Is Leatherman reading MTO?

[fb]

I was wondering if Leatherman (and of course other manifacturers) is reading the MTO forums or do we have to contact LM and give our personal reviews?

E.g.: the scales of the new Squirt PS4/ES4 cover the nail nicks of the screw drivers which is clearly a manufacturing error. Should we contact LM about this or are they reading the reviews?

[Andreas]

It's not a manufacturing error, the scales have an indenation in the underside of the scale so you can fit a nail in there. I don't have long nails, in fact I have serious issues opening tools on a 91mm SAK, but I've never had the slightest issue with the PS4 I EDC every day

[Chako]

I agree, more clearance could have been given. If you think that is bad, you should get yourself a Style. 

You can't just go in straight and level with your fingernail on the new Squirts for the Flat Phillips and bottle opener/flathead screwdriver. You have to angle in and dig deep to get that nail nick. I feel had Leatherman cut back the scales a bit more, it would have made them a lot easier to access. Everything else on the tool is a pleasure to access however...so it is only mildly annoying in my books.


As for Leatherman reading the forums...yes, I believe they do.

[Andreas]

Leatherman hardly pays attention to their own facebook page or email account, I doubt very much they read the forums

[AHB]

Leatherman hardly pays attention to their own facebook page or email account, I doubt very much they read the forums

Don't be too sure Andreas... 

[MrCoffee]

Leatherman hardly pays attention to their own facebook page or email account, I doubt very much they read the forums

Funny... they seem to be pretty active on FB....

[Grant Lamontagne]

Leatherman hardly pays attention to their own facebook page or email account, I doubt very much they read the forums

It's amazing how closely the various manufacturers read these forums.  At our first SHOT show visit, employees at Leatherman recognized Bob from some of the few pictures of himself that he posted here.  Hell, I didn't recognize him when I first saw him!

Also, the in depth discussions we've had with folks at Gerber, SOG, Victorinox, Wenger, and CRKT have proven that they keep a pretty close eye on what happens here.  In fact, Gerber has told us flat out that it's because of the interest shown here that they decided to put the Shard into production.

Just because they don't always respond or make the changes you want to see doesn't mean they aren't here paying attention to what people say.

Def

[fb]

It's not a manufacturing error,

Ok, but you will agree it's a design error?

Problem with the Style (CS?) is: the nail nick is way too close to the pivot.

These are very small problems, but it would be nice if LM would change the design of these tools thanks to this feedback.

[Andreas]

It's not a manufacturing error,

Ok, but you will agree it's a design error?

Problem with the Style (CS?) is: the nail nick is way too close to the pivot.

These are very small problems, but it would be nice if LM would change the design of these tools thanks to this feedback.

As I said, I don't have any issue with the scales, so if you ask me it's a design error that they're not all that way.

[Mercury]

As someone with fast-growing fingernails, I tend to trim mine a lot, which means that at different times my nails are too short to get at some LM nail nicks, while other times I don't even need a wire stripper, my nails do it fine!  I can't stand the tiny spaces that Manufacturers allow for nails these days, but it would seem they have pretty much been that way for a while.  My ST200 phillips head had a nail nick, but in order to get to it, I had to open the tools adjacent to it because there was no way to get any fingernail down in there at all.  I think it is a design error, and all Manufacturers need to address it. 

As far as LM reading these forums, I would bet my collection that someone from LM is on here pretty often.  It would not be advisable to any company to overlook such a concentrated base of customers.

[sawman]

There's no saying for sure one way or the other if Leatherman is monitoring our forum or if they are; if it has any influence on their activities.  I don't know what percentage "we" make up of their sales base.  BUT I think it would be in their best interest to pay attention to MTO and not just for LM but the other brand names as well.  Just consider all the people out there who would join us if they had access to a computer or if they knew about us.  Also consider that for the registered users here and even beyond that the lurkers; we/they don't often just buy one multitool but many, so if I were to take a stab at it we may make up anywhere between 1% and 5% of some of these manufacturers buyers...

[Gareth]

  Given the size of the worldwide market for most of these companies I doubt we represent more than a drop in the ocean.  However we are very keen on MT deign and use, so our feedback is hopefully helpful. 
  I do believe one of the reasons Gerber put a proper Phillips driver on their latest designs was partly due to our constant whinging anout the flat Phillips.
  It's also a good reason to be politely critical of any design issues you may have, design teams are unlikely to visit a forum where they get called idiots, or worse.

[Mercury]

 
  It's also a good reason to be politely critical of any design issues you may have, design teams are unlikely to visit a forum where they get called idiots, or worse.

Couldn't have put it better myself.  Sometimes folks forget that the PST was both a HUGE success and HUGE bundle of design flaws bundled into one.  All mistakes lead to improvements(I think  )

[fb]

Given the size of the worldwide market for most of these companies I doubt we represent more than a drop in the ocean.

Leatherman, Victorinox and Wenger are considered very high quality instruments in Europe. But China is growing in their copying market. And these copies are getting better and better. So it is not really a matter of MTO being a drop in the ocean. It is more a matter of LM etc. maintaining their high level of quality thanks to feedback from us.

[Andreas]

It's also a good reason to be politely critical of any design issues you may have, design teams are unlikely to visit a forum where they get called idiots, or worse.

