Rust on Leatherman wave

tudorsailor

tudorsailor

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I lent my leatherman to my son who worked for a sailing school shore base over the summer. Now got Leatherman back with rust on the body, on the pliers. Also rust at base of various pull out bits so now very stiff.

Now applying lots of 3 in 1

Shouldn't a leatherman be made of non-rust stainless?

TS
 
Rusty Leatherman

Found this on the Leatherman maintainance part of the site



All Leatherman products are manufactured from 100% high-grade stainless steel. (Exception: Screw bits for the tool adapter are made of tool steel.) But stainless steel is not rust proof; it is corrosion resistant. Depending on the mix of metal alloys, stainless steels may be highly corrosion resistant and relatively soft (like kitchen flatware), or they may be somewhat corrosion resistant and quite hard. Our products are fabricated from the latter type, so your tool components are strong and the knives retain a sharp cutting edge. Consequently, corrosion can occur in the absence of proper maintenance. Your Leatherman product should be cleaned, dried and re-oiled periodically to inhibit rust and corrosion. This is especially true if you use it in a damp or marine environment. After cleaning, re-oil pivoting areas with a light machine or penetrating type oil (such as WD-40). Buff stained surfaces with a polishing cloth or non-metallic abrasive (e.g., Scotchbrite pad or soft bristle brush).

Then looked at the Gerber site which has this

Q: Should I oil my Multi-Plier?
A: Yes. Use a lightweight gun or machine oil (like 3-in-1 oil). But before you do, make sure that it is clean of debris and moisture. Your Multi-Plier can be rinsed in clear tap water in order to remove most of the debris. If you still see dirt or grime in the grooves, handles, etc, use a q-tip or soft brush. Make sure to dry the tool completely than apply the oil. Stained areas can usually be buffed out using a polishing cloth or non-metallic scouring pad.
 
tudorsailor said:
Shouldn't a leatherman be made of non-rust stainless?
Click to expand...

There are different grades of stainless. If you made a knife out of one that truly never ever rusted, it would be rubbish as a knife as it would be too soft to hold an edge. I imagine the multitool is a compromise between not rusting much under normal land-based conditions, and remaining somewhat sharp.

I have heard that the Captain Currey rigging knives are made of a softer (more corrosion-resistant) grade, since they're obviously intended for marine use. Certainly I sharpen mine regularly, which being a plain simple straight blade is as easy as it gets.

Pete
 
I have a Leatherman... rusted.

My brother gave me Case/New Holland promotional equivalent. Different manufacturer; not sure which...

Not a Wave but definitely much better quality. "Other" will get a place in boat tool box and Wave will find a place at home.

Disappointed with the cost/quality ratio of Leatherman. At the price I paid, I expected better....
 
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tudorsailor said:
I lent my leatherman to my son who worked for a sailing school shore base over the summer. Now got Leatherman back with rust on the body, on the pliers. Also rust at base of various pull out bits so now very stiff.

Now applying lots of 3 in 1

Shouldn't a leatherman be made of non-rust stainless?

TS
Click to expand...

Mine is going strong after many years (although it did go back under the excellent lifetime guarantee for a new knife blade after I broke the tip off it when using it to try and lever a shackle open). Maybe original Leathermen were better quality than they are now?
 
lifetime warranty

:)I sent my wave back after one of the lock springs broke, also I had managed to break the tip off the pliers. New one by return, no questions asked.:)
 
I wonder if the production of flashier versions has been matched by the use of cheaper materials? I have two leathermans, one about 30 years old and one about 10. The older has been back for rebuilding twice, each time as a result of misuse on my part. As I find it hard to manage without, on the second occasion I bought a new leatherman, the Kick model.

Perhaps it's best to keep to the simple versions. Does anybody really need "19 tools in one"? I use the pliers a lot, the knife quite a bit, and the screwdrivers occasionally.

If a multitool is used frequently, and especially in dirty conditions, it will need periodic cleaning and oiling. I use gun oil for the latter.
 
I think the guarantee leatherman provide is 25 years. So not a lifetime, but still long enough.

For cleaning I give mine a liberal dousing with WD40, and then rinse it under the tap. Needs doing twice a year or so.

Heres a question though. Does anyone else have magnatised pliers on their leatherman wave?
 
Woodlouse said:
I think the guarantee leatherman provide is 25 years. So not a lifetime, but still long enough.

For cleaning I give mine a liberal dousing with WD40, and then rinse it under the tap. Needs doing twice a year or so.

Heres a question though. Does anyone else have magnatised pliers on their leatherman wave?
Click to expand...

Certainly lifetime on mine.

Not sure whether that refers to my life, or the knife's.
 
There does appear to be a degree of confusion between "no rust" and "Stainless Quality".

As has already been been mentioned, making 316 stainless machinable and hard, involves a reduction in Cr present and the introduction of more C, with some other trace metals.

One of the cheaper machinable stainless steels is commonly used for "stainless jubilee" clips as anyone who as used them in a corrosive position will readily testify.

So as purchasers of stainless tools, we can carry out a little light maintenence work or suffer rust.

This simplified guide from Wikipedia may help - the detail of my daughter's explanation went entirely over my head, but then she runs the Materials Department at Southampton Uni's School of Engineering - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel
 
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