Spirit, Blast and Wave Showdown

[Buzzbait]

I’ve been using a Victorinox Swisstool Spirit for the last few years, ever since it first came to the US. I got in on that early Amazon deal, buying the Spirit for an amazing $38.00. The Spirit immediately displaced the Leatherman Pulse, and has served me quite well. My only reasons for even looking at other multitools are twofold. First, I’m just a bit curious about some of Leatherman’s more modern offerings. Second, I got really pissed off at the Spirit’s file the other day, and it’s inability to serve as a proper nail file. So I picked up two Leatherman tools this weekend, a Blast and a Wave. I chose these models because they have the main tools that I truly desire, a knife, a file, a wood saw, and a pair of scissors. I’ll lay down a number of observations I’ve made, comparing these tools to each other, and to the Spirit.

The first is a pure matter of bulk. Even though the Blast is lighter than the Spirit, both the Blast and the Wave both seem more bulky than the sleekly styled Spirit. This also goes for the included sheaths. The Wave’s leather sheath is a wonderful design, with extra pockets, but it is a bit large in comparison. The Blast’s sheath leaves no wasted space, but it is a particularly lousy sheath. The leather is cheap, the construction is cheap, and the tool gets hung up on the rivets on insertion. The Spirit’s sheath is a very tight fit, but it works wonderfully, and leaves a very small footprint. The only down side of the Spirit sheath is the fact that it rides a bit high and tight, sometimes poking into your belly fat. The Wave sheath is much more comfortable, and gives you the option of either vertical or horizontal carry. Beware though, as the horizontal carry option requires a smaller than usual belt. I tried all of my belts at home, and none of them were small enough. If only I had some of those skinny belts left over from the 1980’s.



From a fit and finish standpoint, the Spirit is the obvious winner. Everything is very shiny, and operates as smoothly as silk. Victorinox has the manufacturing down to a science. Then again, they’ve been doing it for about a hundred years longer than Leatherman. The Blast is a bit tight, but should break in nicely. The Wave has the worst fit of the lot, leaving scratch marks everywhere, including the plier head, as it breaks in. The Wave has one more issue. The detents on the outside accessible blades are not very good. They do not hold the blades in the closed position very securely. I can tap the tool on my knee a few times, and cause the blades to begin to open. This should not be a huge issue, unless you plan on using a pocket clip, but is a cause for concern. The Wave automatically locks the knife blades closed while the pliers are opened up for use (sweet safety feature), but having the tool in the closed position leaves only a dimpled steel liner detent to keep the blades closed. Shame on Leatherman.



None of the tools have tool clumping issues. This is very refreshing, after years of dealing with tool clumps on my PST, Pulse and old style Wave. Also, all of the tools have locks. I have no idea which lock is strongest, but all of the locks appear to be reliable enough for my use, and all are easy to operate.

I’m not sure what type of finish is used on the Blast and Wave, but it is not the shiny finish of the Spirit or my older Leatherman tools. This new Leatherman finish is nice looking, but appears that it could be a rust magnet in comparison to a polished finish. I am certainly not happy to see this new style of Leatherman finish. It gives you the feeling that it is purely a cost cutting technique.

The Leatherman tools definitely have the nicer plier heads, which are truly needle nosed. The Spirit has a good plier head, but it is not as needle nosed as the Leatherman tools. The Leatherman tools also have 8-inch rulers, where the Spirit has no engraving on the handles whatsoever, other than the company name and shield.



The knife blades are an odd comparison. I like the one-hand opening feature of the Leatherman blades, but that is where the love ends. The edge thickness of the plain edge blade is unusually thick, with an extremely thin edge grind. This leads to good initial penetration, but the blade has a nasty tendency to get wedged into the substrate. This happened to me on some plastic packaging last night. The blade did make the cut, but it took some strength to push the blade through the stiff plstic. The serrated Wave blade was unable to penetrate the packaging properly, due to its utter lack of a tip. The Blast blade performed well on this same cut. The crazy looking partially serrated butter knife blade of the Spirit sailed through the plastic packaging, as if the plastic was not even there. As odd as it sounds, for a utility knife, the butter knife of the Spirit is the superior knife, with the Blast following closely behind. I will be doing some custom work on the Wave blades, thinning the grind of the plain edge blade, and changing the tip of the serrated blade.





