Any multi-tool will break regardless of brand under the right pressure. I have broken blades and tools off Gerber's, Leatherman's, and Victorinox Swiss Army's. If you want the best tool for the job it's not a multi-tool, you need a dedicated tool. Multi-tools should be a backup to a set of pliers, wire cutter, screw driver, knife, etc.
@Richard Davis Friend, I have my own tools. Lots of them! Mostly Craftsman and Kobalt. But I own some from Harbor Freight too. So they range from expensive to cheap. I enjoy working on cars, house repairs, and building things. Love working with wood. I also own a lot of knives, multi-tools, hatchets, shaving razors, and kitchen utensils. All of it gets used. Some were gifted, most were bought. But eventually they all do wear down or break.
Rafael S. The point of a multi-tool is to help you get the job done in situations when you don’t have dedicated tools available. Often this is during unexpected situations. Nobody is going to carry a tool box everywhere they go.
I used the Gerber for years, I ended up cracking the handles on it useing the pliers. I switched to leatherman and never looked back. It is the more durable tool.
I got a leatherman for all the fact that sometimes you wish your fingers were made of metal. Spent the money for a good size set and it always performs. Wheather it's simple as opening a paint can, doing some road side fix up, and like you said going at some kind of wire. Indispensable tool has saved me time, money, and wear and tear every time I reach for it. A staple for anyone who does any kind of fiddlefukry
practically half of the Americans who write on RUclips have been in the army. Country of warmongering fascists! here in europe (italy) it is almost a shame to go to the army.
@@fc436 Ah yes America the facists compared to Italy... who... was... literally... Hitler's right hand man, oh but we are the facists for stopping you both like the little mad nation's you are
Hardened steel VS brittle carbide... I love Gerber but I would never use their cutters on anything other than wire. Which is fitting since they are wire cutters and not nail cutters. Good review though!!!
Small tip in case anyone is looking for a cheaper alternative for the original gerber inserts, lathe inserts do fit and work quite okay but don´t cost an arm and leg to buy: look for "TCMT 731 Carbide Insert Blade C6 Grade For 1/4&5/16'' Lathe Turning Tools 10mm" (or similar) on ebay.
People keep commenting about how these multitools are not professional or dedicated tools. They are not. We all know this. Aaron isn’t trying to figure out what’s the best wire cutter in the world. He is just showing us which of these two popular multitools is tougher. It’s a very useful test to whoever wants to buy one. I don’t use my Leatherman for extreme tasks, but it’s good to know I have the most reliable one, and more importantly, the least likely to let me down. If I have to cut heavy-duty things then sure, I will get my heavy-duty tools. Get off your high horse, guys. Multitools have proven useful for millions of people in millions of situations. If you don’t ever need one, well congrats, I guess.
So I guess it all depends on what kind of work you do. I use my MP600 all the time to strip small gauge wire . The reason I still carry the MP600 is the wire terminal “Crimper” feature. It’s saved me time after time from going fetch the Klein crimpers from the tool bag.
That’s awesome,I had my first Leatherman for around 15 years.the only reason I no longer have it is because I was fishing on a dock and it slipped out of my hands,bounced off the dock and went into the lake..if the Rebar I replaced it with isn’t lost or stolen,I expect it will last me the rest of my life
You can buy cheaper multi-tools ; but Leatherman is worth the money. Also Tungsten carbide is very hard but brittle. The odds of damaging the edge without cracking the teeth is small so I doubt you can damage them 3 times before you replace them.
The only way to actually kind of use/replace the gerber cutters is by buying carbide lathe inserts (TCMT 731) from ebay since they cost about 1-2 bucks instead of 20+ bucks like the gerber ones.
I hear ya, I bet on my LeatherMan Wing Man daily, I mean it doesn't have a lot of tools as their Multitool, but it got me out of a lot of jams since I had it...I may try the Gerber...and make sure its Made in the US, I'm not knocking China because without China America would be hurting when it comes to the stuff we purchase for our needs.
@@ShowemRight I'll knock them, everything we need can be had on a made in America product. Yea, a 10$ product vs a 100$ product. We have the better warranty's better product made with better materials and everything. I don't mind using Chinese things if I don't plan on medium or heavy use, but i'm willing to work and save for an extra week or two for a product that should last me till I die or near it.
I have had a Leatherman Wave for 10+ years. Have never needed to replace the cutter (not the most used part of the tool, but used frequently). And I use my Leatherman every day I have owned it. I have owned a Leatherman since !988.Still own my original. Still functional.
I've ran many style multi tools from different manufacturers and leatherman is actually the best by far. I've done structural ironwork for the last 15yrs and am rough on my tools. Also an avid outdoorsman. Should've gone with leatherman in the first place instead of all the other sub par brands.
I refuse to buy a multitool that isn’t made by Leatherman...I have the Rebar but plan on getting the Wave+ at some point..I had my first Leatherman for about 15 years.only reason I bought the Rebar a couple years ago was because my first Leatherman slipped out of my hands when I was fishing from a dock and it bounced into the lake..they are amazing must have tools
mozzberg I really like some of their knife designs,just wish they had better steel options but I must say,my Prodigy and StrongArm have both held up surprisingly well for 420 stainless and I’ve used them both a lot,especially the StrongArm..It has been though a ton of abused and was used to baton through pieces of wood it shouldn’t have used for..I think their knives made in Portland Oregon are solid for what I paid for them ($30 for the Prodigy and $50 for the StrongArm) plus they come with surprisingly good sheaths for knives in their price range..back when I bought them was at a time where I refused to spend more than $50-$60 on a blade..of course now I have much better blades than costed a lot more (ESEE Junglas,ESEE 5,ESEE 4,Bradford Guardian 3,Bradford Guardian 4,Ka Bar x Becker BK2,Ontario Rat 3,Spyderco Serrata,TOPS Armageddon,TOPS BOB,Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner,Benchmade Bushcrafter,etc,etc) needless to say,I’ve basically retired my Gerber Prodigy and Gerber StrongArm for better gear but as someone who has very throughly used both of these knives,there really isn’t anything bad I can say about them.it still amazes me what I was able to put that 420 stainless through...I really can’t say much about their Chinese made products or their multitools (I’ve only had Leatherman multitools) because I won’t buy them but the Prodigy and StrongArm are definitely worth their price..the Gator and the Ghoststrike seem to be pretty decent as well,although I haven’t used them nearly as much as the Prodigy and StrongArm
I remember buying a Gerber back in the mid 90's when I was in the Army. I remember breaking every tool and the plyers within 15 min while trying to fix a blank adaptor for an M60. NEVER AGAIN.
