Let’s fix the Bonds KNIFE BLADE ISSUE.

[Captain Hook]

I have not yet gotten the opportunity to purchase a new Leatherman Bond, but I’ll be honest I’m leery of spending 50 big ones on a tool that many are saying is unsafe for use. I reached out to Leatherman Tool Group on Facebook with my concerns and hope others do the same. This is not the QC I’ve come to expect from such a prestigious name in the Multitool Realm.

[Captain Hook]

I’m sure if enough of us make our voices heard Leatherman will do right by the consumers.

[SteveC]

Good plan, I wonder if they will listen ?

[Poncho65]

Until someone gets hurt and tries to sue... probably not but that is just the way the world goes around

I really do hope they just fix it in the next run and the first run ones get sent back slowly over time without causing many injuries though 

[SteveC]

I sent a message and also posted on a couple of their Bond posts,

My fix for now

[nitram]

Safety rules are written in blood....

With careful use I don't believe this to be a big problem but we all know that moment where we try to fix something quickly and pay a little less attention. I hope LM will address this in future releases, the Bond is too great not to fix.

[badwolf]

Video with a novel Free style magnetic blade retention.

[Poncho65]

That is a good fix Neodymium magnets have so many awesome uses

[SteveC]

Where to get a magnet like that ?

[Poncho65]

Harbor Freight has bigger ones in packs of 5 or so but Lee Valley may have them in smaller sizes

[Poncho65]

Lee Valley Magnets

They also have lots of awesome tools as well I haven't bought from them in a while but they have quality stuff

[SteveC]

Found some here as well, not sure I'm going to order any or not.   

https://www.kjmagnetics.com/products.asp?cat=1&scri=7

[Chako]

Saw that title of the video...

You know there is something wrong when you have to fix your new multi

[Sea Monster]

Obviously someone has to be the guinea pig (are we still using them for testing?) but this is why I never buy the first run of anything, a big chunk of the development loop is throwing it out to the public and letting feedback/complaints/litigation/fatalities decide how to proceed.

Whether it's a car, a video game, or a multitool - I've got no stomach for the Series I

(At least with Video games they do Beta releases, and possibly discount early adopters/pre purchase people as a bit of a "We know you're part of the development cycle, so here's a treat" - With some other products (Looking at you xBox, but also almost everything else you can buy) you only find out you're part of the R&D when something catches fire...

On the other hand, if they did a "limited release" of X number of products to whoever based on whatever criteria in order to do fixes for the "main release" in 3 months time, the masses would be jumping up and down complaining about restricted availability and wah wah wah.

So I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.

[Raoul Octav]

Just saying... an international petition to be shared via web link in order to raise awarness and concern and to show Leatherman that we are working with them.
I wonder about that program of them ( wich do not include yet international users, hope they choose me next time ) the early testers, what have they tested and how did this flaw skipped them

[Gareth]

Raised my concern via Facebook, for what it's worth.

Video with a novel Free style magnetic blade retention.

This is what I'm going to try.  Ordered some magnets that should be he here in a couple of days.

[Syncop8r]

Good plan, I wonder if they will listen ?

It depends if it gets past the customer service/social media representatives and to the actual shakers and movers.

Until someone gets hurt and tries to sue... probably not but that is just the way the world goes around

Too true.

As another possible DIY fix, what about somehow adding metal to the inside of the spring so that it contacts the rounded area of the knife blade at the pivot sooner? 

[Poncho65]

I think if LM just adds a bit of metal the the pivot end of the knife so that it touches the backspacing always would solve the problem

Or if one would bend the tab down just a little

[SteveC]

It really is a no brainer for them to redesign the tang. Seems to me like the simplest solution. 

[Steelej1976]

Yeah they need to fix it.  I was all set to go get the Bond but then I kept seeing about the blade issue.  Guess I will stick with my Wave until they make a fix.   

