anticipation for your feedback.

The P2 offers ALL one-hand tool/pliers access. No nail nicks on any of the tools. Scissors are really well constructed. Pliers are amazing. Phillips is good, flat driver/pry tool is good, small drivers are good. Awl is o.k, except it doubles as a tiny flat driver, which makes it only good for boring larger holes.
If I had to chose between the P2 and Spirit, it would be a difficult task. The two things that would break the impasse might be the P2 having a screw construction so I could disassemble for maintenance, and the P2 requires no fingernails/all OHO. I break my fingernails at work fairly often, which makes a lot of tools more arduous to utilize. Victorinox being the worst offender to use with broken fingernails.
One thing I dislike about the P2/P4, is what makes it so slick to use, which would be the magnets. I took the P2 to work and fiddled with some jobs using it. It worked great, except the magnets picked up steel wool dust. Some packing tape took care of it, but I am a lazy has-been when it comes to my user-tools and don't clean/oil them as often as I should. One of my Spirits suffered greatly from the metal dust getting into the tool pivots and has permanent scoring on the tool tangs that makes it very hard to open/close the implements. Vic steel is a touch on the softer side compared to 420HC(it is still good steel though), but that made it even easier for the wool dust to damage the pivots. I'd send it off to Vic for repair, but that damage was my fault for not insuring it was cleaned and oiled properly. Fortunately I have a second Spirit in perfect operating condition to fiddle with. The Spirit is still a fine azz tool and deserves a good portion of the praise it gets on MT.o. It just isn't quite as good, at least for me, as some people make it out to be.

Those are just some random and subjective observations/experiences so far. Will post more on the P series once I am done with the Surge challenge. 

[roamingcat]

Thank you GLBM for your valuable insight.  The Spirit is an awesome MT imo and my only gripe is the scsissors and the lack of a pocket clip. I am hoping the P2 will fill this gap. Do you think the P2 has better scissors than the spirit? Thanks again !

[Max Stone]

Good feedback GLBM. 

So here is a question:

If logic prevails, LM progressed from non-locking to locking on all their full-sized tools.

So if their new mechanism is such an improvement, is it not logical to assume that they upgrade all their full-sized tools?

If yes - then happy days surely?
If no - maybe we should not consider the solution better?

Just an interesting thought exercise...   

[gerleatherberman]

Thank you GLBM for your valuable insight.  The Spirit is an awesome MT imo and my only gripe is the scsissors and the lack of a pocket clip. I am hoping the P2 will fill this gap. Do you think the P2 has better scissors than the spirit? Thanks again !

You're welcome, RC!
The Spirit scissors set the bar quite low relative to modern scissor tech. So yes, the Free scissors are MUCH better.

Good feedback GLBM. 

So here is a question:

If logic prevails, LM progressed from non-locking to locking on all their full-sized tools.

So if their new mechanism is such an improvement, is it not logical to assume that they upgrade all their full-sized tools?

If yes - then happy days surely?
If no - maybe we should not consider the solution better?

Just an interesting thought exercise...   

Thanks, Max! But, it is too late for a thought exercise. And, to make it worse, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.

My thoughts are that the P series were not made to directly compete with tools LM already makes. And they aren't going to stop making those anytime soon. It is nice to see an additional option for a different lifestyle out there. It shows LM is creative in filling a void.

[Max Stone]

Maybe a little like what LM did with Skeletool, MUT, Style, etc. in creating a new range of MTs and knives.

[roamingcat]

You're welcome, RC!
The Spirit scissors set the bar quite low relative to modern scissor tech. So yes, the Free scissors are MUCH better.

Thank you for the reassurance GLBM, much appreciated  ! I can't wait for the P2 to hit our shores!

[gerleatherberman]

Maybe a little like what LM did with Skeletool, MUT, Style, etc. in creating a new range of MTs and knives.

Indeed, very true. 

Thank you for the reassurance GLBM, much appreciated  ! I can't wait for the P2 to hit our shores!

It'll be great if LM can get them there soon!

[SteveC]

One downside to the new locking system that no one has mentioned is the fact that it adds to the length of the tool.

[powernoodle]

I am fearful that my willpower will crack, and that I'll buy one of these things.  Dang it!   

