My Leatherman Warranty Experience....

[JasonJ]

I have an original style Wave, made in 1998.  The one arm pivot was loose such that when plier-ing, one handle would flop up/open.  I had read and learned that this is somewhat common among most if not all Leatherman tools of this style.  I also had a bent small driver.  I figured, let's send it into the warranty center, they can replace the bent driver, or straighten better than I, and they will know how to properly adjust or replace for the loose arm.

In it went on July 16th..  It arrived about 3 days later on the 19th, and about 2-3 business days after that they were able to get it to a work bench and process the warranty submission.  Cool.   It just arrived back to me today. 

The result?  Less than impressed.  I sent in thorough notes and explanations on everything that I requested be looked at, with details of what I was doing with it, the condition it was in, et al.  They sent nothing back explaining what, if anything, was done.

The small driver looks to have been replaced.  Instead of addressing the loose arm actuation, ya know how it "clicks" or notches into place when opening?  They tightened the fasteners securing the plier head.  And TIGHTEN them they did... so much so as to deform the 5 lobe security torx.  It's now somewhat too tight, and aesthetically damaged from where it was prior.

But that's not all.  They did a complimentary sharpen of the main blade.  OK, it didn't need it but sure.  Except there is a large roll in the belly of the blade, and on one side, they sharpened it so wrong as to put another main bevel on top of the one that was already there, as if the blade/tool just simply wasn't secured in their jig at all, let alone properly.  Kinda really screwed it up.  Sharp despite the roll.. sure, but still.  The blade was PERFECTLY FINE and they made it not so. 

I was going to send in my stainless "new" wave to address some knicks/chips in the wire cutters and for the same one-arm-looseness.  NO WAY that is happening now.  I feel like they did me a disservice with this.  It's quite disappointing.  I own 10 Leatherman tools: PST, OG Wave, ss New Wave, bo New Wave, 2 sidekicks, a wingman, a rebar, 2 micra's.... ugh. Bummer.

I was just hoping for a little more care and a small two or three sentence explanation.  I don't suppose there is a LM-rep on the forum to discuss this with?  Probably not even worth my time. 

Pictures:

One arm tight, the other flops up and open when articulating to re-open the pliers during use, still.



I don't think I even need to point out the double bevel they created with the crappy sharpening job.



And the new roll/messed up apex of the blade.



Buggered up 5-lobe screws.



At least the small driver looks to be new!

[Mechanickal]

Uhg...

I'm sorry for you...

[Aloha]

I would not expect LM to address what they do to the tool HOWEVER, I would expect them to deliver a tool in better condition than they received it.  It would be great to get some kind of written description but I'd think they are getting quite a lot of tools in for service.  Likely legit warranty work as well as tools bought on the bay of fleas broken by those looking to get warranty service. 

That knife bevel looks horrible.  The buggered up 5 point torx also looks awful.  I'd certainly let them know how disappointed you are and resend the tool in.  I'd ask for a prepaid shipping label so you don't have to pay again. 

Good luck.     

[Juan el Boricua]

    

+1 on Aloha's thoughts. So sorry!

[Poncho65]

That is bad sorry that they messed the blade up like that I would try calling someone and complaining about that and ask for a return shipping label as Aloha said, since you paid shipping for it to be fixed correctly the first time

Hoping you can get that sorted 

[Max Stone]

  what a disappointment. The damage done to the blade edge and pivot is inexcusable. I hope they sort you out...such a pain that you have to start all over again, and now with more damage than what you started with. They will probably now just replace and junk that one.

[JasonJ]

I would not expect LM to address what they do to the tool HOWEVER, I would expect them to deliver a tool in better condition than they received it.  It would be great to get some kind of written description but I'd think they are getting quite a lot of tools in for service.  Likely legit warranty work as well as tools bought on the bay of fleas broken by those looking to get warranty service. 

That knife bevel looks horrible.  The buggered up 5 point torx also looks awful.  I'd certainly let them know how disappointed you are and resend the tool in.  I'd ask for a prepaid shipping label so you don't have to pay again. 

Good luck.     

