March 2011

My Metal Hand

Like a true man, I fill a lot of roles: youth group leader, electrician, husband, dad, son in law. In each role I serve, dozens to hundreds of things just would not have gotten done, hours more would have been spent; more boots would have been worn out from back and forth to the toolbox if not for the Wave on my belt and the E4 in my pocket. When I climb a ladder or go on a roof, when I leave home for a field job, I feel confident that I can at least fudge my way through if a pat of the belt confirms that I haven't lost my Wave.

I own the original Wave, a gift from a friend over a decade ago, and I just can't seem to find a better tool. I use everything you've given me. A favorite use is to grab the end of a wire loom with the tip of the wood saw as its being pushed through conduit. At my current job when interviewing I told my prospective employer that while I didn't have any experience with what the company did, I keep a reciprocating saw in my trunk and a Leatherman on my belt. On one field job, my two colleagues had seen me whip out the Wave on enough occasions, and borrowed it enough, that they both bought Surges at the local Sears. Another work buddy did all his research before buying a Gerber multi-tool... he liked the one-handed opening, he told me. I saw his countenance drop when I flipped my Wave open, balisong-style, and proceeded to open each of the tools one-handed and effortlessly. My needle nose pliers and Phillips screwdrivers beat his out constantly.

As a dad and husband, when I help with laundry we can get it all to the laundry room in one go because any of our hampers can hook onto my pouch "belt bulge" to free up a hand. And this thing is solid. How often do I use it as a hammer? You should add that to the tool list. How many times have I used the pliers head as a pry bar? Add that too. How many feet of wood have I sawed through? The Leatherman name is all but worn off of my original nylon pouch, modified years ago when I shaved off the worn out Velcro and added a metal snap, but everyone knows what I carry. That's probably because everyone who knows me has been helped, saved, enabled or impressed by one or another of my Leatherman. You keep my wife in good shape too -- she's got a Micra in her purse and an original Super Tool in her passenger door pocket. I would really appreciate a Crunch if you have any extras floating around! I think I could use that every day, but the baby has us broke. And of course "broke" means more DIY than ever before. With a pound of Leatherman, I'm up to it.

Jeremy C.

Camarillo, CA