Editor’s note: On the 41st anniversary of Leatherman’s founding, we asked our fans to share their stories. The submissions quickly poured in. We turned them over to founder Tim Leatherman, who reviewed each and every one. Below is a collection of his favorites.

“Decisions, decisions, decisions. For International LEATHERMAN Day we asked to see your pictures and hear your stories. For you to show us where you have taken Leatherman tools and where they have taken you. And now it is up to me to choose five to seven from 106. And to say why.

Before I started, I scratched my head. What’s the criteria? I came up with a tentative list.

Most innovative use.
Oldest tool.
Most dramatic use.
Most tools.
Youngest user.
Oldest user.
Best story accompanying the photo.
Most well used.
Used for my least recommended use of the tool.
Most creative positioning of the tool(s) is the picture.
Most surprising tool to be pictured, i.e. not our most popular offering.
The picture best telling a story without the use of words. The most famous person holding a Leatherman tool.
Pictures that a professional photographer would be proud to call their own.

But now I have a new problem. The list is too long. I’m only supposed to pick 5 to 7. And there are too many great pictures and too many pictures with great stories.

Ultimately, it came down to choosing a few using my criteria and others by going with my gut.

Thank you all, young and old, from near and far, for your submissions. We love you all.

In no particular order, my selections:”

Young boy using Leatherman tool bit driver to fix his car toy.

Tim’s Quote: “Aw shucks. Can’t be cuter than this.

Submitted by: Adam S.

Quote/Story: “Start them young!”

Hand holding 26 year old Leatherman PST to repair a machine.

Tim’s Quote: “Broke the jaw tip using a 26-year-old tool to repair a 75-year old tractor. But still a fan.”

Submitted by: Dusti S.

Quote/Story: "I broke my 26 year old Leatherman PST last summer making a field repair on my 75-year-old international harvester mowing machine. For the second time and its lifetime I sent it back for repairs. I am always amazed at the durability of my Leatherman and outstanding customer service. Thank you for making a great product that is served me so well in so many situations at home, at work, and in the field for going on three decades."

A young man standing in the circus area holding a Leatheman Tool.

A circus sideshow performer showing his Leatherman tool.

Tim’s Quote: “Can you name this famous musician?”

Submitted By: Matthew C.

Quote/Story: “Hello, my name is Matt ‘The Tube’ Crowley. I've been a Leatherman owner since the late 80's. In the early 90's I was a founding member of Seattle's Jim Rose Circus Sideshow. In 1992 we performed at that summer's Lollapalooza. I asked Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Ed Vedder of Pearl Jam to pose with my Leatherman PST. I thought the resulting photos came out well.”

A collection of Leatherman tools with some Vintage PST packaging.

Tim’s Quote: “Vintage PST packaging.”

Submitted By: Brenton C.

Quote/Story: None

A Leatherman Charge used for 20 years by a UK policeman.

Tim’s Quote: “Used for over 20 years by a UK policeman, who among a myriad of other uses, used it to ‘release persons from rope ligatures.’ A new word added to my vocabulary.“

Submitted By: James G.

Quote/Story: “I purchased my Charge Leatherman in 2004, the year I joined the police. It has been faithful companion and it can tell many a story, some good and some not so good! It has cut wire from animals and people, released persons from rope ligatures, cut seatbelts of trapped people at RTC’s, cut cable ties and evidence bags and many other items. It has helped me dismantle and rebuild UPV doors and windows, open cans and fix spectacles on occasions. It has been frozen solid, heated in the sun, been soaking wet through, dropped, knocked and every screwdriver bit and tool has been used at some point or another. I still use it today in my new role but now I use it to fix trains instead. I wouldn’t be without it, I had to replace the case not so long ago as the leather one got battered and it could do with a good service as one side of the pliers is a little sticky now. It has been a faithful tool which has helped me out many, many times.”

A Leatherman Supertool with special engraved on the handle.

Tim’s Quote: “Could the oldest family-owned restaurant in Alabama have had this tool specially engraved?”

Submitted By: Glenn R.

Quote/Story: “What are the chances a sailor lost their Leatherman Super? Would make a good story. I'm game for good stories.”

A Leatherman Surge on the working table with knife and serrated knife open.

Tim’s Quote: “One of the submitters suggested adding a utility blade. This submitter did."

Submitted By: William D.

Quote/Story: "My poor Surge has been used everyday it gets no time off and held up to everything I can ask of it to do."

Hand holding a Leatherman Supertool at the facade of Leatherman factory.

Tim’s Quote: “This tool pays a visit back to its place of birth.”

Submitted By: Elliott L.

Quote/Story: "Here’s a couple, thanks for your time."

An old Leatherman PST tool with the Leatherman Sidekick.

Tim’s Quote: “Family heirlooms. The PST was used hard by the first and third generation and will be passed down to the 5th generation.”

Submitted By: G H.

Quote/Story: "I have my first Leatherman that my grandad left me over 10 years ago that he received as a retirement gift from the rock quarry that he worked at outside of Bend, OR. I used to carry it everywhere with me. I was wearing it out using it so much so I decided to put it away so I can pass it down to my grandson when he gets old enough. My son asked me if he could use it for something we were working on and explained to him why I stopped carrying it. So the next up coming Christmas my son gave me my new Leatherman. It's a part of my everyday attire no matter what I'm wearing or where I'm going. I was completely lost not having one from the time I put up my grandad's up until I received the one my son gave me. I can honestly say that they are a family heirloom and will continue to be for years to come. Thank you for making a great product that has lasted for years and I hope will continue to last."

A Leatherman Surge with opened knife used to make a wood-carved reindeer.

Tim’s Quote: “No words necessary to describe what happened here.”

Submitted By: Aaron B.

