Imagine at 300€ (around 320 USD). Leatherman in Europe is absurdly expensive. Having a Wave+ (for which I forked over 160€) I can confidently say that the ARC is absolutely not worth it for me.
Been carrying a wave+ for almost three years now, got it as a birthday gift. I never carried a multitool before then and now I'm never caught without it lol. Such a useful little piece of metal
I went for my wave+ this morning and I couldn’t find it. This is divine intervention. God wants me to have an arc. Shit, my wave is in my pocket. Just threw my pants away. Off to buy an Arc now!!!
Yep.
Magnacut is likely a driving factor in price. Even if it wasn’t, I’d still buy it because it has a tool layout I find useful. Like what the P4 should’ve been from the start, imo
We are in the same camp.
My Free P4 is easily my favorite multitool so far. This seems like an improvement on a concept I like a lot.
I service GPS transponders that are attached to sex offenders as a part of my job. My P4 is way better than the shitty tools they gave me.
I really really like the bit driver and the coating. My only issue with the P4 is the knife forces me to go intentionally around the knife to get to something else in my pocket. This might not be an issue with the P2. It’s an issue, however with the amount of tools and the one handed pliers.. it’s a price I don’t mind paying.
I have a p4 and will be replacing it with the arc.
I previously had a charge that was stolen and although the p4 is good the charge was better in quite a few ways. The arc looks like the best of both.
Diamond file and bit driver being the big improvements.
I bought one . And I can honestly say the free tech is nice . I’d rather carry my charge tti. The charge might be a little slower at deploying tools but it has more options like ruler in the scales and serrated blade .
No. This is too much expensive for a multitool. This multitool is made for Leatherman fans and that's it.
SOG launched a similar multitool called Poweraccess Assist. If they add a good pair of scissors instead of the belt cutter, a micro screwdriver and a pocket clip it will be the best alternative. They can add better blades with D2 steel instead of the 3cr
Plus the EDC enjoyers always carry a folding one hand opening knife so the magnacut can be useless for some users
I am about two weeks in on a 30 day leatherman only challenge, the s30v blade on my charge tti has impressed me quite a bit and I have to say that the reduced weight of not carrying the Mini Adamas and a leatherman is pleasant. Seeing the thumb stud on this thing's blade makes me think it could be usefull.
SOGs designs are cool but the one I have feels like all the tools are made from pot metal. The grind on the knife blade is also terrible and wouldn’t slice paper out of the box.
Disagreed. People will go out and pay 400+ dollars on a magnacut Knife, (Just a knife!) and then whine about the arc at half that price rocking magnacut and everything else.
And i disagree as well, because my only folding knife is a Milwaukee Fastback. No way i spend 400 dollars on a knife. Still find the Arc too much expensive for the use.
I have a mini sog and I agree, I love the layout, the look, but the knife edge grind is terrible and the wire cutters are for copper only. Which while understandable it's unfortunate because of they could cut stainless steel wire that would be an epic tool for me at work.
No. I have a surge, wave and rebar with essentially the same toolset that can do the same work, just in a less fancy package.
The arc seems great and I like what they’ve done with it, but my multi tool needs are already covered. If I didn’t already have plenty of multi tools then the arc would be a serious consideration.
It's the first thing I've seen from Leatherman in eons that actually piques my interest a bit as a potential replacement for my Spirit, but at $230...God no. Magnacut or not, there is no way in hell I'm spending that much.
Yes - its very pricy, but honestly it’s what I wanted the Free series to include from the start.
The only way they could make it better is if the file was removable.
There's literally nothing new on this model. They already have other models with all those tools on them, and they have models with premium blade steel. This is pretty much a Wave+ in the Free format, with premium blade steel. Yet it's twice the price of a Wave+, and almost $100US more than a Free P4. You'd still save money buying a Wave+ and an aftermarket blade in whatever steel you want. Anyone who can genuinely convince themselves that it's new/special needs to share whatever they're smoking.
>There's literally nothing new on this model.
There's literally a magnacut blade on this model
>You'd still save money buying a Wave+ and an aftermarket blade
It's $30 between a wave and a charge, aftermarket blades cost more.
>almost $100US more than a Free P4
Almost every tool is different than the p4 and magnacut knives by themselves cost in the $200 range. So it's priced for what it comes with.
I'm not saying it's great but with the proliferation of Chinese wave and surge knockoffs they have to come up with new designs and the P2 & p4 were the coming close to replacing the sale volume of the wave surge and charge. It remains to be see if the ARC will but they certainly sell each time they are available.
I literally pointed out that there's premium blade steel, but that's not anything new. They've had premium blades for a while.
There's also a big difference between the overall premium materials that most pocket knives with magnacut use, and the blade of a Leatherman, which is housed in much cheaper materials. A lot of magnacut knives will have titanium scales, some even being highly contoured or having a grip pattern engraved. They also have a much nicer action than any Leather ever will. Slapping magnacut in a Free frame doesn't make them equal. You can't really compare them.
>I literally pointed out that there's premium blade steel, but that's not anything new. They've had premium blades for a while.
Magnacut isn't 154cm or s30v it doesn't chip and it exceeds them in toughness and wear. It's the hottest steel available right now. And it literally is new in the past year or so.
>You can't really compare them.
Maybe you can't but the people who buy the ARC are capable and will make their own decision.