One thing Leatherman guys hate to hear that their favorite pliers are made in china. Gerber has more USA made products than Leatherman by a landslide. In fact Leatherman was sued just for that reason, they were stamping MADE IN USA on products that did not meet the standard for having it. The products must be at least 70% sourced and assembled in the USA in order to say it was made here. Leatherman was making everything in china, assembling it here and calling it American. Hilarious. The Tim Leatherman legacy has long since been forgotten. Pete, Ham and Joe Gerbers legacy lives on to this day, dozens of knife makers working with American steel, treated with American hands, right there in Portland Oregon. Also, fun fact, those carbide cutters are meant to cut concertina wire. They’re not meant to cut anything thicker. Also, C-Wire blows
Those cutters are for wire and up to coat hanger like material, cutting nails with them is just misuse but it’s good to see in a pinch it can be done but you’ll probably be replacing a cutter blade and have a sore hand.
I've had the Rebar for almost 3 years and use it hard every day. At work and here on the farm. Broke the small screwdriver (misused it for prying) - service replaced it no questions asked.
Great comparison, I'm a fan of both companies but have had more Gerbers fail. The one thing I've noticed with leathermans is their none swappable screw drivers tend to be pretty brittle
I’d love to see you do a leatherman vs Swiss tool comparison. Been watching the Chanel for a long time and I can’t recall you reviewing and swisstools from Victorinox. Great video bro, thanks for sharing
"If the Gerber wire-cutters are damaged you can rotate them." Kinda hard to do if the cutter shatters. Have you ever rotated your Gerber cutters because of damaged edges? Do you know anyone who did? I have never seen anyone take advantage of the second and third edges of the triangular cutters, but I have seen plenty of people shatter them. So much for the triangular shape and rotating them. That "you can rotate the Gerbers triangular cutters" line we hear in all reviews is just wishful thinking. Was there a doubt in anyone's mind as to which of the two would break first?
Sadly not a lot of reviews use those multitools so they never find out. Also I need to plug TX Tool Crib (not affiliated in any way just an awesome blue collar multitool reviewer)
My issue with multitools is the many (like 7 or so) that have collapsed in use. I mean you squeeze to cut, clamp or get a bolt out and the handle snaps closed, breaking the tool, without closing the plier tips. Few are meant for heavy/hard use.
Cable is a beast even on lineman tools. Only things that cut it well are dedicated rounded wire cutters. Shit sucks and will mess up cutters. The wire cutters on these tools are meant for electrical, softer metals.
I put my Leatherman Wave replaceable cutters through their paces everyday and they’re still going strong. I take a welding class and I rarely use my cutters for wire, more often I’m using them on 1/4 cm steel rod. I’ve been using them for more than they’re rated to do almost every time I use em, and I still haven’t had to buy new ones.
I had now doubt the Leatherman would crush the gerber, I’ve worked with both, and the leatherman’s been what I’ve had on my belt for the past five years. Never needed replacing, either.
Good video!!! The inserts on the Gerber looks like those i use on lathe tools. Very hard but also brittle. Not a good idea to use it for cutting wire. (On the lathe it´s great, you can use it on stainless steel or hardened steel very well) We have livestock and sometimes when i check the fences, i have to cut barbed wire in order to fix it. My old (at least 15 years) leatherman wave, with no replaceable cutters, can cut barbed wire, but not very good. So i "upgraded" to the leatherman Surge. The Surge came with really blunt wire cutter inserts!!! I had to take them out and sharpen them on a sander, now the Surge goes through barbed wire very nice.
Leatherman ! I have abused a surge for years . Its still going strong. Unbelievable quality! Completely eco friendly as actions prove. No need to throw away because it lasts
The model with carbide teeth was intended to pinch without “side load” - what we want to avoid was the bending the nail body in the middle of cut. Option? Reconfigure the jaws. current = double flip symmetric jaws = \| on |\ New = single flip symmetry jaws = /\ and \/ New caveat? Rolling the tool while cut crack the teeth.
I broke the jaws of a old school Gerber Multi tool, years ago cutting or trying to cut, Three strand barbed wire. A friend of mine who was in the army did the same thing also trying to cut concertina wire. So there you go.
I only carry a Gerber because of the way it opens,that being said, I immediately break the carbide inserts when I cut steel banding. I'm not sure why, I think it's because of the shock wave created when it snaps apart. So I don't use them. I find all I need from the local pawn shops here in Vegas for no more than 20$
My brother in law had the Gerber, my other brother the Leatherman and I the original Swiss Tool which I still have. We used them to install my mother's chain link fence over a 3/4 acre lot. The Leatherman and Gerber broke cutting the chain link early in. The Swiss Tool finished the job and I still carry it. I've done two other fences with it since that first one. Just saying. The original swiss tool is best and it appears to be the toughest in my experience. Not the upgrade ST mind you as they messed up the pliers in the upgrade while improving function and some of the tools but the pliers on the upgrade ST don't even open wide enough to remove the bottom screen cover on your kitchen faucet to clean out the grit. The old ones did but the new 'upgrade' went down hill as stated. Still the dang things cut longer on chain link than the others and it's seen several sets of the Gerbers bite the dust now over the time I've been using it.
Leatherman for sure is better. I guess. I never owned one. It all depends on what the tools is supposed to do. I'm not a heavy duty user. But for my hobby, a gerber or a ganzo, is strong enough. Saves me money and I will be good for years.
I am an electrician, so i use tools every day, i carried a cheap multi-tool for years until my son gave me a leatherman wave. the quality is better. but doing what i do in my everyday life. i really don't see much of a difference. cause i don't depend on my multitool like every other professional we always have either a tool belt on or a toolbox with us. i do not see any average user ever running in to this problem on the gerber
This was very informative. I always worry about pushing the wire cutters too far although now that I’ve updated to the Wave+ it’s nice to know I can replace them if need be. I love having my multi tool when, for example, I am working outside in the yard and I just need to do something small like prune a small limb. I don’t have to walk back to my workshop. Or if I’m on the ladder and just need a screwdriver I can just reach into the belt pouch and it’s right there. Also on vacation it’s handy. I once fixed a loose shower head at a hotel because I didn’t have time to wait for hotel staff I needed to get ready for a wedding.
this is what it says on gerbers carbide cutters "The carbide cutters are designed to cut a No. 26 hard wire or No. 2 hard fish hook" guess they were never gonna be strong enough for many things.
