leatherman fuse or juice or something else?

[NonSenCe]

trying to decide a multi tool for myself. i have only had cheap and crappy ones from general store. and they are all too big and heavy or clumsy to use. i did have the LM supertool 200 as a loaner but it too ended up just sitting in glovebox as it was too heavy.

i know:
i need it to be lightweight. if its not, i will not carry it.
i need pliers in it. (main reason for me to start to carry one)
i need scissors in it. (would be second most used tool i think)
i need it to be cheap(ish). or i will not buy it or use it.

then comes the should haves:
i would want the tools to be easy to open. no fiddling. no fingernail usage.
i would like the tools to lock. (safety reasons.. i like my (butter)fingers)
i would like the knife to be on the outside of the tool. (quick access)

thoughts and insights for you to know:
SAK is cool item that i will not carry as i cant open the damn blades without a separate tools. kinda makes it useless if i need to use a key from my keychain to open any of its tools or knife. had saks since i was a kid but still just cant carry one everyday as they are driving me nuts. god knows i tried for couple decades.

leatherman charge. looks almost the part. blades are easy and on outside. but: its bit on heavy side already. and it just is too expensive for me to carry and likely loose.

bigger sized leathermans are out.. 4 inches is the limit.. and the weight must be small. thats why i thought the fuse or kick to be more in right weight class.. but that might be too heavy too. haha even if that the ones i have used before (leatherman 200 friend loaned for me for a year but it was just too heavy led for me to carry.. the bacho and similar chapo ones that i also have are of same size and weight.)

but then from leatherman there is even smaller juice cs4 or s2 to consider. (i do not need awl i do not need corkscrew or file etc.) but it is smaller to carry than the fuse..

especially the juice s2 looks really nice. that has a good pair of scissors too. but are the pliers too small to use already? and there is no locking blades?? damit.

gerber 400 series on the limit in weight.. but it would have those cool flick of wrist deployed pliers.

victorinox spirit. also on the heavy side. and on the expensive side! this and leatherman charge would be about the same. nice but too much money. also one key feature in my twisted mind would be that "everyone has a leatherman, im different and i carry this brand XXX instead."

these i need in the minimal weight tool:
1. sturdy pliers, 2. scissors. 3 knife. 4 big prying tool/flat screwdriver 5. philips. 6 small flat screwdriver. (5 and 6 can be subsittuted by a bits)

i kinda wish for multi tool that is featherweight but can be a true contender in welterweights.. (see.. i want a manny pacquiao multitool!)

or like in knife i like.. sog flash2: blade length 3.5inches, and weighs only 3oz.

rambling again.. just thought about asking a simple question.. but got carried away tryin to make some sense in my needs.

i think i forgot something but i will come up with more stuff per feedback if needed.

currently i am torn between leatherman juice s2 (no lock) and fuse (lock but heavier) so HELP me to either pick one.. or gimme another options.. !

 

[LightChaser]

I carry a Juice XE6, and so far I haven't had issues with the non-locking implements. Yeah, it would make me feel a lot better if the tools (especially the blades) were locked in place, but from my experience, they have click into place pretty well and feel pretty solid - at least solid enough for anything I've used them for. I haven't really put them through any heavy use, but they seem tough enough for my uses, and this includes the pliers. I have a toolbox in my room if I need tougher, more specialized tools anyway. My question is, what do you think you'll be using your multi-tool for?

I suggest you find a local retailer that sells the Juice (or a friend that has one) just to get a feel for the thing. If you don't like it, then your choice is made.

One issue I have with it is that some of the tools are a bit fiddly. I have some trouble with the screwdrivers inside, especially when I've just cut my fingernails. The phillips driver seems more difficult than the flat ones, and I sometimes use a key or a coin for it. Maybe when I get some nano-oil to put on 'em, they'll work a bit better. The same goes for the saw, but I haven't used that anyway.

