Leatherman Wave Problems - PLEASE READ

I am a college student, and after doing much research, recently bought a Leatherman Wave. So far, I am disapointed with this tool.

1. When closed, there is significant handle "wobble" of approximately 1/8 inch.
2. The clip-point blade is much harder to open than the serrated blade. It is hard to open with one hand and once open, does not swing out smoothly or close smoothly. The serrated blade opens easily and swings out smoothly.
3. When you squeeze hard on the pliers, the handles give in too easily.
4. It is difficult to apply torque when using the interior tools because the tool twists so much. This problem is related to handle wobble.
5. The phillips driver is difficult to use because the head is too small and the tool twists too much.

Some things I like are the one-hand open blades and the attractiveness of the tool. However, I will soon exchange for a Swisstool.

Are you having the same problems as me? Give you your thoughts on these problems and this tool

Hi Zihe -

I have noticed similar findings with my wave which I've had for several years now. The handle wobble is most noticeable in the closed position, but disappears when the pliers are opened. I'm not sure if this was done intentionally or not. I was thinking that it was somehting with the earlier models that they worked out with the newer ones, but I guess not. I have used it extensively and it really doesn' t bother me. I've also heard that the swisstool is a bit beefier than the wave. If you get one, let me know how you like it. I was thinking of getting one myself.

Both my blades, however, open and close smoothly. For some knives you need to open and close them a bit before they loosen up. Hope this helps.

TTQUAD

I've had most of those impressions about mine. The handles do seem loose, and it took quite awhile for the clip point to open at all well, and it's still not great.

I'll add my own pet peeve- it's too heavy, and a lot of the weight would seem to be in those (eight !) cast-stainless-steel bolsters. Seems like there has to be a lighter solution... whatever the problem was.

My freind has a Swisstool and so I can comment on it. It is much more solid than the Wave. The tool has no wobble and has all locking tools. It is better than the Leatherman Wave in all respects, except that it doesn't have a one-hand opening knife. I bought the Wave for the one-hand opening feature, otherwise I would have gone with the Swisstool. For daily use, such as screwing, cutting, etc the Swisstool is superior.

When you have a concern with a tool the best thing is to contact the manufacturer directly. If a problem exists Leatherman will fix it. Good luck. Bill Harsey

i got the swisstool X, great for all purposes and build like a tank... it also weights like one... bit to heavy for EDC 4 me.

zihe, I hadn't really noticed the handle thing until you mentioned it. I went and tried mine, and it wobbles a bit also.
My tools/blades all open easily, though.
I will have to try out the Swiss tool, sounds like everyone is happy with them.

I use Wave A LOT and it saw its share of beatings. It's not to hard to open but handles can be twisted a bit if they had to.

Swiss tool becomes my second favorte. In order not to look like a xmas tree I leave Wave on my civilian clothes and my duty belt has Swiss Tool on it. Swiss Army make a heavy duty tool (solid) that can take abuse and my biggest complain is that there is no one handed opening for the blade (at least one). But all the tools lock outside which is really nice.

Matt

I'll vouch for the loose handle problem, though it doesn't seem to effect the pliers once they're open. I can't say that either knife blade opens any easier than the other, and they both could stand to be a little looser.

Assuming size isn't a major concern, the best 'cure' for a Wave is probably a Gerber Legend. Definitely a handful, but they feel solid and you won't be afraid to squeeze down on the handles if need be.

I have a Swisstool as well, that lives in my flight bag. Nice and beefy. Not a bad investment if you don't mind digging the knife out with your fingernail.

Mine was the exact same way; oiled it with teflon, WD40 and other lubes. Still stiff. But one day I was cutting some summer sausage, and all then sudden it got real loose. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Now I wonder what that summer sausage is doing to my innards.

BTW, heard a rumor from someone, that Victorinox may be coming out with a new tool (guessing to compete with the Juice line) at this year's SHOT show. (Crossing fingers).

My Wave handle has a (very) slight wobble, but nothing that bothers me during operation. It does go away when usingthe pliers, though.

As for the stickyness of the blades, the clip point on my Wave has always opened smoothly and easily, one handed. It's the serrated sheepsfoot that initially gave me problems (and when the wobble is noticeable). After a few weeks of playing with the knife, the issue mostly went away. It is still a little stiffer than the clip point though.

All in all, I love my Wave.

My only gripe about the Wave is that the handles are so smooth, I have a hard time keeping it in my hand when wet. (Ouch!) I solved this by putting several dots of the "fuzzy" side Velcro on each handle. (You can buy these in most drug stores - 3/8" dia., with adhesive on the back)

.....CLIFF
Living large in the land of the National Champions. (And I'm not in Southern California...)

I had a Wave for a while, but was seriously unimpressed with it (except for the design - it does look cool!). I noticed the same wobbliness and overall it felt none too sturdy - I just didn't understand all the rave reviews for this product (well I guess I did from a strictly marketing perspective).

