You can fold it over, to get extra power to cut, I’ve used it like that to cut the clips off old LBE suspenders.
It also will not collapse on itself, if the jaw get stuck on something your cutting.
i’ve seen Leatherman’s get stuck on wire, and when the troop tries to open it, it just closes.
I was given a standard Leatherman years ago, and used it as a Blackhat, it it did its job fine, tightening up T10 harnesses, bending and cutting safetywire, etc.
I’ve since bought and lost a PowerPlier, been issued a standard Leahterman and a Wave. They all do OK, but I bought another PowerPlier and thats whats on my duty belt.
Of my three “finalists” (Wave, Victorinox SwissTool Spirit, SOG PowerLock), honestly I couldn’t find anything “wrong” or unsatisfactory with any of them. In the end, I decided to go with a new-and-improved version of what already works for me.
For now, my old Wave will go into my go-kit while I give the new one a workout.
Thanks to all who offered their experience and recommendations.
It is, Rob – the Spirit I handled was solid and typical of my experience with the better Victorinox pieces. If it weren’t for my familiarity with the Wave, the Spirit would’ve been my choice. No reason whatsoever not to consider it.
Leatherman was the first, worked very well. I like the wave better. I was a die hard leatherman guy until working in the desert and I had to cut a military series 200 lock. The gerber Legend, has a hard grit blade on it, that cuts through almost anything. That is the only multi tool I will use or recommend my Soldiers to use anymore. When it comes down to having to cut metal. The Gerber Legend. Sorry to all you leatherman fans, but my experience has proven otherwise. just my opinion.
I believe that sharp metal things are more niche performance than a lot of stuff I carry… when I pick a multi-tool, the last thing I consider it is a knife, I see it as a collection of small tools that may also happen to have a conventional knife blade.
As for a knife that also offers some other tools… I am with a lot of guys that the OHT is probably the best – but as far as multi purpose tools go, the Gerber is a much better tool in my book.
I have used both (Gerber, Leatherman and some others) for 15 or better years now, and all I carry today is the Gerber. For what that is worth…
Most of the guys on my boat (well, the ones who had ratings that involved actual work) used some sort Gerber, mainly because they were cheaper at Wal-Mart than Leatherman products. I’ve had a Wave since they were first introduced and carried that one while I was on the boat, but made much use of the lanyard loop feature. Anything dropped into the bilge is bound to be found and claimed by somebody else. Besides, nice shit always had a way of finding another owner.
Anyway, just like my Rolex that never broke and never needed batteries, the Wave was put to much use and stood up better than the “digits” most other folks used. I still have the Wave and it’s still part of my BOB/GHB/camping/hunting gear. It still works great, and the blades hold a decent edge.
this thread made me go dig out the only multi tool i own. its a gerber, but im not sure which model. it was bought a couple years ago, and has lived its life in a shooting bag never being used. ive always carried some swiss army of some sort plus my benchmade, and now i think im swapping the swiss army out for the gerber. i ll see how this works out
FWIW, SOG replaced my 1998-vintage Paratool with a new one, no questions asked. The replacement arrived via UPS today, three weeks after I sent the old one back – not bad, considering the holidays.
I haven’t carried a multi-tool in a few years but the last one I had was a Gerber. I broke the jaws of a few sets of them and never carried another after.
I’m partial to the Leatherman Wave. I’ve also got an original Gerber in my vest that I’ve been using pretty hard since 92. I did manage to break the awl in about 95 clearing a minigun feeder/de-linker, but it keeps on ticking.
I have owned many of these, from the fold-out SOG (POS) to the Gerber Diesel.
I carried the Wave for the longest time. It did things in extremis that I never intended for it initially. The easy blade access is the real clincher though.
It went AWOL about a year ago. So I replaced it with a Gerber Diesel, which I had wanted for a while, and is available in black.
I miss the Wave, and will probably order another one.
Useful link.