Leatherman Pliers stiffness

[Carthas]

Hi

Has anyone noticed that the new plier heads in leathermans seem to be quite stiff? I have a number of "older" models including a PST2, Pulse, old Surge, new Surge with replaceable wire cutters, old Wave, new Wave without replaceable wire cutters, and a Charge TTi. I got the Charge (one with the old scales) replaced under warranty a few years ago for a "new" one as one of the tabs in the handles that helped close the pliers broke off. I noticed with the new one that the pliers were much stiffer than the old one, and that even with a liberal application of WD40 and 3 in 1 oil, and a few years worth of use it still hasn't loosened up like pretty much all my other leatherman's did, including my old Charge. It got annoying to the point where I actually bought a new one, and found that it has the same "problem". Normally they would loosen up to the point where you could just let gravity open the pliers for you, but these newer ones seem to require you to manually manipulate them open. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's a fault that needs a warranty replacement, as you can still use the tool, I just found using pliers that open with gravity to be easier to manipulate.

Has anyone else found this to be the case on the newer leathermans? Or do I just have a case of having 2 new ones suffering this same "issue"?

[Poncho65]

It has been mentioned here some, the thread or threads are around here somewhere

I haven't experienced it myself but I know that several here have had the problem

I hope you are able to figure out how to remedy this

[Barry Rowland]

Both of my Rebar's have been that way, but they loosened up with use.

[Zephon]

My Skeletool that I got September 2021 was like that. I must have spent crazy hours flicking the plier head open and close until it loosened up. It was a bit tougher on the ST300 I got a few months after. Gravity will open it but when I clamp down hard on something, it seems that it’ll reset to its stiff state.

My Swisstool Spirit also had the same stiffness which eventually loosened up as well.

Yeah, it’s pretty annoying to begin with but hopefully your pliers loosen up with use eventually.

[DavisNikolov]

The only Leatherman that I got brand new is the Rebar (though my Crunch and Skeletool seem to be unused) and it was very stiff. Took me a lot of playing around to loosen the head. And still, if I squeeze something hard it stiffens. My other tools that I bought used in different conditions were mostly well worked in, but still squeezing hard brought a stiff head.
Actually the only Leatherman in my possession that foes not stiffen ( not counting the Crunch because of the different plier head) is the oldest I own - a Blast.

[Outback in Idaho]

  I used a Tri-Flow oil to lube around the area where the pivot was stationary and the other plier moved around it. Put an oil puddle over the area and worked the pliers back and forth for several minutes, while laying flat on a table or on my leg. Did that a few times till things loosened up. Did that every so often. Of course clean the oil that does get through on all sides of the pliers. - Thought everyone did this.