I turned away from Gerber's multitool line years ago during my time in the Corps. Every tool seemed to break, but the pliers were so damned handy. I've always stood by Leatherman though, even when I also carried Gerber. I may have to give Gerber another shot.
The Gerber failed miserably in the field for me. Mud got chunked up in center drive making pliers very difficult to open. My Leatherman has never let me down. I'm in the military and Leatherman is the only multitool that is heavy duty enough and works every time.
I love my leatherman and always will. However, the carbide blades of the Gerber probably weren’t designed to take lateral loads. When Aaron pulled the nail with his left hand at 6:28, he applied just such a later load. I’d like to see the nail test on the gerber repeated with only proper grip compression (if Aaron can muster the strength). Great video otherwise! Keep up the great work!
Good points, with which I partially agree. I had a Gerber tool with replaceable cutters years ago...broke one trying to cut something. All I did was squeeze. A friend told me the point of carbide was probably so they won't dull with lots of use, not so much to be unbreakable. Carbide is hard, not necessarily strong.
You’re right. Carbide is really hard which gives it good wear resistance, but it’s brittle. I’m not saying that it would necessarily hold up to that kind of abuse, but when Aaron pulled on the nail it induced a force in the direction of weakness for the cutting blades.
Different kinds of issues. The leatherman can be sharpened, the Gerber, in my steel wire experience tends to fracture, but most importantly the Gerber cutters damaged the Gerber pliers, and from the get go their cutters were less sharp and Less precise. The nice hard steel cm4550 on the leatherman was very good for a while cutting steel wire, but when it damaged it could be sharpened once or twice before replacement, and never damaged the pliers. I threw the Gerbet in the fire use drawer for using over candle flame if needed (trash drawer).
I've been carrying Leatherman's daily since 1999 I've been carrying the same Leatherman super tool 300 since 2010 it has never broke I use the cutting teeth to cut everything including one inch wide metal banding straps on pallets one full snip from each side a little twist and one more snip people always run off to go get some tin snips and can't believe I use my Leatherman I have never changed the cutting teeth once and I was thinking about changing him the other day because I noticed the screw came loose I think I'll tighten it back up and see how long it lasts this leather man has also been dropped in the street and ran over by unknown amounts of cars until I retrieved it and it still works perfectly I will never use Gerber years ago we took Gerber brand new out the package and it broke within 15 minutes
Siempre compré y usé leatherman hasta que la pinza de una de mis navajas se partió intentando soltar una rosca de mi cama, me cambié a gerber y trabajo ahora con ese nuevo modelo 👌
Respectfully, some great cutter testing has been done. Diezelle in particular. It is ok to do you own, absolutely, though linking to good testing already published would help the viewers. No one reviewer does it all in a vacuum. For us you guys are not competition. We're just looking for solid information based on actual use over time. Thanks!
Try a SOG with power assist, though the one I have doesn't have changeable teeth which is the only let down as the edges have rolled and wouldn't close up without filing the edg back. All my leathermans though are awesome!
Don't know my Gerber 600 works good. I dont cut nails with it but for driving the occasional screw opening a can once in awhile and tithing or loosening a bolt my Gerber holds up. I also carry a Buck 110 to do real cutting or go to my tool box to get my bolt cutters if I need to cut a lock or something like that. Leatherman are awesome though at the time I decided to pay 20$ less for the Gerber.
This test is utterly irrelevant, for ANY purpose. The MOMENT you start "rocking" a wire in a cutting tool, you are damaging the cutting edge with micro fractures. Of COURSE the Gerber failed first, he abused the PISS out of it in the first test! Go back and look! As multiple people have pointed out below, you shouldn't be using these tools for hard grade cutting anyway. They're all going to fail. For what it's worth, Anyone who knows knife blades can guess.. the brittle tungsten carbine in the Gerber is sharper, it will cut cleaner, longer. The weaker stainless steel will bend, so you might be able to sharpen it and put a new edge on it (technically). I mean, who's going to TRY to put a new edge on that tiny little thing? If you factor in that nobody is going to try to put a new edge on that little bitty thing, then the decision is very simple. The Gerber wins, because as long as you never abuse either blade, The Gerber will stay sharper, longer. 7:47 Yeah. No. Those Leatherman cutters are screwed. This old boy is biased. Anyone who's ever used a wire cutter knows that the fulcrum of power is at the pivot point. The perfect spot for cutting wires is at the base of the cutting edge, and this Leatherman wouldn't cut a blade of grass clean through without assistance, now. No sensible electrician would try to use those mashed blades cutting wires all day. It wouldn't be worth the frustration.
My center drive cutters shattered on medium gauge fencing wire I had to cut on a farm for an ambulance to get through. Its was a pretty iconic letdown for me relative to gerber tools. I think they rely too much on the tungsten carbide being harder than most things they’ll cut. Which is fine, until they meet a little torque or side to side stress. Still really like the center drive design but that was a letdown. Had to go to my bag and get my backup tool, a leatherman juice, which managed the wire better.
I own both: Letterman and Gerber brands, but the Gerber Carbide Replacemet Cutter Inserts are so bad that is not even funny, check Gerber Center drive carbide inserts cutter in Amazons and you will see how bad they are, apparently Gerber is not very responsive to the customer needs. People have been complaining about it for a very long time.
I love my MP600 but I tested it on a piece of fence and knew I'd break it. Luckily, it comes with a tungesten carbide impregnated saw for metal. If I had to get through a fence with it, I'd cut the pieces that hold the fence to the poles with that.
I’ve never been a fan of multi tools but I recently got a leatherman PST and I’m extremely impressed for a multi tool company. One thing I must say though is I would never absolutely never use the cutter function on these unless it was like a life or death situation. The reason is these are the absolute worst cutter design in the world. They’re a multi tool company not a tool company, I’ve never seen a pair of pliers that use this strange cutter. The blades should come to a fixed point not slide over one another. I feel like leatherman did it first and all other multi tool companies copied it even though it’s terrible. Idk why they don’t just use a normal side cutter shape which can handle cutting things like wire or nails.
Victorinox cuts finishing nails with ease- better cutting blade than both of these tools. They don’t need to sell replaceable blades because they actually work.