I do like the screw construction of the Leatherman tools, giving the motivated owner the ability to play around inside of the tool. The rivet construction of the Spirit is a bit of a letdown. I’m not sure what to think of the Zytel inserts on the Blast. Zytel is good and tough stuff, but the look and feel of the Zytel just makes the Blast seem cheap. The Blast is a tool that should be taken seriously, but it’s not easy to do so.

I love the tool compliment on the Spirit. It has an awl, which both the Blast and Wave somehow lack, and also has this cool scraper multipurpose gadget tool. It even has a sort of a prybar. The Spirit has plenty of screwdrivers, many of which are integrated into other tools. The scissors are not the equal of Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman Micra scissors, but do work reasonably well, and are outside accessible, and not the fold-up style of the Leathermans. This makes the Spirit scissors very fast to deploy, like all of the Spirit tools. Having all of the tools being accessible from the outside is an enormous convenience, which should not be discounted. The Spirit is the speed demon of multitools. It acts like a Swiss Army Knife that just happens to fold out into a pair of strong pliers. The design is shear genius.




The Wave has its “Big 4” as outside accessible tools, with the rest being trapped inside. The inside tools are very interesting. Gone are the bevy of flat blade fixed screwdrivers of the old Wave (known to me as the ClumpMaster 4000). Instead you get two bit drivers. One is this funny odd eyeglass bit driver. I’m not sure what to make of it, but I do wear glasses, so it could come in handy. I’d rather have an awl though. The other driver is this proprietary thin large bit driver. I’m not sure how durable it is, but it was easy enough for me to grind some custom bits this weekend, as well as make a bit driver adapter, to allow the use of normal bits. Keep in mind that the unadultered Wave large bit driver is very short. If you need a lot of reach on your Philips driver, you will have problems with the Wave. The folding scissors are nothing to write home about, and definitely not as good as the scissors on the old style Wave. But they do get the job done.




All of the Blast tools are trapped inside of the tool. This may sound bad in comparison to the Spirit, but the safety value of this design is obviously better than the Wave, where the outside accessible blades have possible detent issues. The Blast also has a real fixed Philips screwdriver. It’s not as versatile as the Wave bit driver, but it has to be less prone to failure. It also seems to work better than the Spirit fixed Philips screwdriver. The rest of the tools are pretty much the same as the Wave, folding scissors and eyeglass bit driver included. The Blast does have a medium sized flat blade screwdriver that the Wave does not possess.




The files on the three tools are all different. The Blast file is the same basic file that everyone has come to love. It is very similar to the file on my old Leatherman PST. The Wave has a standard metal file on one side, and a diamond file on the other. The diamonds rock. The Spirit has a wickedly aggressive file, with the same pattern on both sides of the file. For doing your finger nails, the Wave is the winner, followed by the Blast. Only a martyr to the Swiss would try to do their nails with the Spirit. When using the files as a saw for non-wood materials, things get turned upside down. I tried to cut through a graphite fishing rod today. The Leatherman files did work, but it took in inordinate amount of time to perform the task. Maybe 5 minutes for each file. The Spirit file took about 20 seconds to perform the same operation.






The wood saws all seem to work well. I have no complaints about any of the saws. The Leatherman files seem to be biased slightly for a pull stroke, which is interesting, but I’m not sure if it makes much a functional difference.

