The Leatherman No Stupid Questions Thread

[gregpost]

Ask any question you might have about Leatherman multitiools, no matter how stupid you think it might be.

[MMR]

Ask any question you might have about Leatherman multitiools, no matter how stupid you think it might be.

Ask any question you might have about Leatherman multitiools

Ask any question you might have

Ask any question

Ask any question

any question

must.behave.

must.keep.family.friendly

Pressure....PRESSURE!!

[MMR]

*clears throat*

When is the new LM Free series coming out again?

Have they announced any other future / new multi tools they are going to add to their product portfolio?

[MMR]

Since there has been increasing reports of decreasing quality from LM, both in consistency but also in fit and finish.




@05:40

Instead of checking something like this by hand with a gauge, wouldn't it be a lot more; not only efficient and cost effective but also make quality more consistent to have a machine test tension and TQ on the screws, than having a person do it?

[genevabuck]

*clears throat*

When is the new LM Free series coming out again?

Have they announced any other future / new multi tools they are going to add to their product portfolio?

April 17th. 

They have not.

[GreyFox]

Why doesn't my Wave have Made in USA anywhere on it?

[gregpost]

Why doesn't my Wave have Made in USA anywhere on it?

   In the past Leatherman has sourced parts that were manufactured in other countries. They got into a dispute with the State of California who have a more strict definition of Made in the USA than the FTC does.

Leatherman gets partial victory in $18 million suit


For instance, Leatherman buys European-made files, corkscrews and other components.

The jaws for its pliers come from a U.S. company that moved manufacturing to Mexico.

The plier jaws, and some other imported products, arrive at Leatherman's 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility to be finished -- ground, hardened and polished -- by its manufacturing work force of more than 300.

To appease critics, though, the company stopped imprinting its tools with "Made in U.S.A." about the time of the filing of the class action suit.

[Poncho65]

What Wave do you have (the date codes I mean)? They are inside the handles  either straight down view inside them or up on the walls of the handles

But most likely because parts of it are manufactured,  not here all assembly is done here but some of the pieces aren't made in the USA and at one time California ran them through a lawsuit where they had to take USA off of them because of this they would be allowed to put it back NJ on now but they don't (well not until the nea Free series debuted) and it is 100% made and assembled in the USA

[Poncho65]

Greg beat me to it but I spent a bit of time typing so I will leave it there

[GreyFox]

What Wave do you have (the date codes I mean)? They are inside the handles  either straight down view inside them or up on the walls of the handles

But most likely because parts of it are manufactured,  not here all assembly is done here but some of the pieces aren't made in the USA and at one time California ran them through a lawsuit where they had to take USA off of them because of this they would be allowed to put it back NJ on now but they don't (well not until the nea Free series debuted) and it is 100% made and assembled in the USA

04-13
Thanks for the information. The question came up when I was in a local leather shop that was a Victorinox dealer. He's not a Leatherman fan.

[ThundahBeagle]

   In the past Leatherman has sourced parts that were manufactured in other countries. They got into a dispute with the State of California who have a more strict definition of Made in the USA than the FTC does.

Leatherman gets partial victory in $18 million suit


For instance, Leatherman buys European-made files, corkscrews and other components.

The jaws for its pliers come from a U.S. company that moved manufacturing to Mexico.

The plier jaws, and some other imported products, arrive at Leatherman's 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility to be finished -- ground, hardened and polished -- by its manufacturing work force of more than 300.

To appease critics, though, the company stopped imprinting its tools with "Made in U.S.A." about the time of the filing of the class action suit.

Love Leatherman . Great tools, great company, great story.

Having said that, there is no production that is going to be altered on such a large scale, solely to "appease critics." They KNEW they were outsourcing foreign parts and that they had exposure. Removing "Made in USA" was a step towards mitigating the damage that was very likely coming it's way from the state of Calif.

How can you be a plyers-based tool manufacturer and stamp Made in USA right ONTO your plyers heads, when you know they came from Mexico.  Doesnt matter it was a US company that was making them. The production (the "made" part) was moved to Mexico.

Make me pay premium $ for a "Made in USA" tool, and I'm gonna hold you to the USA part.

[genevabuck]

Why were some tools (Original Wave, Crunch) never made in black oxide?

[gerleatherberman]

I've got an OG Juice Pro on the way and already have the newer style Juice XE6. Do those basically cover the realm of tools on the early and later Juices? I just cannot afford to buy every variation of the Juice line(especially since I don't carry them or like them very much), but am curious if there is a Juice with unique tools not found on the Pro and XE6 that would be a good addition.

[Poncho65]

The Pro has every tool in the series on it and a few unique only to it maybe The Xe6 lacks the foil cutter and....... I can't remember the other tool ATM I would love to collect the Juices but some of those are so hard to find for sensible money The camo versions were only released in the Australian market but a few have floated around the world to some of the serious Juice collectors Good luck on these and I hope you get a good representation of them

[Poncho65]

Why were some tools (Original Wave, Crunch) never made in black oxide?

Maybe they thought at the time that they weren't good for military use only reason I can think of

[gerleatherberman]

The Pro has every tool in the series on it and a few unique only to it maybe The Xe6 lacks the foil cutter and....... I can't remember the other tool ATM I would love to collect the Juices but some of those are so hard to find for sensible money The camo versions were only released in the Australian market but a few have floated around the world to some of the serious Juice collectors Good luck on these and I hope you get a good representation of them

Thank you much for the great info, Poncho!

