Leatherman Garage

[SteveC]

[Rich_SD]

It's nice to see another review from someone who actually has one in hand   

[Dutch_Tooler]

I like that he compared it to a Free. I'm not that impressed with how Mr. Crunch turned out though. It seems the small core pliers head could be a nice idea for a lot of force in a tough spot, but the wide and wobbly sleeves make for a suboptimal needle point. Maybe I'm missing the point? Chisel is cool though.

[ToolJoe]

I haven't gone through all the pages but has anyone here gotten a Mr. Crunch? I read an article about it and apparently they sold out of it? 

[powernoodle]

Thanks for the video, Mr. SteveC.  That's the first live shot I've seen of it.

TJ, several of us here ordered 1 or 2 of them.  2 was the limit, which is what I have coming.  Not sure whether to use one and keep the other virginous NIB, or to keep them both unused.  Sometimes its difficult being Powernoodle and having to face these tough decisions.

[gadgetman7]

Just got mine. It’s 9.1 ounces without the sheath and 10.3 ounces with the sheath. For and finish is actually very good on mine. Another bizarre tool choice though. A eyeglass bit driver has been added as a side opening tool.
I posted pics on the owners thread.


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[Rich_SD]

Maybe I'm missing the point?

The point of Leatherman Garage is to be more experimental than production models. Despite if someone likes or dislikes the pliers or if they work well or not, I think Leatherman hit a homerun with the unique pliers.

[Happy Gilmore]

huh, the chisel is just a blade blank that has been cut off and ground down

sooo much of the tool was done extremely lazily.

When I do my full review I will explain why I think the hybrid plier (done in this manner) makes no sense at all. The original design likely was made from welding forged plates together which would be far stronger than something like this which is cast. On top of this it is far to wide to be effective as needle nose in the first place. I would rather A: have a dedicated blunt nose/slipjoint plier or B: have a decent needle nose (and the Free P4 has the worst one imo)

[powernoodle]

When I do my full review I will explain why I think the hybrid plier (done in this manner) makes no sense at all.

The Mr. Crunch plier is intended to be circa 1981, when Tim Leatherman's original Mr. Crunch plier design was pretty crude.  That's the whole point. It would be like Ford making a limited production vehicle today that was mostly Mustang with a "makes no sense" Model T grill.

See the "Meet Mr. Crunch" blurb at https://www.leatherman.com/mr-crunch-833022.html .   

[gadgetman7]

The Mr. Crunch plier is intended to be circa 1981, when Tim Leatherman's original Mr. Crunch plier design was pretty crude.  That's the whole point. It would be like Ford making a limited production vehicle today that was mostly Mustang with a "makes no sense" Model T grill.

See the "Meet Mr. Crunch" blurb at https://www.leatherman.com/mr-crunch-833022.html .

I saw the blurb but I think they only used the idea. Otherwise it should have been based on the Bond. I think it’s just the idea that they used. I also then to agree with Max that it was a little cludgy. But it is supposed to be kind of thrown together so maybe I’m wrong.


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[Adam5]

I think that anything that comes out of the Garage should be judged as if it is a prototype and not as if it is something ready for mass production.

[GearedForwards]

sooo much of the tool was done extremely lazily.

When I do my full review I will explain why I think the hybrid plier (done in this manner) makes no sense at all. The original design likely was made from welding forged plates together which would be far stronger than something like this which is cast. On top of this it is far to wide to be effective as needle nose in the first place. I would rather A: have a dedicated blunt nose/slipjoint plier or B: have a decent needle nose (and the Free P4 has the worst one imo)

It doesn't look like it was a lot of work* (I'm confounded why a redesign of the eyeglass bit holder was done at all, when a full size flat bit holder makes more sense and is a common mod on the Free series.

Why would the extension being cast make a difference? Aren't all Leatherman plier heads cast parts?

*Whilst I understand the prototype concept, this seems like one engineer working in his spare time with what was available, not a team thinking things through. That severely limits the amount of useful feedback this project will generate, which is meant to be the consumer facing point of it. Like the chisel, why would the decision to make a chisel a OHO outside tool make sense on a Free model? By doing that they gravitated towards the knife blank, rather than the blank used for the package opener, which is 80% to being a chisel already.