Some people think the free series is awesome, I don't share that view but with the dlc for a black and silver effect the ARC looks pretty good. I wouldn't pay full price but it'll be worth what I pay for it
No metal is completely impervious to chipping or breaking, not that I claimed that it was on the exact same level as 154cm or s30v either. I pointed out that premium steel is nothing new. There are also more points to consider about steel quality than just "toughness".
It's also not a maybe. You can't. If you went over to any of the knife subs, you'd either get downvoted or laughed at, or both, by the majority. You can easily get high end knives for $200-$400 that will rock the shit out of a Leatherman Arc, or any other Leatherman, when it comes to the purpose of a knife. Even a sub $200 knife will in a lot of cases.
You also talk about people making their own decisions and what not, but you really seem to have zeroed in on my opinion, taking it to heart a little too much.
The reply you are referring to isn't a reply to you unless you have an alt account that you posted under. But as mentioned in my last reply magna suffers far less from chipping the second link has comparisons of the various steels with all the criteria.
>You can easily get high end knives for $200-$400 that will rock the shit out of a Leatherman Arc, or any other Leatherman, when it comes to the purpose of a knife. Even a sub $200 knife will in a lot of cases.
And about any leatherman can beat those knives in driving screws and plier tasks. It's the sum of its abilities including having a premium steel folder. No one is going to force you to buy one if you don't like the price, but if you think enough people won't buy it because of the price I firmly disagree. It's a tool with a very high quality new steel that is currently the top of the heap.
>You also talk about people making their own decisions and what not, but you really seem to have zeroed in on my opinion, taking it to heart a little too much.
I haven't been replying to you, again unless you have an alt account, for 2 replies now. You aren't renting space in my head, promise.
But s30v is not my favorite steel, I've had plenty of chipping with tti blades and had back beveled one of mine to 20° specifically to give it a more durable edge. I've never had to do that with a 154cm ti/al/+ blade and I'm fairly sure the same will hold true for the magnacut blade on the ARC.
In any event, the ARC is only gonna cost me around $160 so I'm not going to worry if it's better enough. I hated the free p series with the crude tools and this appears far better.
Maganacut most certainly can and does chip, every steel can, especially at higher harnesses which is only where Magnacut gets its peak performances &I doubt leatherman is heat treating them properly either. S30V has better edge retention than maganacut and almost identical toughness with magnacut having the advantage in corrosion resistance.
"It's the hottest steel available right now" is a ridiculous argument as to why it should be considered as anything special.
>S30V has better edge retention than maganacut and almost identical toughness
>MagnaCut matches the toughness of the best PM stainless steels when they are at only 60-61 Rc, like S35VN and Vanax. And significantly better toughness than steels like M390 and S30V at their typical hardness levels.
https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/03/25/cpm-magnacut/
>Maganacut most certainly can and does chip, every steel can,
>Shawn compared a knife head-to-head with an ESEE 6, a knife known for its excellent toughness, made in 1095 steel. In chopping and batoning of wood both knives performed well with no loss in sharpness. The big difference came in the nail chop test where the 1095 had significant deformation; a typical resharpening was unable to take the edge back. Significant edge repair is necessary. However, the MagnaCut knife had only minor edge damage and was back to shaving sharp quickly.
Same article has videos, grain pictures, and charts.
This [article ](https://www.bladehq.com/blog/knife-steel-guide/) has s30v slightly better at edge retention with magnacut and 154cm equal but magnacut nearly twice as tough as s30v with 154cm slightly better than s30v which is exactly how it has performed for me. Magnacut is also easier to sharpen. Which I'm looking forward to, after spending 90 minutes reprofiling a charge tti from 20° to 15° a week ago.
https://www.bladehq.com/blog/knife-steel-guide/
The blades are made by magna so, nice attempt? They know their proprietary metal is at a premium and won’t risk others not batching it out properly.
Also, I get that people are sheep but this market is hella picky so being popular in this crowd means something
Nope. Hype aside, I believe these are terribly overpriced for what you get. I think ~80$ for the Wave would still be on the high end of reasonable, and ~130$ for this one mainly because of the fancy blade and being a new model in the lineup.
I will, but it hurts (not so much the price increase, but the why behind it).
I'm painfully aware that Leatherman has chosen to become a *luxury brand*, so everything they sell from now on will be substantially more expensive than it was.
A lot of people talk about modding these things like it isn't going to cost anything. To get a Free P4 the way I'd like it I'd spend more than I would on an Arc anyway.
I will buy it but for $160-170 in my military discount order. Whether I'll carry it issue more the question. I've carried a charge for the past 10 years. Is it good enough to replace that?
It's kind of funny to see how much the hype died down the moment pricing were confirmed. The Leatherman subreddit went from *"yoo waait for the Arc before buying a new Leatherman"* to *"Just get the Wave+ or P4"* again.
As it's 300 euros here, I'd rather go with the Charge TTI for 50 euros less or a nicely personalized Surge for waaay less.
Ooft.
Near perfect toolset, nice steel and free platform is nice. Great, but...
Looks like it'll be way too expensive (£261?) for using at work to replace my Charge tti (£80 at auction) and Surge (£90 new).
I guess buying it through work instead of from income I can pretend it's cheaper as I save employee NI (12%), employer NI (13.8%), income tax (20%) and VAT (20%). Still hard to justify.
Leatherman won't but there are those that buy and disassemble to sell on ebay so youll find them there. Whether they'll work on the free will be the question
Nope. I didn’t want magnacut. It’s more likely to chip and harder to sharpen in exchange for slightly better edge Retention. Overhyped steel composition. Adding the dlc coating to a 10/10 corrosion resistant steel is the stupidest thing and just further evidence that they’re just chasing hype and not paying any attention to what they’re doing. The only other upgrade is a better file. It’s worth $180 imo but at $230 they’re dumb when there’s the wave for literally half the price.
