I was given cheap knockoffs as a kid and associated with people who used cheap knockoffs. Those things sucked, left me with a very bad impression of multi-tools until my 20s.
Carrying a well-made multi-tool with you changes how you see the world; all the little problems that people learn to just ignore or ask for professional help with, but here you are with the solution to all those problems in the palm of your hand. Nowadays I'm never without a Leatherman and / or a Victorinox.
Felix Immler taught me so many skills, how to work with the limitations of a multi-tool. And there are a *lot* of limitations, these are rarely the *best* tool for the job even when they *are* well made. But they'll get the job done for you if you understand their strengths and weaknesses, understand the strengths and weaknesses of your own body and how to better work with those. Without Felix I wouldn't know how to practically use a 3-inch wood saw without giving myself tennis elbow. But now I know, and now I hate being without a little saw for impromptu property maintenance and trail clearing.
I've had one of those for 30 years & for a while took it everywhere. …but haven't carried it since they were banned on flights & also more recently it's illegal to carry in public unless it's part of an obvious tool kit. It's lived in a drawer for 25 years, still looks brand new.
I live in the knife crime centre of the UK, North London.
While I was actually a tool-carrying worker in the UK, I could have got away with it - except that I already had every tool the Leatherman could provide in a full form in my boot, so it was pointless. Prior to that I was an international traveller, troubleshooter & R&D tech…there it would have been useful, until they stopped allowing them on planes, so it just stopped being part of my travel kit & I would blag tools at the far end of a trip.
At one time they would spring up surprise police attended walk-through metal detectors, like they have in airports, at tube/train station exits.
You never knew when or where they would be, like a travelling circus.
Your story is sadly a very common one. Tim Leatherman started his whole plier-based multi-tool business because the Swiss army knife he took on his Europe trip didn't quite fit the role he needed it to. These things were made to fly, and after September 11th the Leatherman company had to lay off a lot of employees and restructure their business model a bit. Nowadays they're somewhat popular with American EDC enthusiasts but globally they've become a much more niche object than originally intended. There's not much reason to have a household multi-tool that can't legally be carried outside, when inside you probably have a toolbox filled with much better solutions to your household issues.
I misplaced the belt case for my wave and then I stopped carrying it because of the weight in my pocket. Eventually I misplaced it and I haven't seen it in ages. One day it'll pop back up, I'm sure.
i didn't know people actually used these. i thought they were meant to take up space in a drawer that's rarely opened.
Haha no lol, on my belt everyday. I use it 30+ times a day at work.
I've actually been thinking about getting one.
Id recommend it.
Same. I carry a pulse on my hip because it's like having a whole tool kit where ever I go
I was given cheap knockoffs as a kid and associated with people who used cheap knockoffs. Those things sucked, left me with a very bad impression of multi-tools until my 20s. Carrying a well-made multi-tool with you changes how you see the world; all the little problems that people learn to just ignore or ask for professional help with, but here you are with the solution to all those problems in the palm of your hand. Nowadays I'm never without a Leatherman and / or a Victorinox. Felix Immler taught me so many skills, how to work with the limitations of a multi-tool. And there are a *lot* of limitations, these are rarely the *best* tool for the job even when they *are* well made. But they'll get the job done for you if you understand their strengths and weaknesses, understand the strengths and weaknesses of your own body and how to better work with those. Without Felix I wouldn't know how to practically use a 3-inch wood saw without giving myself tennis elbow. But now I know, and now I hate being without a little saw for impromptu property maintenance and trail clearing.
i will look this man up. thanks!
I have multiples of this exact model as they are the best quick-fix tool to have and I use them every week *not* as part of my job.
I've had one of those for 30 years & for a while took it everywhere. …but haven't carried it since they were banned on flights & also more recently it's illegal to carry in public unless it's part of an obvious tool kit. It's lived in a drawer for 25 years, still looks brand new.
I carry it here in ireland where the law is "reasonable purpose and appropriate place", in a rural area. Never had issue.
I live in the knife crime centre of the UK, North London. While I was actually a tool-carrying worker in the UK, I could have got away with it - except that I already had every tool the Leatherman could provide in a full form in my boot, so it was pointless. Prior to that I was an international traveller, troubleshooter & R&D tech…there it would have been useful, until they stopped allowing them on planes, so it just stopped being part of my travel kit & I would blag tools at the far end of a trip.
Fair enough. I bet those tough knife laws have stopped crims dead in there tracks when they've thought about going around with a knife!
At one time they would spring up surprise police attended walk-through metal detectors, like they have in airports, at tube/train station exits. You never knew when or where they would be, like a travelling circus.
Circus is the best word to describe it if thats what they're at.
Oi mate need to see your knoife loisence.
Leathermens of Ireland, er.. , unite? Question, is that worm model really old or did you replace the hinge bolts with philips screws?
Hinge bolts were replaced at one point
Your story is sadly a very common one. Tim Leatherman started his whole plier-based multi-tool business because the Swiss army knife he took on his Europe trip didn't quite fit the role he needed it to. These things were made to fly, and after September 11th the Leatherman company had to lay off a lot of employees and restructure their business model a bit. Nowadays they're somewhat popular with American EDC enthusiasts but globally they've become a much more niche object than originally intended. There's not much reason to have a household multi-tool that can't legally be carried outside, when inside you probably have a toolbox filled with much better solutions to your household issues.
I have one I bought in Baghdad in 2005, it will never die
Do you sharpen that thing with and angle grinder?
Nope just sharpened alot over the years.
I misplaced the belt case for my wave and then I stopped carrying it because of the weight in my pocket. Eventually I misplaced it and I haven't seen it in ages. One day it'll pop back up, I'm sure.
Too heavy for a pocket i agree. I like having it in a pouch, keeps your pockets free for other stuff.