[Rich_SD]

I think that anything that comes out of the Garage should be judged as if it is a prototype and not as if it is something ready for mass production.

I completely agree.  A lot of people just like to take jabs at Leatherman, so this is just an opportunity for them to do so. 

[MrToolJunkie]

I think this is pretty cool and innovative and I am looking forward to receiving mine next week. All multi tools are give and take to some extent. Never the perfect toolset for all applications and they have strengths and short comings.

[Syncop8r]

I guess the needle nose is on the outside because they are usually longer, however this makes them very thick in order to encase the blunt nose jaws..
I wonder how having the inner jaws needle nose (but not too long) with the outer retractable jaws blunt nose would work out. 

[tosh]

I admit I no longer frequent the forum as much as I used to, but for me this smacks of Victorinox with its special run of coloured alox, in that it’s just a way to generate more cash sales

Pathetic actually

Best thing LM could do is get over themselves and team up with REAL toolmakers and develop a line of multitools that are actually as indispensable as stand alone tools.

For me, LM’s biggest downfall is not creating real Blunt Nosed pliers. I’m assuming it’s because they know tradesman would use them as any other kind of Blunt Nosed pliers and that they would simply not be up to the job!!

Beef up the pins, use proper tool steel and let go of the stupid one-tool-4-everything ideology.

Powerful Blunt Pliers, with a superb blade and wood saw plus the ability to use dual 1/4” bits would be a absolute timesaver.

I don’t need no magnetic handles, flat drivers etc etc

The LM brand (and others) has become so stale hence why my interest has disappeared.

They are mostly just expensive colourful toys and gadgets. I’d love to know what the actual percentage is of sales that see daily hard work…. I bet it’s less than 10%

Most buy on impulse then quickly realise the huge limitations, the tool then ends up in the glove box, sock drawer, tool chest etc etc

A proper tool as indispensable as your phone?? Imagine that!!

[gadgetman7]

You might like the Gerber Dual Force when it comes out. I

don’t think multitools are really designed to replace a daily user tool for hard work, they’re more for “what if” situations or when you need something for a simple task but don’t want to get a tool box.


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[Farmer X]

  There have been times when I have been too hurried to go and get something from the tool box. A multitool, with its pocketable nature, can be awlways at the ready for a light to medium duty task. And realistically, I wouldn't be going camping with a huge rolling tool chest...

[Frenchephaistos]

Speaking of bits, I might be a bit slow, but why isn't it possible for LM just to make a new proprietary bit for the glasses screwdriver in order to eliminate the need of the smaller bit exchanger ? Such a bit would admittedly look really weird not to say ridiculous, but is there any engineering reason it wouldn't work ?

[GearedForwards]

Speaking of bits, I might be a bit slow, but why isn't it possible for LM just to make a new proprietary bit for the glasses screwdriver in order to eliminate the need of the smaller bit exchanger ? Such a bit would admittedly look really weird not to say ridiculous, but is there any engineering reason it wouldn't work ?

There isn't, you can already buy 3rd party bits that act as the eyeglass bit holder, some members on the forums have and use them.

Furthermore there's no real reason that such a small driver couldn't be built into the frame of the tool, looks at SOG's tools like the powerpint, which has a bit driver formed by the closed handles.

[Frenchephaistos]

Especially for the glasses screwdriver, I get it. A small hole is all that would be needed, give or take.

[hsherzfeld]

Speaking of bits, I might be a bit slow, but why isn't it possible for LM just to make a new proprietary bit for the glasses screwdriver in order to eliminate the need of the smaller bit exchanger ? Such a bit would admittedly look really weird not to say ridiculous, but is there any engineering reason it wouldn't work ?

I wish that Leatherman would introduce such a bit, and replace the small bit driver in the Wave/Charge series with the Rebar awl.

[tosh]

You might like the Gerber Dual Force when it comes out. I

don’t think multitools are really designed to replace a daily user tool for hard work, they’re more for “what if” situations or when you need something for a simple task but don’t want to get a tool box.


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Thanks for the heads up
It certainly looks useful, I’ll keep an eye out
 

Whilst I see your point, I do think manufacturers have become lazy
I’m trying to think what screws near me are slotted head….err….none!! Philips/Pozi yes
When was the last time I needed needle nosed pliers?…err, I honestly don’t even know where my needle nosed pliers are?, blunt nosed, yes.. both cars, emergency  tool box under stairs, my bike bag plus toolboxes in garage.

