Broke my Leatherman today.
I won a raffle in 2008 I think.
The first prize was a gift card which I used to buy the most expensive leatherman that was available in the store at the time.
I have used it so much and still somehow taken way too good care of it. Never abused the blades. I bet the tool I have used the most have been the pliers and the screwdriver.
The leather holster that I used occasionally looks still almost like new.
Cutting hot dog buns for kids when out and about, fixing my bike…
F for respect 🫡
They have a pretty solid warranty policy as far as I know. Maybe worth checking it out:
I went back to mark the 25 years because I got confused by the 40 year warranty banner if you were a part of some group. You beat me to the punch lol
I have a Leatherman that is grandfathered with a lifetime warranty. They’ve honored it several times.
Leatherman warranty You can send it to leatherman and they will fix it.
I think I’m on my fourth by now
Lifetime warranty no? Get it fixed
This is the correct answer, Leatherman’s have lifetime warranty.
File a claim OP
Yeah but, as weird as it is to think, I bet steel was better in even 2008. I know that older hand tools used stronger steel, and iirc, it was project farm(i think?) that did a comparison of steel used even through the 1990s and into the 00s and found modern steel to be much softer.
Think you are covered under warranty still…
https://www.leatherman.com/pages/customerservice-warranty
(25 years)
Had the exact same thing happen to me. Got it fixed under warranty no questions asked. Never happened again (even tho I use it nearly every day)
This seems like the least likely point of failure and yet here I am witnessing it twice.
Exactly my question, how the hell does this happen and how do I avoid it?
The jaws are made by metal injection molding, MIM for short. It’s a good way to make some pretty complex shapes repeatedly and relatively cheaply. And they are also ready to use as is for many items and the rest, just minor secondary operations are needed.
Lot’s of metal items around you are made by MIM. And it’s great for those things. But while it’s “good enough” for your multi-tool jaws most of the time, it’s not a process that is as tough as a forged tool. There some stress riser areas in those jaws. Look at the sharper corners. An easy way to break those jaws is to grab something hard out at the very tips of the jaws and squeeze hard.
Multi-tools are a fine tool to carry for an emergency when nothing better is available. Or the job at hand is just a quick light task. Anything else, go get the proper tool.
It’s a tool, use it as needed and get it fixed if it breaks.
Leatherman has a lifetime warranty and I’m pretty sure they’ll replace those plier jaws for you.
just remember kids: the multi tool is only appropriate when no other tool is available
I see people abuse these things at work all the time, and I’m baffled that they refuse to just carry the correct tool, when they know what repeatable actions they take throughout the day.
Which is why my EDC includes actual pliers and an actual knife and multiple wrenches and shears, tape measure, speed square, box tape, masking tape, safety glasses, spider key, and you know what my hips hurt.
None of the above was a joke.
How much did the pocket dimension cost?
It’s the cargo shorts. Some tools are attached to the fedora too
It’s a work in progress (previous version had two belts!), but I think I’ve spent about $100 ish total on this setup.
I’ve been carrying a leather purse what looks like a saddlebag for a bit over a decade. The cheapest decent purse I got for $30. Need to patch a hole I just wore in the leather.
Also both a small and a large adjustable spanner. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been glad I had the adjustable because it was the only spanner I had on me.
I would rather have a ratchet set, but 2 pieces versus 30 for the same job is hard to choose the 30 (even tho if you do it wrong the adjustable will strip your bolts)
You’re talking about a crescent wrench yeah? If you can’t get it to move using a thin shop rag for some traction, then it’s time to go dig up the exact fit socket, or channelocks with the cloth to avoid bite marks.
my Swiss Arny knife can cut down trees.
and open corked bottlesHell yeah. This is why I EDC my Bell System vintage needlenose pliers
You broke the pliers of a leatherman? Are you like the hulk?
maybe it was used ocassionaly as a hammer
I mean true, i did use a leatherman to mine vulcanic crystals in iceland once 💀 i am not even kidding. Sadly that one lasted long enough to get stolen so yeahhh
My loss isn’t even comparable to yours, but I can only feel sympathy. For the past 4+ years I’ve only had two mugs. I had the mug, which I got from my brother and his GF, and a plain black gag gift mug that’s been sitting in my cupboard until yesterday.
Around the same time you posted, this happened:
Yeah, those jaws are a weak point on Leatherman multi-tools and all multi-tools in general. The jaws are made by MIM, Metal Injection Molding.
Lots of common parts are MIM all around you and they last nearly forever. But they can never be as tough as a forged part. Just cheaper.
Either repair this one or buy a new one. Personally, I’d buy a new smaller tool like the Skeletool and fix the old one too.
I have a skeletool and I love that damn thing
Good point about the moulding!
F
F 🫡
F
Shocking that it was the pliers. Time to get this one repaired and buy a new one because they are great and having two means you can plier twice as fast.
🫡
