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Super Tool 300 unveiled
Leatherman is a company with an interesting history; one man's vision for the tool he wanted became a worldwide phenomenon, and all from the most simple beginnings. Tim Leatherman, during a trip to Europe with his wife, was thinking on what he wanted to do with his life; all the while on the trip, he found many instances where a pair of pliers was required to solve an issue, plus various other tools.
So when he got back to the US, he thought he would spend a little time making the tool he'd wanted in Europe, a true multi-tool. His wife kindly agreed to work and support them while he did this, he said, for "about a month" - it ended up taking three years of development, then more hard work went into actually getting the tools out into the world; catalogue companies were dubious as to the merits of a multi-tool, as they'd never seen its like before. But with some advice, he streamlined his design, simplified the manufacture (and therefore cut costs), and sold his first batch of tools in 1983.
From 1983, with 200 sold, the sales figures went through the roof, with 29,159 the following year and almost 70,000 in 1985 - up to 1.2million in 1993. Not bad for a young man unsure of what to do with his life.
The product has of course evolved, branched out, and changed. There are many different models of Leatherman multi-tools now, plus knives and a range of torches (which are about to be expanded upon with the anodized aluminium bodies of the Monarch range), but we were in Kendal to see the Leatherman Super Tool 300, a combination of 19 tools in one. There's also a block oxide version for those occasions when, well, you need a non-reflective, black multi-tool.
It's a great piece of kit - but then, it's a Leatherman, so who would have expected anything else? The 300 appears to meet and exceed every standard this company has set itself in terms of design and function.
The pliers are, they say the strongest they've ever produced, with a slope-top handle design for more maneuverability in tight spaces. The hand grip features rolled edge for comfort, and cut-outs on the handles mean you can select tools even with gloves on. Also, there are three wire cutters (stranded, hard and regular).
