Strictly Multitools

[phractal]

Leatherman Sidekick. Bought it six months ago. Love it.


Has everything I need, nothing I don't, and the pocket clip facilitates ease of carry. No need for a bulky belt sheath. Spring loaded pliers and both the main blade and saw are accessable from the outside. 420HC steel. Razor sharp with a great profile on the blade. I actually stopped carrying my tactical folder when I got this thing and I don't miss it at all. Best of all was the price. 30-35 bucks brand new. Leatherman is starting to put out some really high value tools where you get more than what you pay for.

The sidekick has the saw in it where as the wingman has scissors instead

[cdreid]

THANK you all for this thread. Its hard to find a good multitool that isnt just a copy of every other multitool ever. (WTF do some still have bottle openers and corkscrews on them??) Ive been looking for 2 pocket knives for a While now and i think the Gerber Multi-Plier 400 or the leatherman charge is the multitool. First multi ive EVER seen with a real blade on it.

Im trying to find a small Lefty assisted open 3" blade knife made of solid metal. nothing fancy.. definitely nothing Tactical. I actually need one to work with. Had one a buddy paid $5 for that was solid steel that was awesome but i cannot for the life of me find them. Seems everyone wants to serrate the blade print tactical on it maybe attach a flashlight and a plastic "tacticooool!!!!" plastic handle on them. ugh. Any ideas? You cant even find one in the high ranges (which are btw.. ridiculous.. your fancy "uberknife" is still a piece of cheap steel...)

[111t]

THANK you all for this thread. Its hard to find a good multitool that isnt just a copy of every other multitool ever. (WTF do some still have bottle openers and corkscrews on them??) Ive been looking for 2 pocket knives for a While now and i think the Gerber Multi-Plier 400 or the leatherman charge is the multitool. First multi ive EVER seen with a real blade on it.

Im trying to find a small Lefty assisted open 3" blade knife made of solid metal. nothing fancy.. definitely nothing Tactical. I actually need one to work with. Had one a buddy paid $5 for that was solid steel that was awesome but i cannot for the life of me find them. Seems everyone wants to serrate the blade print tactical on it maybe attach a flashlight and a plastic "tacticooool!!!!" plastic handle on them. ugh. Any ideas? You cant even find one in the high ranges (which are btw.. ridiculous.. your fancy "uberknife" is still a piece of cheap steel...)

Buck sirus? More than $5 though...

[EricinVirginia]

I have a few multitools... settled between the Gerber Wave and Leatherman Skeletool... the Wave is nice and perfect and heavy. The Skeletool though, made it into my EDC of choice and as an OP said, not a day passes that I don't use or abuse it for some reason. Today I cut open some packages and cut some zip ties on a motion detector light with it. Yesterday, I used it to unscrew/screw some +/- screws... because I was too much "not wanting to go find a real screwdriver". Skeletool!

[sigboy40]

As a side note, apparently the Leatherman Wave does not have a lanyard ring. This came as a surprise to me as I generally expected multitools to have them, although I never used it. Now I can use it, and I don't have one.

[airballrad]

As a side note, apparently the Leatherman Wave does not have a lanyard ring. This came as a surprise to me as I generally expected multitools to have them, although I never used it. Now I can use it, and I don't have one.

It does. It is hidden in the end of the handle. You slide it out after you open the file.



ETA: You can also buy a removable lanyard ring/pocket clip set which works with the Wave/Charge/Surge series. This is my preferred solution.

[modina]

In the bush I use a freestyle. I only every use the pliers and knife out there, and you can get a good steel for the knife. Most leatherman knifes use crap steel.

edit for brain fart

[airballrad]

Most leatherman knifes use crap steel.

I'm an admitted Leatherman fanboy, but the fact is that you can get 154CM or S30V blades on a Leatherman tool if you really want to. Obviously most of their blades are 420HC, but then most people don't want to pay more for anything else.

[modina]

Most leatherman knifes use crap steel.

I'm an admitted Leatherman fanboy, but the fact is that you can get 154CM or S30V blades on a Leatherman tool if you really want to. Obviously most of their blades are 420HC, but then most people don't want to pay more for anything else.

Sorry that I didnt make myself clearer. The Leatherman freestyle (and many others) come in better steel than the standard 420hc

[airballrad]

Ah, cool. I like the look of the Freestyle, but could never bring myself to carry anything more spartan than a Skeletool, since I am always in need of a screwdriver.

[Grindstone]

I'm actually in the process of writing an in-depth review for my local airsoft website on my Leatherman Wave. I've owned it for nearly 7 years, originally purchasing it when I attended SERE at Fairchild AFB. It's held up like a champ.

http://www.leatherman.com/product/Wave_Black

I, too, did know about the lanyard ring until I downloaded the user's guide from the Leatherman website the other week. Then I was all "d'oh!".

Most leatherman knifes use crap steel.

My Wave must be an exception. I watched a SERE instructor break off the knife in his Gerber mutlitool cutting away sod to start an evasion fire. Used my Wave to finish it as well as make more for the other (unprepared) students.
It's been my primary knife for the nearly 7 years I've owned it, with heavy use.

I also have this:
http://www.leatherman.com/product/PST
I don't know how old it is, but my dad had it long before I came a long. It's still in near-perfect condition.

