August 2007

A Family Rite of Passage

My first Leatherman tool was purchased at a knife store at an amusement park called Knott's Berry Farm in California. I was not looking to purchase a knife, just killing time while the wife was shopping for souvenirs. It was one of the black finish PST tools that first came out. I got it in 1991 and little did I know how that small tool would become such a large family tradition. Without exaggeration I can say that I have probably used a Leatherman tool almost every day since that purchase. I am always the "go to" guy when it comes to fixing things. Everyone knows that Tom can fix it; he always has his "tools" with him. My Leatherman tools have done everything from fixing fence posts to cutting a loose thread off my daughters wedding gown, cutting bagels to pulling thorns out of the dog’s foot.



I never realized what an impression your tool had made on my family until I decided to upgrade from my basic tool. I purchased a Wave around 1999 and just figured that my original tool would be relegated to the tool box. Boy was I wrong! All three of my son's started to fight over who I should give it to. They all felt that they should get it for one reason or another. I finally gave it to my oldest son who was 17 at the time. For his 18th birthday I bought him a Wave, and he passed the original onto his brother, who was 16 at the time. In 2002 the youngest inherited the knife, and there is already talk of it being handed down to my grandson once my youngest turns 18 and my grandson is only two. What a testament to the quality of your tools that my kids now think of it as a family heirloom.



PS: In the 16 years this tool has been in our family, it has been returned to the factory twice for service, both times due to abuse on our part. The knife was promptly fixed and returned to us both times at no charge under warranty. It's hard to find a company with service like that anymore.



Thanks!


Thomas S.

Mira Loma, CA