Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife?

[HotVWheels]

Having pretty much thorough experience of both utility tools, let's see what is your choice?

Some facts first:

Swiss Army Knife

- Description: The Swiss Army knife is essentially a knife with other tools stored in the handle while a Leatherman tool is essentially a pair of pliers with other tools stored in the handles.
- It originated in Ibach Schwyz, Switzerland in 1897. The term "Swiss Army" is a registered trademark owned by Wenger S.A. and Victorinox A.G., longtime suppliers of knives to the Swiss Armed Forces.
- The term "Swiss Army knife" was coined by US soldiers after World War II, as they couldn't pronounce its original name, "Offiziersmesser". The brand "Swiss Army" has achieved near iconic status and connotes versatility, dependability, and quality. The "Swiss Army" knife has been added to the collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and Munich's State Museum of Applied Art for its design.
- Identity crisis - Victorinox or Wenger? (Both red, both from Switzerland, and both with a small cross as a logo. Confused yet?)
- First knife on the moon. (Neil Armstrong had one in his pocket when he took his first small step for man. Never needed it, though...)
- Multifunctional (Blades, openers, screwdrivers, tweezers, toothpicks, LED torches, USB drives etc, but NO PLIERS)
- Mainly available in red - should go pretty well with the tactical camouflage of the Swiss Army, right?
- VW-related application: your girlfriend can file her nails while driving your Early Bay

Leatherman

- Description: The Leatherman tool is essentially a pair of pliers with other tools stored in the handles while a Swiss Army knife is essentially a knife with other tools stored in the handle.
-The Leatherman Tool Group was founded by Timothy S. Leatherman, a 1970 graduate of Oregon State University who majored in mechanical engineering. According to a December 10, 1981 column written by Bill Monroe in The Oregonian, Leatherman came up with the idea of a "Boy Scout knife with pliers" during a 1975 driving tour of Europe with his wife, when he was unable to use his pocket knife to fix his repeatedly malfunctioning car
- Unique marque (don't mention the word GERBER in front of a Leatherman owner, though)
- Multifunctional (Blades, openers, screwdrivers, tweezers, toothpicks, LED torches, USB drives etc, AND PLIERS)
- Available in stainless steel, with a pouch made of - wait for this - LEATHER or Nylon. Pouch also available in tactical camouflage...
- Right at this moment some US troops are dismantling suicide bombs in Baghdad with their Leathermans
- VW-related application: Simply can't do without it! One should be able to remove an engine with a Leatherman, since the PLIERS fit over the 17mm head of the nuts holding the engine to the gearbox :wink:
- Hundreds of other Leatherman tool tales here: http://www.leatherman.com/leatherman-world/tool-tales/default.asp

PS: I have a Leatherman at my side 99% of the time, and a Swiss Army Knife in the drawer next to my bed for those midnight biltong snacks

PPS: Flying from George to Jo'burg last week with our favourite lula dot.com cheapskate airline, I forgot my Leatherman in my notebook bag, which went with me as hand luggage. Went through the X-ray machine unnoticed. I only realised it when I unpacked back home :shock:

(Just think, with my Leatherman I could have hijacked a 737, or fastened a loose engine mounting in flight :wink: )

 

[gninnam]

I lost my Swiss many years ago and got a Letherman free when I ordered some
network kit for work - nice piece of kit, so happy to have it by my side!

 

[strongy]

leatherman all the way,

 

[Guest]

leatherman all the way,

yup, SAK feels flimsy compared to my leatherman

 

[kempy]

Leatherman for me also.

 

[scott wilson]

leatherman for me too.

 

[easy]

leatherman rocks! 8)

 

[rob-stone]

the only tool you need

The birmingham screwdriver

 

[clyde]

Ive got a Leatherman wave (8 years old) It gets abused every day when im at work and ive got no complaints. Its going for a free service in the New Year. They change any damaged blades etc and give it a good clean and polish. Definitly Leatherman, SAKs are more your boy scout kind of toy not a real tool. Well worth the money.

 

[swartie]

you said it all here

midnight biltong snacks

 

[HotVWheels]

Had a perfect opportunity to swop engines :twisted: in a quiet part of the basement parking of Johannesburg International Airport this morning, but did not have my Leatherman with me!!! I really can kick my own arse....

(A chance like this only comes once in a lifetime)

 

[Justin & Muttley]

Had a perfect opportunity to swop engines :twisted: in a quiet part of the basement parking of Johannesburg International Airport this morning, but did not have my Leatherman with me!!! I really can kick my own arse....

(A chance like this only comes once in a lifetime)

Surely all you needed was a tin-opener and some cable ties? I thought you southern hemisphere guys had more spirit... :roll:

 

[HotVWheels]

he he he he he :lol:

 

[vwaddict]

hey i know is cold out and theres not much in the way of shows this time of year but you guys seriously need to get out more

 

[lobus]

No need to worry, the Blue POS is water cooled so why would ruin a perfectly engineered bus.

I've go both Leatherman and SWA. I've got an extra wee little knife on me key ring and use it at least once every day for some thing. Not to mention the tooth pick for that after lunch piece of ground pepper that just won't budge!

 

[-tipi-]

I bet McGyver would have been even more übercool if he had a Leatherman.

 

[Araon]

Although a die hard Leatherman fan my current one been in full service since 99 (cool purchase at the PX in Kuwait). I think the Gerber needs a mention I have a good blade and a few of the guys at work swear by there multis.....

 

[The Monkey Bus]

Although a die hard Leatherman fan my current one been in full service since 99 (cool purchase at the PX in Kuwait). I think the Gerber needs a mention I have a good blade and a few of the guys at work swear by there multis.....

Ditto, my leatherman has been in service since 96, also a cool purchase from a PX somewhere in the states (can't remember where) and my beloved gerber was from a PX somewhere in the gulf but can't remember where either (one PX in the middle east looks much the same as any other PX).

My leatherman/gerber and a maglite (and many other liney's ones too)helped to keep the Herc fleet in the air for many years. Never could have done it with a swiss army knife. Both my leatherman and gerber have had a full work out and the only complaints I have is the leatherman hurts your hands when you really need to grip them and the gerber flat blade screwy bits are quite brittle, they tend to break when you use them to try and prise open a reluctant Hercules engine side panel so my tip is use your leatherman for that one, if you should ever find yourself in that situation :wink: :roll:

BTW the leatherman pliers are in my opinion better than many dedicated long nose pliers and the leatherman blade stays amazingly sharp. I had a boss who managed to slice bits off himself just from opening his leatherman. He was a bit of a disaster des though, one day after cutting himself on his leatherman he then managed to cauterize the wound by misunderstanding the heating effect of an electrical current flowing through an uninsulated wire. Isn't it great when your boss is a total f*ckwit? Thankfully I'm my own boss these days......still working for a f*ckwit though :lol:


H

 

[The Monkey Bus]

Sorry should have also mentioned that the maglite was a 4D cell big badger, doubles as a hammer and also a light sabre when foggy. AA one was also handy for a quick look or limited access.

Sorry, I think I'm having one of those "talk about my tools" day.

They are bloody lovely though :wink:

 

[carole]

Aaah Maglites, now you're talkin'..... :wink:

Every photographer's best kept secret. Great for lighting up dark alleys at night, bashing camera boxes open in the cold and best of all, keep 'em in the van for when you're driving around the less 'pretty' areas of London in the middle of the night. :shock: very useful form of protection if required.....

I have the complete collection between work and home, all battered, all with a story to tell.....

And they now have LED ones out as well, bloody marvellous. And so many colours to choose from.....

I get very excited about torches. Sad but true.

:wink: