Leatherman Outta Harbor Freight

[sfhogman]

Got my usual "Sale!!!" email from Harbor Freight the other day and saw that they now sell a Leatherman Wave clone for forty bucks. Seeing as how I was going by there anyway, I stopped off and bought one.

I carried a first generation Wave for many years at work so I hauled it out and compared the two. They're close to identical. The fit and finish are about equal, as are the features.
Differences:
The clone has a guthook on the serrated knife. It also comes with a pocket clip, an extra with the original. The clone has bronze bushings on the pivots. The screwdriver bits are interchangeable between the two. I suspect that steel they used is comparable, or nearly so to the original. Both open and close smoothly and lock up tight. Effectively they're the same tool.

Oh, and the Leatherman costs $80 more.

So here's what bothers me: HF had one of their Chinese suppliers copy a tool that had been engineered and developed in the US and then grossly undercut them in price. I consider this to be predatory.
Thing is, many folks who need a multitool don't have a lot of bucks and so will buy the HF Gordon clone and I don't see what's to be done about that.
The one I bought will be living in my travel kit...

 

[powder smoke]

No Thanx!

 

[eveled]

You acknowledge it's predatory and unethical. Yet you decided to buy one anyway? I'm not judging you, but I'm willing to support Leatherman. They also have a Buck 119 clone. I try to avoid HF and Garret Wade is just as bad.

Buy American the job you save could be yours.

It's difficult to buy only American, but at least try not to send money to countries that hate us. Don't give your money to unethical companies if it can be avoided.

 

[sfhogman]

Thanks ever so much...I'll be sure and do that!
Just sharing an experiment.

 

[Jeepnik]

Here's a little secret. Many of the "tools" on Leatheman products are stamped out in the US. They are put in huge boxes and shipped to China. There they are "finished".

Prior to Covid the finished tools were shipped back to the US and the multi tool assembled here.

During Covid negotiations were ongoing to do the entire manufacturing and assembly in China. Since I retired I never found how that turned out.

But like a lot of US marked products if you look closely you'll find small print with things like.
Assembled in (name of another country) from US made parts.
Assembled in the US from (name of another country) parts.
Or my favorite made in )name of another country) on US patents.

Thing is the products are often marked MADE IN THE USA.

What I did find interesting is that it was cheaper to ship unfinished parts to China, then ship the finished parts back. But let's face it, most companies are all about the bottom line no matter how much subterfuge is used.

 

[Kevin]

a couple years ago I wanted to get a multi tool. I really liked the Leatherman, but could not verify that they are made in the USA. I know they do have many cheaper models made in China already. But on their more expensive “flagship models” I still couldn’t find out where they are made.

So I bought a Gerber. Made in USA. It’s pretty nice, and I use it regularly. Even after two years when it opens and closes it’s as tight as it was from the very first day.

 

[AJGUNNER]

Leatherman is located in the Portland area. I have known a few people that have worked for them. I used to see articles on how tough it was for them to defend their patens. Guessing a good part of their selling price point is going to legal fees to cover the cost of slowing or stopping their high quality products from being build by every cheap knock off company in the world.

 

[blume357]

Chinese do it all the time and laugh at us while they do it. I constantly complain about it but I also tend to buy way too much of their products.... a lot of stuff you have to buy theirs because now they are the only ones that make it. Like I said in a post I made a while ago, I think they own us. I don't think most Americans could get by with out Chinese products.

I noticed something on the box that a portable air conditioner. I just bought came in... it used to be that you had to look close to see "made in China' on things...
on this box it was in BIG LETTERS.

 

[JackBull]

Keep supporting China and jobs will continue to evaporate. The economic ignorance in the US is frightening, but planned.

 

[Kevin]

My wife was on a call the other day. I normally don't listen in on calls, but I heard someone say they are going to eliminate two jobs here in the states (layoffs) and hire 4 people in India. It wasn't her company, one of her clients.

 

[steveodtw]

a couple years ago I wanted to get a multi tool. I really liked the Leatherman, but could not verify that they are made in the USA. I know they do have many cheaper models made in China already. But on their more expensive "flagship models" I still couldn't find out where they are made.