So I waved bye-bye to the Wave, and went back to my old SOG Paratool - not the perfect multitool, but the best for my purposes - it is compact, carrying unobtrusively laterally on my belt in it's included case - and best of all is user-adjustable with the little set of optional (but essential imho) wrenches that allows me to tension it to my liking and to swap out blades as required. (All these extra bits fit nicely in the front of the case...). It reminds me of taking down a handgun for cleaning and lubricating - it's very satisfying as a mechanical device in this way (I really don't appreciate the Leatherman tactic of having proprietary fastners specifically for preventing user servicing!). Not as sturdy as the behemoth SwissTool, which I would buy if I really needed a daily use multi-tool - but who really does - if you really need pliers that much get a real set and a holster - they're a lot cheaper, sturdier, and practical - and then just carry a good old SAK in your pocket.

It's so easy to get obsessed with these darn things - but I guess I don't need to tell that to anyone in this forum...

<img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

"It's so easy to get obsessed with these darn things - but I guess I don't need to tell that to anyone in this forum ..."

What's your point? LOL!

Yea really. I now have two waves, all three squirts, a squirt on order to ugrade my wife's micra and was just looking for my little pair of vise grips the other day and remembered they were stolen years ago and I never replaced them and start thinking a crunch would be a good replacement <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I always thought the looseness in the wave was by design, somenone somewhere said there are some spring washers in the joints which will help to keep the tool consistant for many years where others would tend to get loose as the washers wear, can't vouch for the correctness of that since I don't know the source. I also think the wave was not intended to be a heavy duty tool, rather a smaller addition to their line to fit more indoors type of environments. Someone like me it fits great for, loosening the thumb screws on servers, the serrated edge strips cat5 cable with ease, etc.

The tool is not supposed to wobble. I emailed Leatherman and they said that only the older versions wobble. The new versions of the tool do not wobble. Also, both blades are supposed to open smoothly.

I have a wave that is only about 1 year old. When closed it will move about 1.8", doesn't really wobble more like flexes/springs. I think it is a new model because it has a couple reinforcements in the plier hinges that can be spotted by the head of a river on the outside and the ends are smooth instead of textured.

okay, if the newer waves are better than the older ones...how are the new 20th anniversary editions....any better or still wobbly ?

I have found most if not all of those things to also be true with the supertool 200. Although instead of the the one handed blades not opening properly, it seems as though one side/handle of the tool is more difficult or in pulling out the smaller tools. My conclusion is that the lock is somewhate "tighter" on that side. I have oiled it extensively with WD-40 and have used it a bit, maybe it just needs broken in some more.

I have also experienced to 1/8" wobble in the closed position as well as the handles not being as strong as expected when really gripping with the pliers.

I figure that these little quirks are just inherent to the tool in a way. There will be no "perfect" tool, just better ones. Although I do wonder if Leatherman can fix or refine these bits? The handle "wobble" doesn't seem to have any impact in the open position, but it could attribute to not always being able to get a strong grip. One of the first uses I had with this tool was to use the pliers to take of a somewhat rusted nut. The tool came out with a couple "grippers" in the jaws flattened slightly.

I never really figured that any of the Leathemans would have the same effect as a full set of pliers (5-10 pieces ya know?), but maybe it could be beefier? Lets's petition for a 2-4 lb Leatherman!!! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> (with shoulder holster!) <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Strictly speaking WD-40 is not an "oil", though it does contain a bit. It is more of a cleaner and liquid displacer (although this may be controversial -- in my experience, there are just about as many WD-40 addicts as there are Leatherman obsessives).
Personally, I find a light machine oil to be more effective and longer lasting...

I was going to post the same last night but my ISP was being slow. I used WD 40 as an "oil" for many years and later learned that it is not an oil. White lithium grease (in a spray can just like wd40) does a much better job as a grease/oil than wd40. WD40 is what you use to clean the dirty lithium grease off when cleaning before a re-greasing.

well, you're right, you've got me there, WD-40 is not really an oil, what oil would you recommend, a 2 cycle mower oil type? or is that too heavy?

White lithium grease (I think thats what its celled) comes in a spray can like wd40. Although it is funny that leatherman mentions WD-40 http://www.leatherman.com/products/tool-maintenance/default.asp
they say light machine oil (sewing machine oil if it still exists) but I like the spray white, its a bit thicker than oil so it doesn't run. Its the same kind of stuff you should spray on door hinges for cars.

I use WD-40 for cleaning stuff and sometimes in machining certain alloys. I buy it in 1 gallon cans. But I don't consider it a lubricant. If you want a thin lubricant, try Kroil - which is also a superior penetrant. Kroil is in the "magic" category for many applications.

Ordinary carbon steel blades that might be used with food stuffs may be safely protected and lubricated with pure mineral oil (pharmacy section of your local stores). There are USDA-approved food grade lubricants (usually silicone based *I think*), but I have not tried any of those. You could try mineral oil on your Leatherman, but read on...

IMO the leathermans are what I consider a "sticky" alloy - it may be the alloy or the hardness or a combination of both, but if the Leathermans we own were firearms or powered machinery, I predict that we would have constant galling problems. So you might want to look at anti-galling type lubricants - these tend to be synthetic thin greases, usually with a micro suspension of PTFE ("Teflon"). One that I am personally familiar with and can recommend is Tetra® Gun grease.