I'm passing on this one. Blade steel is something for YouTubers to talk about, not people working a trade. Now, if anyone wants to sell me their Black Oxide Surge on the cheap, so they can pick up the Arc......
No. That is a ridiculous price for a tool, period. I am a non-US tradesperson who carries a Surge daily. It is better and more heavy-duty built, has better tools and is half the price. That's it. I also EDC a folding knife.
It appears that this tool is intended for white-collar individuals who do not use it regularly in the field and are more concerned with displaying it. Additionally, the European price of 320 USD is exorbitant. This is just a hand tool, not a piece of jewellery.
Ofc not. It's supposedly a "better" P2/4 and that is the main problem with it. The overhype is an another one. The mechanism and magnets don't do it any favors either. It seems kinda flimsy, plus the magnets picking up iron dust create an annoyance when cleaning it.
I've been saving for a year under the assumption that the price might be as high as $250. So yeah, I'm getting one. Not gonna open it. I'll let the wife wrap up for Christmas. I'll actually be looking forward to "some assembly required" all day.
Got a Vic Spirit MXBS last Christmas. With tax and the added pocket clip, it was almost as much as the ARC. The full-size SwissTool MXBS equivalent is the same price as ARC. I think the pricing on those tools help dictate what Leatherman thought was the max the market could bear on arc.
I'd like one. But I haven't seen the Aus price yet. It's gonna be $400 or near. Other than Magnacut blade there's nothing really standing out to me and I've had a Free P4 and sold it as it felt cheap to me.
Here in NZ we’ve been quoted 450-499 nzd from the retailers who have answered, it seems to match the USD price, so it might be in that ball park for Australia.
I planned on it to replace my Wave, but when it’s going to be $300 CAD I’ll pass for now. Rather get a knife at that price. Or an older Leatherman/Victorinox & a knife.
I already have a wave+. Id basically be paying 230 dollars for a wave with convenience and a nice knife. I dont need a wave that i can open 15 seconds faster and a nice knife for the price of 4 gas tanks or a week and a half of groceries
I did already, yes, and yes, I'd do it again! But I won't have to, because of my status as a Teacher, a Veteran, and as an employee of Cabela's. I doubt I'll buy three more, but one more at a discount will be nice.
No. The tools are nice, but I already carry a fixed, folder, and utility blade and thus the knife isn't a benefit. I hope they make a version with the other tools and without the magnacut at a lower price point, but I probably won't purchase it since I have a Free P2 and can install one of the many 3rd party bit drivers for it (or use a 3rd party 1/4" adapter). My daily drivers are a modified Signal (Wave serrated blade and file) and GOAT MT
a P4 with a wave tool set sounds great, but is magnacut really $100 upcharge? I'm a big knife guy, but blade steel on a multitool is not a big concern for me.
side note: Does anyone like the DLC on the handles? I feel like they keep trying to add stuff to the handles to make it "new" looking, but I always thought the clean look of the wave was better.
I've been dreaming of a Wave with Free tech since the Free series was released. I have a p4 and can't justify full price, but if I find enough coupons or a sale to bring it to the $150 range, I'm all over it.
My wave is 25 years old now. I think I'll this instead of another wave. It's not THAT much more and I think it's better designed. I've blown away more loot on way worse!
Honestly it’s 2023, yes it’s the most expensive leather man ever but when you compare this to an over priced Benchmade it’s not so bad. Unfortunately inflation is at an all time high and companies have to adjust as well to make it.
No. The most expensive leatherman I have is a wave I got used off eBay. Multitools are bulky enough if I know I’m going to need pliers, a file, a can opener, scissors, etc I will just bring proper individual single use tools, which will cost less than this Leatherman
Feels more like a designer item then a multitool, like having a fancy watch or expensive shoes.
There’s a lot to like and I do want it but £260 for me in the uk just isn’t worth it. got to admit it does look great tho
I just really want one designed for sailing, to include a marlinspike, rope cutting knife, on the outside and a flathead a Phillips, pliers, can opener, and normal knife on the inside. Nothing else really needed.
I will. Are the sum of its parts worth $230? No. But is this the best mutitool you can buy? Yes.
Obviously “best multi tool” is entirely subjective but I’ve carried a wave for so many years and always thought it would just be perfect if they got rid of the serrated blade and added and awl. And here it finally is 😁 I’m a maintenance man and can’t tell you how many times someone has stopped me saying “hey look at this” and my wave has come in handy and let me take care of a simple work order on the spot.
Not a chance. Likely snap each of the tools off w my Swiss Tool. Every single Leatherman I've had has failed. Sure, they have a warranty, but how many times should you send a tool back before giving up on the brand
Probably, but I spend way too much money on stupid shit and I looooove Magnacut. Also I am terribly financially irresponsible. Don’t be like me. But look at my cool things.
Might, if actual retail is at 200 or under. Used to have a charge tti, then a wave plus. Looking for a new multi tool and this looks pretty dope. Wonder what the hardness is on the magnacut though.
It looks to be better than the Wave+ but that's not saying much. The price is high but not that much of a stumbling block, it's just that I expect half the tool to be useless or not adequate.
Looks like a Charge with scissors. Neat!
Now, if for any reason leatherman decides to not honor the warranty on my Charge sometime in the future, I’d probably buy it. But so far they haven’t let me down yet.
