The Leatherman Skeletool is classed as a pocket-size multi-tool on the Leatherman website (www.leatherman.com). As with all of the products from Leatherman, the Skeletool's build quality is second to none. All the moving parts move smoothly and the body is finely crafted. The body is made out of stainless steel.
Specifications
Length: 4in/10cmClosed Weight: 5oz/142g
Tools (as stated on Leatherman's website)
Needlenose pliers Regular pliers Wire cutters Hard-wire cutters 420HC Combo Knife Carabiner/Bottle opener Large Bit Driver
Pliers
The Main tool on the Skeletool is the pliers. The rest of the Multi-tool is built around the pliers. The tool opens up with the familiar butterfly-opening style which reveals the pliers. The tool locks into place with a very satisfying click. Because of the way the Skeletool was designed there is only one possible way to hold the tool when open. The pliers on the Skeletool are very similar to the pliers on the Juice line of multi-tools from Leatherman. The pliers are blunt-nosed, and have a set of wire cutters at the bottom. There is also a set of hard wire cutters below the standard ones. I find these pliers very strong and reliable.
Blade
The blade is 2.6in/6.60cm long and is made out of 420HC steel. 420HC steel is easy to sharpen and retains a good edge. The Skeletool CX (Skeletool's big brother has a 154CM blade which is harder and preferred by many. I personally prefer 420HC because it's softer and easier to sharpen and holds a decent edge. The blade has a thumb cut out, which means the blade can be deployed one-handed. I personally find the size of the cut out, and its placement perfect for one hand opening. When the blade is open it locks securely into place with the liner lock. I find this kind of lock easy to function, and it does a good job of keeping the blade locked. There are also little cut-outs in the blade which helps to keep the weight down to a minimum. I think that the shape of the blade is really good. When the blade is open, there is a notch in the frame for the index finger to sit in. I find this position a very comfortable way of holding the tool with the blade deployed.
Large Bit Driver/Bits
The bit driver is situated at the end of the right handle (same side as blade), while the spare bit is situated inside the left handle. The driver has a nice locking mechanism to hold the bit in, and its easy to operate. The bit driver is designed to be used with one of the handles opened right out. Personally, I find it very comfortable to use the bit driver in this position. It can also be used with one of the handles opened to a 90 degree angle. This position gives you a lot more leaverage if you need it, but i find this position a little less comfortable and user friendly. The spare bit is held in a notch in the frame of the left handle. It is held in entirely by friction. I find it to be fairly secure but it is possible for the bit to fall out when in vigorous testing. If you want extra bits for the bit driver, Leatherman sell a bit kit for use with any of the large bit drivers. If you want to use hex bits with the Skeletool, you can buy the Leatherman bit extender. A downside of using the bit extender in this tool is the fact it doesn't lock into place.
Carabiner/Bottle Opener
The carabiner can be clipped onto almost anything, from belt loops to D-rings. When using the carabiner on some D-rings i found out that the carabiner is a bit big to be versatile. The carabiner also doubles as a bottle opener. It function very well as a bottle opener, and the only downside i can see with it as a bottle opener is that, when applying pressure to open the bottle the top edge of the blade digs into your hand.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a multi-tool, and you're thinking that you are not going to use half the stuff on the multi-tools like the Leatherman Wave, then the Skeletool is possibly the perfect tool for you. It only has a few tools but these tools are the most important in day to day life. The Skeletool looks fantastic while still having the versatility of other multi-tools with much more tools. Personally, I rate the Leatherman Skeletool a 9 out of 10. It lost a mark because of the few design flaws (e.g. knife digging into hand while opening bottle, and that the spare bit isn't fully secured into the frame). I am very happy with my purchase of the Skeletool, and i'm sure you'll be too.
You can buy it from Amazon at http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=trissrevi-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000XU9NXW&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
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