I have to say that all three tools are very nice. I could easily live with any of them. The Spirit has that wonderful Swiss fit and finish, and the styling has an artistic European flair, unlike the boxy “bull in a china shop” Leatherman approach. All of the tools are accessible from the outside, which makes the Spirit far quicker and easier to use than either of the Leatherman offerings. It has a nice sheath, and feels great in the hand. The tool compliment is basic, but very thorough. The serrated butter knife is a bit odd, but is surprisingly effective as a utility knife. The file works well for cutting and grinding, but would greatly benefit from a less aggressive side. The scissors don’t open very wide, but are very robust. While the polished Spirit can be a tad slippery at times, you’ll never have to worry about rust. All in all, the Spirit is a great everyday EDC multitool, for the person who uses their tool for all of the little things in life. Much like the original Leatherman PST, the Spirit feels like a companion that you learn to know and love as the years go by.

The Wave is a great and versatile tool for the guy who uses his tool a lot, and pushes the envelope of what can be accomplished with a multitool. The quality of the bit driver is somewhat questionable in terms of toughness, but is quite handy and fun to play with. The downside is the strength of the Wave, the outside accessible tools. One-hand opening knives are a great feature, but those detents are awful. I love the fact that the file and saw are also outside accessible, and the diamonds are to die for. The Wave really feels like you can do more with it, stretching the boundaries of what a medium-sized multitool should be capable of doing. It feels less like an EDC tool, and more like a dedicated tool for the home improvement sort of person. It is definitely the most fun to play with of the three multitools, and a nice upgrade over the original style Leatherman Wave.

The Blast has those darned Zytel inserts. It’s really too bad, as it is otherwise a good tool. It has less to “not like” than either of the other tools. It does not do anything great, but it does do everything well. The tool compliment is very conservative, but very strong. The design is nothing fancy, and is certainly not “forward thinking”. It is the classic boxy multitool design, but with a more solid compliment of tools than most other multitools on the market. The only odd eccentricity is the eyeglass bit driver, which really should have been left out, and an awl added in its place. I’m not sure if the Blast is really much of an upgrade over the Leatherman Pulse, other than the fact that the tools are non-clumping, and that it has a wood saw. The Pulse seems more compact, more robust, has the wonderful diamond file, and is of overall higher quality.

I think that all three tools will make their way into use. The Spirit will continue to compete with the Leatherman Pulse as the “Dad tool”, as my wife puts it. The tool that Dad always has with him, which seems to be more and more needed as my daughter grows up. The Wave will likely become my “around the house and weekend tool”, as something more versatile than the other multitools for home repair jobs. The Blast will probably become my outdoor multitool. It is a very safe tool, with a good solid tool compliment. I may grind down one of the Blast flathead screwdrivers though, just to get a bushcrafting awl out of the deal.

[Gareth]

What an excellent comparison and write-up.    I need to get my hands on a Spirit.

[MultiMat]

Great write up & photos buzz.I was only just wondering tonight whilst looking at my Super Bear Jaws , how effective is the saw edge found on most files. Great test of the file saw   . I would like to get a Spirit one day , but even after your positive & valid comments about the 'butter knife' , I still want one of those new Spirits with a standard main blade   . But at $38 I would jump at any Spirit  
Nice work mate  

[zepla]

Good write up and pictures indeed 

[David Bowen]

Buzzbait writes some good stuff, I have been reading his posts on Bladeforums for years. Seems like a heck of a guy and I am glad he joined us over here for tool and knife discussions. Glad to have you aboard buddy!! 

[Nikos]

Great writeup dude. A bit Spirit-biased, though, don't you think? Well... good for you!

Anyway, fyi the nylon Charge sheaths are more "forgiving" wrt horizontal carry and will easily fit 4cm (1.5'') belts.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Great write up and pictures mate

And I'm glad the Spirit is working out for you

[gafftapegreenia]

I think it was a bit Spirit biased 

But then again I'll be defending the Blast till my death.

[Buzzbait]

I think it was a bit Spirit biased 

But then again I'll be defending the Blast till my death.

Maybe a bit Spirit based, but it's hard not to do that. The Blast and the Wave have a ton of tools in common, and it would sound funny repeating the same stuff for both the Blast and the Spirit. It would have gotten even more lopsided if I'd gone into can and bottle openers and stuff. Also....... The Spirit just has more tools!!!!!! 

