Newbie Thoughts On My Multi-Tools

[BlindFarmer]

Howdy, I thought I would share my thoughts about the four multi-tools I own. Living on a farm, I am finding that
I prefer the full size, so called heavy duty models. I wear the multi-tool on my belt in its sheath. Lets start with the Leatherman Wave. I understand why people like it, and why it is a best selling model. I get it, but for me it is my least favorite. Why?, the tiny fingernail grab points. I have short fingernails. I have to open the bit driver, take out the flat bit, and use that to open the tool I want. For that reason, the Wave is not for me.
     Now, to the Arc. When it arrived new in the box, it was gritty and hard to open its magnetic tools. I had to clean it with Dawn and a soft brush. Dry it, blow it off with air, coat it in WD40, let it sit, wipe it off. For $230, it should have been silky smooth out of the box. The reason the Arc is hot right now is because it is the newest and greatest Leatherman. The Magnacut blade gets hyped up, but so was S30v 15 years a go. Once the new wears off, the Arc will be just another multi-tool.
     That leaves the Gerber MP600 and the Victorinox Swisstool X. The Gerber by far has the easiest to open tools. Its loose fit,n rattly tolerances make it easy to use. No fingernails needed. It is so sloppy you can use the pad of your finger. I like that a lot. I believe you could drop the Gerber in mud, hose it off, and keep going. That says a lot about its design. I like the MP600 a lot. Enough so, that I could forget the Arc and Wave existed.
     That leaves the Swisstool X. If I could only own one of these four, the Swisstool wins. The Swisstool is silky smooth once you overcome the spring. Why can't Leatherman do this? The Gerber feels like a "built to be sloppy on purpose" tool. The Swisstool on the other hand is more like precision engineering. The Swisstool is my favorite of the four. However, I have a new Rebar and Super Tool 300 on the way.  I am thinking I might prefer the older style tool due to its design. We shall see. The reason the Surge does no appeal to me is that it is like the Wave but bigger. I bet it still has the same inside tool issues. Fun stuff.

[Grand_Banana]

Good comparisons and points here.     the ST300 and Swisstool comparison will be interesting to see your preference.

[Echotech]

Good write up and I tend to agree with your points, I find the Swiss tool and Spirit excellent tools

I’m a big fan of the Rebar and although I have a ST300 prefer the OG ST, which on the two I have, are loose in the way you describe the MP600

The Wave (v2 - new) was my first LM almost 20 years ago and I still like it a lot but never found it very comfortable in use, unlike the Swiss Tools and ST. I do really like the Charge+ though, even though it’s very similar to my Wave.

[Antti Lammi]

Gerber tolerances are loose and thats why its great tool to use every enviroment cause if you drop it to like wet sand or mud you dont need to clean it but instead just use it.

Leatherman Wave is great tool and was one of the most used MT ( i still carry it even its modded or orginal).
Leatherman ARC is now flagship of Leatherman tools but it doesnt feel it, cause after Free series launch LM has struggled with QC more than before.

Well for Victorinox SwissTool, any current MT cant compete with quality with it. SwissTool has one problem why some people avoid it and its opening tools, those are hard to open if you dont have nails, Spirit improved this significantly cause tools are more exposed than on SwissTool. Also after MX/MXBS versions came it also made opening tools bit easier.


Only Tools Matters

[Djiaux]

Funny that you think that, I had heard the contrary, that the Swisstool is the one more difficult to open and that the wave is very easy to handle even with gloves on. I believe that what people uses to do with the internal uses is to hit the palm of the hand with the wave's handle in order for the internal uses to exit a little, then you can pick the use you want.
That said, I haven't tried it myself. I don't own a Wave but I own a Victorinox and I completely agree with you.

[BlindFarmer]

Funny that you think that, I had heard the contrary, that the Swisstool is the one more difficult to open and that the wave is very easy to handle even with gloves on. I believe that what people uses to do with the internal uses is to hit the palm of the hand with the wave's handle in order for the internal uses to exit a little, then you can pick the use you want.
That said, I haven't tried it myself. I don't own a Wave but I own a Victorinox and I completely agree with you.

I find it interesting too. I cleaned the Wave with Dawn and soft brush. Dried it and added 3in1 oil to it. It is smoother but still not easy to grab the tools. I am sure it could be "tuned" but then you void the warranty. I am thinking if the tention was backed off a bit it would help.

[powernoodle]

Good stuff, BF.   

You could also think outside the box, and go with something like a Milwaukee Fastback (box cutter with bit driver) plus a Knipex Cobra or Pliers Wrench in whatever size works for you.  That gives you a lot of capability right there, but not as much as is crammed in a large MT.  Either flavor of Knipex would be way more grabby and turny than any MT plier.

