For as long as Leatherman tools have existed, people have been trying to take them apart. Be it for maintenance or modification, Leatherman tools cannot be left alone. Understandably, Leatherman wants fewer warranty claims, to keep costs down, and it will not help if people disassemble their tools, mess them up, and send them in for repair. Thus, measures have been taken by Leatherman to limit their tools being disassembled. Security torx, peened pins, warnings that modification will void the warranty, and pertaining to this thread's subject, proprietary knurled screws.
Still, as tools are being used, some maintenance will be required, and seeing how implements are compatible across multiple tools, people have been looking for ways to get in there.
In September of 2015, forum member loki-mobile came to the rescue, offering these little wrenches, specifically for those pesky knurled screws. Many different designs are available, even for other brands, but here I will be covering only the standard and light wrenches.
Dimensions and other infoShow content
They are available for purchase here (New members will need five forum posts in order to have messaging privileges)
Material: stainless steel
Light wrenchesWeight: 3g
Length:39mm
Width: 9mm
Thickness: 2mm
Features-Standard 1/4" hex hole
-LM knurled screw wrench #2 (implement pivot screws)
-LM knurled screw wrench #3 (pliers pivot screws)
Compatible tools-Blast
-Bond
-Charge AL
-Charge ALX
-Charge Plus
-Core
-Crunch
-Flair
-Fuse
-Kick
-PST
-PST 2
-Pulse
-Rebar
-SuperTool
-SuperTool 200
-SuperTool 300
Standard wrenchesWeight: 6g
Length:38.5mm
Width: 38.5mm
Thickness: 2mm
Features-Standard 1/4" hex hole
-LM knurled screw wrench #1 (Micra pivot screws)
-LM knurled screw wrench #2 (implement pivot screws and MiniTool plier pivot screws)
-LM knurled screw wrench #3 (plier pivot screws)
-LM knurled screw wrench #4 (MiniTool implement pivot screws)
Compatible tools-Blast
-Bond
-Charge AL
-Charge ALX
-Charge Plus
-Core
-Crunch
-Flair
-Fuse
-Kick
-Micra
-MiniTool-PST
-PST 2
-Pulse
-Rebar
-SuperTool
-SuperTool 200
-SuperTool 300
The light wrenches offer a standard 1/4" hex hole, and two sizes of wrenches for Leatherman knurled screws, the smaller size is for the implement pivot screws and the larger for the plier pivot screws.
The standard wrenches also add the two dedicated sizes, the tiny one for the Micra pivot screws, and the large, for the MiniTool implement pivot screws.
Construction QualityThese are very well-made. The wrench holes are nicely cut, and grab securely onto their respective screws/bolts/bits. The edges are not particularly rounded off, but are not sharp enough to be uncomfortable. The flats have a satin finish that will eventually show signs of wear. Despite their minuscule size, they are quite durable, and are robust enough to perform their tasks without fear of breaking.
Nothing is bent, crooked, unfinished, or crude. The satin finish matches some Leatherman tools. These little wrenches are designed and made so well, that they look like a common Leatherman accessory that has been around for years and years.
DesignThis is as minimalist as it is efficient. The light wrenches are capsule-shapes; the sides are perfectly straight, and the two ends are nicely round. The holes have been punched in the center-axis of the body, with the symmetry lending an air of industry and professionalism. The standard wrenches are cross-shaped, with each arm being a different width. This is not noticeable and the wrenches still look like thought went into them when designing them.
PerformanceUsing these is intuitive. Granted, they are quite small, and since Leatherman tools have Chicago screws, you need a wrench to engage each side of the pivot. Even so, these are very easy to use. They grab on the knurled heads very securely, and offer plenty of leverage to do the job.
They also work very well on knurled screws that have been damaged, worn, or mangled. Even with a few teeth engaging the screw, the wrench is still able to turn the screw nicely.
Things to NoteCare must be taken to ensure best results.
-The knurled screws on Leatherman tools are Chicago screws. You will need a pair of wrenches.
-The Leatherman Chicago screws have a fixed post. Only the screw will be able to turn. The post must be held still with one wrench. It would be wise to research ahead and find out beforehand which side of the Chicago screw is the screw and which is the post.
-Leatherman usually uses loctite for pivot screws, so some tools may be harder to take apart compared to others.
-On some tools, like the SuperTool 300, the knurled heads sit against a flat handle, making them easy to grab and turn. On other tools, like the Rebar, the handles are contoured, so the screws are a little harder to grab and turn.
-Some tools may scratch more easily than others. The wrenches are nice and flat, but users will have to get used to them at first. Some users use a thin layer of nylon between the wrench and screw, to make sure the tool handle does not get scratched.
-The knurled screws may differ slightly even on the same model of tools. Some screws may be a tight fit for the wrenches, and others may have some slack. This will most likely not matter all that much, as the deviation is marginal and the wrenches will still be able to turn the screws.
-Some tools are easier to reassemble than others. Do your research before you take apart a tool. Tweezers and small trays might come in handy.
ConclusionThese are essential for Leatherman tools. Especially for collectors or users with numerous tools that have the knurled screws, these little marvels of engineering will be invaluable. They are well-made, durable, easy to use, and they work on many different models. They are also tiny, lightweight, and thin, perfect for a keychain or any sort of pack. They even have a standard 1/4" hex hole, turning them into hex bit thumb drivers. The two wrenches will be identical, so they can be stacked perfectly one on top of the other, to make driving bits easier.
With a pair of these, maintenance and modification are not only possible, but easy and enjoyable. Users will be able to loosen over-tightened screws, tighten screws that have loosened over time, and remove the screws completely to clean, repair, or even modify all Leatherman tools that feature the knurled screws.
The maker and seller of these, loki-mobile, is a resident of this forum, and a wonderful person to deal with. There is a wide variety of wrench sets available, and loki offers worldwide shipping. Thanks again, loki.
Pros-Compatible with all models with knurled screws.
-Compact and lightweight, but very robust.
-Very well-made, easy to use, perfect fit for their corresponding knurled screws.
-Worldwide shipping.
ConsNone. You might think they are a little expensive, but they are very well-made, and fit perfectly on knurled screws that Leatherman uses on a ton of models.
The only caveat is that irreversible modification of Leatherman tools will most likely void the warranty.
They are available for purchase here (New members will need five forum posts in order to have messaging privileges)
Leatherman spare parts offered by loki-mobile
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