LEATHERMAN TOOLS VS SWISS ARMY KNIVES

[chief38]

NOTE: For the purpose of this thread, I'll call all the brands and styles of Leatherman style and type tools Leatherman's - just for simplicity. I know there are a plethora of them.

I've owned quite a few SAK's over the years from the smallest key chain models to the rather large cumbersome models. As I write this I only know of 3 that I still have left and 2 out of those 3 are the little small key chain models. The others were either lost, broken beyond serviceability or simply given away.

I purchased my one and only Leatherman tool (the original model) shortly after is came out into the market. It still lives in its original cheap brown leather belt sheath and still works perfectly and even still looks great. I have used that one Leatherman Tool more times than all my SAK's combined! I find the long nosed pliers excellent, the tools in it far and above any SAK I have ever owned, and it is way less bulky and user friendly than any SAK I have ever handled (assuming equal tools and accouterments). When ever I travel it goes into my checked baggage.

To me, the only SAK I would ever buy again is the smallest key chain model as it is super compact, light weight and is always on my key chain. Basically I use the scissors more than anything, but the toothpick, tweezer and miniature blade also do come in handy from time to time.

The Leatherman (and similar styles) are so much more robust, have a much better knife blade, saw, etc. and are a far better tool to me. Now that there are a huge selection of brands and models to choose from, it puzzles me as to why SAK's still sell so well.

I am just curious as to how many of you still prefer the SAK's over a Leatherman style tool. How many like the Leatherman style much better? How many like and buy both?

Just curious and I did not want to hi-jack another SAK thread so I started this one.

 

[mistermills357]

I have a key chain type of Swiss Army Knife, by Victorinox. I quit buying the bigger knife, because I usually lose them.

I have a couple of cheap pocket tools too, but nothing fancy . I figure the Leatherman and Gerber pocket tools have decimated the Swiss knife .

 

[Erocksmash]

I dont know if I would compare persay imo....

My personal opinion I love both of them and love the options available, in the past 5years of my life I've had a Leatherman wave in my pocket and has been a life saver front a mini saw to small scissors to needle nose, I love this knife and if I ever see another with a pocket clip I will happily pay full retail as a back up....

I read something long ago "A man is often defined by the knife he carries"


Erik

 

[Texchappy]

I’ve had a Leatherman for several years and finally got a small SAK about three years ago. They each have their uses. I carried a Gerber multi tool my time in the Army and it was the right tool for what I ran into. I mostly use the little SAK I have near my chair now to open mail, boxes, etc and do the other things I do now.

 

[Sam McCord]

Mark me down in the Leatherman column. I also have an original model in the leather sheath and like you I feel it's fantastic for what it's designed to do. The small screwdriver has been especially handy on more than one occasion. All of the implements are very usable in my opinion.

 

[30-30remchester]

I never understood the fascination for the SAK's. Other that all the neat gadgets. They are actually quite lightly constructed. I like them too but never use one. I am way to rough on my tools. Friday I was having to use my original Letherman as a punch, pounding on it with a hammer. Hated doing that but the job required it. My Kershaw Leek was just as abused that day. It drew blood 4 times that day, all my own. Can't imagine a SAK withstanding that use. I don't leave my house without either an original Letherman or Wave. The knife blades are my sacrificial blade used as gasket scrapers and paint scrapers are just some of the uses. That way my pocket knives can stay sharp.

 

[minconrevo]

While the Leatherman-style tool isn't the best for most any extended time activity with one of its tools, it will work in a pinch to fix a problem and often get one through. Mine are either in the vehicle door pocket or in a "go" bag. I try to pick a version best suited to the likely uses. Essential tool IMO. Haven't owned a SAK in several years and likely won't in the future.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

In my youth I carried a Boy Scout knife in my pocket-on a lanyard, in my Army days a demo knife. It was the can opener that got the most use. Later a large Victorinox. Nowadays a Leatherman and a Buck 110. I have 2 of the Gerbers and the SOG but the Leatherman is what I wear.
Years ago I knew a paramedic, we were both carrying the Gerber Multipliers at the time. I told him I was looking for a leather sheath like he had, he said "I'll trade you." They prefer the nylon ones, if they get contaminated by body fluids-blood, e.g.-they just drop them in boiling water.