True, I was thinking maybe just something along the lines of "replaced small driver, tightened pivots, returned to customer".

I get that they're busy, it's understandable.

Just a bummer that it was in better shape before it was sent. I'll definitely be contacting them to see what can be done if anything.

That is bad sorry that they messed the blade up like that I would try calling someone and complaining about that and ask for a return shipping label as Aloha said, since you paid shipping for it to be fixed correctly the first time

Hoping you can get that sorted 

Let's hope so.  I'll see if whomever I speak to agrees and can help out. Will update back here once that's done.

Uhg...

I'm sorry for you...

Thanks.  I can't even look at it right now, it makes me nauseated. 21 years of being just fine, more or less, just needing some tweaking and adjustment, and now it's like this.

[SteveC]

Yikes !  that is bad     I would be quite upset as well. I would expect much better than that. I've sent two tools in for warranty repair and they came back in great shape.

[theonew]

The knife sharpening would have gotten to me, especially if I didn't ask for it. On any tool that I care about and use enough that I would actually send it in for work, I usually have a carefully applied edge with an 8 - 10 degree primary bevel with an ever so tiny super polished micro bevel. Getting that back would make me nauseous.

[gerleatherberman]

 
Damn. They really jacked that Wave up. Looks like instead of waiting and handing it off to someone who knew about the OG Wave, some young whipper-snapper(who normally works on newer Waves) got ahold of it and butchered it.

This kind of stuff is why I repair most of my older tools myself, unless it is a pliers alignment issue. The loose pliers snap could have been fixed with a blunt punch and hammer to the handle rest(restoring the press hold of the handles to pliers back). The small driver could have been handled as they did so. The blade sharpening should have been done on a stone(if it actually needed it and it looks like it did not need it) instead of a belt sander(which is what it looks like).

Upsides:
Blade can be reprofiled using a guided stone system. Pliers lock can still be fixed with a blunt punch and hammer to the back of the handle.

The 5pt ST screws is the one thing that will need to be replaced. Not only do they look buggered, they won't function properly of you need to loosen/tighten them ever again. Maybe post in the tools needed section for some OG Wave posts/screws?

I would be hesitant to send it back again. They may make it even worse. And it is very unlikely they'll replace the 5pt screws, as they probably don't have any new spares.
Of course, all of the repairs I mentioned would require some skill in tool repair, and I understand most people have no need for that. If you decide to send it back, I would make sure to tell them to find some good screws on a returned OG Wave(sent in by someone looking to get a new wave for a busted $5 one they got at a yard sale) and put them on. And write a description about using a punch to fix the pliers lockup. And kindly ask them to find a blade that hasn't been buggered and tell them not to try and sharpen it.

Sorry for the long post. I get sick thinking about yet another vintage Leatherman being closer to the MT-drawer in the sky. 

[Sea Monster]

That does seem a bit janky...

on the other hand, my experience with LM warranty has been fine, so I am reluctant to suggest going for blood.

I've never had a written response about what they've done, but I don't suppose I've ever expected on.

If possible, I'd suggest trying to get someone on the phone - but be nice, the person you speak to is unlikely to be the person who worked on your tool, and as a Brand I'm pretty sure Leatherman only wants happy customers, so if you can muster the patience to be as cordial as possible, I expect they'll work quite hard to rectify the issue for you.

[SteveC]

 

[JasonJ]

Thanks for all the encouraging comments everyone. I think we are mostly all in agreement on a course of action.

I would have posted about my experience if it were the complete opposite as well.  My intention is not to speak badly about Leatherman Tool Co.  But rather to commiserate and seek advice from my knife and tool loving friends.

I'm certainly not out for blood because of this, but it is deeply upsetting. This is just like when I order a Mcdouble with extra pickles and onions.... Receive my burger and it looks like it was used as a door stop, everything tossed on in a hurry without any damn of a care about how they're doing it.

(And they want $15/hr?  Put a sandwich together that doesn't look like it was through a blender and we'll talk....).

Except worse because I don't have high expectations for McDonald's.  Quite low actually.  But Leatherman Tool... Quite the opposite.