I think you will like the Rebar and ST300.  For your needs, prolly the ST300 more.  I'm interesting in hearing what you think about it.

Milwaukee Fastback:  http://tinyurl.com/374sh33a

[LoopCutter]

Very interesting!

I like The Spirit X as pretty tool, but need trimmed strong nails to deploy tools.  I have no experience with the SwissTool.

The REBAR is my typical go to since I retired from construct gig.   The REBAR rode by belt while doing retired PT work doing YMCA maintenance.

Before that I relied on my ST300 almost daily on my construction job, installing parking control equipment and maintenance.   Almost every construction site had mandatory gloves policy, besides safety glasses, hard toes boots 6", vests and hard hats.

I could open my tools with gloves and got use to the tool clumping that LM employs to extract items from the handle.  Even used on weekends helping friend with farm, fixing fences, repairing equipment, and handle feed to dairy cows.  Wife is a great cook! And coffee was hot and tasty with cold beer with evening meal.😉

Super tool OG or my favorite the 300 are best imho for working man on a farm or Rancho. If dedicated tools are beyond convience😉

[Aloha]

The tolerances on the Victorinox MTs are great.  Depending on your work environments this tool can become hard to open.  Sand, mud, or different grit can create some issues with deploying the tools. 

I don't have much experience with the Gerber tools.

My Wave/Charge have never failed me.  I don't wear gloves when I work so I am not familiar with issues opening with them.  I do know that I've not had problems opening any tools even with my very short nails and fat fingers. 

I've been using my ST300 more and more for at home purposes and find it a very good tool.  Its easy to open with my gardening gloves.  I enjoy the toolset as well for around the house. 

[colt 1911]

Good stuff, BF.   

You could also think outside the box, and go with something like a Milwaukee Fastback (box cutter with bit driver) plus a Knipex Cobra or Pliers Wrench in whatever size works for you.  That gives you a lot of capability right there, but not as much as is crammed in a large MT.  Either flavor of Knipex would be way more grabby and turny than any MT plier.

I think you will like the Rebar and ST300.  For your needs, prolly the ST300 more.  I'm interesting in hearing what you think about it.

Milwaukee Fastback:  http://tinyurl.com/374sh33a

I’m with you on the Knipex and fastback combo, SOLID!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Steelej1976]

Good post.  I have friends that are farmers and their tools of choice is typically a pair of slip joint pliers in a pouch on their hip or a Leatherman.  I think the ST300 is going to be more to your liking.  I was a Wave fan for years but got tired of getting pinched from the knife blades that it made me not want to use it.  I got a Rebar and never looked back.  The pliers on my Rebar came stiff but loosened up great and are as smooth as can be.  The inner tools can be a little hard to deploy but they are easier then on the Wave.  Also you can get both knife blades out on the Rebar even with gloves on easily.   

Given you have a Buck Vantage like me I don't think you will miss the one hand opening knives on the Wave.  I will be interested in how you like the ST300 and the Rebar. 

[BlindFarmer]

Good post.  I have friends that are farmers and their tools of choice is typically a pair of slip joint pliers in a pouch on their hip or a Leatherman.  I think the ST300 is going to be more to your liking.  I was a Wave fan for years but got tired of getting pinched from the knife blades that it made me not want to use it.  I got a Rebar and never looked back.  The pliers on my Rebar came stiff but loosened up great and are as smooth as can be.  The inner tools can be a little hard to deploy but they are easier then on the Wave.  Also you can get both knife blades out on the Rebar even with gloves on easily.   

Given you have a Buck Vantage like me I don't think you will miss the one hand opening knives on the Wave.  I will be interested in how you like the ST300 and the Rebar.

That Buck is a great knife. It is my go to for EDC. It just works.  With the Blade Medic, you can touch up the knife each week and it stays sharp.

[pfrsantos]

Very solid group you've got there. Count me in for the Vic team, too.

 

[Crunchie64]

I’ve not commented on this, because I’ve been waiting for a used Swisstool to arrive.

It came in the post yesterday, and I can tell you if I had the choice between someone giving me a Swisstool free of charge or paying full retail price for an Arc, I’d buy the Arc.

@blindfarmer, I get your point about Magnacut being the latest big hype, and the tool possibly being a bit overpriced, but purely for ergonomics and ease of use, the Arc (and Free P2 and P4) seem so much better. Not even close.

I can open any tool easily on the Arc one-handed, any tool in the Supertool or Rebar while wearing gloves, but thanks to short, bitten nails, it took me almost ten minutes to dig out each tool on the Victorinox.

I honestly think if you don’t fall in love with the Supertool, you should try to track down a P4. All the tools, no messing about with removable bits, much lower price than the Arc, and great handling.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Just a note on the MP600.

What you say about it being designed sloppy on purpose are 100% accurate.

More military organizations around the world are using the MP600 than any other tool.  That's no coincidence. 

