Tools, Sharpening and Power Machinery - Klein or Leatherman?
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Klein or Leatherman?
Thirdeep
07-25-02, 09:00 AM
hello I am looking into purchasing a good quality multi-purpose tool such as the kind you carry on your belt. I do alot of electrical and maint. type work. I have looked at some brands such as Klein, Gerber, Sog, Leatherman. They all seem to have thier good points but as far as quality and all around purpose which mini-tool would you purchase. price is not an issue quality is though. thank you.
cheese
07-25-02, 09:17 PM
Find one you like, has the features you want, and for quality...get something made in the USA or Germany. If it says china, japan, taiwan, korea, etc... stay away from it. Gerber is a good name brand, the others you mentioned may be too, but I have no experience with them.
NutAndBoltKing
07-25-02, 10:30 PM
Back in 1982 or 83 my brother went on a vacation out west and discovered the Leatherman in a tackle shop. He liked it and bought one back for me. That was one of the best things he ever did.
That's about twenty years of service, I feel naked without it, and I've never been able to kill it off. It's survived falls of over 10 floors of open steel, has often been misused as a chisel, and was finally sharpened down to a stub.
I only retired it last year because my grandson gave me a new Leatherman PST. I like it better than the old one, and I must use it 10 - 15 times a day at work as an ornamental ironworker in NYC. It's great for anything from sharpening pencils, cutting tie wires, opening boxes, fixing cords, stripping wire; you name it - it does it.
I use it a lot at home, and it's been very valuable to me in my volunteer fire department work. I've used it to mitigate electrical shorts, shut gas, pull hinge pins, and just last week I used it to cut a baby car seat out of a burning car, and then to twist the car battery cables off.
I don't know about the other brands. I buy Leathermans and give them as holiday gifts. I'm sure you'll like a Leatherman.
That's about twenty years of service, I feel naked without it, and I've never been able to kill it off. It's survived falls of over 10 floors of open steel, has often been misused as a chisel, and was finally sharpened down to a stub.
I only retired it last year because my grandson gave me a new Leatherman PST. I like it better than the old one, and I must use it 10 - 15 times a day at work as an ornamental ironworker in NYC. It's great for anything from sharpening pencils, cutting tie wires, opening boxes, fixing cords, stripping wire; you name it - it does it.
I use it a lot at home, and it's been very valuable to me in my volunteer fire department work. I've used it to mitigate electrical shorts, shut gas, pull hinge pins, and just last week I used it to cut a baby car seat out of a burning car, and then to twist the car battery cables off.
I don't know about the other brands. I buy Leathermans and give them as holiday gifts. I'm sure you'll like a Leatherman.
arthropod98
07-26-02, 07:26 AM
i'm with NutAndBoltKing . . . the leatherman is GREAT!!! i've got one, and i love that thing! besides, aren't they the original manufacturer of this tool??
great tool with some nice little attachment-things you can get for it.
great tool with some nice little attachment-things you can get for it.
GasGuzz
07-26-02, 08:32 AM
I'll speak for what I have, the Leatherman Super Tool.
It is the "toolbox" I leave in my car and have had it since about '96. Judging from being in a car environment and still showing no signs of corrosion, I would say it's of good quality.
Good luck.
It is the "toolbox" I leave in my car and have had it since about '96. Judging from being in a car environment and still showing no signs of corrosion, I would say it's of good quality.
Good luck.
Thirdeep
07-26-02, 12:28 PM
looks like the leatherman is the customers choice. I have been kinda interested in the leatherman wave. I'm sure the investment is well worth it. The best part about the leatherman is it comes with a 25 year warranty can't beat a warranty like that. Thank you all for your comments Thirdeep
nashcat
07-28-02, 07:06 AM
Try the Gerber! Feel the difference in the grips. The way the Leatherman unfolds, the grips are rather uncomfortable. I used a Leatherman for about 3 years, until my boss gave me a Gerber. I felt that I needed to use the Gerber for a while to show my appreciation, but now I would never go back to a Leatherman. I've had the Gerber for 6 years now, and since I do industrial maintenance work, I use it a couple of times ever hour of every day. It even stays on my belt during the weekend while I'm not working......I sorta feel naked without it.
Try them both before you buy either one.
Nashcat
Try them both before you buy either one.
Nashcat
GregH
07-28-02, 01:06 PM
Thirdeep:
My vote is for the Wave.
I had a Gerber and lost it on a frozen lake. I wasn't sorry because the handles of the tool when using the pliers close tightly together........except when the palm of your hand is between them.
I tried a Buck and broke the jaws of the plier. I also don't like the way the handles fold out. They tend to want to swing away when you are maneuvering them in tight quarters. the Buck scores high points for the fact that all the tools lock, even the screwdrivers.
I think the Wave is better than the Buck, in that you have access to the two knife blades , a file and a saw without opening the tool. The four tools on the outside lock, but the screwdrivers on the inside don't.
There's only one place I don't take my wave because my wife says it scratches.
My vote is for the Wave.
I had a Gerber and lost it on a frozen lake. I wasn't sorry because the handles of the tool when using the pliers close tightly together........except when the palm of your hand is between them.
I tried a Buck and broke the jaws of the plier. I also don't like the way the handles fold out. They tend to want to swing away when you are maneuvering them in tight quarters. the Buck scores high points for the fact that all the tools lock, even the screwdrivers.
I think the Wave is better than the Buck, in that you have access to the two knife blades , a file and a saw without opening the tool. The four tools on the outside lock, but the screwdrivers on the inside don't.
There's only one place I don't take my wave because my wife says it scratches.
Paulypfunk
07-29-02, 08:33 AM
I prefer the Gerber. Yes the plyers close tightly on the cheap ones but the good stainless steel one this is never a problem. I love them because you can open the plyers using only one hand, where the leatherman you have to use two. As far as I know all of the major brands carry a life time warranty on their tools. If they ever break send em back for a replacement.