Leatherman multi-tool

“I bought this tool and loved it until...

I was watching the finals of the Saranac Lake Can-Am Rugby Tournament when the thunderstorm hit. It was a five minute walk to the Jeep with its soft top down. I was wearing my Gore-Tex and so it wasn't a problem, but there was about two inches of weater in the Jeep. I put up the top and zipped on the windows as quickly as possible. I was using the Leatherman's pliars to pull the zips and would put it down on the running boards and rear bumper between windows.

Well, the Leatherman rusted shut. It took about a week soaking in WD 40 to make it useable again.

My main problem, other than that it's not stainless (it's a tool for the out of doors, after all) is the design of the handles. If the pliars are just a little stiff, the handles bend to close; you cannot exert pressure to open the pliars.

My buddy has the Gerber and the pliars slide out and the handles are rigid. Also, it's made of stainless steel.

The Leatherman is nicely made and finished, but I'll be getting a Gerber soon.

Just wanted to share.

Oh yes. If you have the side clip, it's important to carry the tool inside the belt and the clip on the outside. Otherwise, you can catch the tool on something and the clip will open up and stay bent open.”

“Stainless steel isn't supposed to rust. Sounds like a design or other type of flaw somewhere.”

“Not all Stainless Steels are rust proof. But it normaly take a while for one's that do rust to start.”

“My Leatherman mini has some rust after it I got soaked on a trip. It's stainless steel, but eveidently not a very high grade of stainless.”

“I don't think they're stainless in any way.”

“I just looked it over. There is no 'stainless' stamped anywhere on the tool, not even the knife blade. I guess I just assumed it was. The Gerber has 'stainless' stamped on it.”

“Get a Gerber, we used to use Leathermans at work and they suck. I had the PST and when it broke I got the same one with the nicer handles and some of my coworkers had other models such as the Wave. After my second leatherman broke I got a Gerber. The handles are better and don't hurt you hand when you grip something tight and they have more features (like a replaceable saw blade). Gerber Forever.”

“My favorite is the SOG Paratool.”

“Uh, I'm just posting this to get to-day's posts because my 'pooter won't refresh.”

“Well, while you're looking at it, I have the Gerber, and it's been in several different environments with me and is still going strong. I think the SOG looks interesting though. SOG makes good knives, so their multitool is probably good too.”

“I just assumed the leatherman was stainless. Maybe not.

Good thread!”

“Same as Phil said. I recently left my mini-tool at home and took a 2 inch locking blade. I didn't miss the multi-tool. I found I didn't use much but the knife and scissors and the knife was a inferior non-locking blade sooo.”

“My sister got me a leatherman juice cs4 for my birthday two years ago. I think it's one of the most useful gifts i've ever received. I use it for everything.
When I get it wet I try to dry it. I spray it with wd40 since you can't dry all the nooks and crannies... seems to work fine. It has some minimal rust in the teeth of the pliers... which I could clean easily.”

“From the leatherman website:

Rust and Corrosion
All Leatherman Tool products are manufactured from 100% high-grade stainless steel. (Exception: Screw bits for the tool adapter are made of tool steel.) But stainless steel is not rust proof; it is corrosion resistant. Depending on the mix of metal alloys, stainless steels may be highly corrosion resistant and relatively soft (like kitchen flatware), or they may be somewhat corrosion resistant and quite hard. Our tools are fabricated from the latter type, so your tool components are strong and the knives retain a sharp cutting edge. Consequently, corrosion can occur in the absence of proper maintenance. Your Leatherman tool should be cleaned, dried and re-oiled periodically to inhibit rust and corrosion. This is especially true if you use your tool in a damp or marine environment. After cleaning, re-oil pivoting areas with a light machine or penetrating type oil (such as WD-40). Buff stained surfaces with a polishing cloth or non-metallic abrasive (e.g., Scotchbrite pad or soft bristle brush).”

“dayhiker - Thanks. It's been 35 years since I took metallurgy.”

“Thanks, Dayhiker. The tool's working fine now.”

“No problem. My knowledge of steel is limited to the types used in building construction. I do wish their site listed more than just 100% stainless steel. There are tons of different varieties. Since the company was started by an engineer you'd think he'd break out the ASTM numbers for all the gear/tech junkies out there.”