Reader Blackwing1 had some good things to say about his Leatherman CS4 Juice:
…and I must say it looks good for an everyday carry (EDC) function; but it does lack a whole bunch of SHTF gear, which was the premise of the original post.
Unfortunately, I just can’t get past the fact that Tim Leatherman voted for Fuckface Kerry, back in the day. So I’m reluctant to buy any LM products — and yes I know, it’s ancient news, but there it is. (According to him, he’s not anti-gun — “I own a rifle and a shotgun” — but the fact that he was prepared to vote for Anti-Gun Fuckface really sticks in my craw.)
I was once given a Leatherman tool as a Christmas present, and I passed it on to someone else as soon as the occasion arose.
Feel free to take issue with me.
Don’t you own a commie gun? Don’t confuse the tool for the creator. You salute the rank, not the man. So on and so forth, carry on then.
Dang it, now that I know he’s aligned with those kinds of idiots I won’t be willing to buy his company’s products any more.
I believe in not supporting the enemy with my purchases, but it keeps on getting tougher as time goes by since I’m never sure which companies are selling the rope for their own hanging by the collectivists.
Have to agree with Don on that one. The tool, not the man. I’ve carried one version or another of a multi-tool for …. well, since I was a Cub Scout (yeah, a scout knife qualifies…hell if your pocket knife has more than one blade, it qualifies…but I digress). I’ve carried Gerbers and Victorinox but I settled on my Leatherman. None of them are complete but they are handy. In a survival situation, they’ll be even handier. Are other tools better at specific jobs? Certainly… but if you need a set of pliers and all you have is your handy dandy Bushcraft blade with a high tech Scandi grind… well, I think you’re SOL. If it’s wilderness survival, a blade or an axe is all you need if you have the knowledge. Thanks Kim for letting me have my $0.02 worth.
“I own a rifle and a shotgun” which is the “Some of my best friends are” quote of the anti-gun fuckwads out there. Tim Walz pick up your phone.
How do you know its an election year in my State? Democratic candidates start getting pictures taken hunting or at the gun range. At least you never hear “common-sense-gun-control” phrases in these parts. The unwashed has learned what that means from other States.
We have the never sufficiently be-damned 10 round magazine compliments of Bill Ruger. To this day I refuse to purchase any Ruger product. You’ll never catch me with Leatherman for the same reason. Gerber makes one sufficient to my needs. Some transgressions are only forgivable by the Almighty.
I own several multi tools — Gerber, Leatherman, and Victornox — and I don’t recall ever using any tool but the pliers. My Explorer model Swiss Army Knife, OTOH, gets used all the time. I now think a good SAK, a 6″ or 8″ pair of needle nosed pliers and, maybe, a Cold Steel TuffLite are a better choice overall for SHTF.
I have never bought a multi-tool but I have about a dozen of them. They were all military issue when I got deployed. I prefer the Gerbers. I have 4 different Leatherman – 3 of them reside in our vehicles and the most accessorized is in the big tool box. I also have 4 knock off’s that are all chinese metal. The joys of being highly deployable in the military.
The issue knives were of better quality. I have been issued 2 Benchmade autos, 2 Cricket thumb actions, 2 heavy duty Gerber autos/1 boot knife/2 thumb action, a Sharade, a German knock off of a Swiss Army Knife (good for opening wine bottles) and 2 different Ka-Bars. My daily carry is one of the Benchmades. I gave the other to knuckle dragger, Ken Lane. No body needs 2 Benchmades as they are the ultimate pocket knife. The Ka-Bars fit well along side the seat belt clip in the Ranger and F-350. The rest are in a drawer, sharp but never used. BTW: I could shave with my Benchmade. The metal is of razor quality but harder than any strait blade razor I have ever used.
I got a deal on the Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X ($99, shoulda bought a half dozen at that price) and it’s all I need and then some. I keep it on the go-bag and if I ever lose it, I will buy another one instantly.
For EDC, my Victorinox Evolution S18 has taken a lot of abuse and never flinched. That’s the one that stays in my jacket pocket.
The North American distribution center for Victorinox is in the southwest corner of my state. They used to have a wonderful sale during Thanksgiving week. I picked up a couple of their knives on the Huntsman line for a really good price. At the time I went I figured if I lost one about every ten years, figured my planned life expectancy then bought accordingly. I also bought a couple as presents for my nephews. They’re handy and easy to carry.
I heard that the Benchmade company made some sort of machine used to destroy guns confiscated by the police. Leatherman’s founder is a commie? that’s disappointing. These people truly do not know who their customers are. That’s a shame.
I got my first Leatherman (their original model) in the ’90s and used it ALL the time for everything at work. It had issues in pliers mode. Got them as gifts for my brother and Dad who both liked and used them.
I bought a much nicer Leatherman Wave shortly before Leatherman showed his cranial-rectal inversion, so it was grandfathered in but I never purchased another product from them.
Along the way I picked up a couple of SOG multitools on great sales. They are nowhere near as ‘nice’ as the Wave, but completely usable; they lack scissors though. The small one is specialized for LV wiring and punchdowns. The big one is their military version and has a ‘blasting cap crimper’ built into it, and a ‘ripper’ tool that can be used to cut straps or seat belts in place of scissors.
The big SOG is now my EDC. I lent my Wave to a coworker when we were out at a customer site a few weeks ago and he left it there ‘somewhere’, and nobody at the site will admit finding it ( I know the coworker didn’t steal it). New ones are $130, even if they weren’t on the do not buy list. So it goes.