 

[rockquarry]

I'm not a knife, flashlight, or holster guy and I have little interest in any sort of gadgetry beyond good quality basic stuff. I've never had a Swiss Army knife nor have I wanted one. I have two knives that I purchased and the last one was about fifteen or so years ago. The other one was a Leatherman tool, the original.

In 1981 (I think) I was at the SHOT Show that was held in Dallas. SHOT Shows were in their infancy at the time. Mr. Leatherman had perhaps the most modest exhibit in the Dallas Convention Center. It was little more than a table with a couple of the original Leatherman tools and some order blanks. I believe Mr. Leatherman manned the exhibit by himself.

No tools were actually available at the time, but Mr. Leatherman was taking orders and provided forms to fill out and mail with your check. I think the tool was around $25-$30 and there was a one month or six-week wait. Of course, that wouldn't work well nowadays with all the incredibly impatient buyers.

I still have and use the original Leatherman tool and probably will never buy another. Mine is simple and works well. What more do you need?

Go to a SHOT Show now and see how big the Leatherman display area is and count the large number of Leatherman employees manning the booth.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Interesting discussion. I guess I'm a different kind of traveler....

I believe that I have a Leatherman or Leatherman-type tool in my tool box in the trunk of my car. I'm too lazy to go out to the garage to look but I'd bet on it. I have a gorgeous "Leatherman-type tool" made by SOG lying in my kitchen drawer. Excellent device.

OTOH, I virtually never leave home without two knives, a small folder, maybe tactical-type, maybe just a practical type folder, generally a small switchblade. The other is a Swiss Army Knife that I think they call a "Tinker", I am not certain, and it is remarkably handy and useful for a variety of small chores that come up here and there.

I almost never have a need for pliers, saws, files, variable screw drivers, etc., all of which are in the Leatherman-type tools AND the tools that I have, albeit not very large, are much heavier than my SAK. So I am not in the least bit interested in carrying them around. One in the car for emergencies, one in the house, none in my pocket or on my belt. My EDC gun has sufficient weight!

 

[ruger 22]

I have several Leatherman tools and do not use them. They are too heavy and bulky for pocket carry for me. I keep them in my tool boxes. I have carried a SAK in my pocket since I was 7 and have lost no more than about 5. I prefer the SAK for light duty and they are very handy for those rare instances like my glasses falling apart, needing a quick saw or cork screw etc. The models I carry have no more that about 6-8 items and I prefer the Wenger for carry due to the fact that they are a bit more compact than the Victorinox. My total SAK collection numbers about 25 and I have them form the small keychain models to the biggest ones they have including fire starter, pliers, large lock blades etc.

 

[waffles]

I've received a few SAKs as gifts, I love them, and carry them occasionally. More often now I've been carrying some folding single blade kershaw, either assisted or automatic, and a Gerber dime microtool. I used to really favor the leatherman Skeletool until mine disappeared into the void of the outdoor closet, but with all the fishing I do some sort of pliers has become essential.

 

[Jon651]

I carried different "multi-tools" (what you refer to as a "Leatherman") for decades on the job with the FD, from the original Leatherman brand to my last Gerber Suspension I carried. My Gerber now resides on my desk at home and I still use it for the odd small job.

Whether it's a Swiss Army Knife or a Leatherman, regardless of which flavor of multi-tool you like it honestly depends on how you intend on using it that matters most. Also it helps to have reasonable expectations about the limitations for each type and style of tool - I've broken my fair share of both cheap and expensive multi-tools over the years by either over-estimating the tool's abilities or under-estimating the job's requirements. My belief has most often been any tool that does many things doesn't do any of them well as a dedicated single-function tool.

