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I got my first (original model) Leatherman in '94 or '95, worked with a concert light & sound group while in college and everyone had one and used them constantly, along with the constant debates whether Gerber or Leatherman was better. Was part of my bat-utility-belt consisting of the Leatherman, a 2xAA Maglite, and a 1" crescent wrench on a chain with whatever laminate pass(es) I needed for the event I was working (the crench was handy to leave at a fixed size for the lighting fixture nuts, and handy on the chain for working on ladders/trusses). I still have that Leatherman, managed to break the tip off the blade at one point prying something open, and using the wire cutters to cut a pretty hard metal rod buggered it a bit (that part wasn't replaceable on the original model), makes the jaw a bit resistive to open (handle wants to bend closed before the jaw opens so the pliers don't work as a single-handed tool anymore). But it lives in a kitchen drawer and still gets regular use to open packages, etc. I had purchased a Leatherman Pulse (OOP) to replace it on my belt, had that for probably 10 or so years before it got stolen in a home break-in (I was on a short air trip at the time, no checked baggage so it wasn't with me). That one's pouch had broke at one point, Leatherman replaced it without charge. With the insurance money I replaced the OOP Pulse with a Supertool 300, which I still wear daily and use often. It is quite a bit bulkier than the original tool, but it's held up to years of use and abuse without needing any service. I also keep a 3rd Leatherman (I forget just which model it is) at my parents house (they're in PA, I'm in CA) so that I don't have to think about bringing mine when I'm visiting them, where I'm often doing random household tasks that could use one.

Trick is remembering to take it off before I head to the airport, as after over 30 years it's instinctive to put it on every morning (I'm more likely to forget my phone or watch at home than my Leatherman). They had intentionally designed some of the earlier tools to be flight-legal (no serrated blades or blades over a certain length) before things clamped-down after 9/11, so I used to even fly with it on me before then. But one time post-9/11 I only realized I had it on when I arrived at security having already checked my baggage, wound up finding a FedEx kiosk to mail it home, I was going to Dallas for 3 days, it went from San Jose to Oakland to Memphis, then back to Oakland and finally San Jose, it took longer to get home and went farther east than I did. That was about a month before the break-in where it got stolen. =P A few other times I realized while driving up (before I started taking Lyft) so I could just leave it in the car, or a few times I realized before checking baggage, so it went into the checked luggage (or I wound up checking my suitcase even though I had planned to carry it on). Past few years I've done much better at remembering not to wear it the day I travel.
 
I've got a small Leatherman. I don't like carrying things in my pocket so it got put into the console of our car and it's never been used, out of sight -out of mind.
 
I have a 300 EOD from my military days. Gift from a unit I served.
 
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This is my EDC, along with a knife. The knife has the nice feature that it won't close on your fingers very easily. (You can make it do that, but you'd have to do something deliberate.) I got this on Amazon for under $50.
 
I bought an Original Leatherman Tool probably 25 years ago. A great pocket tool. When I was working for the govt., they bought me a Gerber Tool*. The biggest difference was how hard you could squeeze the handles. The Gerber Tool slides out of the handle, the Leatherman design has the tools inside the handle which has to open in order to fold the blades out. The Gerber was stolen, never got a replacement. I thought the Leatherman was lost as well. I bought a new Leatherman, had to get a Super Tool because the Original is no longer made. Found the Original tool inside the couch, the dark marks are corrosion where it sat in contact with the springs in the couch.
I used the Original Tool a LOT when working on a research project at OU. I had to make up a bazillion thermocouple connectors, and used this tool on almost every one. It was a lot longer when I started on the project. I wore the tip out several times, and had to regrind the shape.

*I always wanted to use the C4 punch, but never got a chance (it was for making a hole to insert a detonator)

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Steven Spielberg Pain GIF
 
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