Left handed multitool

[65bellett]

Hi Guys I recently purchased a LM Skeletool. I really had big hopes for this tool as it had pretty much every thing I wanted. The size and weight are perfect, the quality is great but after carrying it for a couple of days I just can't get on with it . I am one of the left handed minority and I find it really uncomfortable to use. I have practiced opening the blade with my pointer finger because I really like this thing but it just doesn't work.

I am thinking of getting a CRKT Zilla jnr. Can any fellow Leftys vouch for this tool or maybe reccomend some thing similar that might suit?

[MultiMat]

I think Bob/J-sews is a leftie he might be able to give you some ideas  .

I have a Zilla Snr & I like it , but I am nutty about flippers. Not sure how much smaller the Junior is  the bigger Zilla is quite slim BUT is quite long which makes pocket carry a little tricky 

[rp252]

I liked how my Zilla Jnr felt in the hand but I never used it hard - it felt a bit flimsy.  I was EDCing a Surge at that time which is probably why.  I'm sure it would do a good job though.

Bob compared the two a few years ago: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,5514.msg94042.html#msg94042

[jerseydevil]

I'm also a lefty, and find most OHO tools to be a pain in the butt. I haven't handled a Skeletool, but I was given a Freestyle the other day. I've found it easy to flip the blade open usuing my middle finger. It works about 90% of the time, but the tool is brand new, and once it's broken in I'm sure it'll be fine.

[PyroJames]

Fellow lefty here!    I like the Zilla as well.  It's weird... even though I'm a southpaw, I can do a lot of things with my right hand so I'm comfortable using tools and knives with both hands. 

[65bellett]

Thanks for all the info guys, that comparson by Bob is gold. I think I will pass on the Skeletool to my Dad, a bit of a shame as it is such a great tool

Mat did you buy your Zilla from an Australian Shop? Of the few Army Disposal camping shops I have visited I have not been able to find any body that carries CRKT stuff. I would really like to hold both the senior and the junior before buying unless I can catch the wife in a good mood and then I might grab both

[Threeme2189]

I'm also a lefty, but I use my right hand for all kinds of stuff, so it isn't really a factor for me.
I don't even have to think about opening the OHO blades on my ChALX with my right hand. I just got used to it after a while and it became second nature.
I would give the Skele another week or two, try opening it with your right hand and see if it works for you.

[Gareth]

I'm also a lefty, and find most OHO tools to be a pain in the butt. I haven't handled a Skeletool, but I was given a Freestyle the other day. I've found it easy to flip the blade open usuing my middle finger. It works about 90% of the time, but the tool is brand new, and once it's broken in I'm sure it'll be fine.

That's kinda how I open my Skeletool as well.  Middle finger to flick it out the blade and then thumb to finish.  Not the most elegant way perhaps but it works, if I get round to it then loosening up the pivot should mean it'll just flick open and lock.  Mostly though I avoid OHO multi's. 

[J-sews]

Even though I'm a lefty, I've opened and closed so many OHO knives with my right hand that its become "normal". When I go to open a left handed OHO blade (like the Victorinox One Hand Trekker, or the saw blade on the Leatherman MUT) it just feels strange.

[MultiMat]

Thanks for all the info guys, that comparson by Bob is gold. I think I will pass on the Skeletool to my Dad, a bit of a shame as it is such a great tool

Mat did you buy your Zilla from an Australian Shop? Of the few Army Disposal camping shops I have visited I have not been able to find any body that carries CRKT stuff. I would really like to hold both the senior and the junior before buying unless I can catch the wife in a good mood and then I might grab both

Nope mate I got my one in a trade with Neil. I have not seen a Zilla MT for sale anywhere near me.
Mate you know the MTO motto 'Get Both'  . I have been looking at getting a junior Zilla from US Ebay ($35-$40 delivered) if you got a Jn & Sn should get a good deal on combined postage   

[dbnyc]

I'm also a lefty and have for the most part boycotted OHO bladed multitools for this reason.  I mostly carry a Swisstool Spirit nowadays with a separate ambidextrous knife for a usable blade. 

I was wondering recently however if the saw & blade might be switched on the MUT or on the upcoming Sidekick & Wingman (scissors rather than saw) models.

Sidekick: http://leathermanlibrary.com/thumbnails.php?album=143
Wingman: http://leathermanlibrary.com/thumbnails.php?album=144

[Mr. Whippy]

Also a lefty here.

I OHO the same way Gareth described.  Pop it open with index or middle finger and then finish with my thumb.

The Skeletool is a tougher OHO but doable.  On the other hand, the Charge ALX is dead simple to open left handed. I do it multiple times a day.

Agree about the Zilla Jr.  I like it but it's much lighter duty (along the lines of a Juice)

[Ombudsman]

I am also Lefthanded and don't like OHO or Asymmetrical tools per se, most of the times what I end up doing is swaping hands 

[flapjackboy]

It's more than just the opening of the blades.