Seriously, when you need to do wire cutting a lot, then it will most likely be in a job or hobby situation in which you will use an actual wire cutter. I NEVER had a situation outside of my job where I needed to do wire cutting and would have needed that on my multi-tool. And if I would have, these super expensive Gerber and Leatherman multi-tools would fail me, because they break so easily it's ridiculous. The most likely situation in which a milti-tool comes in handy is to loosen or tighten thick hexagonal screw heads or nuts with the pliers (not ideal, but it works unless it's super tight ones like on a tire), pilling things out places you hands are too chunky for or you don't have enough grip/strength. And of course the usual things a knife comes in handy. I NEVER needed a wire cutter on a multi-tool! And honestly - $250 for a multi-tool is pretty over-priced. I have no-name brand multi tools from the hardware store from the 90's that have better quality and also last since back then.
id get the gerber mp600 bladeless, the cutters do suck (should have gone stainless) the 1 hand opening feature has saved me easy a dosen times, the grit blade is an ultrabeast as some ass locked my car in a carpark (8-10mm thick lock) and with 10 minuets of work i was out. sadly i lost it and looking for a replacement multitool but the mp600 is calling me back more than the leatherman, although the cutters are a bit flawed, that rem-grit blade saved me when i needed it most.
for an extra 33 bucks id hope the leatherman is better. but the average person isn't going to be disappointed with the gerber. im not a gerber fan when it comes to there knifes but the 600 is a sold tool and the one handed deployment is way better
Totally was a Gerber fan until mine flew apart cutting a standard wire coat hanger. Thought it was a fluke, bought another one. Same coat hanger same bloody knuckles from it flying apart.
I bought a Gerber Centerdrive for cheap at a pawn shop. I found it to be heavy and it rattled when open or closed. I tried to cut pallet strapping and the blades shattered. I sold it as is shortly after.
I own both: Letterman and Gerber brands, but the Gerber Carbide Replacemet Cutter Inserts are so bad that is not even funny, check Gerber Center drive carbide inserts in Amazons and you will see how bad they are, apparently Gerber is not very responsive to the customer needs. People have been complaining about it for a very long time.
I have one of those older gerber multitool in like a stone wash and i beat the shit out of it. Do a Kershaw Launch 6 vid. Its one of my favorate edc knifes.
6:53 Haha, one cutter turned into shrapnel. Try rotating that. I wish I could do it at the Gerber booth at Shot Show. Take a Center Drive and a Rebar, and ask them what the benefit of Gerber cutters are. When they say "It is triangular so you can rotate it", I'll try to cut something with the Gerber, give them the crumbled cutters, and say "Could you please rotate my cutters for me?" Then cut the wire with my Rebar.
I got a Gerber from Iraq that went thru a lot, still got it... But a Wave has served me well (and hard) for many years. Since I have a Squirt PS4 on my keychain, a Juice CS4 in my edc bag, another Wave in my go bag, an old PST ii in my tacklebox, and a Skeletool in my knife rotation I guess I am pretty much in the Leatherman camp, haha.
Honestly I would almost never use my multi-tools to cut heavy wire and nails when I have real wire cutters nearby. That being said, the outcome of your testing did not surprise me I expected that the Rebar would win because stainless steel will deform and tungsten will not.
I'd say rather than a mere side-to-side comparison it makes sense to compare both according to an objective scale. Of course ervery multitool is a backup solution, sort of. But firstly I'd see how ordinary pliers of comparable size do the job, then define their performance as 100% and then rate the both m ultitools relatively. I've done that. According to my testing, the one fares about at 60% and the other at 65%. So there is always a good reason to have some Knipex with you if you want to cut real hard stuff. They don't have any tungsten or whatever inserts - they don't need to. Just good old tool steel, hardened to 64 HRC. I think the basic problem lies in the design: almost every multitool cutters are of the "pliers" type, whereas ordinary pliers are of the "anvil" type: the pliers type don't meet, but shear parallels, whereas the anvil type jaws just kiss each other.
The Gerber uses a standardized cutter shape/size. There are better cutter blades available on the market whereas the Leatherman are specific giving no aftermarket options.
Any multi-tool will break regardless of brand under the right pressure. I have broken blades and tools off Gerber's, Leatherman's, and Victorinox Swiss Army's. If you want the best tool for the job it's not a multi-tool, you need a dedicated tool. Multi-tools should be a backup to a set of pliers, wire cutter, screw driver, knife, etc.
@Richard Davis Friend, I have my own tools. Lots of them! Mostly Craftsman and Kobalt. But I own some from Harbor Freight too. So they range from expensive to cheap. I enjoy working on cars, house repairs, and building things. Love working with wood. I also own a lot of knives, multi-tools, hatchets, shaving razors, and kitchen utensils. All of it gets used. Some were gifted, most were bought. But eventually they all do wear down or break.
Agreed
Totally agree!
oh wow, a natural non-joke r/woosh
the point of this is to find of where "the right pressure" is for either product.
Rafael S. The point of a multi-tool is to help you get the job done in situations when you don’t have dedicated tools available. Often this is during unexpected situations. Nobody is going to carry a tool box everywhere they go.
I used the Gerber for years, I ended up cracking the handles on it useing the pliers. I switched to leatherman and never looked back. It is the more durable tool.
I got a leatherman for all the fact that sometimes you wish your fingers were made of metal. Spent the money for a good size set and it always performs. Wheather it's simple as opening a paint can, doing some road side fix up, and like you said going at some kind of wire. Indispensable tool has saved me time, money, and wear and tear every time I reach for it. A staple for anyone who does any kind of fiddlefukry
Theo Brown I love your wording, fiddlefukry 🤣
You have added a new word to my vocabulary.
25 years in the Army...had em all.... I carry a Leatherman Surge for a reason
What’s the reason
is it militaries secret?
@@apmikalogran I was in the Air Force for 4 years and have been working for the DOD for the last 20. I know his reason and I am not telling. LOL!!!
curlylarrymoe lol did you service your country in area51?
practically half of the Americans who write on RUclips have been in the army. Country of warmongering fascists! here in europe (italy) it is almost a shame to go to the army.
@@fc436 Ah yes America the facists compared to Italy... who... was... literally... Hitler's right hand man, oh but we are the facists for stopping you both like the little mad nation's you are
Hardened steel VS brittle carbide... I love Gerber but I would never use their cutters on anything other than wire. Which is fitting since they are wire cutters and not nail cutters. Good review though!!!