These days when I'm out and about I have a full bag of tools in my truck and another mixed bag in my travel trailer. The only tool I now carry in my pocket or on my belt is a small folding knife.

But today just like when I was on the job, the tool I carried all the time that I used most often was simply a good pen!

 

[mikerjf]

Many years ago my mother gave my father, brother, and I Leathermans for Christmas. Within a month we had all injured ourselves with them. But I like them far more than the SAK.

The Leatherman is my primary camping tool, with the pliers helping with hot cans of beans and beef stew.

I know there are SAK with forks and spoons, but I have a Donald Duck spoon that a co-worker left behind for me in 1973 that has come on every camping trip with me since.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In 1974, I bought a Victorinox SAK "Camper" and carried it for years until I bought a "Tinker" (#2 Philips screwdriver, NO corkscrew) and retired to Camper to "camping only" duty. Before I retired, since the mid 90's I also carried a Gerber Multi tool (lost my first one in the fall of 07)

While I own about a dozen SAK's I gave one to my wife on our honeymoon to my wife. I later (15th anniversary) gave her the Model that has something like 115 features. That monster was EDC in her purse until she was mugged and her purse stolen in 2001, It was replaced with the more usable 20 feature knife. The SAK I gave her on our honeymoon, she gave it to our daughter on her wedding day (Our daughter carries it every time she goes camping!)

I have several emergency kits made from Band-aid boxes. Every one of them gas a "Presidential" 6 feature (1 1/4" knife blade, scissors, fingernail file, pipe cleaner, tooth pick, & tweezers) in it. I also have one of these in EVERY first aid kit! I use red knives in the Emergency Kits, but since the First Aid Kits are red, I use black knives in them to be able to find them in dim light. (Bad expierance is a good teacher!)

My EDC Tinker, the scales are all scratched up, the Swiss shield has fallen off and it looks like a cheap Chinese copy, but then nobody wants to steal it!

Ivan

 

[CajunBass]

I've got both, and like both, but generally carry two SAK's daily. One is a little keychain size in my watch pocket that gets more use as a nail file than anything else really. The other is just a standard size pocket knife with a couple of blades, bottle opener, can opener and such. It gets used to open boxes and such mostly.

I've got a couple other SAK's but they're tossed in one drawer or the other. Same with my Letherman, and a couple of buck knives and one really nice "Shelor" belt knife. I think that's about the only fixed blade knife I've ever owned...sorry...different topic.

 

[brucev]

Have owned and enjoyed SAK's. Have never owned a Leatherman or similar tool. Guess it just doesn't meet any of my needs. Mostly I use a knife to cut things. If I need a pair of pliers or a screw driver, well, if the job is just fooling around, the SAK gets the nod. Otherwise I get the tool bag and get the job done. Sincerely. bruce.

 

[NYlakesider]

Retired construction guy here. For about 30 years I always had A Swiss on me, Had a couple different ones over the years.
Hate to tell you how much junk that little set of tweezers removed from my body over the years.

Working as a welder always removing pieces of wire that came off the fast spinning tool. Used a blade to remove other objects from under skin.

When the Original Leaatherman first came out I got one and soon after replaced the Swiss. Upgraded to a new better model when available. Always keep either a Swiss or Leather man in all my vehicles that includes the boat and ATV.


Also gave quite a few Leathermans as gifts. Its very practical and I know its come in quite handy to my recipients.

Have had both and and now prefer the Leather man, but having at least one of them handy is the way to go.

 

[Mark Polchlopek]

SAK

Like you I have both. I gave my son in law a SAK and he hiked more than 1000 miles on the AT with it and said it performed well, and he used it on everything from feather sticking to fixing his pack. I agree with him, mine goes everywhere with me as does my Leatherman. If I need pliers, it is the Leatherman. Anything else, the SAK.

 

[tominboise]

I have both. I carry a Leatherman on my belt every day. I also have one in the glovebox of every car I and my kids own.

When I am going out to a nicer event, I carry a simple SAK.

Both the SAK and Leatherman tools are handy for making sight adjustments on pistols.