LM tool swaps.

[GMArthur]

  The other night at work I decided to take apart my LM Super Tool. Near the pivots on the handle tools there was some buildup and a small bit of rust. Nothing a good bit of spit and polish wouldn't take care of. Well it turned into quite a project. Those knurled bolts are awful. Rather than fight with them every time I take it apart, I went into the machine shop and used the bench grinder to remove the knurled bolts and punched out the pivots.

 I've got a couple of 3/16" pivots on the way to replace the factory ones I ground off. Nice button head, hex bolts ones. Now on to my question. Are there any other LM tools that used the same locking system as the original Super Tool? I was looking to see if I could drop in parts swap with another model. Seeing as how it will soon be a snap to take apart my ST just wondering if I had any options. Scissors and a diamond file are about all I would really like to add. I hate bit drivers. Thanks for any info you guys have.

Greg

[hawkchucker]

I am really interested in seeing the end product. I have toyed with the Idea of doing this on a older tool, and have no Idea how it would turn out. Good luck and remember to post pics.

Maybe even a toutorial.

[J-sews]

Other Leatherman tools with a similar lock notch on the blades would be the Super Tool 200 and the Pulse. Disassembling a Pulse would give you your diamond file and scissors.

Concern: I'm relatively sure the 3/16" pivot hole is the same on both tools, but what about the location of the lock notch relative to the pivot hole? Would the Pulse diamond file lock notch align properly with your Super Tool's lock?

One other thought: SOG blades have 3/16" holes and a lock notch, and are available as individual accessories. Maybe they would work on a Super Tool? 

[GMArthur]

I don't have a pulse but I might be getting one if it matches up.

I don't have my pivots yet but I'll try putting my LM tools in the SOG Powerlock and see if it matches up. I would guess if the LM works in the SOG the inverse should also work. Pics to follow if everything works out.

[J-sews]

I've been wondering about that SOG-parts-in-a-Leatherman thing for awhile now, but haven't gotten around to trying it myself. Looking forward to hearing if it works out! 

[GMArthur]

Ok here's what I've found out. The SOG pivots are a perfect match for the Super Tool's. I assembled my ST using the pivots from the Powerlock and everything worked great. I took out the LM file and put the SOG file in its place. There was a little bit of vertical play when the file was in the open/locked position. This is due to a slightly larger lockbar cutout. I don't think this would affect anything during use as I couldn't get the lock to fail, but there is a bit of play.

Pic of SOG pivot and file in my LM ST.


Things were not so nice when I tried to put the LM tools into the SOG. The first problem is that the SOG tools have a lockbar cutout for the open and closed positions. The LM tools do not. Unless you wanted to cut some into the LM tools they will not fit in the closed position. Also the SOG has a thicker lockbar and will not fit into the cutout notches in the LM tools, preventing them from locking in the open position. This could easily be fixed with a couple minutes and a small file.

 So if you really wanted to you could put Powerlock tools in a LM Super Tool, but not the other way around with out some modifications. I don't thinnk I would care to put a SOG blade into my LM because of the play in the tools, but things like scissors or files would be OK. Too bad SOG doesn't make diamond files .

 I'll try and remember to put up some pics when my pivots come in. I'm glad the SOG pivots worked so well as that is the same size that I ordered although I got button head hex bolts.

[Benner]

Great little find that.   

[J-sews]

Ahhh, but of course. I forgot about the SOG blades needing a notch in the closed position. Good that it can be done the other way though. (SOG parts in a Leatherman tool)

So if you really wanted to you could put Powerlock tools in a LM Super Tool, but not the other way around with out some modifications. I don't thinnk I would care to put a SOG blade into my LM because of the play in the tools, but things like scissors or files would be OK. Too bad SOG doesn't make diamond files .

No SOG diamond files, and their scissors are not exactly my favorite either. 

[WhichDawg]

Very nice! Since most companies (except SOG) don't listen to us and put easy to switch out pins, I'll probably do this to many of my MTs in the near future, all this helps 

[WhichDawg]

I feel the same way J-sews, but I don't use the scissors much anyway; much rather have a web cutter.