Small tip in case anyone is looking for a cheaper alternative for the original gerber inserts, lathe inserts do fit and work quite okay but don´t cost an arm and leg to buy: look for "TCMT 731 Carbide Insert Blade C6 Grade For 1/4&5/16'' Lathe Turning Tools 10mm" (or similar) on ebay.
People keep commenting about how these multitools are not professional or dedicated tools. They are not. We all know this. Aaron isn’t trying to figure out what’s the best wire cutter in the world. He is just showing us which of these two popular multitools is tougher. It’s a very useful test to whoever wants to buy one. I don’t use my Leatherman for extreme tasks, but it’s good to know I have the most reliable one, and more importantly, the least likely to let me down. If I have to cut heavy-duty things then sure, I will get my heavy-duty tools. Get off your high horse, guys. Multitools have proven useful for millions of people in millions of situations. If you don’t ever need one, well congrats, I guess.
So I guess it all depends on what kind of work you do. I use my MP600 all the time to strip small gauge wire . The reason I still carry the MP600 is the wire terminal “Crimper” feature. It’s saved me time after time from going fetch the Klein crimpers from the tool bag.
I have a leatherman that was my grandfathers, its good as new. Leatherman is an outstanding product. Well worth the money
That’s awesome,I had my first Leatherman for around 15 years.the only reason I no longer have it is because I was fishing on a dock and it slipped out of my hands,bounced off the dock and went into the lake..if the Rebar I replaced it with isn’t lost or stolen,I expect it will last me the rest of my life
You can buy cheaper multi-tools ; but Leatherman is worth the money. Also Tungsten carbide is very hard but brittle. The odds of damaging the edge without cracking the teeth is small so I doubt you can damage them 3 times before you replace them.
But they break, and everyone knows that a metal that bends is better than a metal that breaks, there is nothing to defend against that
The only way to actually kind of use/replace the gerber cutters is by buying carbide lathe inserts (TCMT 731) from ebay since they cost about 1-2 bucks instead of 20+ bucks like the gerber ones.
I can go 4 - 6 weeks without my wife, I can't go that long without my Leatherman. ;)
Especially with the fleshlight mod
Lol
I hear ya, I bet on my LeatherMan Wing Man daily, I mean it doesn't have a lot of tools as their Multitool, but it got me out of a lot of jams since I had it...I may try the Gerber...and make sure its Made in the US, I'm not knocking China because without China America would be hurting when it comes to the stuff we purchase for our needs.
@@ShowemRight I'll knock them, everything we need can be had on a made in America product. Yea, a 10$ product vs a 100$ product. We have the better warranty's better product made with better materials and everything. I don't mind using Chinese things if I don't plan on medium or heavy use, but i'm willing to work and save for an extra week or two for a product that should last me till I die or near it.
I’ve had a Leatherman Wave since the early 2000’s. I’ve must have used it a thousand times, and it’s never let me down. It’s still solid as a rock.
I have had a Leatherman Wave for 10+ years. Have never needed to replace the cutter (not the most used part of the tool, but used frequently). And I use my Leatherman every day I have owned it. I have owned a Leatherman since !988.Still own my original. Still functional.
i actually got to test the leatherman and gerber back in the 90s for Marine EOD. it is by far the leatherman, handsdown.
I've ran many style multi tools from different manufacturers and leatherman is actually the best by far. I've done structural ironwork for the last 15yrs and am rough on my tools. Also an avid outdoorsman. Should've gone with leatherman in the first place instead of all the other sub par brands.
I carried a Gerber for several years before I bought a leatherman. I don't even know where the Gerber is now and own 3 leathermans .
I totally agree with you on the leatherman it's no contest
I refuse to buy a multitool that isn’t made by Leatherman...I have the Rebar but plan on getting the Wave+ at some point..I had my first Leatherman for about 15 years.only reason I bought the Rebar a couple years ago was because my first Leatherman slipped out of my hands when I was fishing from a dock and it bounced into the lake..they are amazing must have tools
Decades ago I learned that wire cutters are for wire! What makes these multi tools nice is that you can replace the blade after you misuse the tool!
Gerber is a sub standard product, Leatherman all day.
mozzberg I really like some of their knife designs,just wish they had better steel options but I must say,my Prodigy and StrongArm have both held up surprisingly well for 420 stainless and I’ve used them both a lot,especially the StrongArm..It has been though a ton of abused and was used to baton through pieces of wood it shouldn’t have used for..I think their knives made in Portland Oregon are solid for what I paid for them ($30 for the Prodigy and $50 for the StrongArm) plus they come with surprisingly good sheaths for knives in their price range..back when I bought them was at a time where I refused to spend more than $50-$60 on a blade..of course now I have much better blades than costed a lot more (ESEE Junglas,ESEE 5,ESEE 4,Bradford Guardian 3,Bradford Guardian 4,Ka Bar x Becker BK2,Ontario Rat 3,Spyderco Serrata,TOPS Armageddon,TOPS BOB,Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner,Benchmade Bushcrafter,etc,etc) needless to say,I’ve basically retired my Gerber Prodigy and Gerber StrongArm for better gear but as someone who has very throughly used both of these knives,there really isn’t anything bad I can say about them.it still amazes me what I was able to put that 420 stainless through...I really can’t say much about their Chinese made products or their multitools (I’ve only had Leatherman multitools) because I won’t buy them but the Prodigy and StrongArm are definitely worth their price..the Gator and the Ghoststrike seem to be pretty decent as well,although I haven’t used them nearly as much as the Prodigy and StrongArm
I very much disagree
Thank you for this test,have been carrying the rebar since 2014 and no problem with the cutters.
I prefer the truss it just has all tools a need and I really like pliers kinda on heavy side but that’s ok.
I remember buying a Gerber back in the mid 90's when I was in the Army. I remember breaking every tool and the plyers within 15 min while trying to fix a blank adaptor for an M60. NEVER AGAIN.
One thing Leatherman guys hate to hear that their favorite pliers are made in china. Gerber has more USA made products than Leatherman by a landslide. In fact Leatherman was sued just for that reason, they were stamping MADE IN USA on products that did not meet the standard for having it. The products must be at least 70% sourced and assembled in the USA in order to say it was made here. Leatherman was making everything in china, assembling it here and calling it American. Hilarious. The Tim Leatherman legacy has long since been forgotten. Pete, Ham and Joe Gerbers legacy lives on to this day, dozens of knife makers working with American steel, treated with American hands, right there in Portland Oregon.