[sigboy40]

As a side note, apparently the Leatherman Wave does not have a lanyard ring. This came as a surprise to me as I generally expected multitools to have them, although I never used it. Now I can use it, and I don't have one.

It does. It is hidden in the end of the handle. You slide it out after you open the file.


ETA: You can also buy a removable lanyard ring/pocket clip set which works with the Wave/Charge/Surge series. This is my preferred solution.

I stand corrected, now I just need to find that tiny clip I had laying around...

Does anybody have a link for the better blades? I'm not a fan of s30v, but better blade steel never hurt, and I am not opposed to 154cm.

[airballrad]

Does anybody have a link for the better blades? I'm not a fan of s30v, but better blade steel never hurt, and I am not opposed to 154cm.

If you want the tool load-out of a Wave with 154CM on the main blade, you're looking at a Charge AL: http://www.leatherman.com/product/Charge_AL

You can sometimes find deals on those on EBay, but I've noticed you can usually get one new off Amazon for the same price most places want for the Wave.

I have a Charge TTi with a blade in 154CM rather than S30V, but it's a factory mistake.

[modina]

Out of all the steels leatherman uses 420hc will have the least edge retention, but will be easy to sharpen and harder to chip/break. s30v will have an edge that lasts a really long time, but be hard to sharpen and easier to chip/break because it is more brittle. 154cm falls somewhere between these 2. It hold an edge really good, but is still very durable. I have a benchmade folder that for the last 3 years I have been using hard almost trying to break it. I use it all the time to pry things like 12" nails in frozen ground, and have even full power slashed against a steel post. The most damage was small chips from the post that were easy to sharpen out.

[Grindstone]

I sharpened the knife on the Wave for the first time last summer, as it was noticeably dull. It has a few, small knicks, but it has been heavily used the whole period of ownership. A quick session on a good whetstone with a bit of gun oil and it's almost factory-sharp. I'd say it was about five years before the dulling was noticable.
I'd rather have it lose it's edge "quick" than risk having it break, considering you can sharpen a knife on just about any good solid, abrasive surface.

[EmbraceTheHate]

What are some models that have a pocket clip, I don't like shit hanging off my belt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Doctorr Fabulous]

THANK you all for this thread. Its hard to find a good multitool that isnt just a copy of every other multitool ever. (WTF do some still have bottle openers and corkscrews on them??)

Because most of us like opening bottles and cans without carrying a second con-opener or bottle opener.

[airballrad]

What are some models that have a pocket clip, I don't like shit hanging off my belt.

From Leatherman alone, there's the Wingman, Sidekick, Skeletool, and Freestyle; other models with removable pocket clips are the Wave, Charge, Surge, Kick, and MUT.

The Gerber Crucial has a clip, as I suspect do several other models from Gerber/SOG/etc.

[omega_man]

THANK you all for this thread. Its hard to find a good multitool that isnt just a copy of every other multitool ever. (WTF do some still have bottle openers and corkscrews on them??)

Because most of us like opening bottles and cans without carrying a second con-opener or bottle opener.

Word. As for corkscrews, some of us like wine (a lot).

[bubba zanetti]

THANK you all for this thread. Its hard to find a good multitool that isnt just a copy of every other multitool ever. (WTF do some still have bottle openers and corkscrews on them??)

Because most of us like opening bottles and cans without carrying a second con-opener or bottle opener.

Word. As for corkscrews, some of us like wine (a lot).

Word plus. In the year and a half of living in Europe, I've averaged opening a bottle a week with my SAK, mostly because it was in my pocket at the time the bottle was presented. The Leatherman Wave has sat on my shelf the whole time, coming out for the more heavy duty acton like putting together my daughter's toys and cutting through that evil heavy plastic packaging said toys came in. That said, I still like to hold and marvel over it from time to time.

[liberty45]

As a side note, apparently the Leatherman Wave does not have a lanyard ring. This came as a surprise to me as I generally expected multitools to have them, although I never used it. Now I can use it, and I don't have one.

It does. It is hidden in the end of the handle. You slide it out after you open the file.



ETA: You can also buy a removable lanyard ring/pocket clip set which works with the Wave/Charge/Surge series. This is my preferred solution.

Ooo Thank you! But on my Leatherman Wave it is on the same side as the Saw.

[airballrad]

Ooo Thank you! But on my Leatherman Wave it is on the same side as the Saw.

You're probably right, then. Work just implemented a new policy that we can't have knives with blades over 2.5", so I didn't have mine on me to reference.

[phractal]

I'm very hard on my leatherman sidekick and I have absolutely no complaint over the use of 420hc. It stands up just fine for me.

[marbhán marfóir]

As a side note, apparently the Leatherman Wave does not have a lanyard ring. This came as a surprise to me as I generally expected multitools to have them, although I never used it. Now I can use it, and I don't have one.

It does. It is hidden in the end of the handle. You slide it out after you open the file.


ETA: You can also buy a removable lanyard ring/pocket clip set which works with the Wave/Charge/Surge series. This is my preferred solution.

I stand corrected, now I just need to find that tiny clip I had laying around...

Does anybody have a link for the better blades? I'm not a fan of s30v, but better blade steel never hurt, and I am not opposed to 154cm.

what fixed blade is that with your Wave?