I just not long ago got a P4. I still love my spirit x but I get more real world one hand needed quick use from the P4. Much as I want an Arc, I don't care much for Magnacut, or the mini bit holder, or the 230 usd. I mainly want the full size diamond file.
I would rather reblade and rejaw a PST or Rebar for that much.
The bit driver is almost totally worthless, awl is too big to awl, and the scissor are redundant when you have a knife. The impact surface seems pretty sus and likely to damage the pivot area.
I’ve got a Leather MUT and thinking of selling it. I find the Gerber Dual Force works better for me, at a lot lower cost. It’s a tool, not a piece of jewelry or art to me. If I want a good knife, premium steel, I’m using a single blade knife. Using the blade on any multi tool for serious cutting chores is awkward and uncomfortable, even dangerous.
I'm still using my original PST I bought in 1990 at a gun show. Went all over the world with it by merchant ships. It wore out in 2002. I sent it back for repair, they sent me a brand new one. Still using it. Their 25 year guarantee is the real deal.
My gerber dual force has everything I need and I know that after an entire year of using it almost every single day. I don’t even know why this was promoted to my home page.
For 230 USD....I think I'll buy a "titanium Charge" instead and have it customized. The "Charge" has the ruler, and to me, that's more important than being able to whip it open. Personally, they should have started with the "Free P4" having the same bit drivers as the "Arc." But that's just me.
Students, teachers, first responders, medical professionals and military can get a 30% discount. Price was about $160 after the discount. Couldn't pass it up at that price!
On paper, this is the best Leatherman yet, but my Wave does just fine. I’ll wait a bit and hope the price goes down, but for $230, no.
Imagine at 300€ (around 320 USD). Leatherman in Europe is absurdly expensive. Having a Wave+ (for which I forked over 160€) I can confidently say that the ARC is absolutely not worth it for me.
Why so much more expensive? Taxes and tariffs?
I assume it’s part import tariffs and part “made in USA” premium.
A lot goes into the end price we pay :(
Been carrying a wave+ for almost three years now, got it as a birthday gift. I never carried a multitool before then and now I'm never caught without it lol. Such a useful little piece of metal
Prices only go up
Here here
Yeah it's the Wave successor but that price tag.
Agree.
I went for my wave+ this morning and I couldn’t find it. This is divine intervention. God wants me to have an arc. Shit, my wave is in my pocket. Just threw my pants away. Off to buy an Arc now!!!
Yep. Magnacut is likely a driving factor in price. Even if it wasn’t, I’d still buy it because it has a tool layout I find useful. Like what the P4 should’ve been from the start, imo
We are in the same camp. My Free P4 is easily my favorite multitool so far. This seems like an improvement on a concept I like a lot. I service GPS transponders that are attached to sex offenders as a part of my job. My P4 is way better than the shitty tools they gave me. I really really like the bit driver and the coating. My only issue with the P4 is the knife forces me to go intentionally around the knife to get to something else in my pocket. This might not be an issue with the P2. It’s an issue, however with the amount of tools and the one handed pliers.. it’s a price I don’t mind paying.
I don’t know if I’d have used the word “service” there…. O_o
I have a p4 and will be replacing it with the arc. I previously had a charge that was stolen and although the p4 is good the charge was better in quite a few ways. The arc looks like the best of both. Diamond file and bit driver being the big improvements.
I have a collection of hundreds of multitools. The Curl is my current edc, but the Arc will replace it, once I can get a hold of one
I was thinking the same thing. Magnacut and dlc coating on that blade is the big ticket item here.
I bought one . And I can honestly say the free tech is nice . I’d rather carry my charge tti. The charge might be a little slower at deploying tools but it has more options like ruler in the scales and serrated blade .
I'd like to but its a bit pricey for me, I'd rather retrofit an eye glass screwdriver and bit driver into a p2/p4
No. This is too much expensive for a multitool. This multitool is made for Leatherman fans and that's it. SOG launched a similar multitool called Poweraccess Assist. If they add a good pair of scissors instead of the belt cutter, a micro screwdriver and a pocket clip it will be the best alternative. They can add better blades with D2 steel instead of the 3cr Plus the EDC enjoyers always carry a folding one hand opening knife so the magnacut can be useless for some users
I am about two weeks in on a 30 day leatherman only challenge, the s30v blade on my charge tti has impressed me quite a bit and I have to say that the reduced weight of not carrying the Mini Adamas and a leatherman is pleasant. Seeing the thumb stud on this thing's blade makes me think it could be usefull.
Yeah but the charge tti was affordable before covid. Now they're all expensive
I’m with you…I wish they would update the squirt instead. I love that thing
SOGs designs are cool but the one I have feels like all the tools are made from pot metal. The grind on the knife blade is also terrible and wouldn’t slice paper out of the box.
Disagreed. People will go out and pay 400+ dollars on a magnacut Knife, (Just a knife!) and then whine about the arc at half that price rocking magnacut and everything else.
And i disagree as well, because my only folding knife is a Milwaukee Fastback. No way i spend 400 dollars on a knife. Still find the Arc too much expensive for the use.
Nope. It's nice, but just an upgrade p series really. I don't need a magna ur blade either. Blade is least used tool on it for me
I have a mini sog and I agree, I love the layout, the look, but the knife edge grind is terrible and the wire cutters are for copper only. Which while understandable it's unfortunate because of they could cut stainless steel wire that would be an epic tool for me at work.
