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Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:49

Leatherman Wave (original) Review

Tim Leatherman constantly gets feedback from his customers about his products; and he listens, he is always looking to make his tools better and more user friendly for the public. This tool is 100% customer feedback driven, and a perfect example of how someone in the business should listen to their customers and further drive the creativity that flows into making ideas reality. Customers were most interested in tools that open via the tool being closed and blades that could open one handed, and to once and for all kill the painful hand hurting handles of Leathermans past.

Leatherman Wave

The Wave is one of the nicer looking tools available

The Wave has become one of the sole most popular multitools on the market, Leatherman’s “flagship” tool has sold more and influenced more multitool manufacturers to strive to create a better tool.

Leatherman Wave

The plain and serrated blades are one handed opening while the wood and metal saws are easily accessible

It truly was a godsend to places four tools on the outside of the wave for easy access, both the serrated and plain knife blades can be open one handed through a method kind of like a Spydie hole, and a diamond coated file and wood/bone saw. One significant plus to the tools being where they are is that when you use them the knife/tool is flush with the object it’s being used on, you get more surface area to work with than you could before meaning less strokes to use the tool and more area to work with.

Leatherman Wave

Leatherman Wave

How many flatheads does one person need?

The new improved rounded handle design is really something, you can now apply as much pressure as the tool can take without having to worry about your hands being injured in the process, the rounded spots on the handles are the same groves that house the blades that are on the outside. Leatherman packed so much stuff into a small package some compromises had to be made and some things sacrificed but the overall package is nice.

Leatherman Wave

Overall the Wave is a great tool

I do have some minor gripes about what would be the perfect tool on the market, and they are just nit picks. There needs to be some sort of a locking mechanism on it for the tools, doing a pulse style locking system is impossible I realize; but something has to be done to prevent tools from folding into the handles when alot of force is being used. The handles when using the screwdriver hard and sometimes only moderately will flex and twist the handles, sometimes to the point that you think it’s going to break. Granted I have not heard of this happening but the potential probably is there. And last but not least the tool is constructed of series 400 steel, we are unsure as to what version of 400 but it needs to be more rust resistant, after a while the tool exhibited some rust spots in spite of oiling of the tool. All in all a great piece of engineering and a fantastic tool, defiantly worth picking up and being an every day carry…maybe it will replace the one you already carry. I have had it now for 3 years and it’s a little loose in the joints but as good as the day I got it.

More in this category: Leatherman Pulse Review »
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