Leatherman or Gerber?

[parapaul]

Opinions?

I have an original Leatherman, which is 10 years old, and still in perfect working order. But, me being a bloke, and it being a gadget, I fancy a shiny new one.

I know there are dozens of different models of each brand... Anyone bought one recently and have any wisdom to share?

[slideways]

i have a gerber and a mate of mine had a leatherman, IMHO the gerber was better made and better looking
Rich

[petsar68]

Gerber every time. You never used to be able to lock the blades on the leathermen but that may have changed now.
Gerbers just feel better made when you compare like for like imho.

[Famous Graham]

petsar68 said:

You never used to be able to lock the blades on the leathermen but that may have changed now.

It has indeed. Bought mine about January time and everything locks

[parapaul]

At 4:30am on a Wednesday morning, the PH engine is still alive!

Gerber 3-0 Leatherman

[thehawk]

+1 for Gerber

[Psimpson7]

Gerber from me too.

[parapaul]

OK, OK! 5-0 Gerber!

So... MP600, which looks very similar in spec and design to the Leatherman I have now, or the MP800 Legend, which has got comfy handles?

[Taffer]

I've got the Leatherman Wave - works well for me!

If you know somebody who's off to the US soon, get them to buy it for you - I think my Wave cost me £50 from the states as opposed to £90 here. Don't know about Gerbers, but I imagine similar savings are to be had.

[slideways]

have you considered a swiss army knife?

[Taffer]

slideways said:

have you considered a swiss army knife?

Like this:



?

[slideways]

Thats the monkey, just what you need to slip into your pocket and forget about

[sadako]

I use a victorinox cybertool, I decided to ditch pliers in favour of a better screwdriver. It is not too bad - saves me from carrying tools around at work.

[slideways]

Taffer said:

slideways said:

have you considered a swiss army knife?

Like this:



?

its even got a knife blade and a plate rack

[maddog993]

I've had a Leatherman for years (presumably using it for the same stuff you use it for Paul - removing limbs, emergency tracheotomies, etc ) and it was only when I recently bought my son a Gerber that I realised how ste the Leatherman actually was; by comparison with the Gerber it feels flimsy and easily bends on the pivot whereas the Gerber is very solid and all the tools have a locking mechanism that is excellent (the amount of times I've had to resist hurling the Leatherman into a field when a tool has suddenly closed up on me and trapped my fingers for the umpteenth time under duress!)

So- unless Leatherman have come on leaps and bounds - Gerber every time.

[oldskool]

Just to sway the balance a bit... I'd say the Leatherman Charge is probably the best multitool at the moment, in that it has the best balance of features, build quality, size and weight. Its price does reflect that, however.

One thing to think about, is that if you are planning on carrying a multitool around in public, due to our wonderful knife laws, one with a locking blade would be illegal to carry unless you can provide a good reason to the BiB.

I wouldn't be without a decent pair of pliers, screwdrivers, and a legal emergency blade at all times, so carry one of the Leatherman Juice series.




ETA: Just read the post above... if you're a paramedic, you've can carry whatever tool you want IMO...

Edited by oldskool on Wednesday 10th September 10:24

[Zod]

another voter for the Leatherman Charge. It's made of titanium and has locking blades (thus making it illegal to carry it - I'll bet that not a single stabbing this year has involved a Leatherman as murder weapon).

[KB_S1]

I have the Charge Ti.
All tools lock, including the very sharp blades.

It is solid to use and not too heavy.
I got it from a Canadian dealer for approx' £60.

If I was getting another I would also consider the Swiss Army range. Looks similar to the Leatherman but apparently V.Good.

[shoestring7]

oldskool said:

One thing to think about, is that if you are planning on carrying a multitool around in public, due to our wonderful knife laws, one with a locking blade would be illegal to carry unless you can provide a good reason to the BiB.

Edited by oldskool on Wednesday 10th September 10:24

I was reading an Enid Blyton to SS2.0 at the weekend. It was called 'Treasure Island', and was about those bad boys the Famous Five - I suppose it was written in the 30's. Anyway the homies (aged I guess between 11 and 15) are given parental permission to spend a night on an island.

In their possesion, they had pocket knives, a sheaf knive, an axe and matches (amongst other things). No Mack 10 as far as I can tell, but isn't it surprising how attitudes to kids and knives have changed.

Or at least the perception; total number of knife deaths in my county in 2006 = 0.

SS7

[Famous Graham]

Zod said:

another voter for the Leatherman Charge. It's made of titanium and has locking blades (thus making it illegal to carry it - I'll bet that not a single stabbing this year has involved a Leatherman as murder weapon).

Think that's the one I've got. I never knew about the lockable illegality thing. Mind you, mine went through security at LAX hanging off the outside of my camera bag and the dozy tts never spotted it