I'm a 1st year inside wireman apprentice. i bought my basic tools (klines, wire stripper, 6-in-1 screwdriver, pocketknife) and carry them in my pocket.

i'm assigned to a commercial site, but i'm not doing any electrical stuff. i'm more manual labor. Fetch this, get that, help someone move whatever, etc.

I've used my pocketknife more than any of my other tools. (unpacking pallets of stuff.)

so i'm thinking of ditching my tools in my car and just carry a Leatherman.

The Leatherman Squirt E4 looks perfect for an Electrician. It has wire strippers built in (20GA, 18GA, 16GA, 14GA and 12GA). plus the blades are on the outside, so i dont need to open it to use the knife.
http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/E4/default.asp

but the needlenose pliers is just the tip. i dont think i can grip much. and it looks very difficult to use to turn a nut.

Then i see the Surge.
http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/Surge/default.asp

It has stranded wire cutters, electrical crimper, scissors, strong pliers, and knives galore.

Here's the user manual for the Surge:
http://www.leatherman.com/media/user-guides/SurgeT%20user%20guide.pdf

In Pic A, #4 is the stranded wire cutters. (What's stranded?) And #5 is the electrical crimper.


Which Leatherman should I get? Why do you recommend that one?

THX!

Just noticed that Pic A #18 is the wire stripper?!

It looks like the can opener?

Depending on who your employer is, the use of a combo tool instead of standard electrical trade recognized tools may be a problem.

Using a combo tool to 'turn a nut'?

Go back to your basic tools!

These are great tools...However, they should only be used as a lifesaver. You should stick with industry standard tools because your torque on screws and wire loops will not be as good as industry tools. Trust me, multitools will slow your progress down and your boss will not like that. He might eat you alive if he sees you using those on a jobsite. If you get hurt as a result of using a multi-tool, someone is going to have a field day with you. Buy it, have it handy, but only use it if you are in a situation where your tool pouch is not around your waist and that is all you have. Please stick around the forum, there is alot of good people here and they wont steer you the wrong way when it comes to advice. Good Luck

Brian Gibbons

I agree with Gibbions. My philosiphy is using the right tool for the job. I have worked with contractors where they mandated you have your tool pouch on while on the job site even if you are just swapping out bulbs. The job situation can change at a moments noticed and if you have to run after your tools, you are wasting time and time costs you employer money. I personnally use two pouches. My main pouch which holds all my basic hand tools and a good quaility nail pouch apron with a couple generic tool caddies attached. I use my main pouch 90% of the time for short term tasks and my pouch apron/caddies for production work like running conduit or wire pulling. When I do the production work, I have just the tools I need for the task while having my main pouch near by just in case, not in my rig. Either way, I have the right tool for the job on hand.

Hang in there while playing "gopher". We have all done it ourselves. My first day as an apprentice I was trenching with a hand shovel in the hot sun. I did such good job, I was promoted to light fixture trailer that was baking in the same sun to assembled light fixtures for the guys inside the air conditioned building. There too I had my pouch in tow.

A lot of multi-tools knives have a simple 'V' notch in the base of a blade, that they consider a 'wire stripper.'

I have owned any variety of multi-tools over the years ... and they make a real nice collection in the bottom of a box, in the back of my storage shed. Even the best of them ... the Leatherman "Wave" .... is surpassed by a few proper tools.

True, you can't carry everything, or always know what tasks you'll encounter. Let me show what I start off with:





This little tool pouch ... it hangs from your back pocket .... will hold a few tools, usually enough for your routine tasks.
I routinely carry a screwdriver (Ideal 7-n-1), folding boxcutter, a Sharpie, and pair of wire strippers. Often,l I will add one or two more items.
The items most often added are a small (5") pair of Channellocks, a small (4") Crescent wrench, a #2 Square driver, a Sure-Fire flashlight, OR a nutdriver .... it all depends on the task at hand.