Again, I suggest you evaluate your needs, and find a unit you can play with to help you make your decision. If you want a tool you can use in a pinch for everyday emergencies, then the Juice would probably work pretty well. If you intend to use it everyday, then maybe a bigger tool would be better - that being said, I find that I use my Juice almost everyday, even if only for a few minutes at a time.

I hope that helps.

 

[Gryffin]

Lemme toss an oddball suggestion out there: a Leatherman PST-II. It's been discontinued for years now, but I still see 'em turn up on fleaBay and such.

I've been into multitools for almost 20 years now, started with an original Leatherman Tool (later retroactively renamed the PST). Tools have definitely been getting bigger and heavier with time. While the PST-II is kinda "old skool", it still packs a lot of utility in a small and light package: 4"x½"x1", 5oz. Prolly why I still EDC mine about half the time, and have another packed with my hiking gear, and another in my BOB, and another… you get the idea.

The Charge is an excellent tool, but definitely not a lightweight. However, the two external blades mean you don't need to carry a separate folding knife, which can actually save you some total EDC weight. I often carry mine in lieu of my usual folder.

The Juice line is nice and pocketable; the S2 in particular is one of my favorites, and seems like it would meet your needs well. I find the XE6 a bit bulky for a "light duty" multitool, but if you need the extra layers' implements, it's still pretty pocketable.

I might be biased, but I've never liked any Gerber tool. That sliding mechanism leaves very little room for other implements, the handles tend to pinch your fingers, the newer designs are awful bulky for what they deliver, and the fit 'n' finish is kinda cheesy. (The only multitools I've ever had rust were a couple Gerbers. Nuff said.)

The SwissTool Spirit is an excellent choice, if you don't mind a little extra weight. The BEST build quality I know of, very comfortable in hard use, excellent implement selection. (I prefer the Spirit X, with a proper knife blade rather than the standard "serrated spatula".)

 

[NonSenCe]

i have my toolbox(es) with the proper tools for the tasks that need to be done "right".

actually. if it would have a great knife on it i wouldnt have to carry a pocket knife on me anymore. (i am afraid that i will eventually start to use the knife as a prybar/wedge if i dont end up carrying a multitool for that task)

i just got gerber artifact last week and i think it sux as multitool but would be nice prythingy after some modifications.. like filing the pointy screwdriver off, removing the blade, and the bottle opener part too.. i have no need for opener. the blade is useless if i have a knife on me that i normally do. (and the tapes in boxes can be cut/ripped open by the tip of the prying end of gerber. so no need for blade) and the screwdriver is too pointy and annoys me when i try to use or carry it.

and with a small multitool with decent paintcan opening flat big screwdriver pryblade i wouldnt have to carry the gerber either.


so the multitool would be the quick access generalized tool for those pesky little tasks i run into time to time. you know: fix it a little. "tighten it so it just gets us home" or just bend,twist and manipulate it a bit so it works again until i have the time and tools to fix it properly.

a multitool: it does nothing perfectly but can suffice with many tasks well enough. mostly it would be used and needed when im too lazy to go and get a better tool. hahah.

thats why i think it must be small and lite.. so it will not feel like a chore to carry around on all those days i dont need it. (nothing needs fixing or i have a better tool near by)

 

[NonSenCe]

won an auction on used Fuse (50% off). will know in couple days if it was a wrong move (too big or something)

 

[NonSenCe]

LM fuse arrived today.

quick take: small and light enough to carry. wouldnt want to carry anything bigger.. smaller one would be better still.

bit too sharp edges of the handle. the plastic part that is. (easy to fix i think with sandpaper)

tools: have to say i dont like them. they are too hard to open for me. i need a tool to pull them all out. only (very sharp) knife is easy enough to open.

and then comes the weird part that i am torn if its bad or good: if i open the knife the flat screwdrivers follow along. making them easier to open then. in a way it helps me open them too but.. somehow i feel it is a flaw in design if the tools wont stay closed when opening other one. and i feel it would be annoying to be opening and closing a blade just to get a screwdriver out.