Considering the average cost of a leatherman is over £100 here in the UK, and let’s face it, the only real reason for choosing a MT over a SAK is due to the built in plier head, otherwise a SAK will do just as well. Yet the needle nosed pliers are  damn near useless in my experience. The wire cutters rarely perform properly, the jaw face is feeble in trying to grip often distorting the jaws out of alignment.

Yep, pulling cotton threads, pulling pins or    
Whenever I’ve attempted to use MT pliers for a needle nosed task, they were never needle nosed enough so had to go find proper needle nosed pliers!!

A £20 pair of pliers and a SAK
Will be vastly more useful in virtually every situation I can think I need pliers for.

Let’s hope that Gerber Dual is as good as it looks.

[Rich_SD]

Thanks for the heads up
It certainly looks useful, I’ll keep an eye out
 

Whilst I see your point, I do think manufacturers have become lazy
I’m trying to think what screws near me are slotted head….err….none!! Philips/Pozi yes
When was the last time I needed needle nosed pliers?…err, I honestly don’t even know where my needle nosed pliers are?, blunt nosed, yes.. both cars, emergency  tool box under stairs, my bike bag plus toolboxes in garage.

Considering the average cost of a leatherman is over £100 here in the UK, and let’s face it, the only real reason for choosing a MT over a SAK is due to the built in plier head, otherwise a SAK will do just as well. Yet the needle nosed pliers are  damn near useless in my experience. The wire cutters rarely perform properly, the jaw face is feeble in trying to grip often distorting the jaws out of alignment.

Yep, pulling cotton threads, pulling pins or    
Whenever I’ve attempted to use MT pliers for a needle nosed task, they were never needle nosed enough so had to go find proper needle nosed pliers!!

A £20 pair of pliers and a SAK
Will be vastly more useful in virtually every situation I can think I need pliers for.

Let’s hope that Gerber Dual is as good as it looks.

My need and experience is completely different.  I have flathead screws all around me, and I need needle nose pliers to bend/manipulate wires.  Also, a SAK is too light weight for many of my needs - a SAK would snap if I tried to use it like I use a more durable tool like Gerber or Leatherman.  Don't get me wrong, I like my SAKs, but they're more pocket jewelry than a serious tool.

[Aloha]

Its always interesting to hear what everyones needs/preferences are.  I'd imagine depending on job, hobby, familiarity, etc the tools we decide upon vary. 

[hsherzfeld]

Its always interesting to hear what everyones needs/preferences are.  I'd imagine depending on job, hobby, familiarity, etc the tools we decide upon vary.

How true! I often wish for a Leatherman with diagonal wire cutters instead of pliers or scissors, because in my volunteer work as a robotics team mentor, I constantly find myself needing to cut zip ties. The Leatherman wire cutters are poorly located for cutting zip ties, since you have to get one entire pliers jaw underneath the tie (which is usually too tight to allow such a maneuver). 

[43north89west]

How true! I often wish for a Leatherman with diagonal wire cutters instead of pliers or scissors, because in my volunteer work as a robotics team mentor, I constantly find myself needing to cut zip ties. The Leatherman wire cutters are poorly located for cutting zip ties, since you have to get one entire pliers jaw underneath the tie (which is usually too tight to allow such a maneuver).

I've found the guthook on the Charge's serrated blade to be pretty useful popping zip ties off.

[Aloha]

The LM Garage has such an opportunity to really think outside the box.  If they are interested in limited runs why not do diagonal cutters?  Lines man pliers?  I understand there are some wonderful options already on the market but the idea is these would be MT versions 

[Syncop8r]

I think with their normal tools they are trying to get as many functions as possible. If a tool has needle-nose pliers, they also claim it has regular pliers so that's two functions, plus wire cutters - add another one or two functions (hard wire, stranded etc).
More functions = more marketable.

As Aloha says Garage may be an opportunity to briefly step away from that.

[gadgetman7]

I've found the guthook on the Charge's serrated blade to be pretty useful popping zip ties off.

I have used the gut hook/rescue blade a lot to cut zip ties. It works great.


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