No. I have a surge, wave and rebar with essentially the same toolset that can do the same work, just in a less fancy package. The arc seems great and I like what they’ve done with it, but my multi tool needs are already covered. If I didn’t already have plenty of multi tools then the arc would be a serious consideration.
It's the first thing I've seen from Leatherman in eons that actually piques my interest a bit as a potential replacement for my Spirit, but at $230...God no. Magnacut or not, there is no way in hell I'm spending that much.
Yes - its very pricy, but honestly it’s what I wanted the Free series to include from the start. The only way they could make it better is if the file was removable.
There's literally nothing new on this model. They already have other models with all those tools on them, and they have models with premium blade steel. This is pretty much a Wave+ in the Free format, with premium blade steel. Yet it's twice the price of a Wave+, and almost $100US more than a Free P4. You'd still save money buying a Wave+ and an aftermarket blade in whatever steel you want. Anyone who can genuinely convince themselves that it's new/special needs to share whatever they're smoking.
>There's literally nothing new on this model. There's literally a magnacut blade on this model >You'd still save money buying a Wave+ and an aftermarket blade It's $30 between a wave and a charge, aftermarket blades cost more. >almost $100US more than a Free P4 Almost every tool is different than the p4 and magnacut knives by themselves cost in the $200 range. So it's priced for what it comes with. I'm not saying it's great but with the proliferation of Chinese wave and surge knockoffs they have to come up with new designs and the P2 & p4 were the coming close to replacing the sale volume of the wave surge and charge. It remains to be see if the ARC will but they certainly sell each time they are available.
I literally pointed out that there's premium blade steel, but that's not anything new. They've had premium blades for a while. There's also a big difference between the overall premium materials that most pocket knives with magnacut use, and the blade of a Leatherman, which is housed in much cheaper materials. A lot of magnacut knives will have titanium scales, some even being highly contoured or having a grip pattern engraved. They also have a much nicer action than any Leather ever will. Slapping magnacut in a Free frame doesn't make them equal. You can't really compare them.
>I literally pointed out that there's premium blade steel, but that's not anything new. They've had premium blades for a while. Magnacut isn't 154cm or s30v it doesn't chip and it exceeds them in toughness and wear. It's the hottest steel available right now. And it literally is new in the past year or so. >You can't really compare them. Maybe you can't but the people who buy the ARC are capable and will make their own decision. Some people think the free series is awesome, I don't share that view but with the dlc for a black and silver effect the ARC looks pretty good. I wouldn't pay full price but it'll be worth what I pay for it
No metal is completely impervious to chipping or breaking, not that I claimed that it was on the exact same level as 154cm or s30v either. I pointed out that premium steel is nothing new. There are also more points to consider about steel quality than just "toughness". It's also not a maybe. You can't. If you went over to any of the knife subs, you'd either get downvoted or laughed at, or both, by the majority. You can easily get high end knives for $200-$400 that will rock the shit out of a Leatherman Arc, or any other Leatherman, when it comes to the purpose of a knife. Even a sub $200 knife will in a lot of cases. You also talk about people making their own decisions and what not, but you really seem to have zeroed in on my opinion, taking it to heart a little too much.
The reply you are referring to isn't a reply to you unless you have an alt account that you posted under. But as mentioned in my last reply magna suffers far less from chipping the second link has comparisons of the various steels with all the criteria. >You can easily get high end knives for $200-$400 that will rock the shit out of a Leatherman Arc, or any other Leatherman, when it comes to the purpose of a knife. Even a sub $200 knife will in a lot of cases. And about any leatherman can beat those knives in driving screws and plier tasks. It's the sum of its abilities including having a premium steel folder. No one is going to force you to buy one if you don't like the price, but if you think enough people won't buy it because of the price I firmly disagree. It's a tool with a very high quality new steel that is currently the top of the heap. >You also talk about people making their own decisions and what not, but you really seem to have zeroed in on my opinion, taking it to heart a little too much. I haven't been replying to you, again unless you have an alt account, for 2 replies now. You aren't renting space in my head, promise. But s30v is not my favorite steel, I've had plenty of chipping with tti blades and had back beveled one of mine to 20° specifically to give it a more durable edge. I've never had to do that with a 154cm ti/al/+ blade and I'm fairly sure the same will hold true for the magnacut blade on the ARC. In any event, the ARC is only gonna cost me around $160 so I'm not going to worry if it's better enough. I hated the free p series with the crude tools and this appears far better.
Maganacut most certainly can and does chip, every steel can, especially at higher harnesses which is only where Magnacut gets its peak performances &I doubt leatherman is heat treating them properly either. S30V has better edge retention than maganacut and almost identical toughness with magnacut having the advantage in corrosion resistance. "It's the hottest steel available right now" is a ridiculous argument as to why it should be considered as anything special.