and i think now that the tools are in wrong side. (inside) cant open any of them without opening the pliers. i now know that ease of access from outside is a big plus. but the locking feature for the tools is nice.

summa summarum: for the money i paid for it (about 25$) its great. miles ahead of the old heavy clumsy MTs i am used to. and will stash it into my glovebox or bob. but i will continue to search for better alternative.

wonder if the swiss sprit tools are easier to open than the fuse? and the juice s2 is smaller tool too..

 

[Gryffin]

Congrats on the Fuse! And congrats on succumbing to the madness of multitools.

The plastic inserts are actually in improvement over the plain metal edges of the original PST, but you're right, a little sanding improves comfort still further. It's a tool, don't be afraid to customize it to your needs!

As for the "clumping" of the implements… A lot of folks see it as a flaw, but as the folks at Leatherman will tell you, it's actually a feature. There isn't enough space to make each implement separately accessible, but once you pull 'em all out, it's easy to spread 'em apart to get to the one you want. Some other tools put individual shims between each implement to avoid the "clumping", but it also makes them thicker.

The implements on the inside of the handles is pretty standard, because it's easier to make room for the plier jaws that way. (If you think it's a bit inconvenient, don't but a Gerber Multi-Plier; it has the implements on the inside, but you can't even open the handles all the way. Major PITA.) Some tools have the implements on the outside, but they tend to be the bigger, heavier ones.

Based on your comments, I think you'll like the SwissTool Spirit. The implements are on the outside (prolly the most compact multitool that has that), the handle edges are very nicely rounded and comfortable, and each implement is both easy to open, and does so separately. It'll cost ya more than $25, but it's a major upgrade from the Fuse!

 

[NonSenCe]

ah huh.. thanks. yet another hole where my money disappears. hah

naah.. this will not be as bad as my flashlight thing or the knives.. just one or two more MTs and im set. (just like i said with the flashlights.. and still say hahahh)

and yeah. i modify my stuff with little remorse. (i hardly ever re-sell anything so i have no worries about mucking them up for my liking) they are tools. even more than flashlights are.

so will sand the edges down this weekend. they will be nicer than the ones i have in my bacho mt. it has sharp edges and stainless steel. the plastic may even be more comfortable during winter time too. and it does contribute on the lighter weight too.

spirit .. damn that all the decent priced ones in ebay are NOT the X model. i kinda imagine NOT liking the goofy wavy blunt endge knife on the other models. what else not to like.. the weight could be less but its about same as fuse. umm and the scissors are said to be small. otherwise it does sound and look like a good option.

..it does keep calling my name all the time.. will resist temptation. atleast till next week. (try out time for the Fuse) and maybe the zebralight sc50w is available then and i spend my "playmoney" on that. hahha.

 

[NonSenCe]

just got leatherman juice s2 yesterday. AWESOME! now this size and weight i can carry with me all day. great tool. (little slippery handles and non-locking blades.. otherwise its very very good.. i want a second one.)

got squirt s4 last week.. and it found its way directly to my keychain. great mini tool. have used it all the time on little fddly things.

will buy squirt ps4 when they are ready to ship and replace the s4 with it.

but the juice s2 is really a slam dunk. should of bought it right away. now i almost can talk myself out of buying the victorinox spirit. i do not need it that much. (maybe next month)

 

[Gryffin]

Glad ya like it!

There's only one thing I don't like about the Juice line: those #$%^&* solid rivets. I've taken apart several of my older Leatherman tool and customized them; no way to do that with the Juice.

(My ideal "urban EDC" Juice would be the ******* offspring of the S2 and KF4: drop-point knife blade, scissors, file, can/bottle opener. No corkscrew, no wood saw, no serrated knife blade. But do they make that one? Noooooooo…)

If you think the S2 will help you resist the SwissTool Spirit, well, you must be new here. I give it a month at the outside before you succumb.