Military contracts aren't able to request specific manufacturers, but they are able to request specific features.  Most military contracts specify sliding head designs, specifically so they can have Gerber's, because up until a few years ago, it was the only one with a sliding head.

When the patent was about to expire, Leatherman already had the OHT designed, produced and stockpiles in the warehouse, ready to go the very second they could legally do so.

To date, I have not heard of any military organization that uses the OHT. 

Admittedly, the OHT is almost three times the price of the MP600 and that has a lot to do with it, since governments don't like to spend a lot of money on individual soldiers of it can be avoided, but...

More importantly, the OHT doesn't have the sloppiness that militaries look for, as the tool is absolutely going to be subject to being buried in the mud and possibly recovered later for use, often while it is still on the soldier.

Like most Leatherman models, the OHT will gum up and seize smurf when dirty, and will rust in no time if not cleaned up regularly. 

Don't believe me? 

Search for "rust" in the LM forum.  There's a lot of experiences there.  And, here's mine:

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,37952.0.html

Crunchie, if ergonomics are your thing, try a SwissTool Spirit- it has far and away the best ergonomics of any multitool ever made IMHO.

But, everyone is different and has different likes, which is great because that's why we have such a large variety of multitools on the market to choose from!   

This place would be pretty boring if we didn't!

Def

[BlindFarmer]

I’ve not commented on this, because I’ve been waiting for a used Swisstool to arrive.

It came in the post yesterday, and I can tell you if I had the choice between someone giving me a Swisstool free of charge or paying full retail price for an Arc, I’d buy the Arc.

@blindfarmer, I get your point about Magnacut being the latest big hype, and the tool possibly being a bit overpriced, but purely for ergonomics and ease of use, the Arc (and Free P2 and P4) seem so much better. Not even close.

I can open any tool easily on the Arc one-handed, any tool in the Supertool or Rebar while wearing gloves, but thanks to short, bitten nails, it took me almost ten minutes to dig out each tool on the Victorinox.

I honestly think if you don’t fall in love with the Supertool, you should try to track down a P4. All the tools, no messing about with removable bits, much lower price than the Arc, and great handling.

Great observation. After I cleaned up the gritty Arc out of the box, it is now smooth. Now that the Arc is like it should have been out of the box, I like it a lot more now. It is still not a $230 tool however. I too have short nails and have to use the pad of my finger to use the Swisstool. I am ok with that because I have to do the same for the MP600 and ST300. As of this typing, my new ST300 is so stiff I have to use something to open it. I do not get it.

[BlindFarmer]

Just a note on the MP600.

What you say about it being designed sloppy on purpose are 100% accurate.

More military organizations around the world are using the MP600 than any other tool.  That's no coincidence. 

Military contracts aren't able to request specific manufacturers, but they are able to request specific features.  Most military contracts specify sliding head designs, specifically so they can have Gerber's, because up until a few years ago, it was the only one with a sliding head.

When the patent was about to expire, Leatherman already had the OHT designed, produced and stockpiles in the warehouse, ready to go the very second they could legally do so.

To date, I have not heard of any military organization that uses the OHT. 

Admittedly, the OHT is almost three times the price of the MP600 and that has a lot to do with it, since governments don't like to spend a lot of money on individual soldiers of it can be avoided, but...

More importantly, the OHT doesn't have the sloppiness that militaries look for, as the tool is absolutely going to be subject to being buried in the mud and possibly recovered later for use, often while it is still on the soldier.

Like most Leatherman models, the OHT will gum up and seize smurf when dirty, and will rust in no time if not cleaned up regularly. 

Don't believe me? 

Search for "rust" in the LM forum.  There's a lot of experiences there.  And, here's mine:

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,37952.0.html

Crunchie, if ergonomics are your thing, try a SwissTool Spirit- it has far and away the best ergonomics of any multitool ever made IMHO.

But, everyone is different and has different likes, which is great because that's why we have such a large variety of multitools on the market to choose from!   

This place would be pretty boring if we didn't!

Def

First off, you said smurf. That made me laugh because it reminded me of Caddy Shack 2. The inept recon guy hired to take care of the threat. He uses "smurf" in a comedic way in the film. The MP600 is in my opinion more enjoyable than any of the Leatherman tools. That sloppy fit is a feature, and I like it. The tools are easy to deploy and you can do it without fingernails. The Arc is getting better once it was cleaned and oiled.

[LoopCutter]

Just a note on the MP600.

What you say about it being designed sloppy on purpose are 100% accurate.

More military organizations around the world are using the MP600 than any other tool.  That's no coincidence. 

Military contracts aren't able to request specific manufacturers, but they are able to request specific features.  Most military contracts specify sliding head designs, specifically so they can have Gerber's, because up until a few years ago, it was the only one with a sliding head.

