August 2007
Leatherman in Africa
I am a mechanical engineer by profession having worked 15 years as an expert in many countries throughout the African continent on major oilfields, construction and mining projects. I bought my first Leatherman (a Core multi - tool) whilst working in the oilfields of Gabon - West Africa. I found endless daily uses for my Leatherman from tweaking heavy diesel equipment components to cooking bbq'd meat, cutting bamboo poles, opening cans, beer bottles, etc, etc.
Whilst inspecting some heavy equipment with a colleague one day we saw a young bush elephant also inspecting a stack of 18" oil pipes by sniffing them and putting his trunk down the ends of the pipes. One of the pipes still had in place the hollow protective plastic cap on the end and as the young bull removed his trunk from the pipe the plastic cap became lodged onto the base of his trunk. Agreeing that the young elephant would manage to dislodge the end cap from his trunk on a tree in the bush we shared the incident with the other guys over a beer in the bar.
Some two weeks later the same elephant started to appear on a regular basis around our accommodation camp with the plastic cap still lodged firmly on the base of his trunk. Viewing the animal through binoculars we noted that the plastic cap was partially blocking his eyesight and the trunk had become bruised and swollen around where the cap was lodged and our animal was clearly becoming distressed. As we were working in a state declared wildlife and environmentally preserved area, we had frequent visits from government hired consultant officials who were alerted to our young pachyderm’s situation.
Within a few days an expert was flown up from South Africa and accompanied by myself and three other oilfields colleagues we located our elephant by a nearby river. Our expert anesthetized the young elephant with a dart rifle and proceeded to use a pad saw to cut off the offending plastic cap. Within a few strokes the blade of the pad saw broke and our expert was starting to panic as he had nothing else at hand to tackle cutting the plastic cap with! Yes, you guessed it. As had become my now natural instinct when in need of a readily available tool, I opened up the Leatherman, locked in the saw blade and cut through the plastic cap like a hot knife through butter.
After removal of the cap our expert gave the elephant a full physical examination and administered an injection. Our expert declared the animal ok and we retired to a safe distance from the beast. Within minutes our young elephant came to and headed straight for the river, drank copious amounts of water then proceeded to take a long overdue bath with his now unrestricted trunk and then happily set off into the bush to rejoin his family. I saw our expert off on his flight back to South Africa and upon parting he said "you know, the first thing I'm going to do when I get back home is buy myself one of those Leatherman multi - tools!"
After that incident I worked in Gabon for another two years and my Leatherman became a real part of me in work and play. In the bar my work colleagues would ask me for a look at the Leatherman and we would group discuss its many uses and robustness in the African bush. Believe me that we are not boring people, it just goes with the "men and men’s toys" thing! I got to the stage where if I didn't wear it I would continuously find my hand checking for it as you would when you look at the watch you forgot to put on. I remember looking round the bar at my end of contract leaving party and mentally smiling about the fact that 90% of my work colleagues now sported a Leatherman as an "essential African bush accessory" and boasting many new found and deft uses for their multi - tools.
My next contract took myself and the same Leatherman to the diamond mines in Angola - West Africa. By now I was a well seasoned user of the Leatherman and throughout the course of the day it would appear in my hand with lightening speed, complete the task at hand and disappear just as fast. My African staff is always in awe of the Leatherman and I would have liked to give them one each, but sadly I'm not a person of such wealth. The lucky few who are able to save enough to buy one look after them like family.
One day whilst working on the top of a running aggregates processing plant, the Leatherman slipped out of the pouch and into the aggregates flow system. I thought I'd seen the last of the Leatherman only to find it attached to a magnetic revolving drum scraper blade. It had scored the revolving drum quite badly, but the Leatherman had suffered only a couple of minor scratches. Lucky me, eh! One of my Angolan senior management colleagues was so fascinated with the Leatherman he often used to try and beg me to give him the Leatherman over the four year period I worked with him. He had enough money to buy his own, but for him it had to be my now well worn and used version.
A week before I knew I was leaving Angola I presented him with the Leatherman and every time I met with him the Leatherman was in his hand. The day before I left we were well into the heavy rains season and I learned my Angolan friend had rolled his pickup over several times off the road and into the river. He called over the mines radio system to tell us all he was ok and arrived to the camp a couple of hours later soaking wet through but not a scratch on him. He explained that the vehicle cab was badly damaged when it fell into the river and as a result the passenger seat was fouling the seat belt catch when he tried to get out. The vehicle was under water in the river and when we asked him how he managed to get out of the vehicle without opening the seat belt, he just opened the Leatherman serrated knife blade, held it up and said "quick thinking!"
The moral of this story: If any of you out there are planning to go to the African bush - take it from me you’re not properly prepared if you don't have a Leatherman multi tool on your belt. TIP: To travel, put your Leatherman in a pair of socks and push this into the toes of a pair of boots/shoes and then pack this into your baggage which you’re going to check in for your flight/s. Do not carry in your hand baggage, as it is not allowed and your Leatherman will be confiscated. I have seen this too many times. Why am I writing this today? I entered the Leatherman web site to register my newly acquired "Wave" - a present from my daughter, which will leave with me soon to the African Congo region. Can't go without being properly dressed now can I?
Edward P.
Teesside, United Kingdom
OK, you voyeur, you. Enough of reading other people's stories. It's time you told your own tale of gripping heroism or even just neat DIY'ism. We know there's a Shakespeare in you somewhere. Don't make us use the Steens to find it.