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[Updated 1/8/99 - New leather pouch fixes early failings.]
Leatherman Tool Group showed off their new "Wave" multi-tool for the first time at SHOT (Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade) Show the end of January (1998). We were mightily impressed by the prototypes we played with, as covered in our First Look article, and eagerly looked forward to getting our hands on a production tool to evaluate. One for the first five pre-production units off the production line arrived two weeks ago. Our initial impressions have been confirmed, the Wave sets a new standard for multi-tools in ease of use and utility. This is also the first multi-tool that could be seriously considered a full replacement for a light folding knife for general purpose (as opposed to survival) use.
[Please click on bordered photos to view higher resolution images]
Tim Leatherman and his crew have listened well to
both customer complaints and requests. With increasingly innovative
competition they needed to really break some new ground to regain
the lead in the multi-tool market, a market they single-handedly
started back in 1983. The Wave does just that, representing
a major step forward in multi-tool design.
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Both blades are 2 15/16 inches (75 mm) long and made
of 420HC stainless steel. The clip point, plain edge, bevel ground
blade is sharpened for 2 11/16 inches (69 mm). The straight clip
extends about one half of the way up the back of the blade with
a false edge ground most of the way. Would I prefer a drop point
or spear point blade? Sure. However that would inevitably result
in a bulkier tool or noticeably shorter blade, so the existing
design makes a reasonable compromise.
The sheepsfoot serrated edge blade is sharpened for 2 3/4 inches (70mm) with moderately aggressive triple point serrations. They are single-side ground with a straight bevel primary grind on the blade. Both blades are 5/32 inch thick, a good thickness for the blade size.
Unlike previous Leatherman tools, and most other
such compact folding multi-tools, with the notable exception of
the new Victorinox SwissTool (and the not-so-notable unwieldy
Schrade ToughTool and Kershaw's not-so-compact A100C Multi-Tool
with locking pliers), the blades' working edge lines up even with
the "bottom" of the body/handle when open. This is
a far better and more functional position than with the edge lined
up with the middle of the body which can make it very difficult
to work with at times, the bulk of the body getting in the way
when working close to a flat surface. The blades are also positioned
so they are offset on the "inside" of the body/handle,
the natural functional position for a right-handed person, again
enhancing the utility and ease of use of the knife.
On our initial pre-production unit the serrated blade was quite a bit stiffer than the clip point blade, which operated slick as silk. The serrated blade just didn't open nearly as smoothly. A call to the factory confirmed that this was not to spec and that production units should all open smoothly, with only some minor degree of variation allowed. As we initially predicted, retaining the slick feel and function will be the most difficult task as Leatherman moves to production. [NOTE: We later received another sample Wave from the first real production run. This one worked just fine, so it appears Leatherman has this under control.]
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Aside from that, the only other minor concern with
this one-handed opening design is that the blades are pretty narrow,
only about 1/2 inch wide at the opening slot. This means that
many with average to large size thumbs are going to shave a very
thin slice off of their thumb, no blood drawn, at least once as
they become familiar with opening the blades. This is the result
of the thumb overlapping the sharp blade edge due to the narrow
blade. As the blade rotates out it can shave the skin at that
point. Only takes once to get your attention and teach the lesson.
Use the tip or side of your thumb, not the flat part. to open
the blades. After a little practice it becomes second-nature.
The Wave is designed for right-hand use for both blades. It would seem to be relatively simple to assemble the Wave for left-handed use. Though there are no plans for doing so at this time, perhaps that will change once they catch up with what I expect to be very strong demand.
The plain edge blade held up reasonably well, considering the steel used. It sharpened easily with both a ceramic and diamond sharpener.
The use of the Torx head fasteners to hold the tool
together opens up the potential for easier, if not easy, substitution
of a better quality knife blade. The precise fit requirements
of the liner lock make it more challenging that otherwise, but
a good knife maker with experience making similar style folding
knives should be able to do the job. It would sure be nice if
Leatherman saved everyone the trouble and just offered an upgrade
version of the Wave with at least a plain edge blade of higher
quality steel such as ATS-34 or B-42, or... well, you get the
idea. Now that we have a tool that has the potential to be a
person's only knife for everyday use, it just makes sense to
offer it with the kind of blade steel that one would like in your
carry blade.
Both the wood saw and file (virtually identical to
those installed in the Super Tool and PST II, respectively) also
open out and lock in place via a liner lock. Nail nicks at the
end of these tools, a´ la the Super Tool's saw, facilitate
opening.
The double row wood saw is 2 15/16 inches (77mm) long with aggressive teeth for 2 1/2 inches (64mm). The cutting portion is the same size as that of the saw in the Super Tool and it works just as well, equal to the best and very effective on both hard and soft wood with minimal clogging. As with the knife blades, there is a definite advantage to having the cutting edge of the saw aligned with the "bottom" of the tool when working with it.