There's also the fact that the blade serrations are on the wrong side and the scissor blades need to be reversed.

[Malarauko]

Its such a shame. I absolutely love my skeletool. It must be rubbish not being able to find decent left handed MTs.

[Mr. Whippy]

It's more than just the opening of the blades.

There's also the fact that the blade serrations are on the wrong side and the scissor blades need to be reversed.

Interesting.  I only use serrated blades for rough, or coarse cutting jobs.  Which side the serrations are on has never been a big issue.

Scissors, I agree with this when talking about the full size scissors (like tailor's scissors), but again, it's never been an issue on MT or SAK.  It's not like the bizarre contortions needed to use manual pencil sharpeners and other wall mounted tools.

[Lynn LeFey]

I was pointed this way by Airballrad, from another forum.

I'm also a lefty. I picked up the Leatherman Wingman the other day, and while it has two OWO 'slots', they're not swappable. The tool is asymmetrical, and the thickness of the blade (from cutting edge to spine) is more than that of the scissors. The slots they go into are not the same size, so the blade will not close if you try to swap it out.

Sorry to report this to the other lefties out there, but better I try, fail, and pass it on than others spend their money needlessly.

I suspect that the Sidekick is the same, since they're virtually identical.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Hi Lynn, and welcome to the forum.  It's interesting that this was your first post, as one of the reasons I started this forum was to dispel certain myths about multitools, one of which being the so called One Handed Opening multitools.  In those days though there was just the Wave, Surge and Charge models from Leatherman, none of which were particularly useful to the left handed crowd.

I also found it interesting that Leatherman made non-OH versions of their tools for sale in Denmark (5.5 million people total), yet could not make a left handed version for the lefties or the world.  Experts agree that approximately 10% of the world is left handed which means about 700 million people could potentially be a left handed multitool buyer.

Of course no marketing department would ever tell you that their one handed opening tool is only good for right handed people, so I started this site to inform folks.

Def

[Gareth]

Hi Lynn, and welcome to the forum.  It's interesting that this was your first post, as one of the reasons I started this forum was to dispel certain myths about multitools, one of which being the so called One Handed Opening multitools.  In those days though there was just the Wave, Surge and Charge models from Leatherman, none of which were particularly useful to the left handed crowd.

I also found it interesting that Leatherman made non-OH versions of their tools for sale in Denmark (5.5 million people total), yet could not make a left handed version for the lefties or the world.  Experts agree that approximately 10% of the world is left handed which means about 700 million people could potentially be a left handed multitool buyer.

Of course no marketing department would ever tell you that their one handed opening tool is only good for right handed people, so I started this site to inform folks.

Def

Oddly I was just thinking about this very funny bit of logic just a couple of days ago.   I don't begrudge the Danish (or other non-OHO markets) their own special MT's, but I truly don't get why LM don't offer a leftie Wave/Charge.

welcome to the forum Lynn.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have asked Leatherman about this.  It is apparently easier to not machine a thumb hole into the blade than it is to grind the blades, files and saws "backwards" to use the liner locks on the opposite sides.

Def

[nuphoria]

I forgot how many lefties we have here!

I've learnt to use most things right handed so I can keep my left hand free to raise my middle finger to all the rightist manufacturers out there

[Gareth]

But didn't they have to do a 'mark II' non-OHO blade that had very different bevel grinds on it?  I'm struggling to believe that's massively easier than the work that would be needed to make the blade left handed.  Perhaps I'm wrong.

[Gareth]

I think this video belongs in here.  Just to convince all you other southpaws that you can indeed OHO a Wave if you want.



I will say that it would still be a heck of a lot easier if LM would do it properly though.

[Sparky415]

We need a poll

How many of us are lefties?

Not sure the best way work it

[Gareth]

it's been done before: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,34464.0.html

though feel free to sample our current membership.

[Lynn LeFey]

I think this video belongs in here.  Just to convince all you other southpaws that you can indeed OHO a Wave if you want.

Yup. That's the exact method I've used to open the Wingman left handed. I posted in the thread on the Wingman about that. However, while it CAN be done, it sucks, and only works if the tool is in just the right spot in my hand, and my hands are dry, and don't even have too much skin oil on them. Otherwise, it's a fail. I find opening the blade easy as pie in the right hand. 

Hi Grant. Thanks for starting the site. I'm still poking around. Lots of excellent stuff here...

[Sparky415]

Thanks Gareth,
I missed that before, have just voted 

[Grant Lamontagne]

But didn't they have to do a 'mark II' non-OHO blade that had very different bevel grinds on it?  I'm struggling to believe that's massively easier than the work that would be needed to make the blade left handed.  Perhaps I'm wrong.

All I can do is tell you what I was told when I suggested it.  Apparently is it a considerable amount more effort to make left handed versions than non OH versions.

Personally I would have thought it would be worth the effort given the larger number of left handed people in the world than Danish people, but the folks at Leatherman drive nicer cars than I do so they obviously know better.

Def