I have wanted a multitool for some time, since losing my Leatherman Micra to TSA. The time was right (I had an amazon gift card) and I started to look around at the various options and price points available.I began to look for the options that I found most useful. I wanted a knife for opening letters, packages and strapping. And, of course, the general tool set that most multitools have; saw, screwdrivers, bottle opener, can opener and the like. I also wanted some readily-deployable pliers for working on vehicles and machinery.My price point was a high of around $80, above which, I didn't feel I'd gain any advantage or utility.What helped me make my ultimate decision was the one-handed operation of the pliers, a feature that has helped me more than a handful of times in the months since I got this. The Gerber Diesel also slotted nicely under my desired price point, coming in around $60.When I first got the tool, it did have the issue that others are reporting of some of the black finish coming off on my hands. I wiped it down thoroughly with a damp microfiber towel and it worked perfectly. The finish no longer migrates to my hands or clothing.When new, the pliers are tight, as you'd expect, and the single-handed operation was not a guarantee- sometimes, they'd slide right out and snick into place, other times, I'd get a half-deployed pair of pliers which meant I had to use two hands to fully extend them.I decided that I was going to develop some techniques and practices to ensure that I always get the pliers out. And learned what prevents that from happening along the way.I worked the pliers back and forth absentmindedly while watching a tv show, and that loosened them up perfectly. I did this while watching just one episode of "Arrested Development". I'm pretty sure it'd work with whatever show you're into as well.Here's what I learned (once I had loosened them up):If you hold the handles together and try to extend the pliers with a flick of your wrist, it will never work. The design of the handles and pliers is such that as the pliers extend, they spread the handles apart slightly. So no amount of force will get this to work- they'll either not extend or you'll have flick with so much force that the tool will likely slide out of your grip.If you hold one leg of the tool and flick your wrist, you can usually get them to extend, but the problem is that the pliers and handles can spread open, and you usually have to re-adjust your grip before you can use them. If you flick your wrist in an arc, the pliers sometimes want to fly out of your grasp. You can practice this and get it to work pretty well, though.The way to get them to open consistently is to spread the handles apart as far as they'll go, by holding the handles on the top and bottom (as opposed to the sides of the handles, which is what you'd grab to use the pliers). Then, a small flick and they extend fully, every time. The key is just to spread the handles apart before flicking. Which is a verb I never thought I'd use on Amazon.I've read some complaints about the wirecutters being made of soft metal and my comment would be this: it's a multitool. By definition, it's a compromise. They'll work fine on wires and light metals, but if you expect to cut through something thick (like a heavy wire hanger), you're using the wrong implement. Evidently, Leatherman has replaceable wire cutter blades on some models. If cutting wire hangers is your bailiwick, then you'd probably be better served by those.The knife is sharp, and half-serrated, which doesn't happen to bother me. I've used the serrated portion to cut through some rope and paracord, and it works perfectly. The scissors are nice and sharp and easy to deploy. The can opener, bottle opener and screwdrivers work, well. Because of the handles, you can't use the screwdriver bits in tight spaces.My only issue with the tool is that the icons on the handle (which indicate what tool is where) aren't easier to see- as a result, I keep on pulling out the saw instead of the knife. I'll try some white-out to fill the outline and see if that helps.It's a well-made tool, has a good price point, has all of the features I want, and is almost unnoticeable on my waist. In all, a good purchase.