[gadgetman7]

I wonder how well they’ll sell after the initial sales from collectors, the trendy and those generated by influencers wears off.

I saw an on line review that said they weren’t very good today. Cedric & Ada, a knife reviewer noted the same issues that we have.

After seeing the video, I cut some hard wire with the P2 and P4 and the tools popped out on both of them when the wire was cut.

I think Leatherman released these tools before they were ready. I think I’m going to write Leatherman customer service about the issue to see what they say.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[McStitchy]

Thank you GLBM for your valuable insight.  The Spirit is an awesome MT imo and my only gripe is the scsissors and the lack of a pocket clip. I am hoping the P2 will fill this gap. Do you think the P2 has better scissors than the spirit? Thanks again !

... meanwhile, what about a little workaround?

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,80005.msg1829880.html#msg1829880

[SteveC]

I wonder how well they’ll sell after the initial sales from collectors, the trendy and those generated by influencers wears off.

I saw an on line review that said they weren’t very good today. Cedric & Ada, a knife reviewer noted the same issues that we have.

After seeing the video, I cut some hard wire with the P2 and P4 and the tools popped out on both of them when the wire was cut.

I think Leatherman released these tools before they were ready. I think I’m going to write Leatherman customer service about the issue to see what they say.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[McStitchy]

I wonder how well they’ll sell after the initial sales from collectors, the trendy and those generated by influencers wears off.

I saw an on line review that said they weren’t very good today. Cedric & Ada, a knife reviewer noted the same issues that we have.

After seeing the video, I cut some hard wire with the P2 and P4 and the tools popped out on both of them when the wire was cut.

I think Leatherman released these tools before they were ready. I think I’m going to write Leatherman customer service about the issue to see what they say.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's what I actually meant in a former post.
I'm sorry it proved to be true 

[gerleatherberman]

Just to clarify, the long blades cannot come out when the pliers are engaged. The blade tips get locked in with the pliers deployment.

... meanwhile, what about a little workaround?

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,80005.msg1829880.html#msg1829880

You can tighten the pivots a bit on the P and never see tools pop out. The point, I guess is we need to judge tools pre-mod. My PowerPint is amazing, but only after mods most people can't do.

I am glad the hard wire cut test is revealing a mild issue. Thankfully the blades and saw cannot come out in the scenario.

[roamingcat]

... meanwhile, what about a little workaround?

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,80005.msg1829880.html#msg1829880

Great mod Matt and thank you for sharing this with me.  This really helps me as the scissors was the only other sore point left for me (I already added a Nitize pocket clip to work around the other sore point). Thanks !

[SteveC]

Just to clarify, the long blades cannot come out when the pliers are engaged. The blade tips get locked in with the pliers deployment.
You can tighten the pivots a bit on the P and never see tools pop out. The point, I guess is we need to judge tools pre-mod. My PowerPint is amazing, but only after mods most people can't do.

I am glad the hard wire cut test is revealing a mild issue. Thankfully the blades and saw cannot come out in the scenario.

But how easily will they deploy once tightened enough not to pop out ?

[Aloha]

Isn't terrible but those locks tabs for some will be more of an hot spot/issue.  I don't cut a lot of material with my wire cutters so for me this wouldn't be a deal breaker. 

[gerleatherberman]

But how easily will they deploy once tightened enough not to pop out ?

True. I may experiment, to find an equilibrium, to see this evening. I've got a soldering iron and torx bits available. 

[roamingcat]

I wonder how well they’ll sell after the initial sales from collectors, the trendy and those generated by influencers wears off.

I saw an on line review that said they weren’t very good today. Cedric & Ada, a knife reviewer noted the same issues that we have.

After seeing the video, I cut some hard wire with the P2 and P4 and the tools popped out on both of them when the wire was cut.

I think Leatherman released these tools before they were ready. I think I’m going to write Leatherman customer service about the issue to see what they say.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I really want to love getting the P2 when it becomes available in my neck of the woods but has anyone else noticed the 4 sore points revealed by the above video? That is:-

- implements flying out when snap closing the pliers (as already mentioned a few times in this thread)
- three protruding/sharp points (hotspots as he calls it) that poke at your hands when you grib the handles hard

Do you agree with the findings of the video, in particular the 3 hotspots causing discomfort?