The key is having an HONEST assessment of what work is on the schedule. If you're busting pallets, then a pair of aviation snips is real handy. Otherwise, you'll rarely use them.

I have two Leatherman tools and I still don't get it. I suppose if I was shipwrecked on an island and I only had what was in my pocket that might be what I wanted but I have never really found a use for one when I have access to real tools. I would take a good pair of Kliens, a real wire stripper and a "7 in 1" screwdriver any day if all I had was what I could carry in one hand. If you grind a "Robertson #2" on the end of the small Phillips bit of the 7 in 1 you really have most of what you need.

The Klein 10-in-one has a pair of Robertson and a pair of Torx tips on it

I stopped using tool pouches many years ago. I use a five gallon bucket. Plenty of room, plus the funny looks you get when you walk in.
If I have to get off the ladder, then I was stupid to forget to put the right tool or tools in my back pocket.

I had contractor tell me it was not professional, to get a pouch. Instead I got another job the next day

Hummm - I have a core-2-duo processor and SAS programming language code guide. Kleins - what are those? Welcome to the forum. Oh and by the way I AM in the industry - just don't do any physical work - just crunch numbers. Cheers Ann

Ann: Klein makes a variety of tools. A lot of people think of various pliers as "Kleins."

Fall off that ladder with the screwdriver in your pocket and you will know why people have tool pouches. We had a guy go down in a computer room with a 6" screwdriver in his hip pocket that almost took out a kidney.

Greg, I found out that my back problems were due to the carrying of pouches and the work in general. My doctor advised against it. That is why I don't use one any more.

Bottom Line: My back wins everytime.

I've had the wire and chain type tape holder slip into the tool holder hole on the top of a 6' stepladder. I didn't notice it.

Tools spilled out on me as I went down, and the whole thing, ladder, me and hung up pouch, went buns over binoculars on to the ground. I was pretty much unhurt, the same might not have been said had it been a 10' or 12' ladder.

You might want to cut them off if your pouches have them.

Darned good point, Scott.
I had one of them tape holders on my toolbelt when I first bought it a few years back.
I seem to remember it getting tangled around the wingnut on a TV aerial mast stay while trying to install a TV aerial and not being able to free it or move enough to have a decent look at it, I cut it off in the end, if I carry tape with me it usually sits in one of the top pockets of my overalls anyway.

Wow worst I ever have is from time to time bar at the bottom of the chain tape holder flips up and snags in the handles of my lineman's pliers, but I also keep 3-4 colors on the thing usually so there isn't much chain to snag.

Leatherman tools make good paperweights in my opinion.. aside from being good as stage props brandished on survial reality shows, I don't know what they're good for. Screwdrivers too short to be useful.. handles too akward and uncomfortable for heavy use, the blades are ok ,but also in an akward handle, and when it chips or breaks, might as well throw the whole tool out.. rather than throwing away 1 knife or blade your whole toolbox goes in the trash. The cutters at the back of the pliers aren't that great either.. dimple them once cutting something and using the pliers will become such a chore you'll want to throw the whole thing out as well. I suppose on the good side, leathermans never wear out, because you usually break one of the tools essential to whatever you do daily, which renders the whole thing crippled or 1/5 as useful as it was before and you just end up throwing out a barely worn out but only partially functional tool.

One-tool one-purpose is cheapest and most efficient in the long run.
Not a big fan of leatherman for production work, just so-so for casual
hobby kinda work.

I used to wear a pouch every day with every tool that could reasonably come in handy. Then somebody pointed out to me that tool belts are very bad for your back. So much so that apparently around here if you work union you aren't even allowed to wear a tool belt. So I started wearing my pouch less frequently...and I found that I needed it less frequently. In my coveralls I keep: Kleins, side-cutters, Klein 10-in-1, tape in one front pocket, marrettes in the other pocket. In one chest pocket goes my notebook, pen, pencil, sharpie, tie-wraps and chewing gum, other chest pocket gets the cell phone and voltage tester. All that and still nothing in the back pockets. If needed I can still fit in my tape measure, torpedo level and strippers. Any more than that and I just put the tool belt on! Plus I always keep my tool pouch(es) close at hand just in case.
Bottom line...my back thanks me.
As for a Leatherman, I've never owned one. I've wanted one, just couldn't find a good enough reason to spend that kind of dough on a toy.