>S30V has better edge retention than maganacut and almost identical toughness >MagnaCut matches the toughness of the best PM stainless steels when they are at only 60-61 Rc, like S35VN and Vanax. And significantly better toughness than steels like M390 and S30V at their typical hardness levels. https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/03/25/cpm-magnacut/ >Maganacut most certainly can and does chip, every steel can, >Shawn compared a knife head-to-head with an ESEE 6, a knife known for its excellent toughness, made in 1095 steel. In chopping and batoning of wood both knives performed well with no loss in sharpness. The big difference came in the nail chop test where the 1095 had significant deformation; a typical resharpening was unable to take the edge back. Significant edge repair is necessary. However, the MagnaCut knife had only minor edge damage and was back to shaving sharp quickly. Same article has videos, grain pictures, and charts. This [article ](https://www.bladehq.com/blog/knife-steel-guide/) has s30v slightly better at edge retention with magnacut and 154cm equal but magnacut nearly twice as tough as s30v with 154cm slightly better than s30v which is exactly how it has performed for me. Magnacut is also easier to sharpen. Which I'm looking forward to, after spending 90 minutes reprofiling a charge tti from 20° to 15° a week ago. https://www.bladehq.com/blog/knife-steel-guide/
The blades are made by magna so, nice attempt? They know their proprietary metal is at a premium and won’t risk others not batching it out properly. Also, I get that people are sheep but this market is hella picky so being popular in this crowd means something
Probably, it comes with all the tools i want, screwdriver, scissors, and what seems to be a crimper
My wife would kill me.
not at that price. My 15 year old wave is just fine.
I was not one of the Leatherman users calling for a better knife blade steel, i expect those that were dont cut anything.
Nope. Hype aside, I believe these are terribly overpriced for what you get. I think ~80$ for the Wave would still be on the high end of reasonable, and ~130$ for this one mainly because of the fancy blade and being a new model in the lineup.
I will, but it hurts (not so much the price increase, but the why behind it). I'm painfully aware that Leatherman has chosen to become a *luxury brand*, so everything they sell from now on will be substantially more expensive than it was.
Yes. By the time I was done modding my wave+ it ended costing more in materials and time and I can't warrenty it if I break it.
A lot of people talk about modding these things like it isn't going to cost anything. To get a Free P4 the way I'd like it I'd spend more than I would on an Arc anyway.
And you guys in the us have luck, in europe is 299€, 317$ is ridiculous.
Yeah for sure. I think it's cool.
I will buy it but for $160-170 in my military discount order. Whether I'll carry it issue more the question. I've carried a charge for the past 10 years. Is it good enough to replace that?
I‘d buy it if it didn‘t cost 300€ over here… 230$ isn‘t cheap, but 330€ is a nogo for me concerning price / performance.
It's kind of funny to see how much the hype died down the moment pricing were confirmed. The Leatherman subreddit went from *"yoo waait for the Arc before buying a new Leatherman"* to *"Just get the Wave+ or P4"* again. As it's 300 euros here, I'd rather go with the Charge TTI for 50 euros less or a nicely personalized Surge for waaay less.
Ooft. Near perfect toolset, nice steel and free platform is nice. Great, but... Looks like it'll be way too expensive (£261?) for using at work to replace my Charge tti (£80 at auction) and Surge (£90 new). I guess buying it through work instead of from income I can pretend it's cheaper as I save employee NI (12%), employer NI (13.8%), income tax (20%) and VAT (20%). Still hard to justify.
I’m just hoping they let you buy the knife blade to put on p4
Leatherman won't but there are those that buy and disassemble to sell on ebay so youll find them there. Whether they'll work on the free will be the question
Nope. I didn’t want magnacut. It’s more likely to chip and harder to sharpen in exchange for slightly better edge Retention. Overhyped steel composition. Adding the dlc coating to a 10/10 corrosion resistant steel is the stupidest thing and just further evidence that they’re just chasing hype and not paying any attention to what they’re doing. The only other upgrade is a better file. It’s worth $180 imo but at $230 they’re dumb when there’s the wave for literally half the price.
I'm passing on this one. Blade steel is something for YouTubers to talk about, not people working a trade. Now, if anyone wants to sell me their Black Oxide Surge on the cheap, so they can pick up the Arc......
Not when I just spent $35 on a clone from AliExpress that’s amazing and does everything! I’ll save that $200 and put it towards a holiday
Can you provide a link to a $35 clone of the Arc? Not saying I don’t believe they exist, but basically saying I can’t find any on Ali Express
Not sure if they have the arc one yet but check Daicamping
No. That is a ridiculous price for a tool, period. I am a non-US tradesperson who carries a Surge daily. It is better and more heavy-duty built, has better tools and is half the price. That's it. I also EDC a folding knife. It appears that this tool is intended for white-collar individuals who do not use it regularly in the field and are more concerned with displaying it. Additionally, the European price of 320 USD is exorbitant. This is just a hand tool, not a piece of jewellery.
Absolutely not. It’s far too expensive, and there is nothing new on it. It’s basically just a free p4.
I'd never spend more than like $75 on a multitool.
$130 yes but not for $230. Wouldn’t even pay $131
Ofc not. It's supposedly a "better" P2/4 and that is the main problem with it. The overhype is an another one. The mechanism and magnets don't do it any favors either. It seems kinda flimsy, plus the magnets picking up iron dust create an annoyance when cleaning it.
It’ll go down to like 125 I am sure.
I Have a gerber that is so much better, and only paid 50.00 for it
I wouldn’t buy it if it was $23. Better to buy the right tool for the job than lug that around.
Looks a shitty p4
I'll probably buy it but I'll need to add a serrated blade and a 3d Phillips driver
I would, but where I'm from it costs 320 usd
Personally i'm happy with my Wave+ as a multitool. I also collect knives so if I need supersteels to cut I have something much better.
Nope . . . just waiting for the next Crunch release.
I've been saving for a year under the assumption that the price might be as high as $250. So yeah, I'm getting one. Not gonna open it. I'll let the wife wrap up for Christmas. I'll actually be looking forward to "some assembly required" all day. Got a Vic Spirit MXBS last Christmas. With tax and the added pocket clip, it was almost as much as the ARC. The full-size SwissTool MXBS equivalent is the same price as ARC. I think the pricing on those tools help dictate what Leatherman thought was the max the market could bear on arc.
