Slashdot Mirror


The Ultimate Leatherman?

numbski asks: "I have long been a fan of the Leatherman tool and its act-a-likes. I have never bought one, however. I keep looking for just the right one with the tools that I would actually use on a daily basis. Sure, the pliers, knives, phillips and standard screwdrivers are nice, but there's always been a few things lacking. A t-10 and t-15 torx (security torx preferred) for the Compaq systems that torment me, or how about a USB2 Flash Drive? Hex wrenches, or a socket tool that fits machine screws (in case the phillips has been stripped out)? What would you put on a Leatherman? Even better, seen anything that matches what I'm looking for?"

7 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. good... but never able to replace my toolbox by teksno · · Score: 3, Insightful

    i work comm maintence for the usaf and i use my wave letherman almost daily...

    but for what you are talking about...i have neither seen, nor heard of anything like that. i think your best bet would get a smal toolbox and go buy the tools you desire/require.

    lethermans werent made for use in specialzed areas...they are just a general purpose tool that was designed for quick fixes. it was never intended to replace the quality or flexibility of a good set of tools.

  2. presto change-o! by TheSHAD0W · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Rather than having one "ultimate leatherman" as big and clunky as that humongous swiss army knife they make, what about a customizable one? Make it a little easier to take apart (I've had to do it, to switch out broken blades; it's annoying and it'd be a lot easier if the heads were hex or square) and then offer optional replacements and sets of replacements. That'd let people build ones that suit the jobs they need them for.

  3. Get a Micra by Deathlizard · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've had a Leatherman Micra on my keychain for almost 5 years now. It's the best thing I have on this keychain next to the keys.

    Get one of those and one of those quick release dual keyrings, remove the one ring and attach the Micra (or a Juice if you want pliers. Wish they had pliers that small when I bought mine) in its place to quick detach the tool from the ring, and it's all you'll ever need for most computers, even the compaq onen since those Compaq nuts have slots to accept a flathead screwdriver (outside of the security ones.)

    Right now, I got a Micra and a Mag-Lite Solitare flashlight on my keyring. The only thing I wish would happen is that Maglite would make an LED Flashlight that took AAAA size to be even smaller, other than that It's the most portable all purpose toolkit you can use.

    1. Re:Get a Micra by PurpleFloyd · · Score: 4, Informative
      Not too hard - they're on sale almost anywhere if you know where to look: inside a 9 volt battery. Most name-brand alkaline 9V batteries consist of 6 AAAA cells in series; there are a few off-brands which aren't in that configuration, but IIRC Energizer and Duracell both use the 6xAAAA configuration. It's a fairly simple matter of levering the outer case of a 9 volt battery open and simply popping the AAAAs out.

      One caveat: they can be a bit shorter than "true" AAAA cells. This site details the trials and tribulations of finding a decent set of AAAAs in a review of a penlight using the same; it contains some nice pictures of opening a 9 volt battery case, too.

      --

      That's it. I'm no longer part of Team Sanity.
  4. Thinkgeek to the rescue. by ComputerSlicer23 · · Score: 3, Informative
    Here is a leatherman adaptor kit with most of what you want.

    Think Geek's Tool page has most of the things you want on a swiss army knife, or a leatherman tool. You just have to go look for it.

    Kirby

  5. The ultimate Leatherman has been discontinued by Spock+the+Baptist · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Mini-Tool is the ultimate Leatherman:

    http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/retired-t ools/mini-tool/default.asp

    Very compact when completely closed, yet you get a full sized pair of needlenose pliers when open. The size of the needlenose is perfect for most electronic applications.

    I've been raiding various local independent tackle stores, bait houses, and gun shops and buying all that the have in stock.

    So far I've got a dozen pair of Mini-Tools.

    Now when you combine the Mini-Tool with a VICTORINOX WorkChamp you've got a lot of 'firepower' in just a couple of tools. I don't leave home without them.

    --
    "Oh drat these computers, they're so naughty and so complex, I could pinch them." --Marvin the Martian
  6. Cybertool by Bri3D · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One word, and that is Cybertool, the greatest Swiss Army knife ever made. T10, T15, phillips, flat, knives, saws, pin, toothpick, pen, there's nothing it doesn't have, besides a magnifying glass(they have one on the Camper but not the Cybertool where I'd think it would be more useful) and a USB drive.