Leatherman Super Tool 300 – A Super Tool for Tradesmen


The Leatherman tool is an American legend. The original was developed because it’s inventor, Tim Leatherman, found himself travelling round Europe in an unreliable camper van without the necessary tools to make the small repairs necessary to keep it on the road. He decided to invent the solution in a pocket-friendly form. What set the Leatherman apart from the Swiss army knife multi-tool concept was the inclusion of a pair of pliers that actually worked and an original take on the way in which the blades and accessories were stored in the handles. Some few decades on we


have all become familiar with the concept, and rather unfairly, in my view, many people refer to “using a Leatherman”, when in fact they are using one of the many


inferior copies that abound nowadays. Just like the inferior copies of the Swiss army knife, they don’t do the concept many favours – but get your hands on an original Leatherman and you will see the difference. You will also see the difference in cost – but as usual, quality doesn’t come cheap. An original Leatherman is built to last, so you will get value for money as it continues to perform well for many years after purchase. Each new Leatherman has a 25 Year Limited Warranty. Now that is confidence! When I


opened the package in which the sample Leatherman Super Tool 300 was delivered, the first thing that struck me was that it has a healthy heft and weight to it. The handles of the pliers that also house most of the accessory blades, are made of a rigid stainless steel that have inches etched into one side of them and cm and mm in the other. When the handles are closed, there are no sharp edges present, so the tool can be safely handled. By pulling the handles apart and folding them back


on themselves as far as they will go, the pliers are revealed. The handles are click-stopped so that they will stay in place when they are used. Looking at the plier jaws, it is instantly obvious that a great deal of thought and design effort has gone into them. They are as robust as they can be made, but at the same time are quite slim nosed so that they are pretty nearly slim nosed pliers that can be used on fine


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these jaws, are a set of stepped jaws that will fit most small sizes of nut or bolt and provide a tight grip on the corners of the nut. Behind these is a set of pretty efficient-looking cutters. Leatherman has obviously taken account of the fact that stainless steel won’t keep an edge forever, so have made these cutting jaws replaceable. This is achieved by simply undoing the small Torx screws. The jaws made cutting a selection of copper electrical wires pretty simple, and combined with the crimpers and wire stripper functions behind the plier fulcrum, would suit the everyday needs of plumbers and electricians for example. On some


less well-


designed multi-tools I have been put off using some of the functions stored in the handles because I feel that my fingers have been put in danger by simply unfolding the accessory blades. On the Super Tool 300 the user’s safety has been designed in and thankfully I felt able to choose whichever one I wanted, open it and store it again without risking cuts or stabs. This is achieved by having large spring-loaded clips on the ends of the handles. All the functions are actually quite easy to unfold because they have a fingernail-friendly notch in them somewhere and the fulcrum rivets have not been too tightly fastened. On the “inch” handle there are a frighteningly sharp straight knife blade, a large screwdriver tip


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work. The end of the jaws fit together very closely and are finely milled for a grip on even tiny things, yet the jaws will open, at the tips, to 40 mm wide. Behind


Independent Review by Peter Brett


(8mm wide) a medium screwdriver tip (5mm), a sharp pointed awl and a retractable lanyard ring. Right next to the side is also a triple-sided file that actually worked very well when I tried it on some mild steel, alloy and brass. With any of these functions working, all the others are safely out of the way, held firmly by the spring clip. But to retract them, a quick thumb-push on the large spring clip release allows the function to be neatly folded away. I can’t emphasize enough how easy this is compared to many a multi- tool I have examined over the years. On the “mm” handle side,


there are another six functions stored. The first I opened was another frighteningly sharp serrated blade. Like the other knife blade this is hollow ground and a very efficient cutter. Next to it is a tin opener with a wire stripper


function on its base. Unlike some people, I can use this tin opener function, but that is due to time spent in the Scouts too many years ago… There is a middle-sized Phillips screwdriver next


that is actually long enough so that it sticks out far enough from the handle to be useful as a screwdriver, since the bulk of the handle is far enough away from the head of the screw. A small screwdriver (3mm) completes the set of screwdrivers. Finally, there is a small and very sharp-toothed saw. You won’t get a very neatly finished cut with it, but it is very efficient for its size as it cuts on the push and pull strokes. As we have come to expect, the Super Tool 300


comes in a well-made nylon sheath with hook and loop closing and belt hook. The Super Tool 300 is an impressive piece of kit. It


is by no means a multi-tool with all the “multi” and no “tool”. I reckon that there are legions of tradesmen who would benefit from having one of these on their belt. Electricians and general tradesmen in particular often have to investigate in the course of a job, and this tool will save many trips to the van for the toolbox. It costs about £89, and since it comes with such a long guarantee, I don’t think you could go wrong, even if you bought it just for general use. For more information why not take a look at their website: www.whitbyandco.co.uk


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