Leatherman Blast Multi-tool is a Toolbox on Your Belt

One of the best Christmas gifts I ever received is my Leatherman Blast Multi-tool. For a guy like me who is involved in a wide assortment of work and play activities and likes to travel light, the Leatherman is a must-have. I use it almost every day. It is over 12 tools in one 4 inch package: needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, knife, file, hack-saw, can-opener, bottle-opener, #2 philips screwdriver, #1& #2 standard screwdriver, scissors, pruning saw, jeweler screwdriver, and 8-inch ruler (20 cm). There are even a few features that I haven’t figured out yet, but that does not take away from the efficiency and comfort and ease of use of this tool. Crafted from stainless steel, it is very sturdy. The knife and saw blades a very sharp and hold an edge very well. With a leather or nylon sheath, it retails for about $62. It also comes in black.

I have used the Leatherman for all kinds of jobs. I play guitar in a band, so I wear it to rehearsals and gigs to cut strings, adjust hardware, and even repair the drums and cables. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used the screwdrivers for home and car repairs. I’ve used the knife for all kinds of things and pruning saw on camping trips for cutting branches from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and it cuts fast! The pliers, knife, and the bottle-opener make it ideal for fishing trips.
This is my second Leatherman tool. My first one was a old-school model that I loved and used every day for about 4 years, and I think I only needed to sharpen the knife blade 3 or 4 times. I cleaned it and oiled it after dirty jobs. I retired it when I broke the pliers while trying to bend some heavy-gage fence wire, which was really exceeding the reasonable limits for that kind of tool. The Blast is an upgrade in many ways; It features locking blades that make it much safer to use. It also has a sturdy ergonomically sculpted Zytel plastic grip on the handles that make it much more comfortable to squeeze when using the pliers. The pliers’ bit is much sturdier-built and also takes a bigger bite. I would not worry about breaking this one on the same heavy-guage wire.

Wearing the Leatherman makes me feel like MacGyver, or Batman with a utility belt. I can’t wait for the day that Leatherman makes a boomerang and a grappling hook. I would buy this tool for any of my friends, but I haven’t yet because I like being the guy with the coolest tools. The Leatherman Blast tops my list.