A purpose-built, specialized tool for outdoor adventure and wilderness survival, while also serving purpose around the house Its superior corrosion resistance also means users can wipe down their blade and shove it into the sheath, without too much worry about a proper cleaning to prevent rust. And MagnaCut’s respectable edge retention means it should sustain a good deal of use without requiring proper honing or sharpening too often. (Photo/Adam Ruggiero) The Gerber Center Drive Plus displaces its non-Plus predecessor for this specialized award. The Plus takes all we liked about the original Center Drive and adds scissors and a larger blade, which we deem significant and worthy upgrades. The screwdriver configuration has a long extension and a handle ready for more torque. This award-winning Gerber centers the bit along the handle's long axis, vastly improving ergonomics and making it feel like a true, single-purpose screwdriver. The 12 bits that come with this model fit inside the included leather sheath along with the tool. You may notice the P4 looks odd in the image, that is because there are four orientations on top of each other.

Different Colors– As of right now the Free P4 is only available in stainless steel. It’s likely Leatherman will offer more color options as they work out any kinks in the Free series manufacturing process. The FREE P4 is a stainless steel multi-tool which looks the business even when closed, with its perforated-metal exterior design.Their removable bit driver kit gives you the ability to slide an adapter over the Phillip’s head screwdriver on your tool and access any ¼ inch bit you like. Leatherman Free P4 Vs Comparable tools The pliers, wire cutters, and electrical crimper on the Free P4 are the only carryover from Leatherman’s previous line of products. They contain both needlenose tips and a regular plier below them. Everything is a little easier to access and use but you probably don’t need to run out and buy a Free P4 if you’re already happy with your Surge, Wave+, or Charge TTi. This is especially true given the premium price of the P4.

The Leatherman Wave+ brings heaps of value to the Leatherman line-up. Leatherman takes 90% of what makes the Charge so impressive and sells it for 60% of the cost. What you get is the Wave+ and an excellent value. The Leatherman Wingman is even less expensive, by a significant margin, but has fewer features and is made with lesser quality materials (though most users may not notice the weight savings of steel vs. titanium casing). For a full-featured tool, the Wave+ is the bargain shopper's choice. Once the initial playtime is over, however, it’s time to get at the tools. Unlike almost all of Leatherman’s other pliers-based multis, all tools on the FREE are accessed externally. I prefer this mode, as it simplifies navigating the tool during use.It would be made from 3d printed steel. It would keep the can opener (as long as prototypes show it has a strong enough hold on the tool) It also would gain a 1/4" hex opening were the opener is. The challenge Leatherman engineers set out to conquer was to improve the usability of the brand’s hallmark tool without changing it so much it lost what made it so popular. But while Leatherman boasts a faithful following of both experienced tradespeople and weekend warriors, its latest multitool caters to a more discerning audience. The 20-tool Arc marks the brand’s most expensive — and arguably advanced — EDC ever. Not only does it boast more implements than almost any other Leatherman (the Surge edges it out by one), but it’s also the first production multi from Leatherman to carry a MagnaCut blade, the current darling steel of the knife industry. A more robust version of the P2, designed with comfort and durability in mind, the Free P4 has 21 practical tools, all operable with one hand Recently, fellow IFMGA mountain guide Jeff Dobronyi joined the review team. Jeff's busy outdoor lifestyle requires having the right tool for the job, whether that's repairing ski gear or mountain bike components in the field or doing repairs, or slicing food at home.

At this price point, however, there are some compromises. The lone blade features a hybrid straight and serrated edge made of mid-grade steel, which will require regular sharpening depending on your use. The straight portion is easily reconditioned, but sharpening serrations requires special techniques. Further, that blade is significantly shorter than it needs to be. There is almost a half inch of extra space in the handle that Leatherman conspicuously does not utilize. Overall, you get far more than you pay for with the Leatherman Wingman, including some truly unique features not seen in even high-end models. If you're willing to spend a little more, the Leatherman Skeletool CX offers better ergonomics but fewer functions. If you use a multi-tool for basic tasks but are prone to losing it, the Wingman won't hurt quite as much to replace. And while customers will likely never lay eyes on the elastomer spring inside the pliers, it should vastly improve the lifetime of the tool. According to the brand, the new spring survived over 1 million openings and closings without wearing out, far exceeding the tens of thousands the old spring did. Someone would send in their tool for a blade replacement or minor repair. And they almost always asked us to fix it, but not mess it up — because they had the tool broken in just the way they like it.” One thing we loved about the Free P4 was the inclusion of replaceable wire cutters. As with previous multi tools Leatherman included hard-and soft-wire cutters as well as a threaded wire notch. The wire crimper is located in the jaw of the pliers as with previous Leatherman’s.

Analysis and Test Results

The first thing you’ll notice with the Free P4 is that Leatherman kept the classic butterfly fold design. Even more fitting, the use of a magnetic clasp system actually allows you to swing the P4 open just like you would a butterfly knife. Beyond that, it’s just one helluva versatile, tough tool. From big tasks to small tweaks, the Arc has an implement to meet the job. And with a combination of premium materials and thoughtful design —you can use two hands, but you’ll only need one —it makes for a terrific DIY companion. This could owe somewhat to a slightly dull blade on my other Leatherman knives, but it’s also a testament to the sharpness and grind on the Arc. As is, it’s less of a finesse blade and more of a get-shit-done knife. I appreciate this and look forward to observing just how long the MagnaCut maintains its edge. (Photo/Adam Ruggiero) Leatherman Arc Tools When put to work, the FREE works like the Leathermans of old. A 420HC serrated/plain combo knife cuts swiftly. Phillips and flathead implements drive screws as expected. The FREE P2 I tested also sports mainstays like a can and bottle opener, metal file, awl, scissors, and mini pry bar.

The Leatherman Free P4 is the latest in a long line of foldable pliers from Leatherman. The most obvious innovation over previous versions is the magnetic body which holds the handle tools in place. This makes them much easier to access over the old catch system which caused many broken finger nails, and can be operated with one hand.Rev 4: Added top-spring catches, allowing the tool to fit in any which way. . Having issues because there is only a blade on one side of the tool, so the other side can twist outwards, making the holster feel loose Royal Mail will ask to see a valid photo identification if the recipient appears to be under 25, in line with the 'UK Challenge 25' policy, and a signature will be required upon delivery. The Leatherman FREE P4 is advertised as the most advanced multi-purpose tool ever made! So we were curious to get hold of one, find out what makes it such a great multi-tool, and share our thoughts in this Leatherman FREE P4 review. This exceptional product is equipped with almost every imaginable tool, organized and optimized for compact function Bit Driver– One of the design compromises Leatherman made with the P4 was removing the bit driver found on the Wave+ and Surge. This wasn’t an incredibly popular decision among heavy-duty users, so Leatherman also created a fix.