I'll let everyone know how it goes. Unsure if j can catch someone on a weekend out there; plus I've got a busy weekend ahead of me myself.

[gerleatherberman]

Offer $15/h, and you'll see the skill level of job applicants increase dramatically and productivity increases, because people can now make rent with their burger jobs. And the ones who don't produce will have ten people in line ready to take the job who will produce. More production makes sales increase, lessening the chance the food prices spiking dramatically. Then the same people making $15/hr can now afford the stuff they make and other things they previously could not, flowing back into the ecomony. This leads to more sales by farmers who can now afford more people to work and contribute back into the economy. Economics. Big picture, man. Big picture. 

[JasonJ]

Offer $15/h, and you'll see the skill level of job applicants increase dramatically and productivity increases, because people can now make rent with their burger jobs. And the ones who don't produce will have ten people in line ready to take the job who will produce. More production makes sales increase, lessening the chance the food prices spiking dramatically. Then the same people making $15/hr can now afford the stuff they make and other things they previously could not, flowing back into the ecomony. This leads to more sales by farmers who can now afford more people to work and contribute back into the economy. Economics. Big picture, man. Big picture. 

So long as they do a good job, I don't care how much they make. They can make $70/hr so long as my burger doesn't look like they constructed it by shooting the ingredients out of a bazooka and onto the bun... I'm fine.

Otherwise, and off topic, so we raise the bottom up to $15/hr.... But what about everyone else already near that level?  Take for example starting teacher wage, roughly $33k/yr in my state.  Depending on the number of hours youth calculate it at, is either $12/hr or $22.  Are we now saying that those who are currently making $18/hr that their jobs are only "worth" $3 more than a burger flipper?  EMT/paramedics? 

That's where I have my qualms.  It isn't fair to raise only the lowest as it instantly devalues all others by the same amount. Most of those min. Wage jobs aren't intended to be living wages or career level jobs anyhow.  That's called work yourself up and out to something better.

I did.  I grew up in poverty... In a ghetto basically.  Family income was social security and food stamps. I'm now a successful IT Operations Manager making 6x as much as my parents ever did.  I brought my brother with me in that regard and he makes twice what do and has two homes with total value close to $1M. 

But I digress.

[SteveC]

Guys this is getting into political territory.  Please steer back to topic   

[gerleatherberman]

Think about how many more Leathermans I could buy with $3/hr more.

[gerleatherberman]

On topic:

I had sent back an OHT a while back for misaligned pliers jaws. They sent a new one for a replacement and it has the very issue I had sent the other in for.

Still have yet to send it back again. It is one of the issues I can't do anything with.

Good experience:

I had sent in an old 2005 Wave for a file replacement. They sent it back with a new file, new PE blade, new SE blade, new scissors, new pliers head, and new bit in the holder. LM is a good company. They just have trouble processing little problems on the whole. Hopefully they will get your OG Wave back into shape if you return it again.

[JasonJ]

On topic:

I had sent back an OHT a while back for misaligned pliers jaws. They sent a new one for a replacement and it has the very issue I had sent the other in for.

Still have yet to send it back again. It is one of the issues I can't do anything with.

Good experience:

I had sent in an old 2005 Wave for a file replacement. They sent it back with a new file, new PE blade, new SE blade, new scissors, new pliers head, and new bit in the holder. LM is a good company. They just have trouble processing little problems on the whole. Hopefully they will get your OG Wave back into shape if you return it again.

I trust that they'll make it right. When I call in sure they'll be as aghast as I am.

[countrydirt]

I'm awaiting the arrival of my 1st gen Surge that went in the second time for scissor replacement.  I have my fingers crossed that it will be fixed properly.  It was fixed properly the first time, but failed in the same way after several years of use. 

OP, sorry you had to go through this.

[genevabuck]

I’m just surprised that they are willing to do warranty work on an Original Wave and didn’t just send you a new model.

[JasonJ]

I’m just surprised that they are willing to do warranty work on an Original Wave and didn’t just send you a new model.

