May 2009
E4 My Daily Sidekick
I originally bought my Squirt E4 back when I was a senior in high school, mainly because you use the wire stripper down to 20 awg. I was in a electronics class at the time and stripping small wire was a daily thing.
It wasn't until I went to college that I really learned the versatility of this little tool - from taking electronic boards apart and using the pliers to hold electronic components as well as using everything else on it.
After college I went to work as a field service engineer for a very large company and the E4 came along for the ride. I think this is where it was tested the most because it was used on wire it shouldn't have been stripping as well as still using the other tools to where the knife was dull to the grind, and I wore the file down to nothing. While in this job I have also used a Wave (new style), Core( one of the best full size multi-tools you can have), as well as a Wave (old style). All great tools, but still I used my little Squirt more then I did my full sized ones. I used the full sized ones towards the end when the Squirt was no longer useable.
I went a couple of months without my Squirt until I finally replaced it last week with a Micra after 5 years of carrying the E4. I love the Micra, but I miss the wire stripping and pliers style of the E4. I just wish Leatherman would make a Juice with the E4 style wire stripper pliers so it can handle a little bit larger wire. I think a Juice will be the next one on my wish list also.
Adam R.
Brooklyn Park, MN
OK, you voyeur, you. Enough of reading other people's stories. It's time you told your own tale of gripping heroism or even just neat DIY'ism. We know there's a Shakespeare in you somewhere. Don't make us use the Steens to find it.