Introduction: How to Break in a Leatherman: Stuck Pliers, Loose Handles, Jammed Blades & More Tips

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About: I've been making Instructables since I was 13. Now, I mostly make videos of my projects, however I'm still active here, so don't hesitate to reach out! Sick with a deadly disease called DIY-itis!

My Leatherman Wave+ multitool is by far my most used tool - as an avid DIYer and as a soldier out in the field it saves me on a daily basis. It has every tool I need without sacrificing compactness which is why I carry it with me everywhere I go.

Mine, however, arrived with 2 defects out of the box, as many of them do. One "arm" was loose and wouldn't lock and the pliers were so stiff I couldn't open them. The feeling of the tool overall was gritty and couldn't be used with one hand. These defects caused my Leatherman to be basically useless which was quite disappointing to me after I had spent almost $100 on it.

Additionally, Leathermen multitools aren't immune to wear and tear. As they're used and abused, they require proper cleaning and lubrication and as well as possibly requiring you pull a few tricks from your sleeve to keep every single steel part moving - or not - as it should.

In this instructable I focus on 4 common problems and their solutions - these are problems I've had with my Leatherman as well as friends' multitools, and problems I see often on online forums.

  • Repairing and adjusting your Leatherman to work properly out of the box.
  • Breaking it in for a smooth one-handed operation.
  • Common issues that may pop up with use and their solutions.
  • Maintenance - keeping every part operating silky smooth.

Some of these tips are exclusive to Leathermen due to their unique design but most are applicable for any multitool.

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Step 1: Pliers Adjustments

When I bought my Leatherman at first, the pliers were so tight I was only able to pry them open with my fingernails.

I find a thin lubricant such as teflon (PTFE) or silicone spray to work best for loosening Leatherman parts. Any lubricant will work for this, just avoid using motor oil or WD-40. The tolerances of the hinge are quite tight, so to help the lubricant seep in I open and close the hinge, bending it sideways gently. This helps split the hinge apart as well. The truth is that to wear away a tight hinge you need to open and close it many, many, many times. This causes the grit and metal particles inside the hinge to slowly abrade away the contact points inside the hinge while flushing out the gunk. That's how I messed with mine for months until I felt it operated properly, but mine was an edge case.

I've even heard of people inserting fine diamond powder into the hinge, but I managed without it.

If you feel the pliers have suddenly become stiff long after they have broken in, it's likely a burr has formed on the wire cutters causing them to rub against each other. These don't necessarily need to be replaced. A quick solution is to unscrew them (this requires a T10 torx bit) in order to flatten them. I've done this several times on a diamond sharpening plate with great success. Diamond plates are cheap to purchase online but if you don't have any, sandpaper on a flat surface works just as well as an alternative.

Occasionally the pliers stiffen up after I clamp tightly onto something, but all I need to do to fix this is to bend them sideways and they loosen up immediately.

Step 2: Handles Adjustments

As I mentioned earlier, One handle on my Leatherman would open and close smoothly and lock in place. The other felt loose and would barely lock in place. This meant I couldn't use the pliers as well.

It's unlikely you need to adjust the large bolts, so try to avoid it.

A close look at the internal parts of the hinge reveals the mechanism that creates the friction. Take a look at the video to see this in more detail. This clever design needs to be adjusted carefully to create just the right amount of friction to lock open properly.

To adjust it, I use locking pliers to crush it gently. I use a narrow hex nut to apply the clamping pressure in the center and to avoid crushing the blades. I find this works very well. It's best to have the pliers as open as you can when doing this.

I have to redo this process every few months, but I use my Leatherman on an hourly basis so it's likely you'll have to do this once!

Step 3: Knife Adjustments

There are three causes for blades not opening effortlessly.

The first is the case of a knife that's hard to move out of the closed position but operates smoothly otherwise. This is likely due to a misaligned pin. The Leatherman Wave series as well as well as some others have a small pin that protrudes when the pliers are opened to prevent the knives form opening as well. Doing both at the same time due to rough handling or dropping the multitool can cause the pin to stick out further than it should. In this case, all you need to do is bend it back gently. You can even bend it back all the way to stop the feature.

The second cause for a seized blade is due to sugary juices dripping into the hinge from cutting fruits. One apple may cause your knife to feel oddly smooth like a potentiometer, while the next one along with dirt and dust may jam it all together. The solutions are simple: avoid it, do it upside down, or do your best to minimize the effects.

I avoid washing my Leatherman, both to avoid causing problems down the line and because I'm often out in the field where it's impractical. I've found that a wipe can do just as good of a job as running water. I try to clean as much as possible in and around the hinge, opening and closing it a few times as well.

A bit of oil does wonders in this case. I've fixed multitools that were so dirty washing them was the fastest solution. If you do this, avoid getting soap in the hinges. Make sure you let it dry out properly and relubricate the hinges are fast as possible.

Overtightened bolts can also make it hard to open the blades as well. They should not be tight. Try to avoid adjusting these as they come out of the factory with Loctite.

As with the other parts, blades that have been used for a period of time will break in and a bit of lubrication will eliminate any amount of friction making them easy to open with one hand.

Step 4: General Maintanence

When it comes to general maintenance, you should lubricate all of the parts that don't operate smoothly, the hinges, and practically speaking, it's best practice to lubricate any parts that show wear, since those are the parts that experience friction.

Lubrication, and especially sprays help flush out the steel particles that wore away and dirt that accumulates, and I use a q-tip or a wipe to clean it off to leave it lightly oiled. I do this once or twice a month.

For new multitools that haven’t yet been broken in, it's important keep in mind that any part that is lubricated will operate more smoothly, but the reduction in friction means it with take longer to break in with use, so it’s up to you to decide what you prefer. 

For any more serious issues you may have with your Leatherman, they have a fantastic 25-year warranty. It seems over the years the quality of their QA has decreased, but their warranty makes up for it.

Now, my question for you is how do you maintain the sharpness of your Leatherman? This is something I struggle with. Occasionally I sharpen the straight blade with a diamond rod, but I mostly hone it on another knife when I'm bored. It's not close to razor-sharp, but decently sharp to cut through anything.

If you found this instructable helpful, I have over 100 more Instructables you may like as well. Check out my youtube channel as well for more videos of DIY projects and tips and tricks to save you time and money in the workshop.

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