The "Great" Leatherman Wave

[yungmannfuzz]

I now have to send away my black oxide Wave, for the second time in two years?

First time the locking mechanism broke on one side, and don't get me wrong- customer service was great. A brand new knife arrived, but I was a bit disappointed that the lock broke to start off with.

There was certainly no abuse to it- batoning etc.

Next new knife, one side of the tools became really loose quickly, which I ignored, but I tried to pry a plastic cap off something with the big screwdriver/pry bar (I think its called that) and the whole thing just snapped.

I can say that I wasn't putting any sort of force on it that I would call misusing.. I mean I would even like to think that a tool like this could pry open a paint can?

Either way, I have lost a bit of faith in it now.. Just expected a more bullet proof product for the money. I think to myself that my SAK Farmer wouldn't break under that pressure.

Maybe the steel is brittle in these things?

Am I wanting too much from my wave?

 

[yungmannfuzz]

Just an extra note- It is a great tool, and has been well used- just now I worry about the reliability!

 

[swotty]

Perhaps the newer ones aren't as good quality as older ones (It wouldn't be the only thing that has declined in quality!)

I got my wave in 1999 and it has been on my belt and used almost every day since, I'm a carpenter in a theatre so it gets a fair bit of abuse at work and in the woods and it has never let me down. I tried a Gerber and the Victorinox (which is good but heavy) and have always come back to the Leatherman

 

[yungmannfuzz]

Tried Gerber myself, and wasn't much of a fan, but the Gerber has never broken!

 

[swotty]

Tried Gerber myself, and wasn't much of a fan, but the Gerber has never broken!

Mine did......dropped it in the back of a truck and the blade snapped!

 

[leon-1]

I now have to send away my black oxide Wave, for the second time in two years?

First time the locking mechanism broke on one side, and don't get me wrong- customer service was great. A brand new knife arrived, but I was a bit disappointed that the lock broke to start off with.

There was certainly no abuse to it- batoning etc.

Next new knife, one side of the tools became really loose quickly, which I ignored, but I tried to pry a plastic cap off something with the big screwdriver/pry bar (I think its called that) and the whole thing just snapped.

I can say that I wasn't putting any sort of force on it that I would call misusing.. I mean I would even like to think that a tool like this could pry open a paint can?

Either way, I have lost a bit of faith in it now.. Just expected a more bullet proof product for the money. I think to myself that my SAK Farmer wouldn't break under that pressure.

Maybe the steel is brittle in these things?

Am I wanting too much from my wave?

Hi Mate, Since I haven't done it yet welcome to the forum.

Leatherman wave, I have had a wave for a long time (well over twelve years) and I have used it for allsorts. Are you expecting too much from the Wave, it should be able to open a tin of paint as long as you are working around the rim trying to remove a little at a time.

I have bent normal screwdrivers trying to prise lids of paint cans before now, but only because I tried to just lever the lid off in one fell swoop. It was a long time ago, but I still remember doing it.

Nature of the beast I am afraid, no lock is guaranteed not to give out, there is always a possibility that they may fail. It's unusual, but not impossible.

You don't appear to be having a great deal of luck with the wave, have you ever considered going with a Surge as they're slightly more heavy duty?

 

[John Fenna]

I have never broken a Leatherman myself ... though I have broken various other makes of Multi-tool with ease ...
During review tests for magazines I do tend to be fairly hard with kit but Leatherman tools seem to take tha abuse better than most in my experience. Out of all the tools I have tried it is Leatherman that I carry on a daily basis.

 

[yungmannfuzz]

Thanks Leon!

I didn't want to be hauling around something too big!

Maybe I have just been unlucky like you said. Just a bit annoying because I really do try to look after my kit!

 

[yungmannfuzz]

Well at least I know that I can get it fixed

 

[leon-1]

Mine did......dropped it in the back of a truck and the blade snapped!

I had a Gerber Break as well, the closest thing I can find to it is a Multi Plier600 needlenose. I bought it from a PX in Kuwait. One of the jaws snapped off it.

 

[leon-1]

Thanks Leon!