While that is true, I can also tell you from experience that a company is less likely to be called idiots if they are ACTIVE on leading product forums. A lot of complaints are harsh because people believe it won't make the slightest bit of difference anyways. On another website I'm on, we know of quite a few companies who read the forum passively, but only a couple that has representatives on the forum, and only one of those is really all that active. It has definitely changed the discussions around that brand to the better, yet without anyone being afraid to point something negative out to the man.

My point is that to me it makes no difference whether Leatherman reads the forum or not up until the point they actually get involved. Forums can be an epic resource for any company, and there are even examples of companies built around a consumer base on a single forum. Examples: head-fo (audio), candlepowerforums (flashlights).

[J-sews]

It's also a good reason to be politely critical of any design issues you may have, design teams are unlikely to visit a forum where they get called idiots, or worse.

While that is true, I can also tell you from experience that a company is less likely to be called idiots if they are ACTIVE on leading product forums. A lot of complaints are harsh because people believe it won't make the slightest bit of difference anyways. On another website I'm on, we know of quite a few companies who read the forum passively, but only a couple that has representatives on the forum, and only one of those is really all that active. It has definitely changed the discussions around that brand to the better, yet without anyone being afraid to point something negative out to the man.

My point is that to me it makes no difference whether Leatherman reads the forum or not up until the point they actually get involved. Forums can be an epic resource for any company, and there are even examples of companies built around a consumer base on a single forum. Examples: head-fo (audio), candlepowerforums (flashlights).

True enough, but regardless, a point can be made without resorting to name-calling. And I think that a manufacturer is more LIKELY to get involved on a site where the language is not so harsh.

[Andreas]

Of course, but the point made here was that companies won't visit sites with name calling, while at the same time sites where they actively visit msot likely won't have name calling. Chicken and the egg :p

As I've said several times though, I think LM has a LONG way to go before their online presence can compete with the best. Possibly lurking around forums and randomly visiting their own Facebook page every now and then simply isn't enough to earn them any merit badges. I think they need to hire people who are interested enough in the company to be willing to do this on their own time. Any number of people on this forum, if they'd worked for LM, would gladly visit various forums as a member simply because they love their job and want to do it well, and are not too concerned with having everything be done on company time. Many companies have people like that. Heck, I've worked places with people like that. I was like that myself when I worked those places, even. It's the difference between having customer support and supporting the customers.

[sawman]

Whether they read the forums or not doesn't mean they're not listening to their customers.  They probably receive a good number of emails and some letters with comments/suggestions about their products.  I think the best way to show them the importance of getting involved with our forum is to have more group-buys of MTO engraved/lazered multitools and show them a solid customer base.

[Mercury]

Whether they read the forums or not doesn't mean they're not listening to their customers.  They probably receive a good number of emails and some letters with comments/suggestions about their products.  I think the best way to show them the importance of getting involved with our forum is to have more group-buys of MTO engraved/lazered multitools and show them a solid customer base.

Now that's a novel idea, an actual IDEA from someone!  I agree 100%, we can show our importance by letting them know it's us buying their tools.  Victorinox/Wenger and Gerber already listen to Def quite a bit, maybe we could influence LM a bit more.  I love LM tools personally, and really support the idea of them being on the forum. 

[evil510]

In speaking with a reliable insider of the multitool industry, I can tell you that not just Leatherman lurks these forums, but the other big manufacturers do as well. They may not directly interact with the forum or make their presence known but they are here......

[specgrade]

 I thought EVERYONE read MultiTool.org. 

[AHB]

I thought EVERYONE read MultiTool.org. 

Good man 

[Grant Lamontagne]

In speaking with a reliable insider of the multitool industry, I can tell you that not just Leatherman lurks these forums, but the other big manufacturers do as well. They may not directly interact with the forum or make their presence known but they are here......

They prefer not to interact with people on the forum so they can get more honest feedback.

Def

[Pacu]

Hello Leatherman

great tools need a great sheath to hold them...

i'll pay for it ifinya make it

[MultiMat]

Leatherman were is my 10th Anniversary PST  .
For services rendered , promoting alternate use of a Flair's Cocktail Fork  . 

[BIG-TARGET]

Leatherman hardly pays attention to their own facebook page or email account, I doubt very much they read the forums

It's amazing how closely the various manufacturers read these forums.  At our first SHOT show visit, employees at Leatherman recognized Bob from some of the few pictures of himself that he posted here.  Hell, I didn't recognize him when I first saw him!

Also, the in depth discussions we've had with folks at Gerber, SOG, Victorinox, Wenger, and CRKT have proven that they keep a pretty close eye on what happens here.  In fact, Gerber has told us flat out that it's because of the interest shown here that they decided to put the Shard into production.

Just because they don't always respond or make the changes you want to see doesn't mean they aren't here paying attention to what people say.

Def

My theory: They do read this forum.  Where do you think the Style CS came from.  Since I know a number of us asked for a Skeletool with scissors instead of pliers

[specgrade]

Leatherman were is my 10th Anniversary PST  .
For services rendered , promoting alternate use of a Flair's Cocktail Fork  . 
(Image removed from quote.)

 Jeez dude, give a bloke a warning before you go posting like that   

[Mercury]

Leatherman were is my 10th Anniversary PST  .
For services rendered , promoting alternate use of a Flair's Cocktail Fork  . 
(Image removed from quote.)

I made the mistake of letting my wife see this.  She has encouraged me not to buy any MT's from you...   

[Andreas]

Reminds me of the guy who posted a pic of him shaving as the LM Facebook contest pic.... xD