# Proper Care and Feeding of a Leatherman
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 11, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933 "2008-03-11T05:24:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/1 "2008-03-11T05:24:10Z")
I got a Leatherman for Christmas this year ([this one](http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/xe6/default.asp) ) and am just getting around to seriously wanting to use rather than just play with it. My problem is that I can’t get the screwdriver attachments out without having another screwdriver to pry them out with. I read the manual thing that came with it, and it didn’t say anything about needing to oil it or anything, but something isn’t right.
What do I do to get this thing more usable and what if any maintenance does it need? I want this sucker to last me a while.
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### Author:  [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/2 "2008-03-11T05:43:22Z")
A drop or two of a light machine oil (3in1 oil) will free them up. I’d be careful about it if the blades don’t lock though. You don’t want them closing up on you when in use. Especially the knife blades.
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### Author:  [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/3 "2008-03-11T06:29:37Z")
I think my old leatherman saved my life years ago…
My boss at the time told me to take down a light which was on 480v, and when I asked him if the power was Off he said it was. Well I was just a young kid around 21 years old, and the next thing I know I am on this ladder leaning on a fire water sprinkler pipe because of the way I had to situate the ladder. See, there was this like tank of diluted suplheric acid/water mixture that was part of the company’s process to anodize aluminum. Anyways, I digress…
See I had to cut into the wires and with one hand on the fire sprinkler pipe and my other hand on my leatherman I used the wire cutter part to start biting into the wire’s insulation. As soon as the tool cut into the copper I got a hefty jolt that caused me to make this awful retching noise from about the middle of my chest on up out of my mouth, and because my leatherman didn’t have any springs or anything like that I think it indirectly saved my life. The leatherman replies on direct pressure from a person’s hand to continue the cut and by design as soon as pressure is released it stops ‘cutting’. I guess any old pair of cutters would do the same, so maybe it wasn’t my leatherman that ‘saved my life’ but I will always remember my trusty leatherman as saving my life.
🙂
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/4 "2008-03-11T07:33:14Z")
Jeez, I \*\*\*totally \*\*\*misinterpreted the thread title. Had some great answers too.
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### Author:  [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/5 "2008-03-11T09:52:48Z")
[QUOTE=hawksgirl]
My problem is that I can’t get the screwdriver attachments out without having another screwdriver to pry them out with.
[/QUOTE]
I have a Leatherman wave, and the screwdrivers are a faff to deploy, relying on the availability of a strong fingernail. I am assuming this is because they have no locking mechanism and rely on stiffness to prevent them folding at an awkward moment. The blades lock, though.
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### Author:  [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/6 "2008-03-11T12:23:34Z")
Contacting Leatherman with your complaint may lead to satisfaction, though the oil tip will likely work.
Their service is astounding- I sent them a tool purchased when they first went into business,asking about repair costs.The sex bolts were shot.The knife’s tip had snapped off,too,entirely my fault,which I stated in my request.They sent a new tool,or perhaps my old one,unrecognisable,no fee and no comment.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/7 "2008-03-11T13:20:55Z")
This thread inspired me to call Leatherman customer service in the UK. Over the years, I have broken the tip off one bit of the pliers, and twisted the end of the small screwdriver on my Wave.
I explained that I didn’t have a receipt (I got it at Target for $70 in 1998) and that I was responsible for the damage. “No love,” said the lady, “that’s under warranty. Just send it in and we’ll fix it for free.”
Damn, that’s good service. My customer loyalty has just gone through the roof.
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### Author:  [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/8 "2008-03-11T13:41:45Z")
[QUOTE=Carson O’Genic]
Contacting Leatherman with your complaint may lead to satisfaction, though the oil tip will likely work.
Their service is astounding- I sent them a tool purchased when they first went into business,asking about repair costs.The sex bolts were shot.The knife’s tip had snapped off,too,entirely my fault,which I stated in my request.They sent a new tool,or perhaps my old one,unrecognisable,no fee and no comment.
[/QUOTE]
The **what** bolts?
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### Author:  [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/9 "2008-03-11T15:20:09Z")
[QUOTE=Rick]
The **what** bolts?
[/QUOTE]
**Carson** must have the same kind of Leatherman **panache45** does! :eek:
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/10 "2008-03-11T19:08:08Z")
[QUOTE=panache45]
Jeez, I \*\*\*totally \*\*\*misinterpreted the thread title. Had some great answers too.
[/QUOTE]
Except for the link, nothing in the OP would negate that interpretation.
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### Author:  [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/11 "2008-03-11T19:48:52Z")
[QUOTE=panache45]
Jeez, I \*\*\*totally \*\*\*misinterpreted the thread title. Had some great answers too.
[/QUOTE]
Hey, I had to get people into the thread somehow!
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/12 "2008-03-11T19:53:39Z")
[QUOTE=panache45]
Jeez, I \*\*\*totally \*\*\*misinterpreted the thread title. Had some great answers too.
[/QUOTE]
You and me both…
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/13 "2008-03-11T19:58:25Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
I explained that I didn’t have a receipt (I got it at Target for $70 in 1998) and that I was responsible for the damage. “No love,” said the lady, “that’s under warranty. Just send it in and we’ll fix it for free.”
[/QUOTE]
There are Targets in Britain now?
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### Author:  [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/14 "2008-03-11T20:27:36Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright]
There are Targets in Britain now?
[/QUOTE]
Nope. But it seems that Leatherman UK will fix any of their products, from anywhere, from any time. I is impressed, I is.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/15 "2008-03-11T20:35:37Z")
I own just about every Juice model ever made, and they all have very stiff screwdrivers. In fact, everything that pivots at that end of the tool is stiff. Use will break it in bit, as will a little oil. But you don’t want those tools loose by any means.
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### Author:  [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/16 "2008-03-11T21:04:47Z")
[QUOTE=Rick]
The **what** bolts?
[/QUOTE]
I believe another name is binding screws,where the female thread is cylindrical with flanged end,much like the handles on old hand saws. Like this:[https://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0123336](https://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0123336)
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### Author:  [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/17 "2008-03-11T21:52:21Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger]
**Carson** must have the same kind of Leatherman **panache45** does! :eek:
[/QUOTE]
You have to lube the sex bolts rather than oil them. 😉
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### Author:  [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/18 "2008-03-11T22:40:15Z")
Sex bolts hmmm…? I wonder if I could get one for my girlfriend. With a dildo attachment?
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### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/19 "2008-03-12T00:52:46Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright]
There are Targets in Britain now?
[/QUOTE]
What do you think the Nazis were bombing?
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2008, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-feeding-of-a-leatherman/440933/20 "2008-03-12T09:15:31Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright]
There are Targets in Britain now?
[/QUOTE]
No, nor dollars. But we do have transatlantic flights. 😉
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