So I bought a Gerber. Made in USA. It's pretty nice, and I use it regularly. Even after two years when it opens and closes it's as tight as it was from the very first day.

My favorite two snubnoses. This Gerber "snubnose" went everywhere with me until I lost it. Never found another like it. I have an original Leatherman and a promotional knock off but I'd sure like to find my Gerber again.

 

[Kevin]

My favorite two snubnoses. This Gerber "snubnose" went everywhere with me until I lost it. Never found another like it. I have an original Leatherman and a promotional knock off but I'd sure like to find my Gerber again.
View attachment 53326

I think that’s the one I have. I like it over the Leatherman because when using the pliers, the smooth rounded handles on the Gerber stay out for your hands. On the Leatherman they flip to the inside.

 

[davevabch]

I remember when people would not buy Japanese auto's because they were not made in USA. There are good Chinese Products and bad Chines products. It depends on the quality control standards and specs issued by the US manufacture.
I own many air guns. There are some that are made in China that are so well cloned you can not tell the difference other than the cost is 4 times lower. Many articles on this one particular gun. That is just one example.
Lol, if I were to die and decided to be buried in a coffin (which I won't) and one coffin cost a fortune and the Chinese version of 1/10th the price. I am going Chinese all the way. YEE HA! and Bonus. FREE FORTUNE COOKIE!

Three year Warranty.

 

[Tenbore]

The simple fact is that American made products (if you can find them) are way over priced. Pay a day's wages for an American made? tool, or buy a cheaper foreign made one and fill your cupboard with groceries. That is the decision you have to make these days.

 

[eveled]

Buying from Japan is far different than buying from China.

 

[Bad Barlow]

Buying from Japan is far different than buying from China.

Gotta love multi-tools,how about this Chinese Beauty!

 

[Busterswoodshop]

I was at ACE hardware the other day getting some paint mixed.
While I was waiting I noticed a display of Leatherman tools.
There was probably 15 or so .
I started reading the backs of all the packages.
Only one said it was made in America ( the most expensive one ) , all the rest were made in China.
They also had a display of Case knives. They were made in America.

 

[arfmel]

IMO, everybody oughta buy a Case pocketknife,

if only to support a company that STILL makes a knife in the USA. These are sitting on the table next to my easy chair so I can admire them as needed. ;)

 

[sfhogman]

IMO, everybody oughta buy a Case pocketknife,View attachment 53351 if only to support a company that STILL makes a knife in the USA. These are sitting on the table next to my easy chair so I can admire them as needed. ;)

Agreed. My favorite knife is my yellow Case Copperhead that I carried at work for over 25 years. The delrin scales are worn silky smooth and she still "walks and talks". Nice and sharp and always clean and lubed... I took good care of her and she took care of me.
Still smells of Ed's Red.

 

[the_leper_colony]

Well, companies seem to copy products that are not protected by patents all the time. George Kelgren was one of the first to bring polymer-framed pocket pistols to market, first at Grendel and then Kel-Tec. His designs were innovative, but I don't think there was anything he could patent, so a lot of companies copied his products: for example, the KT P11 was copied by Cobra, Standard Arms, SKYY/SCCY, Talon, and maybe others (although some of the copies can be unsafe to fire because materials like zinc were substituted where KT used steel). I've read that Ruger and Diamondback produced near-copies of the KT P3AT; the Diamondback .380 mags will even work in the KT (in fact, I liked 'em better than the KT mags, back when I owned a P3AT ;^). So many companies copied the KT products, that it pretty much pushed them out of the market they had created - I think the only polymer pocket pistol they still make is the P32 (which is a gem)!

 

[the_leper_colony]

IMO, everybody oughta buy a Case pocketknife...

I carry an old Western Stockman 657, that belonged to either my dad or one of my mom's parents - made in USA!
:)

 

[g5m]

I knew a fellow who was a manufacturers representative.
He had a new American made tool set that he wanted to sell to WalMart and the executive asked if he could keep the demo set for a while and show it to other execs. It was done and a few weeks later the rep went to get his tool set and went into a WalMart store and there was a near exact copy of his tool set--Made in China.
Nice business ethics.