There is definitely nothing wrong with defending the Blast. It's an awesome tool. It's cheaper than the others, lighter than the others, and has no real drawbacks, unlike the other tools. It also has what I consider to be the four tools that should be on all multitools; the knife, saw, file and scissors. If I had to pack one of these tools into my bug-out-bag for the awful end of the world scenario, it would probably be the Blast. It would just get packed with a real sheath, and not that black thing that came in the Leatherman box, and have a flathead ground down into an awl.

It's good to be here. It wasn't until the last couple weeks that I even knew about this forum. I can see lots of people collecting knives, but a whole forum dedicated to multitools? You guys are a bit weird. 

[gafftapegreenia]

I agree those "leather" sheaths are silly. Mine Blast came with the nylon pancake sheath, and I"m ok with it.

[Mr. Whippy]

Good review.  Just a couple things I'll point out:  For motorcycle use or European outdoor gear (crampons, ice axes, etc), a small set of metric Allen bits (or rarely Torx bits) are required.  Being able to put those into multitool is a huge advantage (Leatherman has those bits available).  On the Spirit side, you have to go with the accessory socket handle/ratchet for similar versatility.

While the Vic ratchet setup is extremely nice, it is an extra bit of kit to lose.  I like being able to store the needed bits in the driver and forget about it.

I agree with you about the files.  I am shocked how good the Vic file is.  Really aggressive despite it's demur appearance.

[Nikos]

You guys are a bit weird. 

That's a compliment, right?

[Crouton]

Nice write-up!  I own a Spirit, a New Wave and a Blast and they all have good points and bad.  Overall I prefer the Waves design because it better fits my needs, outside opening blades are absolutley crucial to me.  I would not argue for one second that the Spirit doesn't have superior fit and finish to the Wave, but I personally don't like the polished finish on a multi.  I love that finish on a SAK, but a SAK has  plastic (or other material) scales to make it easy to hold on to.  Overall the polished finish on the outside makes it slippery when wet or oiled and it also gets very grimy whereas a Wave wouldn't show the oil buildup so much with it's brushed finish.  It seems like my Spirit is always dirty and I don't even use it, I just take it out to admire it's workmanship.

I do have one major comment regarding your blades opening inadvertently while closed if you tap on it. I have 4 Waves, a Charge, and 2 Surges and non of the outside opening blades will deploy unexpectedly with even moderate force.  I would be very concerned about that as it could be dangerous.  This could be a quality issue with your unit.

As for the Blast it's a great tool, but with so many benefits that either a Spirit, or a New Wave have over it the Blast just doesn't have enough to offer anymore.  However it is a good solid tool to have in your car or tackle box as an emergency tool.

[cliosguy]

You guys are a bit weird. 

That's a compliment, right?

i think he's in denial at this point

BTW, nice review mate, really enjoy it

[Mr. Whippy]

I do have one major comment regarding your blades opening inadvertently while closed if you tap on it. I have 4 Waves, a Charge, and 2 Surges and non of the outside opening blades will deploy unexpectedly with even moderate force.  I would be very concerned about that as it could be dangerous.  This could be a quality issue with your unit.

I wondered about that too.  The only tool I have that has a problem with a blade inadvertantly opening is my Zilla Jr, which will do this in your pocket.   

[Crouton]

a whole forum dedicated to multitools? You guys are a bit weird.

Weird is a relative term.  I find knives that don't do anything but cut to be much less cool, and much less useful.  Multis are about a usefulness to weight ratio.  Much like people, those who can do a lot tend to be more useful in more situations, and those who specialize tend to be useful less often.  Of course I'm generalizing here, but that's ok, I'm weird

[Buzzbait]

That's a compliment, right?

That is definitely a compliment!!!!  I've been obsessed with multitools for seemingly forever. I used SAKs for many years, and then came my original PST. Then the Wave and Pulse and the Supertool 200 and the Gerber 400 and the Gerber Scout and the 400 other SAKs and the Atwood tools............ I'm obsessed.

