Leatherman Bond

Many jobs and hobbies require carrying a useful well made and reliable multitool with you to cut, open, pry, file or screw to list just a few. Leatherman are a well know American made company producing a wide high quality tools for many specialities and general usage. I opted for the Leatherman bond which is very compact and features 14 tools. keep reading to find out why I think this tool is an excellent companion.

A brief history of Leatherman

From leatherman.com about the founder Tim Leatherman -->

While on a budget trip to Europe in 1975, Tim Leatherman and his wife Chau constantly came across leaky hotel plumbing and road-side fixes for their cranky Fiat. Tim realized the need for a pliers-based multipurpose tool. “I was carrying a scout knife and used it for everything from slicing bread to fixing the car. But I kept wishing I had a pair of pliers!”

When Tim came back to the states, he took his “multi-tool” idea and some sketches he made on the trip, and got to work.

The Leatherman Bond and its features

The Leatherman Bond is a tool that has been designed with the UK/European market in mind. The Bond does feature a blade, however this is a non-locking blade less than 3 inches. This complies with UK law regarding carrying of knives, however I would still not recommend carrying this tool around in public as the law can be interpreted in various ways and there seems to be no real hard and fast rule when it comes to carrying knives.

However when used in your home for DIY, quick fixes, opening packages and even putting together flatpack furniture, the bond really is excellent. Below is a breakdown of the tool list;

• Needlenose Pliers
• Regular Pliers
• Hard-wire Cutters
• Wire Cutters
• Wire Stripper
• 420HC Blade - This blade is extremely sharp straight out of the box and is very capable, easily slicing through thick carpet and underlay. Blade is 2.6" in length
• Awl
• Can Opener
• Bottle Opener
• Wood/Metal File
• Phillips Screwdriver - This screwdriver is a 3D solid screwdriver and works incredibly well for almost any task. Shown in the photo are five double sided bits that can attached to the screwdriver using the stainless steel adapter also show in the feature image (top left).*bit kit is sold separately
• Medium Screwdriver
• Small Screwdriver
• Ruler (8 in | 19 cm)

Value for money

The current price for the Leatherman bond is $59.95/£59.95 (yes its the currently the same in USD/GBP). I think this price is well justified, the Leatherman Bonds primary tool is the very capable set of pliers, in addition to this are 12 additional tools that fit into an very compact and comfortable folding design.

The tool has a very reassuring weight to it and feels solid in hand. Included in the package is a high quality nylon sheath with belt loop. when compared to other multitools on the market and the toolset featured, I think the Bond is great value for money. If well looked after it will last many years and I can attest from personal use, it frequently come in handy and performs well.