The diamond coated/crosscut/edge cut file is the same length as the saw with the same working length. The file tapers from 7/16 inch (11.5mm) wide to 5/16 (8mm) wide at the tip. Unlike the PST II file, there is no fish hook sharpening groove in the fine diamond coated side. Both sides of the file and the edge perform as you might expect, quite adequate for most jobs. I'd personally prefer a conventional single cut file instead of the diamond file, but I suspect most people like the diamond surface. It does a beautiful job on fingernails.
The screwdrivers, can opener and scissors must still
be accessed by first unfolding the handles and these implements
do not lock into place. The medium screwdrivers and Phillips
both feature an offset that is supposed to improve their operation
and reduce the likelihood of them moving off the spring detent
in use. The line of force in use acts to lock the tool against
the spring lock and keeps it from rotating closed. In our tests
this design feature proved to be pretty effective. Not as good
as a positive lock, but far better than the more conventional
design with the lade extending straight out from the pivot point
or, worse, above it so it wants to close rather than stay open.
Small nail nicks and tabs at the top and sides, along with offsets make opening the small tools relatively easy. The Phillips must be pulled out with one of its companion tools. Other tools do tend to rotate out when you select one, but despite some other manufacturers' claims, this isn't much of a bother at all, in our opinion. dealing with it either is, or becomes second-nature, automatically done without a thought.
There are four straight screwdriver blades (1/16,
1/8, 3/16, 17/32 wide) and the now standard Leatherman Phillips
which seems to do adequately for both #1 and #2 Phillips head
screws. Leatherman continues to make their straight screwdriver
blades with the bevel all on one side. There are both advantages
and disadvantages to this construction. The straight cut corner
gets better purchase, while the opposing one has a greater tendency
to slip out of the screw slot because of the steeper angle of
the bevel. Our preference is a straight cut blade or, if not
that because they are much more trouble to manufacturer, then
a standard double bevel blade, not a combination. For most purposes
it doesn't matter much, but in a pinch is could make a difference.
The blades are not rounded off by polishing, such as occurs on
the SwissTool, so that at least they won't slip out of a shallow
of unmatched slot because of that.
The screwdriver blades are adequately long for most purposes, unlike on some multi-tools, the Gerber Multi-Pliers and Multi-Lock come to mind. The Phillips blade is 1 3/8 inches (35mm) in length. The 1/8 wide blade is 1 1/2 inches (27mm) long, the others are 1 3/16 inches (31mm) long. With the exception of the 1/8 in. and 3/16 in. wide blades, they retain the blade width for most of the useful length. The 3/16 blade has a nail nick shoulder at 7/8 inch (22mm) back from the tip and the 1/8 blade has one at 3/4 inch (19mm) from the tip.
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Also included in the interior fold out tools is a lanyard attachment, a´ la the Gerber Multi-Plier/Multi-Lock line, but the hole is very small, a hair smaller than 3/32 inch. Leatherman says this is designed for the user to install a small split ring, which is then used for attaching a lanyard. That worked for the previous tools, because the split ring wasn't really in the way, not the case here. Why complicate matters. If they are going to use this method for lanyard attachment, then they should make the hole large enough to slip a piece of parachute cord through. There seems to be no space constraints to cause them to make it so small. The odds are nobody is going to carry the Wave every day with that lanyard attachment out and a split ring attached. It's just too much in the way. So, when someone in the field decides they need the extra security of a lanyard, they are out of luck when they go to improvise a lanyard out of available materials, which likely will not include a small split ring.
Leatherman originally did not have a Tool Adapter, which allows the use of standard hex drive bits and socket adapters, that fit the Wave. This has since been rectified and a Wave specific Tool Adapter is now available. The Tool Adapter is available in its own case or in a combination pouch that holds the Wave, Tool Adapter and a selection of bits. The down side is that this makes for a very bulky sheath.
This is the first Leatherman without
a ruler built into the handles.
Another major advance in the Wave's design is the
pliers ergonomics. The handle edges are rounded on the Wave,
making a HUGE difference in user comfort and utility. The narrow
edges of previous Leatherman tools, which tend to dig into your
hands during use, have always been one of their most significant
drawbacks. The handles on the Wave need not take a back seat
to anyone in the comfort department.
The needle nose pliers are the same excellent design
as on previous Leatherman tools. As readers know, we prefer a
true needle nose design such as these for multi-purpose and survival
use. What they give up in strength, they gain in utility. The
piers are also equipped with the latest iteration of Leatherman
wire cutters using a separate shear style hardened cutter at the
base of the opening for hardened wire and conventional cutters
for softer wire.
The Wave pliers are essentially the same length and
width as those of the original Leatherman and PST II. However,
the base of the jaws and the pivot have been beefed up quite a
bit, though not quite as much as those on the Super Tool, adding
a great deal more strength in this critical area.
Overall, the Wave fits in between the original Leatherman/PST
II and the Super Tool. At 7.9 oz. (224 grams) it is about .9
oz. lighter than the Super Tool, but a few ounces heavier than
the original or PST II. The difference in weight between the
Wave and the Super Tool is not really noticeable except on a scale.