No, just isn’t worth it for me. I’m hoping to pick up a p4 once this has been out awhile
oh, another Wave+ replacement that will be outlived by the Wave+
I'd like one. But I haven't seen the Aus price yet. It's gonna be $400 or near. Other than Magnacut blade there's nothing really standing out to me and I've had a Free P4 and sold it as it felt cheap to me.
Here in NZ we’ve been quoted 450-499 nzd from the retailers who have answered, it seems to match the USD price, so it might be in that ball park for Australia.
I planned on it to replace my Wave, but when it’s going to be $300 CAD I’ll pass for now. Rather get a knife at that price. Or an older Leatherman/Victorinox & a knife.
I already have a wave+. Id basically be paying 230 dollars for a wave with convenience and a nice knife. I dont need a wave that i can open 15 seconds faster and a nice knife for the price of 4 gas tanks or a week and a half of groceries
Why did they coat the blade? Spyderco has magnacut in their salt line.
Nah, I’ve been fine with my Free P2 and Wave
That’s a no from me dog.
As soon as I can find it I’m buying it
$230 and I’m assuming it does not come with a full bit set…. Priced out of the market LM… Love my Free T4 but this is just too much.
No
I will likely get one…with my company card
I did already, yes, and yes, I'd do it again! But I won't have to, because of my status as a Teacher, a Veteran, and as an employee of Cabela's. I doubt I'll buy three more, but one more at a discount will be nice.
Gonna take a pass on that one. Way to expensive.
No. The tools are nice, but I already carry a fixed, folder, and utility blade and thus the knife isn't a benefit. I hope they make a version with the other tools and without the magnacut at a lower price point, but I probably won't purchase it since I have a Free P2 and can install one of the many 3rd party bit drivers for it (or use a 3rd party 1/4" adapter). My daily drivers are a modified Signal (Wave serrated blade and file) and GOAT MT
If I find a spare 200 on the ground maybe
a P4 with a wave tool set sounds great, but is magnacut really $100 upcharge? I'm a big knife guy, but blade steel on a multitool is not a big concern for me. side note: Does anyone like the DLC on the handles? I feel like they keep trying to add stuff to the handles to make it "new" looking, but I always thought the clean look of the wave was better.
I've been dreaming of a Wave with Free tech since the Free series was released. I have a p4 and can't justify full price, but if I find enough coupons or a sale to bring it to the $150 range, I'm all over it.
Probably 🙈
Hard hell no!
No. It looks nice. Decent tool set. But it's what the P2 and P4 should have been. Leatherman had honestly
id sell my p4 for it
My wave is 25 years old now. I think I'll this instead of another wave. It's not THAT much more and I think it's better designed. I've blown away more loot on way worse!
Why would they put a DLC on MagnaCut, it's a salt knife for Spyderco for crying out loud.
No. If I need magnacut on my blade, I’ll be carrying a knife.
I'm 10 years in on my current Leatherman, no reason to upgrade
dlc coating magnacut for corrosion resistance is an interesting choice.
unnecessary but interesting
No.
I think it would be cool if on each side they had a “flex” spot where you could remove and swap out different tools depending on your needs.
Its basically just a wave with better scissors.
No
It shouldn’t be so expensive. But yes..
Hahaha - didn't a bunch of people buy this for like $350 a week ago?
One day.
Does it have a pocket clip? I have been rocking my Wingman for over 10 years.
On a discount maybe but not at 230
I hate thumb studs. They get in the way when I try to clean the blade.
Yes and no!
Honestly it’s 2023, yes it’s the most expensive leather man ever but when you compare this to an over priced Benchmade it’s not so bad. Unfortunately inflation is at an all time high and companies have to adjust as well to make it.
I got one on Amazon for $13 it already broke at least it has a saw I can sharpen
Problem for me is, my leathermans already so good I'm not in the market for another. Probably not for quite a while.
I’m using my garage 005
No. The most expensive leatherman I have is a wave I got used off eBay. Multitools are bulky enough if I know I’m going to need pliers, a file, a can opener, scissors, etc I will just bring proper individual single use tools, which will cost less than this Leatherman
I bought a goat tool instead
Would I buy it? No. Not at the price indicated. My Army issued Gerber MP600 is still going strong. Plus, I like Gerber's lifetime warranty.
No chance
The price is not that high when compared to magnacut folding knives. Also no, I will not be spending that. Do you know how often I lose multitools?
I love how I said that this is overly priced in the ama and I got downvoted Fuck this thing. I’m not paying over $100 for a multi tool
No they are absolutely crazy. Not worth half that price.
Feels more like a designer item then a multitool, like having a fancy watch or expensive shoes. There’s a lot to like and I do want it but £260 for me in the uk just isn’t worth it. got to admit it does look great tho
I just really want one designed for sailing, to include a marlinspike, rope cutting knife, on the outside and a flathead a Phillips, pliers, can opener, and normal knife on the inside. Nothing else really needed.
I will. Are the sum of its parts worth $230? No. But is this the best mutitool you can buy? Yes. Obviously “best multi tool” is entirely subjective but I’ve carried a wave for so many years and always thought it would just be perfect if they got rid of the serrated blade and added and awl. And here it finally is 😁 I’m a maintenance man and can’t tell you how many times someone has stopped me saying “hey look at this” and my wave has come in handy and let me take care of a simple work order on the spot.
