Leatherman Squirt PS4
Leatherman Tool Group was formed in 1983, the PST or Pocket Survival Tool being the first in a long line of innovative and ever changing variations of what was first conceived as a "...Boy Scout knife with pliers".
Today Leatherman produce around 17,000 units per year, mainly to cater for seasonal gift requirements, with the rest of the facility primarily catering for repairs to tools that have been returned under warranty. A 25 year guarantee, under which a Leatherman owner can have a tool to which they are sentimentally attached repaired and returned, or a tool replaced with an equivalent model, is just one aspect of what makes these tools so desirable. The fact that, like SAK's, there are so many different variations to suits ones needs, pocket or trade, and that they are robust and very fit for purpose, is another serious plus point when considering a keychain, pocket or full sized multi tool. I own a number of models including the Micra, Blast, Kick and Surge. The Surge is a beast of a tool and has been hammered and used all about the house, garden and woods. But here, I want to introduce one of the smaller variations, one which was produced after Leatherman listened to feedback from countless customers asking for both pliers and scissors on one small handy tool. I want to introduce the Leatherman Squit PS4.
The Leatherman P4 and the Leatherman S4 were great tools in their own right, but as the names suggest, they came with one or other of the aforementioned tools, either scissors, or pliers, when the handles of the tool were opened up in their trademark butterfly style. The Leatherman PS4 was, for me, a natural progression in this line, to provide the consumer with the best of both worlds, a set of pliers when the handles are open, and a pair of scissors retrievable from the side of the tool, in typical 'nail nick' fashion.
Today Leatherman produce around 17,000 units per year, mainly to cater for seasonal gift requirements, with the rest of the facility primarily catering for repairs to tools that have been returned under warranty. A 25 year guarantee, under which a Leatherman owner can have a tool to which they are sentimentally attached repaired and returned, or a tool replaced with an equivalent model, is just one aspect of what makes these tools so desirable. The fact that, like SAK's, there are so many different variations to suits ones needs, pocket or trade, and that they are robust and very fit for purpose, is another serious plus point when considering a keychain, pocket or full sized multi tool. I own a number of models including the Micra, Blast, Kick and Surge. The Surge is a beast of a tool and has been hammered and used all about the house, garden and woods. But here, I want to introduce one of the smaller variations, one which was produced after Leatherman listened to feedback from countless customers asking for both pliers and scissors on one small handy tool. I want to introduce the Leatherman Squit PS4.
The Leatherman P4 and the Leatherman S4 were great tools in their own right, but as the names suggest, they came with one or other of the aforementioned tools, either scissors, or pliers, when the handles of the tool were opened up in their trademark butterfly style. The Leatherman PS4 was, for me, a natural progression in this line, to provide the consumer with the best of both worlds, a set of pliers when the handles are open, and a pair of scissors retrievable from the side of the tool, in typical 'nail nick' fashion.
The Leatherman PS4 has the following tool specification: Clip point knife, bottle opener, flat head/phillips screwdriver, medium screwdriver, pliers, scissors, needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, wood/metal file and keyring attachment point. It measures 2.25 inches, or 5.72cm closed and weighs in at 1.9oz or 56grams.
When people ask me what is my favourite EDC item, or what is my favourite knife, I only have one answer, the PS4. This might seem a little boring and underwhelming to people that are in the 'Bushcraft' or 'Survival' community, but for me, this is the EDC item that I use the most, its an ever present in my system, invariably never gets swapped out for anything else now that I have it, it is my 'go to' tool when I need to perform 90% of my cutting tasks (from opening mail & boxes) to cleaning finger nails and gripping some nut or bolt for tightening! Yes I have my Victorinox Farmer in my pocket, which is a great knife, I love it and use it a lot as well. But this is on my key chain, and as my keys are one of the first things I grab when leaving the house, as well being allowed in pretty much every place that a folding knife would not (except for airports and on planes of course, cos these will still get nabbed off you!) Its the one tool that is 100% with me all the time, everywhere I go that my keys go. The tool is also surprisingly capable as well, the wire cutters snipping through some fairly thick guage fence wire on one occassion when it was needed to break into a friends car when they locked their keys inside it! So what about the tools then?
When people ask me what is my favourite EDC item, or what is my favourite knife, I only have one answer, the PS4. This might seem a little boring and underwhelming to people that are in the 'Bushcraft' or 'Survival' community, but for me, this is the EDC item that I use the most, its an ever present in my system, invariably never gets swapped out for anything else now that I have it, it is my 'go to' tool when I need to perform 90% of my cutting tasks (from opening mail & boxes) to cleaning finger nails and gripping some nut or bolt for tightening! Yes I have my Victorinox Farmer in my pocket, which is a great knife, I love it and use it a lot as well. But this is on my key chain, and as my keys are one of the first things I grab when leaving the house, as well being allowed in pretty much every place that a folding knife would not (except for airports and on planes of course, cos these will still get nabbed off you!) Its the one tool that is 100% with me all the time, everywhere I go that my keys go. The tool is also surprisingly capable as well, the wire cutters snipping through some fairly thick guage fence wire on one occassion when it was needed to break into a friends car when they locked their keys inside it! So what about the tools then?