The length, 4 inches (10.16 cm), is the same as the original and
a half inch (13mm) shorter than the Super Tool. The bulk of the
body is the same size as the Original, but the two one-handed
opening knife blades do protrude above the plane of the main body
1/8 inch on both sides, giving it a somewhat taper visual appearance.
It is in the width of the body that the added bulk of the handle design makes it presence felt. It is a full 3/4 inch (19mm) wide, 1/8 inch wider than the Super Tool, 1/4 inch wider than the original/PST II. It is a comfortable handful, but there is no question that it is a handful and that, no doubt, contributes to the excellent comfort. This is definitely not a true pocket tool, you'll likely carry it on your belt. However, we experimented with pocket carry and it was doable, if not the best way to carry it. In one case we had a change pocket inside the regular pants pocket and in this case, carried vertically in the pocket, it was fine.
The ends of the handles, out of which the small implements rotate, incorporate cast stainless "bolsters." These make very nice finishing pieces, the textured surface provides a nice gripping area and they also add rigidity and strength.
The finish on the sample we received was excellent. The Wave looked good and felt good in the hand. Suggested retail price will be $98 (USD). Street price upon introduction appears to be in the $78 range. The Wave carries Leatherman's usual 25-year guarantee, which experience suggests is actually worth more than the paper it's printed on. Their reputation for standing behind their products is excellent.
Both a premium quality leather and a padded nylon pouch are offered.
(NOTE: Click on pouch photos for complete views of the two pouches.)
The original nylon pouch was made by Bianchi International utilizing their patented AccuMold laminate technology and it is contoured to the shape of the tool. It is equipped with a Velcro closure for the flap. In our opinion the molded sheath works much better than the envelope "pouch" style, with which it has since been replaced. With the molded portion on top of the backing portion, it lies flat against the body. Only about 7/8 inch (22mm) of the Wave is exposed when it's in the sheath, but is relatively easy to grab and pull out.
The belt loop on the molded sheath is set up for vertical carry only and is positioned approximately 3/4 inch (20mm) from the top, as opposed to the SuperTool's pouch which is positioned at the top. This is one of those things where you can't please everyone. I prefer the lower carry, others prefer the higher carry such as on the new sheath. It would be nice if you had the option of a horizontal carry. The Velcro on the body of the sheath where the flap is captured is glued, not sewn, but after wearing it for a few years, it has proven up to the job.
In 2002, the AccuMold sheath was superceded with a conventional envelope style pouch as used on the rest of the line. While functional, it lacks the style and flat back carry of the molded sheath, meaning it isn't quite as stable on your belt. The good news on that it be attached to the belt either vertically or horizontally. That will be a welcome option for many.
The leather sheath is quite a bit higher quality than previous ones, constructed of rich brown leather with heavy stitching throughout and no rivets. A brass snap secures the flap and has a copper colored brass cover with the Leatherman logo embossed on it. As with most basic snaps, it rattles when unsnapped. "LEATHERMAN WAVE" is stamped in gold on the flap (which will surely wear off in fairly short order). All in all, it's a classy looking set-up.
The two pieces of leather are molded to the Wave which fits snugly in the pouch, at least when new. Early production leather sheaths had a weak snap that wasn't very secure. It came unsnapped regularly at the least provocation. Leatherman has addressed that problem the the latest sheath we evaluated proved just about perfect -- secure, but not so difficult to open that it became a problem. If you have one of the early sheaths and the snap isn't as secure as you'd like, contact Leatherman for a replacement.
The sewn seam is centered, so it doesn't ride as stable as the nylon pouch with its wider, flat back. The sides are cut down, there is 1 3/8 inches (35mm) exposed, making it easy to grip and pull from the sheath. The belt loop on early versions was situated well down on the pouch which results in the pouch riding quite high. On the latest sheaths, this problem has also been fixed and the belt loop is attached a half inch higher. This will lower it on your belt a little and be more comfortable for most users.
While the better quality pouches are welcome,
what the Wave really begs for is a quick-draw holster. If it is
to truly become the sole carry piece for someone, and it has that
potential for many, then it needs a carry method that allows quicker
access to complement the one-handed opening blades. Some sort
of composite or Kydex snap-out or quick-draw design would be a
perfect complement to the Wave.
My wish list? It's pretty short. The only serious
omission is that there is no awl. That's really unfortunate.
I'd trade one of the screwdriver blades for a good awl. Locking
small tools would also be nice, but at least the new offset design
helps in that regard. It would also be nice to be able to use
the Leatherman Tool Adapter or some similar adapter that allowed
use of hex bits. Hopefully that will come down the line. Of
course, we'd like to see double bevel screwdriver blades, but
we won't hold our breath.
The lanyard attachment really needs a larger hole. Until Leatherman does something about the weak snap, forget the leather sheath. An upgraded model with a higher quality knife blade would be real nice, as would that quick-draw holster we noted above.
That's it, that's all. By and large Tim and company seem to have done almost everything right. Kudos for a job well done. At this juncture, the Wave is the tool I'll be carrying on my belt for everyday use.
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For evaluations of the other multi-tools available, check out "Handy Tools".
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