I finally decided to get one of these Bibury tools ordered from Amazon.ca. I got it for a 30% discount coupon, which sweetened the deal. I have been curious to see how it compares to a Leatherman Wave, which this Bibury is copying in a bad way. It came inside of 2 days, which is a record around these parts for delivery.
The box is a nice step up from what one usually gets. The first impression is a good one.
20220821_061149A by
Chako, on Flickr
20220821_061204A by
Chako, on Flickr
Opening the packaging continues the good first impression vibes. The included sheath was the first thing I noticed. I was expecting one of those cheap badly made sheaths. This is definitely a cut above those.
20220821_061231A by
Chako, on Flickr
This tool is most definitely a Wave clone for the most part. There are a few differences which we will get into later. I must say, the design on the handles is eye catching. There is a front elastic pouch that holds a 3 double sided bit carrier. Not sure how long the elastic will last, but it does make accessing the bits a fairly easy proposition.
20220821_061300A by
Chako, on Flickr
Looking on the backside, this sheath features a plastic belt loop system. I like these types as they are fairly easy to put on and off of the belt, but will hold the sheath to the belt in a secure fashion. A pocket clip is found on the tool, a nice bonus.
20220821_061314A by
Chako, on Flickr
A button fastener is used. I prefer these to Velcro...possibly because I do leather work, repairing a broken one is not a big deal.
20220821_061342A by
Chako, on Flickr
Yes, the Bibury 19 in 1 tool looks so much like a Wave, that the design is just as apparent with the pliers deployed. if the tool did not have those Bibury markings and designs on the handle, it could easily be mistaken for a Leatherman.
20220821_061442A by
Chako, on Flickr
I like that this tool uses regular driver bits. To me, that is a big advantage over the Leatherman flat drivers. Mind you, I was never a big fan of the Leatherman bits.
20220821_061635A by
Chako, on Flickr
So far, I have seen two improvements to the Leatherman Wave, and those are a pocket clip and a regular sized bit driver. Time to take a closer look between the Bibury and the Wave. The Bibury goes to great length to copying the Wave. So much so that the functionality is almost on par with the Wave.
saw - check
plain edge knife - check
serrated knife - check
multi functional file with one side diamond coated - check
bit driver - check
large flat driver - check
smaller flat driver - check (The Leatherman has a double bit driver here that is removable)
scissors - check
can opener and wire stripper - check
As can be seen, the Bibury copies the second generation Wave very closely.
20220821_061901A by
Chako, on Flickr
Some minor differences, but a fairly deep homage overall.
20220821_062055A by
Chako, on Flickr
Looking at the front of the tool, the Leatherman still has those cam wedges for the pliers. The Bibury does not have any of these.
20220821_062144A by
Chako, on Flickr
As mentioned before, you do get a pocket clip included with the Bibury.
20220821_062204A by
Chako, on Flickr
Final thoughts:
The Bibury is a clone of the Wave in many ways. I found out this tool is sold under many different names. My first impressions of the Bibury is fairly good. One thing I did notice is that Bibury has the tool locking safety feature but it does not work like the Leatherman does (Where you can't open the outer blades unless the pliers are closed). I know that the Bibury is not up to Leatherman standards, however, at the price point, this is one tool that might be tough to beat. I paid 41 Canadian for it with the discount. That is less than half the price of the Leatherman. The Leatherman is the better tool, but for that price, it is hard not to buy a Bibury and take one out for a spin. That is of course as long as you don't mind a company ripping off a Leatherman design.
Donations
Community Links