Also, fun fact, those carbide cutters are meant to cut concertina wire. They’re not meant to cut anything thicker. Also, C-Wire blows
My bets on leatherman, I have the wave and skeletool and both work above and beyond what they were designed to do, well worth the money.
Love the Gerber for the flick open, It's brilliant. love the SOG for the one handed opening, Stick with my Charge TTI for the quality...
Leatherman OHT, Leatherman Freestyle
Those cutters are for wire and up to coat hanger like material, cutting nails with them is just misuse but it’s good to see in a pinch it can be done but you’ll probably be replacing a cutter blade and have a sore hand.
I've had the Rebar for almost 3 years and use it hard every day. At work and here on the farm. Broke the small screwdriver (misused it for prying) - service replaced it no questions asked.
Gerber is cheaper, that's why its issued to soldier
Great comparison, I'm a fan of both companies but have had more Gerbers fail. The one thing I've noticed with leathermans is their none swappable screw drivers tend to be pretty brittle
I’d love to see you do a leatherman vs Swiss tool comparison. Been watching the Chanel for a long time and I can’t recall you reviewing and swisstools from Victorinox. Great video bro, thanks for sharing
That would be a much better head-head. I think both tools are made with far greater attention to quality than Gerber
I own the rebar, glad it came out on top!!
"If the Gerber wire-cutters are damaged you can rotate them."
Kinda hard to do if the cutter shatters.
Have you ever rotated your Gerber cutters because of damaged edges? Do you know anyone who did?
I have never seen anyone take advantage of the second and third edges of the triangular cutters, but I have seen plenty of people shatter them. So much for the triangular shape and rotating them.
That "you can rotate the Gerbers triangular cutters" line we hear in all reviews is just wishful thinking.
Was there a doubt in anyone's mind as to which of the two would break first?
Exactly!
Sadly not a lot of reviews use those multitools so they never find out. Also I need to plug TX Tool Crib (not affiliated in any way just an awesome blue collar multitool reviewer)
My issue with multitools is the many (like 7 or so) that have collapsed in use. I mean you squeeze to cut, clamp or get a bolt out and the handle snaps closed, breaking the tool, without closing the plier tips. Few are meant for heavy/hard use.
Cable is a beast even on lineman tools. Only things that cut it well are dedicated rounded wire cutters. Shit sucks and will mess up cutters. The wire cutters on these tools are meant for electrical, softer metals.
I put my Leatherman Wave replaceable cutters through their paces everyday and they’re still going strong. I take a welding class and I rarely use my cutters for wire, more often I’m using them on 1/4 cm steel rod. I’ve been using them for more than they’re rated to do almost every time I use em, and I still haven’t had to buy new ones.
I had now doubt the Leatherman would crush the gerber, I’ve worked with both, and the leatherman’s been what I’ve had on my belt for the past five years. Never needed replacing, either.
Good video!!!
The inserts on the Gerber looks like those i use on lathe tools. Very hard but also brittle. Not a good idea to use it for cutting wire. (On the lathe it´s great, you can use it on stainless steel or hardened steel very well)
We have livestock and sometimes when i check the fences, i have to cut barbed wire in order to fix it. My old (at least 15 years) leatherman wave, with no replaceable cutters, can cut barbed wire, but not very good. So i "upgraded" to the leatherman Surge.
The Surge came with really blunt wire cutter inserts!!! I had to take them out and sharpen them on a sander, now the Surge goes through barbed wire very nice.
Leatherman ! I have abused a surge for years . Its still going strong. Unbelievable quality! Completely eco friendly as actions prove. No need to throw away because it lasts
The model with carbide teeth was intended to pinch without “side load” - what we want to avoid was the bending the nail body in the middle of cut.
Option? Reconfigure the jaws.
current = double flip symmetric jaws = \| on |\
New = single flip symmetry jaws = /\ and \/
New caveat? Rolling the tool while cut crack the teeth.
I broke the jaws of a old school Gerber Multi tool, years ago cutting or trying to cut, Three strand barbed wire. A friend of mine who was in the army did the same thing also trying to cut concertina wire. So there you go.
I only carry a Gerber because of the way it opens,that being said, I immediately break the carbide inserts when I cut steel banding. I'm not sure why, I think it's because of the shock wave created when it snaps apart. So I don't use them. I find all I need from the local pawn shops here in Vegas for no more than 20$
My brother in law had the Gerber, my other brother the Leatherman and I the original Swiss Tool which I still have. We used them to install my mother's chain link fence over a 3/4 acre lot. The Leatherman and Gerber broke cutting the chain link early in. The Swiss Tool finished the job and I still carry it. I've done two other fences with it since that first one. Just saying. The original swiss tool is best and it appears to be the toughest in my experience. Not the upgrade ST mind you as they messed up the pliers in the upgrade while improving function and some of the tools but the pliers on the upgrade ST don't even open wide enough to remove the bottom screen cover on your kitchen faucet to clean out the grit. The old ones did but the new 'upgrade' went down hill as stated. Still the dang things cut longer on chain link than the others and it's seen several sets of the Gerbers bite the dust now over the time I've been using it.
Shut up dumb ass
Bullshits
Leatherman for sure is better. I guess. I never owned one. It all depends on what the tools is supposed to do. I'm not a heavy duty user. But for my hobby, a gerber or a ganzo, is strong enough. Saves me money and I will be good for years.
I am an electrician, so i use tools every day, i carried a cheap multi-tool for years until my son gave me a leatherman wave. the quality is better. but doing what i do in my everyday life. i really don't see much of a difference. cause i don't depend on my multitool like every other professional we always have either a tool belt on or a toolbox with us. i do not see any average user ever running in to this problem on the gerber
Excellent practical test, love the information! Thanks much!
This was very informative. I always worry about pushing the wire cutters too far although now that I’ve updated to the Wave+ it’s nice to know I can replace them if need be. I love having my multi tool when, for example, I am working outside in the yard and I just need to do something small like prune a small limb. I don’t have to walk back to my workshop. Or if I’m on the ladder and just need a screwdriver I can just reach into the belt pouch and it’s right there. Also on vacation it’s handy. I once fixed a loose shower head at a hotel because I didn’t have time to wait for hotel staff I needed to get ready for a wedding.
this is what it says on gerbers carbide cutters "The carbide cutters are designed to cut a No. 26 hard wire or No. 2 hard fish hook" guess they were never gonna be strong enough for many things.
