Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Heavy set of pliers.
The Leatherman Wave is a really handy tool if you need a full size set of needlenose pliers. The pliers are of very high quality and work as well as any set of pliers.I've found several drawbacks to the Wave. It is extremely heavy and you need a sturdy belt to hold the tool in its sheath(very nice leather sheath.)I tried to carry it in my pocket ,but it was uncomfortable it also had a tendency to slip out whenever I sat down.The flat blade screwdrivers twist and stay that way.The clip point knife blades thin tip is fragile and bends easily.Leatherman recommends to only use the hard wire cutting area on the pliers for hard materials and I agree.I cut some tire belting wire that had become wrapped around my motorcycles rear hub with the regular cutting area.The result of using the wrong area was a set of pliers that stick while opening and closing.Also the screwdriver blades are hard to open if your hands are cold or wet.I think its a great buy if you need a pair of pliers on your belt.The pliers are definitely the main feature.I am much better served with a Victorinox swiss champ in my pocket and a pair of Snap-on pliers in my toolbox.
Rating:  - Never Leave Home Without it!
There are so many other "imitation" mulit-tools on the market these days, and with the possible exception of Gerber, most of them are junk. Leatherman, however, has always been known as a maker of high-quality blades and tools for quite awhile, and with a substantial warrantee to stand behind there products, this line of knives is always a sure-bet. I got mine over two years ago, and have used it for everything from electrical wiring to cleaning fish. (the only downside to cleaning fish is that you will have to wash and dry the knife very throughly to get it clean- otherwise it will smell for days.) Usually about once a month, I take out a honing stone and some lubricant and gently sharpen up the straight blade. (don't try this with the serrated edge, however, you'll only do more damage.) My knife has stayed extremely sharp for several years because of this. The pliers and wire cutters are a great feature. Can't get those on a swiss-army knife! Perhaps the only downside to the entire tool is that the side which contains the philips head screwdriver and bottle opener can be a bit tough to open. I broke my thumbnail on it a few times. Other than that, however, this is an excellent tool, extremely useful in any line of work.
Rating: - Another Tool for Batman's Belt
Ok, so I look like a bit of a nerd. With a cell phone hanging off one side of my belt, my PDA off the other side (and sometimes a 2nd PDA), and my Leatherman Wave hanging on the back, I am starting to feel like Batman. But if I needed to divest myself of something, it wouldn't be the Leatherman.I have always carried a pocket knife of one type or another. My favorite was my Swiss Army Craftsman knife. The biggest problems I have with knives is the lack of pliers and the fragility of the tools and their mountings. With the Leatherman, this is cured. There are four tools that can open from the outside, rather than having to part the handles to get anything out. It is handier than snot to be able to whip out the knife and pop open the knife blade with one hand, particularly when you already have hold of what you want to cut in the other hand. I wouldn't do without that feature now. It's even pretty easy to open the pliers up with one hand. The assortment of screwdriver blades is more than adequate for my needs, and in particular I love the small, narrow, straight screwdriver blade. The tool is comfortable to hold, even when you are trying to crank down on a bolt or a nut with the pliers. I haven't found any occassion when this tool has not proved its worth. Is it perfect? Heck no, but it sure beats the pants off of most other multi-purpose tools I have tried. If you want to complain, let's talk about the little holes in the exterior blades used by your thumb to pull out the tool. (You have to see it to understand.) The eges on those holes are darn sharp! I peeled off more than one layer of skin on those before I finally broke out the sandpaper and eased the edges of the holes. It didn't affect the function, but made it a lot more comfortable to use. Also, like most multi-funtion tools, a hard, twisting motion with the pliers makes the Leatherman rack disconcertingly, so I try to not do that. I haven't had a problem with it, yet, just don't think it's a good thing to do. And, if I am nit-picking, some of the interior tools are a little tough to pull out. Not sure if there is a way around this. Sometimes I pull them all out and then put back the tools I don't want to use. Unlike other reviewers, I personally have had no problem with rust, but I don't usually use it in moist places or around salt water. Even with these faults, I rate this a "5." There aren't too many places I go without it on my belt.
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