The Leatherman Difference in Multi-Tools
Why does my tool rust if it’s made out of stainless steel?
Stainless steel is just that — it stains less. To remove the rust, use steel wool and penetrating-oil to gently work it from the surface of the tool.
What materials do you make your multi-tools out of?
Leatherman multi-tools are made from 100% stainless steel.
What materials do you make your pruners out of?
The Hybrid® and Vista® pruners have 33% glass-filled nylon handles over a 420HC stainless steel body. They also features a soft thermoplastic rubber overmold for comfort and grip. The body of the Genus® is made from 6061-T6, type-III hard-anodized aluminum. This means it is as strong as stainless steel but much lighter. The bypass pruners and inside tools in all three of these models are made from 420HC stainless steel.
What are some of the outside (other) materials you use?
We use 6061-T6, type-III, hard-anodized aluminum for our Charge® AL an ALX handle scales and for the handle insert on the Skeletool®. It reduces weight, but is just as durable as stainless steel. We use type-II, anodized aluminum for the colored handle scales on the Juice® and Squirt® lines. We use Titanium handle scales on the Charge® TTi for added resistance to saltwater corrosion as well as weight and because the TTi is our premium tool.
For the Blast, Fuse and Kick models we use Zytel® inserts in the handles for comfort. Zytel® is very lightweight and incredibly durable. By adding it to the handles we can increase comfort, take off weight, and we won’t loose any durability of stainless steel that would otherwise be used in the area.
On the Skeletool CX model we use Tungsten Diamond-like Coating (DLC) for scratch resistance and a carbon-fiber handle insert to reduce weight.
Why do you hard-anodize your aluminum and what is the difference between type-II and type-III?
Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. We hard-anodize our aluminum to make it stronger and more corrosion resistant. By definition, type-III is “hard” anodizing. Type-II is an anodizing process as well, but it is not as thick and most commonly used for adding color to aluminum. The thickness of a type-III hard-anodized coating is about 2 to 4 times that of normal type-II anodizing.
What materials do you use for the knives in your multi-tools?
We use 420HC stainless steel for all our multi-tool knives, save the Charge and one of the Skeletool models. In these models we use 154CM. This steel holds its edge about three times as long as regular stainless steel and is perfect for people who use the blade on their tool more than the rest of the features. In the Charge TTi we use S30V® stainless steel for the knife, which holds its edge six-times as long as regular stainless steel. See the knife FAQs for more detail on knives.
What extra steps do you take in your design and production process to really make Leatherman multi-tools stand apart?
There are quite a few things we do, but we roll them all into one phrase we call “The Leatherman Difference”. Here is a list of some of the main things that make Leatherman multi-tools stand apart from others:
Feature-Dense
- There are no gaps in our tools. We fill every bit of space with useful implements.
- Because we fill the entire length of the tool, our blades, files, and saws are the largest on the market for multi-tools.
Heat Treated
- Each implement is treated for its individual purpose. For example, knives are treated at a much higher temperature for excellent edge retention and handles are treated at lower temperatures for more flexibility.
Handles, Wire Cutters, and Screwdrivers
- Our handles are comfort-sculpted so there’s no hand fatigue.
- Our wire cutters are ground so precisely that they have to cut paper before they are cleared to go to assembly. Not only that, but they can cut paper after they cut a 16-penny nail — multiple times.
- Bit driver technology means you can switch out screwdriver tips for different projects. Depending on the tool, you'll get up to 42 different types of bits you can conveniently store in the sheath.
- Our screwdrivers are not just punched out, but ground on three sides so they hold a screw head better than the competition.
Files, Saws, and Knives
- Diamond-coated and wood/metal file surfaces run to the very edge and along the sides of the blade. This means more filing surface to get the job done faster.
- Our saws are cut in an “open” pattern design to resist filling up in wet or sappy conditions. They are also designed to work on the “pull” rather than the “push” so they don’t flex (break) and take much less effort to use.
- Our knives are hollow-ground, sharpened to perfection and hold their edge longer than most on the market.
- Outside-accessible blades, files, and saws mean you don’t have to open the tool to get to the most used feature — the knife — and you can open them with one hand.