Shawn.

I have to say this,
I've never carried one of these "multi-tools", even to the extent of never using a multi-bit screwdriver.
I was always taught that you have one tool for one purpose.
That sort of thinking would tend to make the Leatherman tool a "jack of all trades" tool, but a master of none.
I have a tool belt, but only put in it the tools I am likely to use for a given job.
I would certainly never use anything but an insulated screwdriver (or spanner for that matter) in a panel or place like that.
Please remember that these multi-tools are made for occasional use, not everyday use as a tradesman would require.
I carry a pocket knife with me on my belt, it's with me all the time that I'm wearing pants, I keep the thing razor sharp.
Just my $0.02 worth.

Trumpy, I'll not argue your general point: almost every 'multiple task' widget I've used has performed poorly in every task - and there was very little in the way of weight or bulk savings. If you do a task with any regularity, it's worth having a proper tool.

Yet, there have been exceptions.

The Leatherman "Wave" and "Squirt e4" are among the exceptions to the rule. Quality construction is a big part of it ... there is a 'night and day' difference between a cheap clone and the 'real thing.' I like to think of them as "Swiss Army Pliers"

They're mostly of value when you are caught with an unexpected need for a tool.

Returning to our original poster's question, though .... for the life of me, I can't imagine an apprentice having a real 'need' for any of them. I do see a need for a 'pocket pouch' like I posted above; perhaps a proper box cutter should be in it.

Trumpy... I'm a little surprised that you have never used a multi-bit screwdriver. It seems that pretty much every person I work with has a Klein 10-in-1 now, and I figured that it was pretty much the norm now. Personally, I love 'em. The nut drivers are great, especially when installing lots of fluorescent light fixtures with the phillips head ground screw that also will accept a 1/4" (I think?) nut driver. All I have to do is pull out my robertson bit and I have the proper size nut driver.
My favourite multi-bit is an Ideal unit that has a wirenut driver indented into the handle end. I twist and trim all my splices, then insert my screwdriver shaft-first into my drill, set the clutch to 4, insert a wirenut, place it onto the splice, and pull the trigger. Presto! the wirenut's on. It saves my wrist from twisting them all on.
and that's my $0.02

Shawn.

Having a 10-in-One and using it are different things. I not much of a fan of those either. Any hard cranking with the nut driver sleeve -that serves to hold the phillips and other bits in place when its used as a screwdriver- will eventually burst the thin steel its made of. Never had that happen with a purpose-built nut driver. The heads of single purpose nut drivers are a lot heavier and can take more abuse, as well as having much longer necks so you don't grind the handle (or your hand) on a mudring or some sharp part of a panel which is much deeper than the shaft of a 10-in-one. Strenght and space constraints are my main criticism of the 10-in-one. On the other hand, for A/C disconnects its one stop shopping, provided none of the fasteners are rusted/live/buried deep in the cabinet or case.

My favourite multi-bit is an Ideal unit that has a wirenut driver indented into the handle end. I twist and trim all my splices, then insert my screwdriver shaft-first into my drill, set the clutch to 4, insert a wirenut, place it onto the splice, and pull the trigger. Presto! the wirenut's on. It saves my wrist from twisting them all on.<--

This guy carries a lot lighter than a drill up and down a ladder, and no fumbling with drill chucks, etc... Love mine to death...

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?66666UuZjcFSLXTtNX&yn8s6EV76EbHSHVs6EVs6E666666--

Shawn I believe those ground screws are 5/16" but I am not surprised you guessed wrong. You (and most of the world) call that 8mm.
I do agree the multi bit screwdriver is handy running them in.