I requested it be repaired or sent back, not replaced. I already have two new waves and don't need a third. The tools on the original are different enough and more useful at work than the micro driver and exchangeable bits of the new wave.

Plus it's still under the original 25 yr warranty for at least 4 more years... So they have to at least try of they have parts on hand. 

They did in fact replace the bent small flat driver, so it would seem they do indeed have parts on hand.

[superpaco]

I have had both good and bad experiences with their warranty department. Mostly good, like pretty damn good, maybe I was spoiled. I say this cause my only bad experience was sending in a ST300 with a broken medium slotted driver (it weren't me I leant it to my co-worker ). They just apparently gave me a refurbished one that wasn't in as good of shape as the one I sent in (broken driver not withstanding). Some of the tools were kinda dirty and had some rubbing. On my users, I sharpen and strop the PE blade so you could see your reflection in it(in like 3/32", but still) and the one I got back from them had a roll in the edge like the OPs. I called to complain, but they didn't seem to care very much. They explained that they dont give new tools unless the original tool is one they non longer make. So I just made do and congratulated myself for getting 4 of my tools replaced with brand new ones. Next time I have an issue on a tool I didn't mod I will probably roll the dice on it. I bet if you show them the pictures and make some noise they will make it right for you....

[Max Stone]

...The tools on the original are different enough and more useful at work than the micro driver and exchangeable bits of the new wave...

Love the OG Wave. Hope they make good.

[JasonJ]

Love the OG Wave. Hope they make good.

It took a while.... probably too long, but...

Finally got resolution today.... about a week and a half after Kaylee @ LM and I tried to get a hold of each other via phone.

She is now in customer relations, but was a warranty repair tech for a few years back when the OG Wave was still more common. She was personally assigned to take care of my tool this time around. She specifically wanted to talk to me before sending the tool back. She found the best possible blade in their inventory and made sure it had a proper grind and bevels on it. She said that they are all hand sharpened, and whomever did it last time just plain screwed up.

The mangled 5 lobe screws were replaced with new 6 lobe ones from the 04+ Waves, as the 5 lobes were discontinued.

She completely removed the plier head and adjusted and tightened both sides to spec and testing it herself to make sure it operated as would be expected, no premature closing, flopping about or anything. The saw, she did say, was a touch tight, but that she believed was due to the new screws that were installed. I would think that would loosen up over time with use- but is a non-issue as it's my least used tool on this unit. It's used mostly for IT work, and adjusting small engine carbs, so the saw is a moot point.

She is sending it out today, and emailing me the tracking info as soon as it is printed. LM warranty had me concerned regarding sending in any other tools I have, like my original PST... I feel much better now, although it should have never gone this way. Kaylee (Kaylie? sp?) assured me that the "training issues" have been addressed and that everyone who saw what had happened were all in agreement that it should never have been sent back to me in such a condition, let alone happened to begin with.

So I'm pleased again.

[SteveC]

That's great news and the outcome that I hoped would happen.    to Kaylie for making it right     

[Mechanickal]

Making mistakes is human.

Turning it right and learning from it is humane.

Good Job Kaylee!

[Poncho65]

Glad to hear this

[JasonJ]

Can't seem to multi-quote the above, but yes!  I agree! 

It should arrive back to me on Thursday.  I'm glad that not only did they fix it (technically one could see the 6 lobe screws now as an upgrade, since now I can adjust tightness and disassemble myself if I should wish to), but I'm VERY PLEASED that they retrained the person who did this to begin with.  I would absolutely HATE to see anyone else have to see this happen to them because LM failed to train someone, twice. 

The fact that they too were aghast at the tools condition upon it's return is promising.  I think that says a lot as to their loyalty to the brand, and wanting them all to be perfect and functional for the end user. 

[Aloha]

Its one thing to foul up, its a whole other thing to simply say "oh well we tried".  LM and in particular Kaylee deserve  for taking it personal.  In fact it is personal.  We fans and users of LM products expect a certain level of craftsmanship.  When that fails to materialize and we have to use the warranty we expect them to step up.  Its unfortunate how this initially played out however retraining and Kaylee personal involvement may prove to be just what LM needed.