 

[KS25-06]

It does not pertain to multi tools, but the best flashlights I have ever had are Olights and they are made in China. They beat Streamlight and Surefire in performance and price by far. I heartly agree most crap from China is just that, CRAP. But, these flashlights are really great. Try one, they back their product. I sent one in with a faulty switch. They sent a new one promptly and no charge.

 

[gnappi]

Patents expire (IMO not fair at all) and other companies exploit them, it happens all the time. Even WITH patent protection there's ALWAYS a way to exploit the patent "claims" and make a new product OR many patents are not registered worldwide meaning anyone can copy your work and just not sell it in the country of origin.

Even the "Look and Feel" really can't be patented but they CAN be trademarked. Fender and Gibson guitars found this out too late.

Anyway my Leatherman Supertool 300 came in a nylon belt holder and I found a leather belt mag holder that worked better.

 

[Mike J]

Well, companies seem to copy products that are not protected by patents all the time. George Kelgren was one of the first to bring polymer-framed pocket pistols to market, first at Grendel and then Kel-Tec. His designs were innovative, but I don't think there was anything he could patent, so a lot of companies copied his products: for example, the KT P11 was copied by Cobra, Standard Arms, SKYY/SCCY, Talon, and maybe others (although some of the copies can be unsafe to fire because materials like zinc were substituted where KT used steel). I've read that Ruger and Diamondback produced near-copies of the KT P3AT; the Diamondback .380 mags will even work in the KT (in fact, I liked 'em better than the KT mags, back when I owned a P3AT ;^). So many companies copied the KT products, that it pretty much pushed them out of the market they had created - I think the only polymer pocket pistol they still make is the P32 (which is a gem)!

Some time back Kel-Tec quit making the P-11. I had one for several years. It was a good little pistol with a horrible trigger. I find it ironic that the past few years the double stack micro 9's have been the rage. They aren't similar enough to be clones but they are all roughly the same size as the old P-11. Kel-Tec has had a huge influence in the marketplace.

 

[Mike J]

I have a Case pocketknife for when I am not dressed appropriately to carry a knife with a clip. The rest of the time I carry a Kershaw Link.
I still have a couple of the old Leatherman tools. They were in amongst the tools my dad gave me before he died. The file in one of them is broken I guess I should contact them & see if I can get the file replaced by them or buy the part. I still have a couple of the Gerber multi-tools I bought back in the 90's. I haven't had time to hunt in a while but I used to carry one of those, a smallish rope for pulling up a rifle, a roll of toilet paper, an American made Old Henry knife & one or two other things in a fanny pack when I deer hunted.

 

[Star43]

I have a Case pocketknife for when I am not dressed appropriately to carry a knife with a clip. The rest of the time I carry a Kershaw Link.
I still have a couple of the old Leatherman tools. They were in amongst the tools my dad gave me before he died. The file in one of them is broken I guess I should contact them & see if I can get the file replaced by them or buy the part. I still have a couple of the Gerber multi-tools I bought back in the 90's. I haven't had time to hunt in a while but I used to carry one of those, a smallish rope for pulling up a rifle, a roll of toilet paper, an American made Old Henry knife & one or two other things in a fanny pack when I deer hunted.

If you want to keep your Dad's original Leatherman, I myself would not "send it in" as you would probably never see it again. They would very probably just send you a "new one"......But your Dad's would be gone ....I remember talking to a guy who worked for Leatherman and this had to be close to 20 years ago, but he said they just sent out new ones, even then. The old ones were just all tossed together and got rid of......and that was then when the tools were all made there.....Just yesterday I was at a hardware store and was looking at a Leatherman Wave which was really high priced and I examined that packaging as best as I could. Leatherman does everything they can to not say exactly where it is made. I have noticed this for many years. On this one I saw yesterday I could see where it says made with US and "Global" parts. You know what Global means. ...China....and this was on a Wave....I have not trusted them for a while ...I DO like their original stuff and have many of the old ones though....The old original Super Tool was classic among some others.