I didn't want to be hauling around something too big!

Maybe I have just been unlucky like you said. Just a bit annoying because I really do try to look after my kit!

My pleasure. The Surge is a little larger and heavier, but it's a good bit of kit and it was designed with the tradesman / builder in mind IIRC.

My Wave is of the older type that has no interchangeable screwdriver bits and is normally used as an EDC (I can justify it's carriage within my job description). I also own a PSTII, the Surge and a leatherman Juice XE6.

The PSTII can give some nasty blood blisters so really worth wearing a glove when using it. The XE6 is a good UK legal carry, but I am not a massive fan as I always feel like I am about to break it. The Surge is Bombproof and If I think I am going to require loads of different bits then I carry that along with the bit kit, but normally I carry the wave as it has most everything that I require on it.

 

[yungmannfuzz]

Yeah, I work in IT so the Wave is used a lot.

I'm actually thinking about getting the Cybertool 41. Which would be legal carry, but I really like to think that I would have a just reason in my job to carry the wave anyway.

 

[ateallthepies]

My wave is around 20 years old now, not had the problems you have had though so maybe its a case of your too strong and need to wimp up a bit?

Steve.

 

[British Red]

I am a great fan of Leatherman - and I'm the most cynical, jaded, grumpy old fart on the forum - except for Fenna!

The pliers aren't as good as the pliers in my toolkit

The wire cutters are rubbish compared to a decent set of side cutters

The scredrivers don't compare to my Stanley fat max full set

The knife isn't as good as my Stuart Mitchell custom.

I could go on.

But wandering around the smallholding, I can't carry all of them, all the time. When I do bust one - about 6 year intervals - they are fixed, free!

I've blown up £600 brush cutters in less time - and been told to suck it up. Leatherman take customer service to new levels. Sure they can break, there are hinges, locks, and compromises. But they fix it - regardless.

I love my Leathermans ...err Leathermen?

 

[maddave]

I must have 5 or 6 leathermans from the squirt through to the supertool. I like em and haven't broken one yet. My preferred is the supertool 200 which gets hammered at work (park ranger), but I like the wave and also my Juice XE6. I have 3 gerbers too and don't rate them like the leathermans and the victorinox swisstool which is another bombproof bit of kit. Some of my mates in the mob swear by the SOG EOD, I've never played with the SOG but Heinnie do a good range

http://www.heinnie.com/Pocket-Tools/SOG-Multi-Tools/c-1-94-224/

 

[Hastur]

I love the Leatherman Wave, brilliant bit of kit. I have a number of Leatherman, Gerber's and other brand multi-tools and I always come back to the Wave.

I have always found them bulletproof but I know Leatherman's customer service is pretty special if I ever need it.

Dan.

 

[UKarmr]

I was given an engraved leatherman wave in 99. 6 months later some bugger stole it, so I went out an bought one. It's been used daily since then. Never snapped anything yet.

Also have a leatherman core that lives in my car, feels almost bombproof

 

[demographic]

I am a great fan of Leatherman - and I'm the most cynical, jaded, grumpy old fart on the forum - except for Fenna!

The pliers aren't as good as the pliers in my toolkit

The wire cutters are rubbish compared to a decent set of side cutters

The scredrivers don't compare to my Stanley fat max full set

The knife isn't as good as my Stuart Mitchell custom.

I could go on.

But wandering around the smallholding, I can't carry all of them, all the time. When I do bust one - about 6 year intervals - they are fixed, free!

I've blown up £600 brush cutters in less time - and been told to suck it up. Leatherman take customer service to new levels. Sure they can break, there are hinges, locks, and compromises. But they fix it - regardless.

I love my Leathermans ...err Leathermen?

Pretty much that^
Got a Leatherman Fuse and although each tool isn't a patch on my proper full size tools in the box that's in the van tool safe that's in the van, yada yada yada it does have the benefit of not being in the box that's in the tool safe that's in the van yada yada yada.

Its an acceptable comprise between function and size. Sometimes that's good enough for me and sometimes its worth the extra effort getting the full size tools out the van.