Outside opening bit driver (like the Vic cybertool?) on LM charge/wave/surge?

[Raukodur]

I was thinking about how on the LM surge they put a beefy pair of scissors as one of the outside opening tools, and having owned a surge, and now a charge (which has very small inside opening scissors) I can definately say the scissors on the surge were a lot easier to use, more convenient, and therefore used more often than the scissors on my charge.

So that got me thinking, if a tool is going to have the configuration of outside and inside opening tools, it makes sense for the most often used tools to be placed on the outside, with less often used tools placed on the inside.

Therefore, for myself, I feel that the wood saw and metal file do not need to be placed on the outside of the tool. I hardly ever use them, and even when I would need to, having them on the inside of the tool would be no problem at all, open the tool, pull them out, close the tool and use to your heart's content. I believe this is a difference between the knives on the multitool and all other tools, regardless of use (having said that they are very often used), I believe they shouldbe on the outside of the tool.

Therefore, both the plain edge and serrated knife would be on the outside of the tool, but the wood saw and metal file would be on the inside. So there would be two free slots now on the outside. What would I want in them?

Well, the surge scissors for one. I use scissors a lot more than most tools on my multitool and so having them on the outside of the tool, in an easy to open way (unlike the wierd configuration of the inside opening charge scissors) would be a step in the right direction.

What about the last tool? Well, thats where the title of this thread comes in. I was wondering why LM didnt create a bit driver similar to the one on the Vic cyrbertool SAK. So it would have a long shaft, but it needn't be round, especially if Vic want it to only take their flattened bits, it can be quite thin and so not take up too much lateral space. I believe a chunk of the handle would need to be missing where the end of the bit driver would rest when in the closed state, but I think it could be made quite well to look good and work well. The bit driver is used a lot, epsecially since it is jsut that, a bit driver, and so you can swap out the tool at the end for what you need. By having it on the outside of the tool, with a relatively long shaft, it would be much more convenient.

I dunno, just an idea I had this morning, doubt it will ever happen, at least not in the forseeable future, but what do you guys think about it? Mad ramblings, or possible alternative to the current set up we see on the LM wave/surge/charge models?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well, you are missing one important fact about the Surge/Charge/Wave design- there isn't room for full length tools inside, which is why there are only screwdrivers, can openers and the like in there.Longer tools like the files and saws either have to be on the outside or omitted entirely.

What I'd like to see is Leatherman to stop putting security bits on them so users can switch the blade and saw positions so that left handed people can use them as well.  I'm not a lefty, but I see that as the biggest design flaw on them.

As for a flattened bit driver on the outside, that sounds like a good idea.  I'd be in support of that.  Of course Leatherman could make a bit driver similar to the one that has been appearing and disappearing on their site () only with a t-shank on it so it fits in the existing saw bracket found on the Surge, so that way you wouldn't have to choose one over the other.

Def

[Raukodur]

Ah yes, my mistake about placing the saw and the file on the inside of the tool, looking at my charge I can see that the plier heads take up all the space inside the handles, there isnt space for the saw or file.

Having said that though, both the saw and file are very thin implements, increasing the width of the tool by a few millimeters to allow them to be placed inside the handles and slot next to the plier heads when the tool is closed would not be too much of a price to pay for freeing up two outside opening slots.

About having a bit driver that could slot into the blade exchanger like the one on the surge, the problem with that is that I am not sure about the amount of torque it could take. I think everyone would feel more comfortable if this was a permanently, strongly mounted tool, especially since it is one of the most often used and useful tools on a multitool.

[J-sews]

I think a Cybertool driver in one of the outboard slots would be a great idea! (Permanently mounted though, as I agree with Raukodur about the torque requirements.)

For me personally, the ideal four long-length, outboard tools would be:

• One-hand opening plain edge knife blade
• Diamond file blade
• Cybertool bit driver
• Surge style scissors

I'm leaving out the serrated knife blade (rarely use it) and the saw blade (never use it), but I imagine everyone's needs are different.
Bob