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Leatherman 830850 Skeletool CX Multitool

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Brand: Leatherman
Category: Home Improvement

List Price: ~~$96.00~~
Buy New: $56.29
You Save: $39.71 (41%)

New (17)

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

58 reviews
Sales Rank: 19

Media: Tools & Hardware
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5 x 1 x 1

MPN: 830850
Model: 830850
UPC: 037447362286
EAN: 0037447362286
ASIN: B000XU43IC

Release Date: March 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Brand New & Factory Sealed!!! Comes in Leatherman Store Blister Packs!!! 1-4 Day Delivery!!!!

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 58

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Love Mine July 18, 2008
I've always wanted a leatherman, but am not the type of person to carry one on my belt. The Skeletool is as light as the pocket knife I used to tote and a lot more functional. Basically, there's just about everything I need on here except a lighter and flashlight. The fact that the blade opens from the outside of the handle is a great step forward for Leatherman and the factory edge is razor sharp. I now realize how handy it is to have a wire cutter and screw driver with you at all times. Normally my key ring always had a bottle opener on it ever since college, but after the years, I finally wore it out. Having one on the Skeletool makes it a necessity to keep in my pocket wherever I go. I don't make a living using this tool, but as someone who just likes to be prepared, I'm really happy with the purchase.

4 out of 5 stars

Good design, good build quality July 18, 2008
The Skeletool is an excellent niche tool that falls comfortably between Leatherman's larger outings and simple folding knives. At 5 oz., it is not exactly featherweight, but it is considerably less bulky and less heavy than most other multi-tools.

It has a couple of downsides which are immediately apparent or become apparent quickly. 1) No saw. Although the blade is 50/50 smooth/serrated, the serrations would be a poor saw substitute. 2) The "extra bit" slot in the handle is not secure enough. In my first week, I lost the stored bit in the handle. I've been more careful in how I handle it, but I think they could have tightened up the tolerances a little. 3) Bad initial bit selection. My Charge TTi came with a reversible phillips/flathead bit in the kit. The Skeletool comes with a phillips/phillips and flat/flat. I generally find the mixed phillips/flat bits to be useful because then I can carry an allen bit as well. Finally, 4) bad for lefties. Unfortunately, as a conscious design decision, the tool is not reversible for lefties, in particular this means that you have to open the knife blade by flicking it out with your middle finger instead of your thumb (and close the lever lock the same way). This is neither as safe or as comfortable as thumb operation. But, if you're used to left-handed opening of folding knives, then it's nothing new to you. As I rightie, it doesn't matter to much to me, so I'm just putting this issue out there.

One the plus side: everything else. Good ergonomic design for such a lightweight and minimalist tool. The build quality is high, with steel support bands and brass bearings for smooth action. Probably the best pliers you will find in a multitool of this size/wight, and a well designed blade. Lightweight package, but still sturdy enough to see some serious duty, and a good selection of tools (pliers, wirecutter, knife, bit driver, bottlecap lifter, and carabiner tool).

I would point out tool two issues in particular. 1) The "carabiner/bottlecap lifter" is really mislabeled and should be just called a tension clasp. While it has the limited functionality of being able to attach your Skeletook to a belt or gear loop, you should not overlook the fact that it can assist you one-handed openings. I found it to be very difficult to open the pliers with one hand (after a lot of practice I found an unintuitive way of doing pretty consistently), until I realized that if I snapped the clasp to my belt loop, I could use that as an extra hand of sorts. Also, while the bottlecap lifter is neat, it can also operate as a parcel hook.

2) The knife blade on the CX model is 154CM stainless. I believe the blade on the other model is 420HC stainless. I've had great luck with the 154CM steel, and I think it is a worthwhile upgrade for the relatively modest difference in cost. 420HC is more of a tool grade steel. Easier to sharpen, but it won't hold an edge as long.

All in all, a great multitool if weight and size are an issue.

4 out of 5 stars

Pretty awesome tool! July 16, 2008
Really awesome tool! I love the feel of it, and the lack of weight to it. I just wish that they hadn't dropped the function of the saw. Also, there's no can opener.

4 out of 5 stars

Multi-tool Lust July 16, 2008
I had my eye on the Skeletool CX for some time. I'm one of those pocket knife/flashlight fetishist and this design was too cool for me not to have. Once I had the multi-tool in my hand, I was immediately impressed. Very light, machined to the n-th degree, classic Leatherman blade honed to a scalpels edge and the carbon fiber elements had me open eyed like a kid. My only sense of disappointment had to do with the pliers. I realize the tool was designed to be ultra compact & lightweight but the size & gripping surface of the jaws seemed almost on the toyish size. Regretfully, my Skeletool never made it home from it's inaugural run on a recent out of town install so I never truly had a chance to put it to the test. Not pointing fingers at the TSA but I know it went into my bag before catching my flight home & it wasn't there when I arrived. Somebody else must've thought it was as cool as me.

5 out of 5 stars

Perfect for its intended purpose. July 13, 2008
If you are thinking of buying the Skeletool or Skeletook CX, then you probably aren't looking for a multitool that has every possible gadget. It has a knife, a bit driver, a good set of pliers, a pocket clip, and a small carabiner clip that doubles as a bottle opener. That is all. It does not have scissors, a file or a saw. It does not come with a sheath. It comes with two double-ended driver bits - one with two sizes of phillips head and one with two sizes of flat head. These are proprietary bits so you cannot use any other bits from other tools you may already own. I strongly recommend ordering the Leatherman bit set right off the bat. It's mainly intended for backpackers who don't really need basic tools to repair and maintain gear in the field while keeping weight to a minimum. It's about the same size and weight as my Benchmade Stryker folding pocket knife and I find it comfortable to carry in my pocket or clipper to my pack or belt loop (though that's a good way to rip a belt loop and lose the tool).

The big debate is whether the CX model is worth the extra money or whether you should just buy the regular Skeletool. Both models weigh 5 ounces so the carbon fiber is decorative rather than genuinely weight-saving. The CX is a little sharper looking due to its darker color, but I paid the extra money to get the better knife blade. The blade on the CX is made of the tougher 154CM steel as opposed to the 420HC used for the regular Skeletool's blade. It should hold an edge better and take a little more abuse than the regular Skeletool's blade. The blade on the CX is also a partially serrated "Combo edge" that gives it an improved ability to cut through tough webbing or ropes if necessary.

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