[J-sews]

Thinking about that wider lock notch on the SOG blades....makes for a sloppy fit on the old Super Tool, but it might be perfect on a Fuse or a Blast? (which have the toggle style locks)

[WhichDawg]

or Kick?! if any tool needs more or different tools it's that! (and I have both, don't make me tinker now!!)

[Leatherman123]

I don't see the point in switching though! The LM file IMO is superior to that on the PowerLock.. It is much longer also!

[J-sews]

I don't see the point in switching though! The LM file IMO is superior to that on the PowerLock.. It is much longer also!

That is a very good point. Which SOG blades are better than their Leatherman equivalents?

[Tsquare]

Hey GMArthur did you order the pivots from SOG or did you order paladin pivot points?  Thanks for the info.

[WhichDawg]

I don't care for the LM clip point blade, nice looking but clip points feel like they can break to easy, spear and drop points are better IMO, no good awl on my kick and blast, others have better can-openers/multitool.

[Leatherman123]

I like the awl on the SOG's... But the awl on the SURGE/CORE models I would have to say are a bit better... I also like the V-Cutter as well.. I have not tried the serrated line cutter but it does look real interesting!

[GMArthur]

First I like all the tools on the LM better than the SOG ones. I was just checking to see if they fit. AFAIK Leatherman doesn't make a V-cutter and if somebody really wanted one in the Super Tool now they know it will work. I didn't realize that LM Pulses were so cheap. I think I will end up getting one just for the scissors and diamond file.

The pivots that I ordered were from a knife supply site. I'm not sure what the rules are linking to sites selling stuff. I don't have a stake in the company and if allowed I will post a link to the actual product if interested. It's just a standard 3/16" x 1/2" pivot. In theory it should work. If not I could always order some SOG ones now that I know they work. I'd just rather have the button head screws instead of the 1/4" bolts so hopefully they work. Inexpensive @ $2.10 ea. so it is worth a shot.

[J-sews]

(No problem at all posting links to sites you have no stake in.)

[GMArthur]

Super here is a link.....http://knifekits.com/store/s-pages/kk_store_1mainframe.htm?kk_products_parts_main.htm~smain

[WhichDawg]

very nice GMA, check with the boss "Defender" for parts, he's been known to have a few lying around!

[Spoonrobot]

I didn't realize that LM Pulses were so cheap.

I don't know if you have found a different or better source but there's a seller on eBay that sells Pulses for 21.00$ shipped all day long. I just bought another one, they have a laser engraving on the handle but since you are parting it out this shouldn't be an issue.

Let me know if you need the link.

[Benner]

I didn't realize that LM Pulses were so cheap.

I don't know if you have found a different or better source but there's a seller on eBay that sells Pulses for 21.00$ shipped all day long. I just bought another one, they have a laser engraving on the handle but since you are parting it out this shouldn't be an issue.

Let me know if you need the link.

What engraving do they have Spoon?

[WhichDawg]

"Spoon luvs Spork"

[Spoonrobot]

"Spoon luvs Spork"

God, I wish.

They say "Windows Server 2003" (bottom left.)

[Benner]

Same as mine then. 

[WhichDawg]

wow, maybe in a year or so they'll have even cheaper ones and even way more that say; "Vista"

[Spoonrobot]

wow, maybe in a year or so they'll have even cheaper ones and even way more that say; "Vista"

 

I am curious about the seller. He or she always has 4 for sale for the same price, it's been this way since I bought my first one last year. I wonder what the story is on these tools?

[Benner]

wow, maybe in a year or so they'll have even cheaper ones and even way more that say; "Vista"

 

I am curious about the seller. He or she always has 4 for sale for the same price, it's been this way since I bought my first one last year. I wonder what the story is on these tools?

I got mine from Bison in a trade.  I wonder if he got it from the same person

[WhichDawg]

Since the Kick has no locking tools/mechanism you can put many things in it (that fit of course) but the tools that are in it have the notch. I guess they are standard leatherman tools for many of the models. I will put a file (gotta get a diamond one!) and maybe an awl from Sog, a lot of washers in the Kick and that would make it sweet!

Then put an awl in the Blast, by talking out the larger flat-head bit and that would be sweet too!