r/victorinox • u/baconwrappedapple • 1d ago
One thing I like better about SAK vs Leatherman
I was a SAK guy for years, then got caught up by the leatherman thing and then more recently got bit by something and bought a couple of really cool SAKs.
One thing I really like about the SAK is how there is a lot of standardization. You get the same tools, just in different combinations. It seems much more reliable.
Each letherman has a completely different pair of scissors, completely different knife, completely different screwdrivers and so on.
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u/woodstove7 23h ago
This always feels like a Glock / Smith & Wesson comparison. Can’t really argue with either position.
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u/cloud_cleaver 23h ago
I usually like the aggregate multitool design of Leatherman more, but the individual tools within are generally inferior to Victorinox. Really makes me wish the Swiss lads would make a multi tool with the usability factor of the ARC, but filled with Victorinox grade bottle opener, can opener, awl, scissors, etc.
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u/randombydesign 21h ago
Check out the SwissTool line, especially the ones that have thumb tabs to make the knife easier to open. They are luxury compared to Leatherman.
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u/cloud_cleaver 20h ago
I've heard the build quality is fantastic, just haven't had an opportunity to handle one. On the surface the design looks a lot less usable than something like an ARC, especially one-handed, which is why I've neglected them up to this point.
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u/randombydesign 20h ago
Yes, they aren’t as easy to operate one handed.
Something I noticed immediately and really appreciated is that each tool has its own backspring so when you pull one out, the other tools don’t chase it out.
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u/DeX_Mod 17h ago
I EDC a cybertool M, and s leatherman surge
Best of both worlds.
Sak for precise things, surge for heavier tasks
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u/Less-Bar-7714 16h ago
Exactly. SAK for pocket (max 4 layers version) and Leatherman for car and toolbox.
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u/Deech2086 21h ago
I like both but as an enthusiast and collector, I am finding the Victorinox to be superior. I carry a SwissChamp and a Free P2 daily but I just got in the Spirit MX Clip and it is pretty sweet. Might replace em both with this.
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u/theQuandary 20h ago
Leatherman has nothing close to the form factor and plier ergonomics (like dedicated pliers) of the SwissTool Spirit. I just wish it had the larger, standard SAK scissors because I haven't found anything that beats them (another area where Leatherman comes up short IMO).
The big plus for Leatherman is that they carry models with supersteel blades. I would pay a lot for something like a Soldier X with a MagnaCut or LC200N blade.
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u/kmac6821 20h ago
Unfortunately the plier ergonomics is all that the Spirit has going for it. Getting individual tools out with a nail nick is terrible ergonomically. Some tools (like the scissors) I cannot get out without first pulling the Philips out. I wished the Vic was more refined in that regard. Even the internal tools on a Wave are easier to open than the Spirit ones. It’s a bummer.
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u/ichiban4713 20h ago
The Swiss Made tools are definitely superior over the Leatherman tools. Leatherman multitools are built tough, though. I went from carrying a Leatherman to carrying a Cybertool L or Swiss Champ and a decent pair of pliers. The problem is the pliers. Nobody makes a multitool with pliers as good as a cheap pair of Klein needlenose. I need pliers that will cut 24 gauge wire, and that’s where multitool pliers fail.
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u/Spiley_spile 19h ago
Ive a leatherman wave. The tools are heavy hitters so I keep it for those rare times I need more than my SAK. But it's not comfortable in my hands. It's bulky and heavy and doesnt have as many tools as my SAK. And I dont feel any affection for it, if that makes sense? I have nostalgia for all the years drrleaming Id own an SAK. Then I was finally able to buy and own one as an adult. That's not the case for me with the Leatherman. My Wave lives in my toolbox with my SwissChamp, and I edc a (slightly) smaller SAK.
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u/karl_ae 14h ago
It's not just a design choice. The economies of scale is a big driving factor here. Sure, Victorinox seems to have hundreds of different models but if you look closely, they are mostly the same with minor differences. Look at the four layer 91mm knives. They change a single tool and make ten different versions.
This allows Victorinox to control costs by reusing the same tools and it's reflected on the retail pricing.
On the other hand, every leatherman has different chasis, different tools, which means they produce less of the same tools in quantity, hence higher pricing.
Swiss labor is not cheap, but somehow they found a way to keep prices down
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u/Emergency_Present_83 8h ago
I like having the serrated edge on my leatherman, it's just better for a lot of stuff that usually sucks with a regular blade and I wish victoinox would include one on more models, especially medium sized ones.
particularly on camping multitools since I usually have a fixed blade on hand for harder use knife things.
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u/Afdavis11 23h ago
I like my Wave+ but seriously the scissors are kind of strange. To me Victorinox products, across the board, feel so refined. At some point I think one of their Engineers said “hey, what if we just made the best of everything and put it into one tool”.