 

[NonSenCe]

i know. i know. i was totally happy not carrying a multitool couple months ago. then i got the bug seeing a friend of mine having his gerber and another one with bacho mt. then started to think if i should add one into my bag or glovebox (i do have real tools in the toolbox at the trunk but for those quick tasks a mt would be good option)

that caused me to start this thread in the end.

since then i bought leatherman squirt s4, LM micra, LM fuse, Lm juice s2..

next would be a spirit with scissors i think. or the squirt ps4.

i agree that the retired kf4 is very nice also.. mostly because of the diamond file.

diamondfile should be in every multitool. (why is it that it was the only medium/small mt with one.. next option is full sized models)

i among same lines aswell. saw and serrated edge are not needed.. or if the tool wouldnt be riveted then maybe as separately sold options. the add almost any tool you like would be cool. even if its forced to pick either knife/serrknife and saw/file.

my ideas for juice s2 upgraded:

keep the scissors, philips scredriver, pliers

make the knife to lock. also make knife one handed opener with very little protruding stud instead of that fingernail recess. (even if it would be a little akward to open. geometry issues. it would be still possible to open with one hand.)

add diamond file. (one side diamond. other can be either mm scale ruler or normal file.) -in perfect world it could be pulled out and used separately.. that way you could sharpen your multitool also!

keep the bottleopener, but remove the can opener (i can use a p38 or knife anyways) -add a big flat screwdriver/prytool to the void of can opener.

make longer medium flat screwdriver. keep the small.

and as the big flat one is in can opener slot add an awl into it.

maybe.. just maybe add tweezers.

and a holster that allows carry up and sideways. but no velcro rip closure.. i hate that ripping sound.

-and make it lighter than the current s2 one! and keep the price the same.

 

[Gryffin]

next would be a spirit with scissors i think.

My Spirit is one of the original ones, with the "serrated spatula" blade. It looks goofy as Hell, but works pretty well; I thought I'd hate it, but in the long run it hasnt' bothered me too much, since I always have at least one more knife on me at any given time!

i agree that the retired kf4 is very nice also.. mostly because of the diamond file.

There's one obscure (and discontinued) model that has every implement: the short-lived Juice Pro. Basically, it was a Juice XE6 with two additional implements: a small serrated hawkbill blade tucked behind the corkscrew, called a foil cutter, ostensibly for cutting the foil off the top of wine bottles, but occasionally useful for other things; and a pair of SAK-type tweezers that fit into a plastic insert by the tip of the main blade. And it had all the other tools too: plain and serrated knife blades, wood saw, diamond/plain file, can/bottle opener, scissors, assorted drivers. The downside was, with all that functionality baked in, it's a bit too bulky and heavy for casual pocket carry!

 

[manosteel]

+1 on the Juice S2.

It is lightweight and all the tools that you need!

Best of luck!

 

[NonSenCe]

fuse got sold to a friend.

juice s2 is still used plenty. and the the squirt ps4 is in my keychain too. (its actually more used and carried than juice.)

still havent found the cash to buy the victorinox spirit. will eventually.

 

[mutineer]

I have about a half dozen Multi tools and the one I carry most often is my leatherman juice

Weighs about as much as pocket lint and has about 75% of the usability of a much heavier tool

 

[Tuikku]

Great Thread!

I can say, I have 90% of the same needs as OP.

I have a gen.I Leatherman Wave. I hate it... Too big. Pliers are nice but I always somhow leave skin between my index finger & thumb between, when taking a grip.
Those backsides of blades then make some nasty marks in my hand
It´too big!!!!
Has many useless tools for me.

I remember the time, when I still had my PST II. That was on the limit with size but had quite about anything I needed.
Maybe I should try that Juice S2... That Victorinox, on the other hand looks good also