Newbie with Leatherman Charge ?

[cowhidefellow]

Hello all!  It's nice to find a bunch of people as obsessed with multi-tools as I am.

I have a nagging problem with my Charge Ti that I though someone could shed some light on.  Inside both hadles (in front of where the bit holders lay when not in use) a small vertical piece sticks up from the inside of the handle.  This piece is stratigically placed so when you fold the tool the open jaws of the pliers contacts it and push the jaws closed as the handles are pushed shut.  Both of these tabs have broken off of my tool.  Without them the plier jaws contact the inside of the handle and then slide under the bit holders and gets jamed up before the tool can be fully closed.  I've learned to close the pliers first then close the handles, but when I let someone borrow the tool, it all was comes back half shut with the pliers jaw pinched tightly inside the handle.

I know I can send it back to the shop and they will gladly repair it.  I've done that two times now (over a year ago) only to have the pieces break off again 6 months later.  IMHO these little vertical tabs are a weak link in an other wise fine tool.

My questions are: 

Am I the only one with this problem?

Have they addressed this issue on the new tools (AL ALX)?

If they have I'm sure they will give me the same fix if I send it back to them.  Or this could be an excuse to buy a new tool
I hate being without the Charge while it is being fixed knowing the fix is only temporary.

Any suggestion or opinons are appreciated.

Thanks.

[Spoonrobot]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't think I've heard of this problem before. I used a Charge Ti and a Wave for quite a while and never had an issue with the tabs breaking. They are breaking from contact with the plier head on closing?

Seems like you have a couple of options to work around the problem. You could clip/file down the tabs so that they are shorter and less likely to bend but this may affect their function. Maybe you could find a similarly sized piece of metal and JB Weld it to the current tab and the handle, in effect reinforcing the stock tab?

Or you could forgo the bit driver and replace it with a philips from another tool, seen here. Of course, this still leaves you with one tab on the other handle.

Hmm.

Buy a Swisstool?

 

[Rodion]

I'm hardly an expert on multi-tools (or anything with moving parts), but if I had a tool break on me three times you would not see me asking how to repair it. I'd either demand a refund, or exhange for another manufacturer, Charge or no Charge.

[sjdep97]

I would keep sending it back and make them eat it. Maybe ask for a more robust tool without these issues. That's where the Surge or Swisstools come in! Never had the problem you have described with any of my multi tools.

[Dunc]

Hi cowhidefellow I used to have a LM Charge and I bent one of those posts just by closing the pliers . Very carefully I straightened it but was always wary of it . Is this the only high end multi you have or have tried ? It may be time for another LM model or even another brand . Take time to have a good read on this site and it may help you .

Dunc

[Grant Lamontagne]

Welcome to the Multitool.org forum!

I also have this problem with the Ti, and also with the Core.  I don`t have an AL or TTi to check if the problem has been solved so maybe someone else will offer their views on it.

Def

[cowhidefellow]

Dunc - I straightend the tabs afew times too - after the second time or so it just snaps off.  You are justified in being wary of the "once straightened tab".  You may want to take a look at the back side of the pliers jaw and make sure you dont have any nicks or burs that may catch on the tab and cause it to bend again - file or sand it smooth if you do.  I did that after mine broke the second time - a little too late for me.  I have the original PST - bought it back when the guy behide the counter said a "leatherwhat tool".  I had a buck tool for awhile the schrade tough tool and the leatherman wave.  My wife supports my addition cause she gets the old tool when I get a new one.

Def - thanks at least I'm not the only one.

Although I do like this Charge maybe I should look around at the other mfg's and see what they have - maybe it's time for something new.

[Smitty44]

Welcome to the forums Cowhidefellow,if I was you,I'd be sending it back again with a letter explaining the problem,and request an updated model if they can't fix it,although that mod with the philips screwdriver was pretty cool!!!

[NeitherExtreme]

Odd... I'd send it back. Never had that problem with mine. Those of you who've had them bend/break, have you ever figured out why it did? The rough edged plier (described by cowhidefellow) makes some sense to me, though I don't think any of my tools have edges that would bend a tab.

Welcome to the forum by the way cowhidefellow!

[scrappy]

I have had my wave sice 2005, edc it all the time and have never had a problem. I will keep an eye out.

[cyberkid]

The TTi has these tabs too, but I'm not sure if they'll bend with time as I only got the TTi a couple of days ago.

[Teofilo]

Welcome Cowhidefellow! 25 years under warranty as advertised by Leatherman. It looks like a factory defect, and LM should replace it with new one!