"They were never gonna be strong enough for many things", tell that to Leatherman
I have a gerber multi tool in 25 years and I AM a carpenter and very happy with My gerber
I turned away from Gerber's multitool line years ago during my time in the Corps. Every tool seemed to break, but the pliers were so damned handy. I've always stood by Leatherman though, even when I also carried Gerber. I may have to give Gerber another shot.
The Gerber failed miserably in the field for me. Mud got chunked up in center drive making pliers very difficult to open. My Leatherman has never let me down. I'm in the military and Leatherman is the only multitool that is heavy duty enough and works every time.
I love my leatherman and always will. However, the carbide blades of the Gerber probably weren’t designed to take lateral loads. When Aaron pulled the nail with his left hand at 6:28, he applied just such a later load. I’d like to see the nail test on the gerber repeated with only proper grip compression (if Aaron can muster the strength). Great video otherwise! Keep up the great work!
Good points, with which I partially agree. I had a Gerber tool with replaceable cutters years ago...broke one trying to cut something. All I did was squeeze. A friend told me the point of carbide was probably so they won't dull with lots of use, not so much to be unbreakable. Carbide is hard, not necessarily strong.
You’re right. Carbide is really hard which gives it good wear resistance, but it’s brittle. I’m not saying that it would necessarily hold up to that kind of abuse, but when Aaron pulled on the nail it induced a force in the direction of weakness for the cutting blades.
Different kinds of issues. The leatherman can be sharpened, the Gerber, in my steel wire experience tends to fracture, but most importantly the Gerber cutters damaged the Gerber pliers, and from the get go their cutters were less sharp and Less precise. The nice hard steel cm4550 on the leatherman was very good for a while cutting steel wire, but when it damaged it could be sharpened once or twice before replacement, and never damaged the pliers. I threw the Gerbet in the fire use drawer for using over candle flame if needed (trash drawer).
I've been carrying Leatherman's daily since 1999 I've been carrying the same Leatherman super tool 300 since 2010 it has never broke I use the cutting teeth to cut everything including one inch wide metal banding straps on pallets one full snip from each side a little twist and one more snip people always run off to go get some tin snips and can't believe I use my Leatherman I have never changed the cutting teeth once and I was thinking about changing him the other day because I noticed the screw came loose I think I'll tighten it back up and see how long it lasts this leather man has also been dropped in the street and ran over by unknown amounts of cars until I retrieved it and it still works perfectly I will never use Gerber years ago we took Gerber brand new out the package and it broke within 15 minutes
Siempre compré y usé leatherman hasta que la pinza de una de mis navajas se partió intentando soltar una rosca de mi cama, me cambié a gerber y trabajo ahora con ese nuevo modelo 👌
Respectfully, some great cutter testing has been done. Diezelle in particular. It is ok to do you own, absolutely, though linking to good testing already published would help the viewers. No one reviewer does it all in a vacuum. For us you guys are not competition. We're just looking for solid information based on actual use over time.
Thanks!
when using earphones the background editing noises are awkward lol, great videos and fantastic comparisons :)
Cedric Ada had the similar shattering problen on his gerber centerdrive after trying to cut some fence wire
Gr8 video !!! Looking forward for more !!
Which 1 feels better to squeeze?
It is wire cutters, not nail/bolt cutters.
Try a SOG with power assist, though the one I have doesn't have changeable teeth which is the only let down as the edges have rolled and wouldn't close up without filing the edg back. All my leathermans though are awesome!
Don't know my Gerber 600 works good. I dont cut nails with it but for driving the occasional screw opening a can once in awhile and tithing or loosening a bolt my Gerber holds up. I also carry a Buck 110 to do real cutting or go to my tool box to get my bolt cutters if I need to cut a lock or something like that. Leatherman are awesome though at the time I decided to pay 20$ less for the Gerber.
This test is utterly irrelevant, for ANY purpose. The MOMENT you start "rocking" a wire in a cutting tool, you are damaging the cutting edge with micro fractures. Of COURSE the Gerber failed first, he abused the PISS out of it in the first test! Go back and look!
As multiple people have pointed out below, you shouldn't be using these tools for hard grade cutting anyway. They're all going to fail. For what it's worth, Anyone who knows knife blades can guess.. the brittle tungsten carbine in the Gerber is sharper, it will cut cleaner, longer. The weaker stainless steel will bend, so you might be able to sharpen it and put a new edge on it (technically). I mean, who's going to TRY to put a new edge on that tiny little thing? If you factor in that nobody is going to try to put a new edge on that little bitty thing, then the decision is very simple. The Gerber wins, because as long as you never abuse either blade, The Gerber will stay sharper, longer.
7:47 Yeah. No. Those Leatherman cutters are screwed. This old boy is biased. Anyone who's ever used a wire cutter knows that the fulcrum of power is at the pivot point. The perfect spot for cutting wires is at the base of the cutting edge, and this Leatherman wouldn't cut a blade of grass clean through without assistance, now. No sensible electrician would try to use those mashed blades cutting wires all day. It wouldn't be worth the frustration.
Hmm... Leatherman vs Gerber
Next video:
12 year old fights Connor McGregor!!!
The Gerber got Khabibed
I have tried Sog, Gerber and the Leatherman, and prefer the Leatherman overall. Thanks for the video,.
My center drive cutters shattered on medium gauge fencing wire I had to cut on a farm for an ambulance to get through. Its was a pretty iconic letdown for me relative to gerber tools. I think they rely too much on the tungsten carbide being harder than most things they’ll cut. Which is fine, until they meet a little torque or side to side stress. Still really like the center drive design but that was a letdown. Had to go to my bag and get my backup tool, a leatherman juice, which managed the wire better.
Yea found the same thing with my centre drive! Now I carry a leatherman.
I own both: Letterman and Gerber brands, but the Gerber Carbide Replacemet Cutter Inserts are so bad that is not even funny, check Gerber Center drive carbide inserts cutter in Amazons and you will see how bad they are, apparently Gerber is not very responsive to the customer needs. People have been complaining about it for a very long time.
I love my MP600 but I tested it on a piece of fence and knew I'd break it.
Luckily, it comes with a tungesten carbide impregnated saw for metal. If I had to get through a fence with it, I'd cut the pieces that hold the fence to the poles with that.
On the leatherman you can file the teeth so it will last longer
Thanks Tim Leatherman 😊👍
Leatherman has really made a name for themselves for a reason.
Leatherman all day long, great video.
Which jaws/ plyers you think are thougher?
Yeah, but which saw is better at cutting 2x4's?
