Aug 082013
Leatherman 830040 New Wave Multi-Tool with Nylon Sheath
- New Wave folding multitool; all locking blades for safety; 1-hand access to 4 outside tools
- 2 pliers, 2 wire cutters, 2 knives, saw, scissors, 2 files, 2 bit drivers, screwdriver, ruler, bottle/can opener, wire stripper, 2 double-ended bits
- 100 percent stainless steel
- Includes multitool and nylon sheath
- 4 inches closed, 6.3 inches open; 8.5 ounces; 25-year limited warranty
The Wave multitool’s compact folded shape hides a wealth of tools and blades within. The Wave Multitool From Leatherman: Better than Ever
The most popular full-size Leatherman tool is now better than ever. Larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters and all-locking blades make the new Wave an essential piece of equipment for any job or adventure. The pliers have been redesigned to withstand more than double the previous squeezing load, and the new bronze bushing makes one-ha
List Price: $ 93.00
Price: $ 93.00
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New and improved Wave lives up to the claim… mostly,
Overall, the new Wave is worth the money and effort though not perfect, but we’ll go through the comparison to the old Wave (which is still pretty darn good).
Pro-
-All the tools lock open! I love this one, and this alone makes up for the short comings (to follow).
-The removable driver bits are most excellent. The basic one that comes with the Wave is OK, but when you add the accessory kit, you’re ready to face any sort of fastener (torx, Allen/hex, posi-drive, square)
-The sheath allows you to carry it in the pliers configuration as well as fully closed (and has room for the accessory bits, barely).
-That little eyeglass screwdriver bit is worth it’s weight in platinum.
-Like the original Wave, the knife blades are accessible when the tool is fully closed, and lock open. This is a major improvement over most other mutli-tools, and was my main reason for getting my first (old style) Wave. The blades also have thumb notches for easy (single-handed) opening, that are well sized (not too big, not too small) for both carrying and ease of use.
Con-
-Sadly, the new Wave is significantly bulkier than the original, but still not as bulky as most of the Gerber tools.
-The nylon sheath feels a little cheesy, but has held up fairly well.
My Wave has stood up well to fairly rough use, and I recommend it for anyone who needs a screwdriver once or twice a day but doesn’t want to lug the full tool box around (The Wave, a Camelbak, and a poncho liner are probably the three most useful things a friend or loved one going to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, etc could have). The scissors deserve special note as they work wonderfully; could someone at Leatherman replace one of the outside blades, like the sheepsfoot/serrated blade with the scissors? I use the scissors a lot more than the serrated blade, and would welcome being able to get to them without opening the pliers.
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|Great tool, room for improvement.,
I work for a police department as an Animal Services Officer/Cruelty Investigator and have field tested the original Leatherman Wave for five years. I absolutely love it and I can’t fathom how I could have ever gotten by without it. I recently (excitedly) purchased the New Wave and I am both pleased and disappointed. The bronze bushings are a great new feature and they really do make a difference along with the larger thumb holes in ease/smoothness of opening. The interchangeable screwdriver bits are a big improvement and the addition of the Eyeglass Phillips/flathead screwdriver will be very useful. I have to use the nylon sheath on my duty belt because the loop on the leather one won’t fit over it. Otherwise, I would definitely use the leather sheath because it looks and functions much better (the Velcro on the nylon sheath does not stick very well).
The NW design is definitely stronger/more solid except for the wimpy new scissors that they used. The old scissors would cut through tough plastic packaging, leather and just about anything you could throw at them (I used them to cut around the plastic packaging of the New Wave). As an experiment I tried to use the new scissors on the same packaging and while they would cut it, it was a chore. They will cut through leather (the leather on the old Wave Sheath) but not nearly as easily as the Original Wave does. Also, when you open up the scissors on the NW you have to be careful not to cut yourself because they put the movable arm in right next to the blade, so when you go to push it down you could get cut if you are not paying attention.
The fact that ALL OF THE BLADES LOCK is a wonderful and long awaited improvement. The new screwdrivers are very cool, useful and easy to open. They are reportedly using a better grade of steel now which is a plus because I did have a screwdriver break in the Original Wave (replaced with no problem). Overall the NW is a superior product except for the scissor issue (I guess they have to have something to improve on the new, New Wave). With all of this said I am sending it back to the store and I am getting a Leatherman Ti or XTi. The Ti has all the same blades and slightly different and better looking designs and it has 154 CM steel which is three times more durable than the stainless steel. Throw in a detachable lanyard and pocket clip and you have a winner. The difference between the Ti and the XTi is that the XTi has a cutting hook built into the serrated blade and does not have scissors in lieu of another screwdriver bit slot. If they would include the scissor from the Original Wave made of 154 CM steel and the Cutting Hook on the Ti I would be in heaven. It would be the perfect tool. Until then my Original Wave will stay in my car and the Ti or the XTi will be on my belt at work.
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|Almost perfect,
All the features and functionality of the old Wave yet with all locking tools and a new multi-bit attachment accessory. Much easier to use with one hand and a little more ergonomic too (e.g., easier to reach and open individual components, easier one-hand access to outside blades). It’s got a needle nose pliers/wire cutter, regular pliers, knife blade, serrated knife blade, saw, scissors, 2 files (one is diamond-coated), large and small it drivers, a screwdriver, an 8-inch (19 cm) ruler, a bottle/can opener, a wire stripper, and 2 double-ended bits. Additional interchangeable bits are available for a few bucks more. The only drawback is that it comes with a nylon sheath instead of the nicer leather one.
My first Leatherman tool (purchased more than a decade ago) was improperly tempered and the pliers broke the first time I used it. They expeditiously and graciously exchanged it for a brand new one that worked fine (which I still own). I not only appreciated the great customer service but have purchased half a dozen more since then (both for myself as well as for gifts). For my day job I have to be a suit and tie kind of guy so I don’t normally carry a Leatherman around with me, yet I have one in each vehicle and a third in my shop. Over the years I have found them very practical, useful, and well designed. I have used them for tinkering in my shop, emergency car repairs, outdoor events (e.g., hiking, camping, fishing), and more…
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