Quote/Story: “A little Christmas cheer with my Surge.”

Gloved hand using Leatherman Garage 005 to drill a new tie-down hole into a sled.

Group of people on a winter-snow camping trip.

Tim’s Quote: “First, I’m so happy to see a Garage tool being used instead of collected. Second, I’m in total agreement with the ‘unrighteously maligned awl’ comment. I too have often found the awl to be the absolutely perfect blade in some situations.”

Submitted By: Ira W.

Quote/Story: “This unrighteously maligned awl on my Leatherman Garage 005 was absolutely PERFECT for drilling a new tie-down hole into a sled for a BSA winter camping trip.”

A pilot on an Army helicopter.

Tim’s Quote: “A great note with the picture. Three generations of LEATHERMAN tool users.”

Submitted By: Rod P.

Quote/Story: "My parents live in Alaska and my father is an avid hunter and fisherman. He got a PST shortly after they first came out and I liked it so much after a bear hunting trip with him (where we used it to fix a busted u-joint on his truck) I got one myself. As an Army helicopter pilot, I carried my PST during Desert Shield/Storm and Bosnia and it was irreplaceable opening inspection panels on my aircraft during preflight and post flight inspection. When my son deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, he carried a Wave with him and has said many times how invaluable it was. Nowadays I always have an ARC on my belt (gifted one to my father as well haha) and I have a Wave in the console of each of my vehicles. I use them on a daily basis, whether it's changing the batteries in a toy for the grandmonkeys, working on a vehicle, fishing, hunting, or any of hundreds of other uses. Quality tools thru and thru!"

An old Leatherman Supertool on top of an Army bag.

Tim’s Quote: “The note says the tool has been used for 25 years by two generations, but notice the “PAT PEND” imprint. It could very well be one of our first Super Tools.”

Submitted By: John S.

Quote/Story: "Dad got this 25ish years ago as a gift and used it daily in the job. Gave it to me when I joined the Army and it’s been used around the world. Still keep it in my kit."

Opened old Leatherman tool and case on top of farm hat.

Tim’s Quote: “[The note that came in with this photo] would touch most everyone’s heart.”

Submitted By: Liz C.

Quote/Story: ”This belonged to my dad. He used to wear it on his belt everyday around our family plant farm or nursery, as we call them here. It’s been through a lot. After he passed away in 2008 it’s been with me everyday although I carry it in a sling bag. The case is old and falling apart but I keep it because he held it.”

Editor’s note: This next one’s long, but we assure you its worth it!

A man sitting in his car showing his lost and found Free P4.

Tim’s Quote: “Most amazing lost and found story.”

Oops. That’s fifteen. Sorry, there could have been 95 more.

Submitted by: Ryan J.

Quote/Story: “4 months ago, I zipped my trusty Leatherman Free P4 securely into my ski pants. As an avid skier, I always keep my Leatherman close by to adjust bindings on the hill, so I don’t lose any slope time running into the shop for an impromptu repair. I’m 42 years old and always have a Leatherman by my side, ever since I discovered how amazing they are, around age 16. I use them for household repair, out in the backcountry, repairing kids toys, or slicing tomatoes. To say I am a Leatherman promoter is an understatement. It was an epic day in the mountains of Colorado, we skied miles of powder, both on and off piste, through the glade and never looked back. As the lifts closed at the resort, we headed to a backcountry spot for one more powder run. To shake things up a little bit, we pulled two sleds out of the car and decided to go bullet style down a black diamond level slope. Halfway down the mountain, I noticed my pocket felt empty. I reached into my zipper pocket and my finger went right through a hole. My heart suddenly felt like it had a hole too, I realized my Leatherman was missing. Somewhere across miles of snow, my Leatherman had slid out of my pocket and was likely buried. The odds of finding it were near zero. Perhaps some other skier may spot a silver speck in the snow and turn it in to the lost and found, but with snow in the forecast, I drove home without hope. I returned the following week with a metal detector, retracing my backcountry steps, to no avail. It was gone. I spent the next months following up with the resort’s lost and found and looking up Leatherman styles online. Anytime I needed pliers, a screwdriver, a small saw, or scissors, I had to search through drawers to find the right tool. 4 months later, I took my family back up to the mountains, the snow was gone and we spent a day fishing and paddling. My wife suggested, do you want to stop by our backcountry sledding spot on the way back and look for your Leatherman? It had been on my mind all day, since we were in the area, but I didn’t want to take my family on an impossible treasure hunt. We pulled over to the shoulder where we stopped in March, this time the area was covered with Aspens and beautiful greenery. We hopped over the guardrail and realized how steep of a slope this was, slowly stepping down the terrain, my heart was hopeful in anticipation. With the snow gone, I felt the chance of finding it was greater than zero. There was no trail to follow, but I remembered the gully we slid down and recognized the tree patterns. About 200-300 feet down, and as many vertical feet, I thought, this is ridiculous. This is worse than a needle in a haystack, this could be anywhere on the entire mountain. I bowed my head and asked for heavenly help, a trivial matter, finding a lost multi-tool, does it really matter? With the time and energy I spent, it would have made more sense to just purchase a new one. I lifted my head, took 5 more steps and I froze. I saw a shiny object a few steps below. My jaw dropped, I couldn’t believe it. Lying in the sun, fully exposed on a slope of rocks and dirt between patches of grass and bushes, lay my Leatherman. I shouted my exhilaration and held it above my head to show my family. They couldn’t believe it either. I hefted it in my hand, a little lighter than I remembered, opened the blades, a bit of dirt and some rust on parts. My old smile came back. I found it. With my pocket full once again, I feel grateful and ready for whatever comes my way. This is my Leatherman miracle. Unbelievable.