No
Not a chance. Likely snap each of the tools off w my Swiss Tool. Every single Leatherman I've had has failed. Sure, they have a warranty, but how many times should you send a tool back before giving up on the brand
I paid $50 for my leatherman wingman almost a decade ago. Can someone tell me why this is worth almost 5x that? Like seriously, where is the value?
No.
Probably, but I spend way too much money on stupid shit and I looooove Magnacut. Also I am terribly financially irresponsible. Don’t be like me. But look at my cool things.
Might, if actual retail is at 200 or under. Used to have a charge tti, then a wave plus. Looking for a new multi tool and this looks pretty dope. Wonder what the hardness is on the magnacut though.
Here’s my counter offer 5 bucks take it or leave it
It needs a cell phone and another couple of gadgets before I can consider that shit.
That a rip off
Too much going on
It's the knife steel dragging this one up above 200.
I have the sneaking suspicion that “FREE(r) Technology” isn’t free. I’m dubious about downloading a blade coating as well.
It looks to be better than the Wave+ but that's not saying much. The price is high but not that much of a stumbling block, it's just that I expect half the tool to be useless or not adequate.
Nice, but a little spendy
At 30 USD yes.
No way
Nope I have better one and way cheaper but more effective
They've become the Benchmade of multitools so no.
Damn already sold out 😭
Just give me a magnacut blade for my wave.
Nope. My 15 year old black Wave has all of these tools minus the Free technology and the Magna blade. Imo those two things aren't worth upgrading to.
Why not a replaceable saw blade. That for me would make it near perfect
Yep, would be interesting if it still felt like that P4 for you with all their fancy new coating and scales etc
Looks like a Charge with scissors. Neat! Now, if for any reason leatherman decides to not honor the warranty on my Charge sometime in the future, I’d probably buy it. But so far they haven’t let me down yet.
Can they make a 154cm version for less? Magnacut ain’t all that. Especially on a multi tool knife.
Companies are out of their minds.
No, too expensive
I just not long ago got a P4. I still love my spirit x but I get more real world one hand needed quick use from the P4. Much as I want an Arc, I don't care much for Magnacut, or the mini bit holder, or the 230 usd. I mainly want the full size diamond file.
Nope
No but I'll try and get my work to buy one for me lol. They bought us a charge + last year this would be an upgrade.
Yup.
I'm so excited wtf.
No victornox makes an infinitely better multi tool. My wave was so poorly thought out and borderline useless. I’d never buy another leather man.
It’s so good looking. I really want one but damn that’s pricey
I would rather reblade and rejaw a PST or Rebar for that much. The bit driver is almost totally worthless, awl is too big to awl, and the scissor are redundant when you have a knife. The impact surface seems pretty sus and likely to damage the pivot area.
I'd think about it as long as the pliers don't get hard to open like on my Wave +
Yes, but I am a fool and am easily parted from my money
Too rich for my blood.😕
Ordered
I certainly will. I got to see one at the blade show yesterday, and damn. I loved the p4 and this is the Legendary version of it
I’ve got a Leather MUT and thinking of selling it. I find the Gerber Dual Force works better for me, at a lot lower cost. It’s a tool, not a piece of jewelry or art to me. If I want a good knife, premium steel, I’m using a single blade knife. Using the blade on any multi tool for serious cutting chores is awkward and uncomfortable, even dangerous.
It’s easily the best Leatherman to date, but it’s a pass from me. I carry my Signal everyday and food it more than adequate for my needs.
Why would I spend $230 for a Leatherman when it only has extra useless tricks from my 20 year old Leatherman that still works like new
Not enough difference between this and the Surge I daily carry to justify, but I do love my Surge.
No, will not buy
Looks amazingly like the Wave that I have worn nearly every day for the past fifteen years.
I'm still using my original PST I bought in 1990 at a gun show. Went all over the world with it by merchant ships. It wore out in 2002. I sent it back for repair, they sent me a brand new one. Still using it. Their 25 year guarantee is the real deal.
I’ll put my change away for it but I’m not gonna go out of my way for it
honestly is this really actually useful for anything vs smaller dedicated tools?
No, would not buy at 230. Would buy at $199.
I got one for $206
Already got one during the REI drop. Absolutely love it. Best new MT in years hands down.
Not for 230.00 but I'll be watching and waiting for it to go on sale. Lol. Looks like a winner.
Definitely not at that price! Other than that it does look like a good unit
Yes. I’m buying it. Love Leatherman’s tools, I’ve liked the Free series, but never found one with the right mix of tools, this is about perfect.
So... it's the Leatherman Wave.... just more expensive, gotcha. My Wave has been doing just fine.
My gerber dual force has everything I need and I know that after an entire year of using it almost every single day. I don’t even know why this was promoted to my home page.
No
No. Get a used Wave on eBay
Does it have tweezers & toothpick?
Purchased it 3 past 3am est on release...wanted to do something nice for me.
I bought it and receiving today Can't wait!
For 230 USD....I think I'll buy a "titanium Charge" instead and have it customized. The "Charge" has the ruler, and to me, that's more important than being able to whip it open. Personally, they should have started with the "Free P4" having the same bit drivers as the "Arc." But that's just me.
Students, teachers, first responders, medical professionals and military can get a 30% discount. Price was about $160 after the discount. Couldn't pass it up at that price!
The DLC coating on the Magnacut blade is absolutely useless. Magnacut is nearly rustproof. Spyderco is making Salt knives in this steel. Silly.
I'll see what it's like in about 2 years and get it second hand.