My pliers snapped when I cut down some nails that were a bit bigger than those 😢 too bad you are not able to replace the whole pliers
Had my Gerber for 22 years.. Central American jungle for 3 years, Asia for 5 years.. Not a single problem.
I’ve never been a fan of multi tools but I recently got a leatherman PST and I’m extremely impressed for a multi tool company. One thing I must say though is I would never absolutely never use the cutter function on these unless it was like a life or death situation. The reason is these are the absolute worst cutter design in the world. They’re a multi tool company not a tool company, I’ve never seen a pair of pliers that use this strange cutter. The blades should come to a fixed point not slide over one another. I feel like leatherman did it first and all other multi tool companies copied it even though it’s terrible. Idk why they don’t just use a normal side cutter shape which can handle cutting things like wire or nails.
Good real world test, especially on the stranded cable. Waiting for the FREE to get released...
The Swiss Tool X would destroy the Leatherman in a test like this. Change my mind.
My centre drive shattered first use! Now I use leatherman.
Victorinox cuts finishing nails with ease- better cutting blade than both of these tools. They don’t need to sell replaceable blades because they actually work.
Seriously, when you need to do wire cutting a lot, then it will most likely be in a job or hobby situation in which you will use an actual wire cutter. I NEVER had a situation outside of my job where I needed to do wire cutting and would have needed that on my multi-tool. And if I would have, these super expensive Gerber and Leatherman multi-tools would fail me, because they break so easily it's ridiculous. The most likely situation in which a milti-tool comes in handy is to loosen or tighten thick hexagonal screw heads or nuts with the pliers (not ideal, but it works unless it's super tight ones like on a tire), pilling things out places you hands are too chunky for or you don't have enough grip/strength. And of course the usual things a knife comes in handy. I NEVER needed a wire cutter on a multi-tool!
And honestly - $250 for a multi-tool is pretty over-priced. I have no-name brand multi tools from the hardware store from the 90's that have better quality and also last since back then.
Good review, always favored the Gerber myself. Have you tried the SOG multi-tool? I thought they were a step up
id get the gerber mp600 bladeless, the cutters do suck (should have gone stainless) the 1 hand opening feature has saved me easy a dosen times, the grit blade is an ultrabeast as some ass locked my car in a carpark (8-10mm thick lock) and with 10 minuets of work i was out. sadly i lost it and looking for a replacement multitool but the mp600 is calling me back more than the leatherman, although the cutters are a bit flawed, that rem-grit blade saved me when i needed it most.
SOG Powerlock would've chewed through all of them! Nice review friend! Thanks!
I have broken several Gerbers. I have never broken a Leatherman.
When cutting thick wire, nail, one should use the "notch" near the bottom of wire cutter, Leatherman calls it "hard wire cutter".
The Gerber cutters look like lathe inserts.
for an extra 33 bucks id hope the leatherman is better. but the average person isn't going to be disappointed with the gerber. im not a gerber fan when it comes to there knifes but the 600 is a sold tool and the one handed deployment is way better
Totally was a Gerber fan until mine flew apart cutting a standard wire coat hanger. Thought it was a fluke, bought another one. Same coat hanger same bloody knuckles from it flying apart.
You should give it another try ..
I bought a Gerber Centerdrive for cheap at a pawn shop. I found it to be heavy and it rattled when open or closed. I tried to cut pallet strapping and the blades shattered. I sold it as is shortly after.
I own both: Letterman and Gerber brands, but the Gerber Carbide Replacemet Cutter Inserts are so bad that is not even funny, check Gerber Center drive carbide inserts in Amazons and you will see how bad they are, apparently Gerber is not very responsive to the customer needs. People have been complaining about it for a very long time.
I have one of those older gerber multitool in like a stone wash and i beat the shit out of it. Do a Kershaw Launch 6 vid. Its one of my favorate edc knifes.
6:53 Haha, one cutter turned into shrapnel. Try rotating that.
I wish I could do it at the Gerber booth at Shot Show. Take a Center Drive and a Rebar, and ask them what the benefit of Gerber cutters are. When they say "It is triangular so you can rotate it", I'll try to cut something with the Gerber, give them the crumbled cutters, and say "Could you please rotate my cutters for me?"
Then cut the wire with my Rebar.
The idea itself is actually not that bad in my opinion, they only messed up their material choice by choosing something way too brittle.
Great video and comparison!
I like leatherman but when you need to spread open to reset the gerber hands down has a use. The fold open versus solid I will have to go with gerber.
Funny. My free p2 broke before my gerber… but i use my leatherman like 24/7 so… that’s probably why
I got a Gerber from Iraq that went thru a lot, still got it... But a Wave has served me well (and hard) for many years.
Since I have a Squirt PS4 on my keychain, a Juice CS4 in my edc bag, another Wave in my go bag, an old PST ii in my tacklebox, and a Skeletool in my knife rotation I guess I am pretty much in the Leatherman camp, haha.
Awesome stuff Aaron an thanks for the test Sir.
Zip tie would be a piece of cake I guess?
I’m a maintenance tech and I got the leatherman wave plus and one of the pliers literally broke in half while I was taking a master link plate off
sounds like you literally had a literal lemon on your pliers that literally failed.(can't take your comment seriously cause of the literally)
@@Horde334 you must have a shitty leatherman and I said literally one time lol
Well done... Informative test.
Honestly I would almost never use my multi-tools to cut heavy wire and nails when I have real wire cutters nearby. That being said, the outcome of your testing did not surprise me I expected that the Rebar would win because stainless steel will deform and tungsten will not.
I'd say rather than a mere side-to-side comparison it makes sense to compare both according to an objective scale. Of course ervery multitool is a backup solution, sort of. But firstly I'd see how ordinary pliers of comparable size do the job, then define their performance as 100% and then rate the both m ultitools relatively. I've done that. According to my testing, the one fares about at 60% and the other at 65%. So there is always a good reason to have some Knipex with you if you want to cut real hard stuff. They don't have any tungsten or whatever inserts - they don't need to. Just good old tool steel, hardened to 64 HRC. I think the basic problem lies in the design: almost every multitool cutters are of the "pliers" type, whereas ordinary pliers are of the "anvil" type: the pliers type don't meet, but shear parallels, whereas the anvil type jaws just kiss each other.
Thanks for showing us that it is a quite big difference between those two multitools. I always prefer to buy Leatherman tools.
The Gerber uses a standardized cutter shape/size. There are better cutter blades available on the market whereas the Leatherman are specific giving no aftermarket options.