Seems like the OG Pro and Newer XE6 should have most Juicy bases covered. Though, granted I stumble onto good deals, more Juice may be added to the MT cup, which is always half empty.

[gregozedobe]

Seems like the OG Pro and Newer XE6 should have most Juicy bases covered. Though, granted I stumble onto good deals, more Juice may be added to the MT cup, which is always half empty.

The Juice SX (both Og and Mk 2 versions) has a special tool (" 3/32” fin key" for surfboards or skateboards or somesuch) that I believe is unique in the Juice world.  The Og SX is very hard to find as it was only made for a very short time, the Mk2 SX is a current model. Unless you have a use for a  3/32” fin key I don't see these as adding much practical functionality to a Pro and XE6 combo.  As a collector, well that depends on your collecting compulsions objectives ....   

Another multitool that had a unique component that not many people are aware of is the Gerber Multi-Lite "Ride, Snowboards" variant, which had a special snowboard tool.  Unfortunately it is also very hard to find due to a very limited production run.

[Poncho65]

Thanks for pointing that out, Greg I remember something about that fin key now that you mention it but never really knew much else about it and had forgotten that they made it

[gerleatherberman]

The Juice SX (both Og and Mk 2 versions) has a special tool (" 3/32” fin key" for surfboards or skateboards or somesuch) that I believe is unique in the Juice world.  The Og SX is very hard to find as it was only made for a very short time, the Mk2 SX is a current model. Unless you have a use for a  3/32” fin key I don't see these as adding much practical functionality to a Pro and XE6 combo.  As a collector, well that depends on your collecting compulsions objectives ....   

Another multitool that had a unique component that not many people are aware of is the Gerber Multi-Lite "Ride, Snowboards" variant, which had a special snowboard tool.  Unfortunately it is also very hard to find due to a very limited production run.

Excellent info, Greg. Thank you much!

The Mk2 SX should round them out then. 
Maybe with one other OG Juice addition at some point. The Pro had been the one I had been really wanting, but the fin key seems like a must have for the Leatherman assortment. 

[Sem Maks]

Ask any question you might have about Leatherman multitiools, no matter how stupid you think it might be.

Ok. My stupid question
Why do leatherman put wrong-side-serrated combo blades in their great tools? Are they really so popular?
 IMHO combo blades only good for showing off, not for real work.

[Poncho65]

Welcome to   Sem

They say they put combo blades in tools because a serrated blade will stay sharp longer than a PE blade and the majority of people who buy a MT won't sharpen it and that will lengthen the usable life of the blade for that person

I don't  really like a combo blade myself either wished they gave the option of what type of blade you wanted for a tool with only 1 knife blade

I would pick plain edge every time

[MTFool]

 

[gregpost]

 I've come to love combo blades. They are actually perfect for work imo, if you only have one blade on your multi-tool it's way more useful. I think knife snobs and people who carry multiple knives don't like them. I didn't use to either but then I used one a bunch and now prefer it in many ways.

[Poncho65]

I am not a knife snob at all and unless I have a multi with a serrated blade then all of my blades are plain edge always, so that blanket association isn't correct You just have your opionion and I have mine, I would take a single plain edge blade to work for the rest of my days vs. a combo blade always So YMMV on the combo blade (I have tried using them and they just don't work for me at work)

[gregpost]

I am not a knife snob at all and unless I have a multi with a serrated blade then all of my blades are plain edge always, so that blanket association isn't correct You just have your opionion and I have mine, I would take a single plain edge blade to work for the rest of my days vs. a combo blade always So YMMV on the combo blade (I have tried using them and they just don't work for me at work)

 I wasn't calling you a knife snob it was a general observation that I really noticed when watching youtube videos and reviewers who are knife enthusiasts and also snobs in many ways. They downplay combo blades as a compromise, the worst of both worlds while having a table full of folders, fixed blades, and serrated knives. On the other hand a regular Joe or somebody doing work can use a combo blade in many ways that are beneficial. Yes you have purists who say I can do everything with a sharp plain edge knife, and these are the kinds of people who also pry with their knife, use their knife when scissors would be safer and more hygienic, etc.

 I try to keep an open mind now, so it wasn't my intent to disparage anybody or paint in broad strokes. But that's what I think the knife and multi-tool community does with many things. They just like what they like and don't try other things. Obviously we have our own opinions and experiences, I respect them all but will also not be limited to conventional thinking without giving things a fair try.

[Poncho65]

Thanks for clarifying  I do try to keep an open mind with most things of the sharp and shiny nature as does most of our members here at MTO  I agree that the knife community in general is a lot less forgiving of things than what they should be about most things as well

[Raoul Octav]

I, for once have learned the benefits of a serrated blade in time, uet because i'm not able to sharpen it i preffer and am a strong advocate for non serrated blades, wich can be sharpened in house

[Poncho65]

Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker they are excellent for sharpening serrations

[Raoul Octav]

Q? Was the LMN Core the only Leatherman offered in NATO as tool

[Buzzbait]

I'm carrying a Leatherman Wave every day now. But I know that when the warmer weather of summertime arrives, and I start wearing shorts all day long, that I'll grow to hate lugging around the weight of my Wave.

Am I crazy for considering the change over to an old PST, PST2, or Pulse for summertime? Something super-slim and lightweight, but still with a good assortment of tools. I'm thinking about modding one with a Sideclip pocket clip, assuming that can be performed with relative ease.

I think the Rebar would be too bulky and heavy for my tastes.