Leatherman Super Tool 300: Done.

I’m a huge fan of Leatherman tools, having had one on my hip literally since High School.  That was back in the time when you could still do something like that and not be pulled into the nearest police station, or shot, or both.  And no, I wasn’t a hick in a hick town, I’m just pragmatic and industrious.  That first Leatherman was the PST, a small tool with only the necessities, well made and close to perfection.  Not bad for being their first tool.  I still have it somewhere, and it always grinds me a bit when I realize I’m not 100% certain where it’s kept.

From there I graduated to the original Super Tool.

A bit larger than the PST but overall the same form and function, with the addition of locking blades.  These are operated by opening another blade 90 degrees and then closing them both.  I’ve since retired it as it’s no longer made and likely no longer supported, but it’s kept in my knife collection, ready to go when needed.

Then came a sad day for me, when I couldn’t find my Super Tool and tried to purchase a new one.  Seems they’d retired it and replaced it, after a fashion, with the Core.  It worked, which is about all I can say about it.  I probably still have this somewhere but it was basically relegated to a glove box tool, if that.  The problem I had with it was the addition of plastic spacers between the handles and generally just an over-sided, bloated feel.

I was embarrassed every time I took it out, just looked like a corporate efficiency expert took over and put profits over quality.  Even regularly expected tools, like the smallest flat blade – small enough to tighten glasses just enough – was virtually doubled in size.  I actually had to take it to a grinder to make it work.  Too wide, too thick, just too much of everything bad.  The tomfoolery was obvious when placed next to all of the better tools.  Gone was the sloped reduction to the pliers, in its place a straight edge and plastic filler.  I will say this is around the time where they created the lever lock, allowing the tool to be closed by a button rather than opening another tool.

I recall working in the Gerber knife shop as a temp and extolling the virtues of the Leatherman over the Gerber, specifically the fact that the Gerber uses plastic to lock the blades rather than metal.  No hammering 16 penny nails with that, or dropping it from 10 feet without breaking it.  Take a look at any Gerber with the plastic which actually gets used, the edges will be cracked off it.  Gerber makes good tools, no doubt about it, and if you prefer their awkward opening style and other features, you can’t go wrong.  I’ll just make fun of you for not getting a real tool…

If I recall correctly, this is also about the time when they switched steel technologies, from forged to cast or something.  The tools used to be very shiny and had a bit of flex, whereas the new tools simply snapped.

Left: Original Super Tool. Note the curled edges of the cutters.

Left: Original Super Tool.

Granted, they’re always strong, just different.  For instance, the tiny standard screwdriver on my PST and Super Tool would bend when over leveraged.  I’d simply bend them back into place.  When I got the crappy Core, the much larger but technically smallest blade actually chipped, at which point I took it upon myself to do the aforementioned grinding.  I honestly don’t know which is the better blade/tool technology, they’re just different.

Lastly, it was around this time that Leatherman changed from a lifetime warranty to a 25 year warranty.  This still frustrates me a bit, even if there are good reasons for changing.  That said, 25 years is a very long time to warranty a tool so it’s at least useable, just lesser.  I can say that I have used the warranty twice in my life.  Once I snapped a screwdriver and REI simply exchanged it right there in the store.  Guess that’s a statement of the REI warranty more than Leatherman, but still, customer was served well.  The most recent was after I tried to straighten my clutch lever when I randomly dropped my bike at a scenic overlook.  The weird thing is that it felt like it broke quite easily, but I think it was just the angle, as I’ve abused all of the pliers on all of the tools for decades with never a problem, both before and after the repair, so I can say with reasonable certainty that I abused the tool beyond what I normally do.  Suffice it to say, the warranty process was painless and fast.  I have no complaints.

Luckily, Leatherman came to their senses and brought back the Super Tool, this time calling it the Super Tool 300.  Whatever, the tool was back.  Gone was the plastic, back were the appropriate tools in the appropriate sizes, plus a few nifty additions.  Specifically, the replaceable cutters on the pliers, although I’ve never needed them.  I’ve snapped the pliers, never needed to replace – or even tighten – the cutters, but it’s nice to know I can, because I’ve boogered previous versions up plenty.

The new tool is distinctly larger than the original tool in every way, down to the pliers themselves, but I’m not going to complain.

The Super Tool 300 is always on my hip, or close by.  One negative, such as it is, is the stock nylon/elastic case which comes with it.  Or maybe it was with the Core and the taste in my mouth is still there.  Nylon everywhere with elastic sides.  You’d be better off just Scotch taping the knife to your leg and hoping it stays in place.  Stupid piece of @#$%.  Buy the leather case and be done with it.  I’ve had a tool in a leather case upside down suspended over a large cliff, scuffing over rocks and never opened.  Whatever snap they’re using, keep it up.  About once every 5+ years I have to replace the case, but that’s okay by me, they’re inexpensive.

It’s worth noting that by most standards the Super Tool 300 is a big, heavy chunk of steel and many, if not most people choose something different, like the Wave.  That’s cool, not for me, but if it’s Leatherman the odds are you’ve bought the best there is so you’ve made a wise decision.

Speaking of which, I also carry two Micras, one for each vehicle.

As you can see in the main picture and the close-up below, I keep my keys on real carabiners and I duplicate every key necessary on a different ‘biner per vehicle.  Yes, in part I’m a poseur, but in part I use the carabiners from time to time on winter hikes and climbing gyms.

Currently that’s one motorcycle and one Jeep.  The Micras have a few tools which the bigger items don’t, such as scissors and tweezers.  To be honest, I rarely use the Micra tools and can’t think of the last time I used the knives on them, but that’s due to the tool on my hip.  But I do make use of the scissors with some frequency, and I’m glad to know that I have the extra tools should they be needed.

Two points of caution though.  First, just go with the stainless finish as the others tend to wear out and look old.  The tool on the left below is the satin finish.  Would you believe that’s about 5 years younger than the tool on the right?  Both of those tools date back to over 10 years of constant use in all conditions, including underwater and even saltwater.  Both still work relatively fine.

Which leads me to the second point of caution:  Given that these are on keyrings and therefore in all sorts of dusty, linty conditions, you’ll want to make sure you clean and lube these every year or 5.

Why do I always have a leatherman on me?  90% of the time it’s the pliers.  Just this morning I found a bunch of that particularly aggressive field grass in my shoes, the type which just barely sticks out but grabs on with ferocity.  I couldn’t get a grip with my fingers so I grabbed the pliers and pulled it out.  Every time I open a box in the mail?  Pliers.  No knife to dull, to sharp point to ruin contents.

Why splurge on a Leatherman when you can simply buy a cheap multi-tool?  Go watch 127 Hours and imagine how much faster and more cleanly he’d have been out of there much sooner.  Good tool, good life.

Go out and buy one of these if you haven’t already.  There are very few tools about which I’ll wax poetic and feel naked without, this is one of them.