Product Review
Leatherman Charge xTi
Roland Leong, Managing Editor
I first saw the Leatherman Charge xTi prototype at the 2004 SHOT
Show. After a
period of close examination, I remember standing at the Leatherman
booth and saying to their Public Relations person, Mark Baker,
“Ok, here’s what
I see:
1. Better knife steel,
2. Better tool locking mechanism,
3. Better pliers,
4. Better tool bits,
5. Titanium handles
6. Competitive price.”
Mark said, “You nailed it. That’s the package.” So that’s the
short version of
the Leatherman Charge xTi. Because writers self worth is determined
by how much
they write, I’ll continue…
There are many companies that make multi-tools. Leatherman was
the first, in my
recollection, and over the years the Leatherman name has morphed
into a
descriptive noun much like Kleenex, Coke, Xerox, etc. I’ve had
the opportunity
to see several multi-tools from name brand manufacturers. These
tools, in large
part are good, serviceable tools that while fall under the category
of
multi-tool, are all different; different in every way imaginable.
Of all the
tools I’ve seen, I prefer the Leatherman multi-tools. While every
brand of
multi-tool makes compromises, the Leatherman tools seem to me
to have fewer and
less egregious compromises than their competitors.
Leatherman tools have been, and continue to be tools that have
a high quality
look and feel. Fit and finish is of a very high order. The bevel
on the knife
blade is very even from tip to pivot point, the saw teeth and
file are very
cleanly machined. The plier jaws appear to be investment castings.
The finish
grinding on the metal is very even, with almost a matte finish.
The mating
surfaces of the pliers align with their respective parts. The
action of the
pliers is smooth with no evidence of binding or grittyness. The
tool bits are
painted with a black finish. The finish rubbed off on the part
of the tool bits
that have friction contact the bit holders. I don’t think this
will be a long
term issue. The bits appear to be metal castings, e.g. on close
examination the
tool bits have a grainyness that comes from the investment casting
process. The
bits appear to be very cleanly manufactured with sharp angles
at the surface
transitions.
Out of the pouch, and without opening the tool handles, one can
access four
tools. Two of the tools, the knife blade and the serrated knife/cutting
hook
blade can be rotated out of the handles and into working position
with one hand.
These two knife blades have an oval section on the blade that
can be pushed on
with the thumb into working position. The action is not ambidextrous
and only
right handed opening is possible. The blades are locked into working
position by
a liner lock, similar to a Walker lock found on many fine knives.
The other two
tools, the saw blade and the wood/metal files need two hands to
rotate into
working position. They too have a liner lock fixing the tool in
the working
postion. It’s worthwhile to note that these four tools have bronze
washers/bushings at the pivot point. The bronze washers/bushings
reduce the
effort when rotating the tools to working or opening position.
This results in
an easy one handed opening for the knife blades.
Separating and rotating the handles reveals the main tool, the
plier/wirecutter.
The Charge xTi has a crimper that the Charge Ti does not. What
is notable is the
redesign of the pivot area. The pivot area is much wider than
before, and
Leatherman claims that the pivot is much stronger. We did not
do destructive
testing to verify this claim. The tools located in the interior
handles are on
one side, are a large tool bit driver and a small tool bit driver;
and on the
opposite side, another large tool bit driver and a can opener/wire
stripper.
Included with the Charge xTi are 8 reversible large tool bits.
These bits will
fit in either of the large tool bit drivers found on either side
of the interior
handles. The small tool bit driver retains a small screwdriver
bit that reverses
to a small Phillips (cross head) driver. All of the tools lock
when fully
rotated into working position. The tool lock is similar to the
mechanism on a
lockback knife. Depressing the grooved portion of the lock releases
the tool,
and allows the tool to be rotated back into the storage area.
Included with the Charge xTi is a removable lanyard ring and removable
pocket
clip. One or the other of these clips install in a groove in one
of the handles.
Pressing the lock release adjacent to the aforementioned groove
will allow
either the pocket clip or the lanyard ring to slip in. Releasing
the lock
secures the item in the tool. There is also a permanent lanyard
ring. It is well
hidden and one needs a small screwdriver or similar tool to move
it from the
storage position. It took me a while to find it, but it’s there.
For those of us
who are presbyopic, use some magnification. You should eventually
find it. While
the removable lanyard ring feels secure, tool retention is of
paramount
importance, I’d use the permanent ring rather than the removable
one. Though
it’s not likely to accidentally release the removable ring, it
is possible and
the tool could get lost.
The Leatherman Charge xTi is a big tool, and in spite of the titanium
handles
weighs in at 8.3 ozs. It comes with either a leather or a nylon
sheath. The
tools bits are stored in a plastic carrier that stores inside
the sheath. If you
need something in a compact package having all the tools the Leatherman
xTi has,
this is the way to go. Warranty is for 25 years from date of purchase
for
defects in material or workmanship.
Street price for the Leatherman Charge xTi is about $100.00.
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
12106 N.E. Ainsworth Circle
Portland, OR 92720-9001
www.leatherman.com