Leatherman 830685 Charge TTi with Nylon Sheath and Gift Tin | In some respects, in a class by itself

Leatherman 830685 Charge TTi with Nylon Sheath and Gift Tin | Great Tool

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Leatherman 830685 ...

	Leatherman 830685 Charge TTi with Nylon Sheath and Gift Tin Leatherman Leatherman average customer review:based on 15 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

mfr: LEATHERMAN

In some respects, in a class by itself

I was a big fan of the L-Man Wave and carried one for several years. I loved the convenience of having the blades, saw & file open from the outside. These components also featured high quality cross-locks similar to the ones on a lot of premium pocket knives. These basic design features are maintained in the Charge TTi.

The quality of these particular items - blades, files and saw - seem to me to be the things that set one multi-tool apart from the other. The quality and design of one screwdriver bit or can opener is pretty much the same as that of another. And the good multi-tools all have "decent" pliers. But it is not so with cutting blades, saws and files. Here there can be a big difference.

The L-Man Charge is NOT the largest multi-tool I own but its two cutting blades (my others have just one) saw and file ARE the largest featured on any of them. I believe this is possible because of the fact they are accessed from the outside. Their size need not be limited to make room for the pliers to fold into the handles as with tools whose blades are all accessed from inside.

The saw, file and the blades are not only larger but also of very good quality. The saw cuts as effectively as any I have used with very little clogging or sticking. One side of the file is diamond coated, making it more versatile. There is a serrated sheepsfoot blade with an integral cutting hook (very useful) and best of all the main, straight-edged blade is of premium S30V steel. If you know knives you know this is top quality stuff (and not cheap). Most other companies - even the good ones - don't even publish what they are building their tools from. I get the feeling there is a lot of 440a (or lesser steel) out there.

The "inside" tools on the Charge TTi now have a very smooth and solid locking mechanism which was lacking on the original Wave. This is a definite improvement. And compared to the Wave the Charge TTi has a better look and feel to it.

There are extra niceties. At nearly 9 oz, the Charge TTi is in the "slightly too big for comfy pocket carry" class. So you want to use a sheath but I wear sweats a lot. So the "pocket" clip allows me to tuck the Charge TTi in my waist band where I hardly notice it (but it is always with me). The built-in lanyard attachment is nice, too, and an improvement on the Wave's. (I don't like accidentally dropping and losing my expensive tools - so a good lanyard attachment is a must for me.)

Strangely enough, I have mixed feelings about the interchangable bit-driver feature. Since I don't use the sheath much, I am often without the extra bits, decreasing the overall versatility of the tool. But I was just fine with the original Wave, which didn't even offer that versatility. Even if I leave the bit kit behind, this is as versatile a tool as the Wave was. So this is a complaint that really makes no sense.

In addition to the original L-man Wave tool, I have a Gerber Compact Sport 400 (smaller, lighter) and an SOG Powerlock S63 EOD (larger, heavier). These are very respectable tools in their own right and the SOG in particular seems a little better than the L-Man Charge TTi in a couple of respects (see the upcoming review). But on balance I feel that the Charge TTi is the best tool I own and the only one I would rate as high as a 5. And if I could only keep one, this would be it.

Post Script: See my other reviews for a head to head comparison between the TTi and Victorinox's Swisstool X.

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Great Tool

I have owned a wave for many years and finally managed to bend the pliers slightly (annoyed me that they didn't line up straight anymore). Although I have no doubt leatherman would have replaced them I decided to go ahead and try out the charge tti after reading reviews on amazon and other websites. After receiving the tool it is exactly what I had expected. Wonderful craftsmanship and design. Even better than my old wave. In response to other reviews I have read, yes opening the pliers is stiff out of the box but after lubricating the joints and working with it a bit it opens smoothly. The knife is of wonderful quality and even shipped sharp (I was expecting to have to sharpen it). Overall I recommend this tool to anyone who would use it on a regular basis (it is a little expensive just to have around the house).

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Great all around tool

Very pleased with this multi tool. I like the fact that this comes with a cache of bits so you really do not need to order the extra bit set unless you think you are one who would need multiple size bits. As an owner of apartments who enjoys tinkering around, I find I use this tool daily although I could have purchased a less expensive unit since I do not use may of the features it offers. I just like knowing I have the best and the most versatile tool around.

Great multitool!

This is a great multitool for sure! I can think of no negative things to say about it.
The feel and build quality is top notch. The rounded titanium handles feel great in the hand and the pivot and lock up of the tools is rock solid.
If you are considering a multitool, the titanium handles and the s30v blade make this a great choice!

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Good tool but still has room for improvement

I've had a number of multi tools over the years and the Leatherman Charge TTi is the best one I've ever used. One area that I would like to see improved is the quality of Philip screw bit. It's nice to have a replaceable bit but after only using it for a week it looks like it won't last. It's also on the expensive side compared with other similar tools.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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