[bobartig]

For diezelle57's neodymium magnet fix, I wonder if the attraction is sufficient to restore the blade to the close position when the knife blade is completely inverted. If it prevents the blade from hanging loose upside down, then I think this is a very complete fix for anyone who isn't bothered by a slightly magnetic tool. Basically, if the magnet will retract the blade against it's own weight, then I would consider the Bond pretty safe at that point. But I also think this isn't a good solution for some % of the population because adding a magnet to one's tools isn't always practical.

[bobartig]

It really is a no brainer for them to redesign the tang. Seems to me like the simplest solution.

I suspect we don't have this because some or all of the Bond blade design is cloned from the Rebar, and this allows them to avoid the cost of producing a separate component with it's own tooling/milling/production pipeline (as well as designing that part in the first place). So, while conceptually that solution is simple and elegant, if you were given a particular development budget to get the Bond production going, a tool blade redesign might not be in the cards. Also, at that point, you are now producing and QC'ing two distinct parts that are nearly identical, but incompatible with each other across various tools. My guess is that is also not desirable from a manufacturing standpoint.

[Chako]

Well if that is the case...maybe a redesign of their spring locking mechanism on the handle itself may be in order to fix this issue.

[Syncop8r]

Or if one would bend the tab down just a little

Would that be OK for the other tools? I was meaning just where the spring touches the knife blade only.

[Syncop8r]

For diezelle57's neodymium magnet fix, I wonder if the attraction is sufficient to restore the blade to the close position when the knife blade is completely inverted. If it prevents the blade from hanging loose upside down, then I think this is a very complete fix for anyone who isn't bothered by a slightly magnetic tool. Basically, if the magnet will retract the blade against it's own weight, then I would consider the Bond pretty safe at that point

Yeah I noticed he held the tool horizontal so that the blade's weight helped it return to the body. I would like to see the pliers held vertically like they often would in use and the magnet tested this way.

Also if you look through the comments, and on his comments in others' videos about the issue, he is very rude. He claims there is no problem and that others are whining, then produces a possible fix for the problem he says doesn't exist. 

[Poncho65]

If I bent it down I would take a center punch and only bend it down on the corner where the blade is I thinknthatvwould help it but not completely remedy it the tang redesign would be the way to go

[Syncop8r]

If I bent it down I would take a center punch and only bend it down on the corner where the blade is

That could work. 
Alternatively (and perhaps less destructive), what's the best way to add metal to something this small? Solder?

[SMLE]

I suspect we don't have this because some or all of the Bond blade design is cloned from the Rebar, and this allows them to avoid the cost of producing a separate component with it's own tooling/milling/production pipeline (as well as designing that part in the first place). So, while conceptually that solution is simple and elegant, if you were given a particular development budget to get the Bond production going, a tool blade redesign might not be in the cards. Also, at that point, you are now producing and QC'ing two distinct parts that are nearly identical, but incompatible with each other across various tools. My guess is that is also not desirable from a manufacturing standpoint.

I have been a product designer 35 years+, both for retail companies and freelance, in my experience you are absolutely correct that solution and the original development are so budget sensitive that the designer is often forced into a corner so to speak, been there too many times, its frustrating, but not compromising on features plus hitting budget and price point is where you have to get truly creative.

[Poncho65]

That could work. 
Alternatively (and perhaps less destructive), what's the best way to add metal to something this small? Solder?

Not sure solder would stay  I think a spot weld would work but getting it just right, without splatter or melting that thin of metal would be the problem 

[hsherzfeld]

I think the best way for Leatherman (and maybe DIY) to fix the blade issue is to cut the backsprings into individual sections, like on the Victorinox Swisstool, or at least cut an individual section for the blade. That way the blade's spring can be bent farther in to put constant tension on the blade pivot while the rest of the tools stay easily accessible.

I don't have a Bond myself, and I don't plan to get one, but if I were an engineer at Leatherman, that would be my recommendation.

For what it's worth, my PST from '99 has the same lack of tension on the blade; the heel of the pivot doesn't engage the spring until the blade is opened slightly past 90 degrees from the handle. Before that point, the blade is basically only held in place by friction against the other tools.