You can also try moly disulfide treatment. I have it powdered, suspended in a volatile carier, and as a suspension in various oils and greases. It only takes a little bit, but it's pretty darned messy getting rid of the surplus! Moly adheres to both surfaces and dramatically reduces friction. By itself it is NOT a protectant and may even cause stainless steel to pit underneath the moly layer, so be sure to use a rust preventative oil or grease after treating with pure moly. Action Lube Plus is an example of a moly-containing grease.

Don't want to go to a gun store? Get a quart of automatic transmission fluid from whereever you purchase automotive oils - that's a pretty good thin lubricant at a bargain price. If you need it even thinner to penetrate tiny crevaces, thin it up to 50-50 with mineral spirits - the solvent will help carry it in and then evaporate.

Or, as previously mentioned, sewing machine oil or 3-in-1 oil are good as well.

WD-40? Use it to flush out any gunk in the Leatherman, but don't expect it to really lubricate or protect the tool.

Lots of better choices than WD-40.

HTH,

Tom

Improvising there? I've done the same. I was woken up a couple weeks ago around 3am to the sound of squealing bearings from my furnace fan. A little bit of 5w30 mobile 1 fed into the bearings via a drinking straw and the fans running better than ever.

Alright, Tom. What's are "galling problems?"

Also, I've been using Sentry Solutions Knife & Tool Care Kit

"A unique product for complete knife and tool care. Award Winning TUF-CLOTH and TUF-GLIDE, conveniently packaged in a handy cloth pouch with GATCO's Micro X Pocket Ceramic Four-Rod Sharpener and easy to use lint-free cleaning tools.



I've been happy with it so far, but I'm not a heavy user of my knives. So how does that compare to your suggestion? Should I follow a different care for my Leatherman Wave.

BTW, I haven't noticed any appreciable wobble in my Wave. I still have some sticky tools, like the screwdrivers, that are a real PITA to open. But other than that I am very satisfied.

Willie,

"If it ain't broke..." I guess I wanted to point out that although it has good uses, almost anything is better than WD-40 *for lubrication*. Also that IME, the Leathermans can be a bit of a PITN lube-wise.

Galling is, hmmm, well, sometimes when two metal surfaces that touch each other move, surface metal on one surface sticks to the metal on the other surface (and tears off the parent part). The mating surfaces get "rougher"; resistance to movement gets higher. Here's an example of galling that you may not be able to see naked eye but can easily demonstrate to yourself; it came to my notice when scouts were builfing pop-can alcohol stoves: Use an aluminum "nut" like a pop-rivet threaded fastener and an aluminum screw to match. At first, they run in and out fairly freely. Now use alcohol on them. After as few as one application of alcohol - greatly exacerbated by heat - the screw "siezes up" in the nut. If we use, say, a steel nut and an aluminum screw or vice-versa, there is no problem - no galling.

Galling is frequently a problem with same-alloy surfaces and sometimes a problem with dissimilar alloys. Think of it as microscopic welding together of the moving surfaces - because that's basically what it is. Increase heat or pressure or both and galling problems usually go up orders of magnitude.

So IME, a tightly assembled Leatherman tends to have very noticable galling problems. The only practical way to prevent the problem is to prevent the surfaces from touching - moly disulphide treatment or PTFE does the trick if you can get the particles into the contact area. On a very tight joint, finely divided moly may be the only possible cure, but remember my caution about possible corrosion under a moly plating. Some oils will also work, depending on contact clearances and assembly clamping force as well as the specific properties of the oil.

This propensity to gall is a known physical characteristic of many alloys and tends to be typical of many (most?) of the non-rusting steels and is rarely a problem with plain carbon steel alloys that are properly hardened. Some non-rusting steels *are* very resistent to galling, of course.

Bottom line? Use what works. But a stiff Leatherman is only going to be helped momentarily with WD-40, if that.

HTH,

Tom

Well, it sounds like I should consider PTFE and see if that helps and save the Sentry lube for the rest of my knives. BTW, where does one get PTFE? Is there a common brand name I should look for?

Thanks.

Ok, it's a little unfair to rip on the wave this way but the gerber legend is sooo nice. I replaced the brake fluid cylinders on my minivan last night and the only tool that could get a certain spring off was the legend, due to its spring action pliers it stayed open as I pushed on the end of the pliers with no fear of the pinch effect. One beauty of the gerber is that you can adjust the tension of the tools. I have mine set just shy of falling out of the handle.

Ok, here's what I really wanted to say. The same lube used by most cyclists, stuff called white lightning, works great on knifes and tools. I don't like oils and such for they attract grit. you can get a nice dry lube that works well.

Lapping compound, like break-free is a good place to start when breaking in a new tool. I used it on my pistol when out of the box. Place some on the slide rails and cycle the slide a couple dozen times, wipe off, put more on, action the slide a couple dozen more times (repeat until nicely broken in).

Same goes for knives.

Just for the info, Wal-Mart carries a 4 oz bottle of Singer Sewing Machine Oil for about $1.50.

Where can one find the spray white oil? Automotive stores i.e. AutoZone, etc...?