So Many Leathermen, So Little Time

[Saladsamurai]

Sorry ladies, this thread is about the multitool. Ermm...that's not much better I'll just get straight to it.

To the handy-folks out there, I am heading over to a rural village in Ghana, Africa to do some volunteer work. I would like to get a Leatherman as a multi-tool. I think that $50 (USD) is about my limit. There are so many to choose from. I'm currently checking out these two:

1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KKB0AW/?tag=pfamazon01-20

2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XU43IC/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Clearly 1 dominates with respect to having more tools (but how many are actually commonly used? I am not yet sure what I will be doing with it) but 2 looks a little more compact and ergonomic. And the blade styles are a little different, but I'm not that picky.

Any users of these models (or similar) out there? I would love some opinions as I am going to order before I go to bed. I leave in 9 days!

Thanks!

 

[QuarkCharmer]

The "more modern" one has some issues from what I have read.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XU43IC/?tag=pfamazon01-20


I own a traditional style leathermen like the first one you posted that I purchased about 12 years ago. I used it every single day for a period of about 6 years while I was in the military. I would stick with what works. I have been to Ghana as well, and I am sure that I used my leathermen there as well.

 

[Saladsamurai]

The "more modern" one has some issues from what I have read.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XU43IC/?tag=pfamazon01-20


I own a traditional style leathermen like the first one you posted that I purchased about 12 years ago. I used it every single day for a period of about 6 years while I was in the military. I would stick with what works. I have been to Ghana as well, and I am sure that I used my leathermen there as well.

Yeah. That is the one I keep gravitating towards. There is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002H49BW/?tag=pfamazon01-20 that is very similar but is only $40 instead of $50. The major difference that I am seeing is that the $40 one has a pair of scissors and just one main blade. The $50 one has no scissors, but it does have an awl and an additional serrated blade too.

I think I will go with the $50 one. I have never really had much use for those dinky scissors that come on Swiss knives. But I do feel like I have found an awl handy in the past. Decisions decisions!

 

[KingNothing]

I use an awl way more than a scissors.

 

[Saladsamurai]

I use an awl way more than a scissors.

Yeah, it seems like a more useful tool. I think the blades will suffice; no scissors needed.

 

[wuliheron]

Personally I find such tools pretty useless unless you have a job that can really benefit from them. I'd recommend buying a decent lock blade knife and any cheap multitool.

 

[Jasongreat]

I prefer the Leatherman wave, I like how it has the blades on the outside so that you don't have to open the tool up to get to them. It has one main blade, a saw, a serrated blade and a file and they all lock in the open position.

 

[DoggerDan]

My "multi-tool" is a tool bucket stocked with several phillips and regular screwdrivers, regular and needle-nosed pliars, a few common wrenches, hammer, chisel, tape measure, feeler gauges, flashlight, keyhole saw, US and metric hex keys, and a vice-grips. There's half a dozen other tools in there, as well.

Not as portable as a Leatherman, but it's more useful. However, I have a Leatherman, too.

Oh, and my dive knife. Never go anywhere without my dive knife.

 

[S_Happens]

I have a couple multi-tools, a http://www.gerber-tools.com/Gerber-Flik-22-01054.htm" .

I used the Gerber at work all the time. I like the idea that it's compact because of the retractable pliers, but it definitely takes some use before it will really open with a one handed flick. Even after it gets broken in, it still requires some lubrication every now and then to function properly. I always used mine with gloves on, but I can see how it could be uncomfortable if used without gloves. The external tools make them easy to access, but uncomfortable on a bare hand.

Personally when we picked these at work my vote was for the original Skeletool, as I wanted something very simple, small, and comfortable to use.

The Leatherman Kick was given to me as a gift, although I was asking (again) for the Skeletool. I haven't used it a single time, although it seems nice enough. Truthfully I haven't done enough work around the house (or anywhere besides work) that I needed to get it out. Maybe now that I have some free weekends I'll get a chance to try it out.

I almost always carry my http://www.kershawknives.com/productdetails.php?id=3" knife. It's very slim and easy to carry.