Questions Breaking In A New Leatherman

[BlindFarmer]

Hello everyone. I have a new Rebar and ST300. Both of them are very stiff. I washed them both with Dawn and a soft brush. Dried them, sprayed them with WD40, wiped them down, then added a drop of 3in1 oil. Now, they are still really stiff. Outside of voiding the warranty and "tuning" them, is my only option to simply listen to an audiobook while opening and closing them hundreds of times? How do you deal with hard to open and close Leatherman multi-tools?

[JonesE]

Hi BF, If you are referring to the plier pivot being stiff, then yes, you just have to use it to break in. I have read of some users using a compound to make break in faster. I have no experience with it. For the handle attachment and pivot bolts for the tools, I just adjust them to the proper tension you desire. My recommendation would be to get the proper wrenches for the Leatherman proprietary hardware. For the wave, charge and surge, you will need the correct security torx or pentalobe bits. It’s an investment that will pay off really fast for you if you plan on doing routine maintenance, repairs, or modifications.

JonesE

[BlindFarmer]

Hi BF, If you are referring to the plier pivot being stiff, then yes, you just have to use it to break in. I have read of some users using a compound to make break in faster. I have no experience with it. For the handle attachment and pivot bolts for the tools, I just adjust them to the proper tension you desire. My recommendation would be to get the proper wrenches for the Leatherman proprietary hardware. For the wave, charge and surge, you will need the correct security torx or pentalobe bits. It’s an investment that will pay off really fast for you if you plan on doing routine maintenance, repairs, or modifications.

JonesE

Thank you. I ordered the correct tools. I agree, having the propper tools will help solve the issues. Thank you for the help.

[powernoodle]

Today I received a Coyote-flavored Rebar, and it is super stiff too.  About as stiff as any Leatherman ever, and I have dozens of them.  My take is just to use it as much as possible until it gives up.  I might hit the pivots with Boeshield T-9 which leaves a slight waxy residue, but really mine will only loosen up with tons of use.

[BlindFarmer]

Today I received a Coyote-flavored Rebar, and it is super stiff too.  About as stiff as any Leatherman ever, and I have dozens of them.  My take is just to use it as much as possible until it gives up.  I might hit the pivots with Boeshield T-9 which leaves a slight waxy residue, but really mine will only loosen up with tons of use.

Yeah, the tool is so stiff you have to put effort into it to get it past the plier pivot. I have the tools on the way to adjust it. No reason it should have left the factory like that. However, it can be fixed. I really like the MT300.

[powernoodle]

I really like the ST300.

Glad to hear it.  Strangely, all of the recent focus on the ARC - and the tidal wave of advertising - has renewed my interest in the original gansta Leathermans, including the ST300.  I have been carrying it quite a bit as of late.

[BlindFarmer]

Glad to hear it.  Strangely, all of the recent focus on the ARC - and the tidal wave of advertising - has renewed my interest in the original gansta Leathermans, including the ST300.  I have been carrying it quite a bit as of late.

Exactly. I find myself drawn to the ST300, Rebar, and the MP600. The Arc is very nice, and after I cleaned and oiled my Arc....it finally became slick and smooth. The ST300 just feels old school, so does the MP600. Like they are from an older era of design.

[SteveC]

You will not void the warranty by adjusting your ST300. If the plier head doesn't loosen up with use there ia a way to adjust those as well   

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,86212.msg2340034.html#msg2340034

[BlindFarmer]

You will not void the warranty by adjusting your ST300. If the plier head doesn't loosen up with use there ia a way to adjust those as well   

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,86212.msg2340034.html#msg2340034

I thought that if I tampered with it by adjusting it or taking it apart that I would void the warranty on it. Thanks for the help.

[JonesE]

You will not void the warranty by adjusting your ST300. If the plier head doesn't loosen up with use there ia a way to adjust those as well   

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,86212.msg2340034.html#msg2340034

Thanks for sharing Steve! I had forgotten about this thread.

JonesE

[BlindFarmer]

Here is my answer. I bought the tools to do this with the Rebar and ST300.
https://youtu.be/CuI35xw1zy8?si=sCbaRq8uIrgzZBQP

[SteveC]

Here is my answer. I bought the tools to do this with the Rebar and ST300.
https://youtu.be/CuI35xw1zy8?si=sCbaRq8uIrgzZBQP

The guy in the video learned all he knows from our forum but never gave us credit. 

Remember to heat up the pivots to break the loctite before trying to loosen them 

[Mangyang]

Also lubricating will lengthen the break in process.
Some use something that contains diamond powder to break in the pliers. I wouldnt dare doing that. Pliers will break in with use.

[BlindFarmer]

The guy in the video learned all he knows from our forum but never gave us credit. 

Remember to heat up the pivots to break the loctite before trying to loosen them 

That is just plan wrong. Sorry to hear that. Well, I will give the forum credit then. Oh, I did not order his Etsy tools. I order mine from a US maker multiparts store. Thank you for letting me know. I will use a heat gun to loosen the Loctite. Great idea.

[powernoodle]

After 24 hours of playing with the Coyote Rebar, and having sprayed the pivots with Boeshield T-9, I think there is a noticeable improvement though it is still pretty stiff.  At least I'm not cursing in Klingon nearly as much.  Ghuy'cha'!

[BlindFarmer]

After 24 hours of playing with the Coyote Rebar, and having sprayed the pivots with Boeshield T-9, I think there is a noticeable improvement though it is still pretty stiff.  At least I'm not cursing in Klingon nearly as much.  Ghuy'cha'!

I am being goofy here, but makes the Made In USA not mean much. LOL Hopefully the tools I ordered will solve the problem.

[trichosirius]

I have a black oxide Rebar that had real stiff pliers. I spent hours and hours trying to break them in, and did this over the course of weeks with zero change.

A few days ago I pulled that retired tool out of the drawer and rubbed some Mothers chrome polish into the pivot and worked the pliers for about 2 minutes and bingo, nice smooth pivot action.

[BlindFarmer]

I have a black oxide Rebar that had real stiff pliers. I spent hours and hours trying to break them in, and did this over the course of weeks with zero change.

A few days ago I pulled that retired tool out of the drawer and rubbed some Mothers chrome polish into the pivot and worked the pliers for about 2 minutes and bingo, nice smooth pivot action.

I thought about doing that too. Was not sure if it would come out after doing that.

[SteveC]

That is just plan wrong. Sorry to hear that. Well, I will give the forum credit then. Oh, I did not order his Etsy tools. I order mine from a US maker multiparts store. Thank you for letting me know. I will use a heat gun to loosen the Loctite. Great idea.