When the patent was about to expire, Leatherman already had the OHT designed, produced and stockpiles in the warehouse, ready to go the very second they could legally do so.

To date, I have not heard of any military organization that uses the OHT. 

Admittedly, the OHT is almost three times the price of the MP600 and that has a lot to do with it, since governments don't like to spend a lot of money on individual soldiers of it can be avoided, but...

More importantly, the OHT doesn't have the sloppiness that militaries look for, as the tool is absolutely going to be subject to being buried in the mud and possibly recovered later for use, often while it is still on the soldier.

Like most Leatherman models, the OHT will gum up and seize smurf when dirty, and will rust in no time if not cleaned up regularly. 

Don't believe me? 

Search for "rust" in the LM forum.  There's a lot of experiences there.  And, here's mine:

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,37952.0.html

Crunchie, if ergonomics are your thing, try a SwissTool Spirit- it has far and away the best ergonomics of any multitool ever made IMHO.

But, everyone is different and has different likes, which is great because that's why we have such a large variety of multitools on the market to choose from!   

This place would be pretty boring if we didn't!

Def

Good points!

Except your rust link is about a WINGMAN🙄

Nog the LTG precision OHT with short  implements.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah it's about the Wingman, but like I said, search for "rust" in the LM forum and you'll see lots of other models.  LM is well known for it, regardless of model.

If you want the bullet-proof-iest tool though, look at the SOG PowerLock or PowerLock 2.0.  it has the internal tools that clump as tightly or as loosely as you like (user adjustable pivots) and you can also replace things that may get broken.

And the Compound Leverage is nice too.

Def

[LoopCutter]

 Yes Grant, I do understand the numerous in fact hundred of LM and rust reports.

Maybe, IMHO, 20% were valid.  Others are mistaking old grease as rust on pivots that seep, others I discounted as poor tool care.    Your Wingmann is in the 20% valid. The Wingman, Sidekick, REV, Bolster are made of steel that mill rust, the implements are questionable.

My Stainless REBar and ST300 have seen the most action of my tools in my construction gig and continued into the Y  Maintenance job that also included HEAVY DUTY Swimming Pool Maintenance.   Rain, Snow, Chlorine, muriatic acid, Shock and other chemicals have all come in contact with these two tools at different times, in fact multiple times.  They were always cleaned up, from natural elements the end of the day along with my dedicated tools.  The pool chemicals, usually immediately.

My pump rooms air is so caustic, a normal screw drive left laying out will start rusting overnight. Even the tools  in maintenance shop in tool chests adjacent to the  pump room would show the effects if ventilation fan was turned off.

Neglected tools always rust, poor quality tools will rust, lesser quality metals will rust.

Just my 2 cents.   Take care of your equipment, it will take care of you,!👍

[Crunchie64]

  [ You are not allowed to view this attachment ]  

This is my “new” Swisstool. From reading an old Wiki post, I think it might be as old as 1998.

I don’t mind the size and it’s got a decent tool set, I just can’t get them out.

Think I’ll be sticking to Leatherman.

  [ You are not allowed to view this attachment ]  

[Mangyang]

Great Post! Thankfully there is a quite large variety of tools available at them market. So we can choose the right tool for our individual preferences or frankenstein one for our needs if we choose so.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes Grant, I do understand the numerous in fact hundred of LM and rust reports.

Maybe, IMHO, 20% were valid.  Others are mistaking old grease as rust on pivots that seep, others I discounted as poor tool care.    Your Wingmann is in the 20% valid. The Wingman, Sidekick, REV, Bolster are made of steel that mill rust, the implements are questionable.

My Stainless REBar and ST300 have seen the most action of my tools in my construction gig and continued into the Y  Maintenance job that also included HEAVY DUTY Swimming Pool Maintenance.   Rain, Snow, Chlorine, muriatic acid, Shock and other chemicals have all come in contact with these two tools at different times, in fact multiple times.  They were always cleaned up, from natural elements the end of the day along with my dedicated tools.  The pool chemicals, usually immediately.

My pump rooms air is so caustic, a normal screw drive left laying out will start rusting overnight. Even the tools  in maintenance shop in tool chests adjacent to the  pump room would show the effects if ventilation fan was turned off.

Neglected tools always rust, poor quality tools will rust, lesser quality metals will rust.

Just my 2 cents.   Take care of your equipment, it will take care of you,!👍

It sounds like your pump room is about as caustic as the air here!

I have seen brake rotors on brand new cars (I used to handle all the European import cars into Canada) turn completely orange within 24 hours of arrival.

Virtually every Leatherman I own (and several others, but not as consistent) has small rust spots on them- many of which I didn't even notice until I'd taken photos for reviews on the Main Site!

Trust me, it's not just the cheap Leathermans.   

Def