I do have one major comment regarding your blades opening inadvertently while closed if you tap on it. I have 4 Waves, a Charge, and 2 Surges and non of the outside opening blades will deploy unexpectedly with even moderate force.  I would be very concerned about that as it could be dangerous.  This could be a quality issue with your unit.

Interesting. That is some quality issue. It happens on both knives, as well as the saw and the file. All four detents are lacking, IMHO.

[Buzzbait]

Here's a quick video illustrating the lack of detent on the Wave.

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/Buzzbait67/Knives/Multitool%20Showdown/?action=view&current=Picture.flv

[Mr. Whippy]

Impressive!  My 3 Waves don't do that.  Agree, that is a problem.

[cliosguy]

interesting ive never seen something like that, definitly is a defect from factory

[Magic Bus]

That's a great write up Buzzbait, well done  I have a Charge,Spirit and Blast so it's interesting to read your thoughts. I got the Blast most recently and it's a great understated little tool.

[prime77]

Yes Great write up. I need to carry my Spirit more often.

[zepla]

I've seen the vid, and never had that with my wave. Contact your retailer or Leatherman. It should not be doing that!

[Benner]

Superb right up. 

[Buzzbait]

I've seen the vid, and never had that with my wave. Contact your retailer or Leatherman. It should not be doing that!

I took some action on the problem this evening. I went back to the retailer and asked for an exchange. They handed me their last Wave. It did the same thing. I decided to return the original. I then went to Walmart, and payed a bit more for their Wave. It has some very stiff pivot action, but the detent on this Wave also fails. I think that this is purely the fact that it has a dimpled detent and not a ball detent.

All in all, the Wave is a great multitool that happens to suffer from extremely poor fit and finish. This multitool just screams to be opened up and worked on. Just an afternoon of work could really help to realize this tool's full potential. Do some polishing of the individual tools, and add some more dimple to those detents. Maybe swap the tiny bit for the flathead screwdriver of the Blast, and give the Wave an awl. Definitely regrind the blades for better utility. I think I'm going to have order up some security Torx bits and customize this baby.

[Poncho65]

That is a great comparison and great pics man but my Wave doesn't open unexpectedly either funny that all the other ones you tried did that as well Don't have a Spirit but I have a Swisstool and it is a nice MT as well

[Styerman]

Super review ! I have noted quite a few Leatherman liner lock issues in the recent past . The earlier one's seem a lot more consistent . I would gladly pay a buck or two more for a real ball detent .

I think the Swiss have the right idea , going with external drivers and the truly excellent ratchet/extension combo . The use of garden variety 1/4" hex bits is a huge plus . The new Leatherman bits /drivers are very light duty, and seem to develop issues . If I was still packing a Leatherman , I would use the Old Skool Universal Tool Adapter ( I use one with my Swisstool and Spirit ).

Once again , a very good and balanced review !

Chris

[J-sews]

Yah, great review/comparison Buzzbait. Great photos too I might add!

[Buzzbait]

I think the Swiss have the right idea , going with external drivers and the truly excellent ratchet/extension combo . The use of garden variety 1/4" hex bits is a huge plus . The new Leatherman bits /drivers are very light duty, and seem to develop issues . If I was still packing a Leatherman , I would use the Old Skool Universal Tool Adapter ( I use one with my Swisstool and Spirit ).

I must admit that I know very little about the Leatherman and Victorinox bit driver options. If I'm correct, Victorinox has two options, one a ratchet and the other a normal driver. And Leatherman has the universal and standard tool adapters, as well as the bit driver extender. Does anybody have any comments on the effectiveness and durability of these tools?

Then there is my DIY magnetic bit extender. It's only as strong as the bit adapter in the Wave, but it works really well. 

[Styerman]

The only Leatherman adapter I trust is the Universal tool adapter ( capable of 45 , straight and 95 degrees ) .

Vic . offers either a ratchet /extension or a straight/90 degree non ratcheting driver

I enclose a pic of the UTA.

Chris