Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 90
 Buy the stainless steel skeletool instead April 9, 2008
Sydney sailor (Australia)
12 out of 27 found this review helpful
Only the spare bit holder on the CX is carbon. The rest of the tool including the handles is metal. The stainless steel skeletool is a much better value.
 Best Leatherman Ever! May 21, 2008
Pruitt Hall (Greensboro, NC USA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
I've owned practically every Leatherman and SOG multi-tool produced over the past 15 years; a few Gerbers and Swiss Army brands thrown in there as well. And I've got to just jump in and say, this is arguably the best Leatherman ever. Just a perfect combination of quality tools, lightweight and, as practically every reviewer comments, it's just gorgeous!
Multi-tools have been a real growth area in the knife industry over the past few years and most have followed a 'how-much-more-stuff-can-we throw-in here' model...to a point where the bigger Leathermans and SOGS weigh as much as the toolbox they replace. Not a gripe, I'm sure many use them effectively; I know I do my bigger ones as well. It's just gotten to where the 'convenience' factor seems to have been lost. Witness the amazing array of smaller keychain tools and you can easily see that Leatherman wisely went for the middle ground in this design: just enough tools to get you by and light enough to make certain it's not a burden in your pocket. It's really a home run on being the perfect size.
Out of the deal you get a great set of pliers, interchangeable screw-driver bits (philips and flat-head included) a knife and a bottle opener that doubles as a carbiner.
The bits are interchangeable with other Leatherman tools using the same bits, though Leatherman amped up this design to include a 'locking' feature on the bits; a much needed touch with bits this small. Since I already own a Leatherman Charge Ti, I have a bunch of bits at hand and you can buy bit kits from Leatherman. The bottle opener is just flat-out perfect and in the best place possible; no unfolding the tool and then another unfold to open a bottle opener; just hanging out at the rear where it should be. The knife blade is perhaps the best shaped knife Leatherman has produced; partially serrated and made of 154CM which is an uncharacteristically great steel for a multi-tool blade. And finally, the pliers...this is one area that Leatherman stands completely alone in quality in (sorry SOG and Gerber)...close the pliers and look at them from the end; the jaws mate perfectly. They mate so fine you can use them as tweezers; try it sometime, I have and they work! Other manufacturers pliers work fine as pliers, but none have the alignment that Leathermans do.
The carbon fiber insert is trick for sure but you don't gain anything other than the 'wow' factor.
So, all in all almost perfect; it IS perfect for me, though your mileage may vary. If I had any 'one' thing I'd like to see included it would be scissors but that's just wishful thinking on my part...I honestly don't know how they could pack it in to such a minimalist tool.
One last note: If you pocket carry, as I do, you will need to be aware that the pocket clip is small (it has to be)...and it's also very, very tight. Meaning, you WILL wear an area out on your pockets; just no way around it on this model. Some I've seen have put heat-shrink tubing on their clips to help alleviate this, but I haven't tried it yet.
Great tool, does its intended function. Superb quality. Wow factor off the charts.
Great tool in a small package March 24, 2008
Sean Dustman (hanging out in San Diego)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
Just received my Skeletool CX and my first impression was wow. I had pre-ordered it months ago and it arriving was a surprise, it's great when you get a present for yourself. Its light with minimalist lines, yet when you open it, it feels comfortable in your hand. The knife blade is large compared to the entire package but it's smaller then I expected. It's not a replacement for the full sized Leatherman but something that can do almost everything the full sized one can with a fraction of the space.
No problem with the bit driver like the 2 star reviewer. I'm a Leatherman/Gerber nut and so far, I like this one a lot. It's a great tool to have when pocket space is at a premium.
 Dangerous beauty - beware! August 9, 2008
Brian Cummings (Canaan NH)
11 out of 22 found this review helpful
As a designer of utilitarian items, I became enamored with the Leatherman Skeletool CX after viewing the pre-release photos, and purchased one shortly after they became available. Although visually very appealing, the Skeletool CX falls short in functionality - the pliers jaws are not spring-loaded and must be opened manually, and it is a chore (albeit a minor one, to switch from the Phillips bit to a slotted one. These shortcomings relegate the usefulness of tool to the "better than nothing category". One might be willing to make the trade-off of reduced functionality for visual appeal, but the design of the tool is also flawed in some dangerous ways. Although being able to open and close the knife blade with one hand is a very useful feature, in order to disengage the locking mechanism, it is necessary to put your thumb in line with the very sharp blade. If one is performing this quickly it is all too easy for the blade to close on part of your thumb. This happened to me recently, and almost completely severed the top 1/4" of my thumb (the second worst cut of my life). Another dangerous situation occurs when using the pliers. There is a pinch-point where the back of the knife blade meets the opposing handle. If the pliers slipped off the object being gripped, the skin of the thumb or palm (depending upon how the pliers are being held, could easily get pinched. Although not as dangerous as the flaw with the closing mechanism of the knife, the resulting injury would no doubt be just as painful. I would strongly advise against buying the Skeletool CX, unless one is only going to look at it and not use it. Leatherman should recall this product and correct the safety shortcomings. I have owned a Gerber 08239 MP800 Legend Multitool for several years. It is typically in and out of its holster several times a day and I have nothing but exemplary remarks to make about its design and utility.
Skeletool CX April 2, 2008
C. Dana (Seattle, WA)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
Finally received my CX. Removing it from the package I was very pleased with the overall feel of the tool, the fit and finishes are excellent and there are no immediately noticeable sharp edges. It was slightly heavier than I thought it would be, a little heavier than my usual EDC pocket knife, but not bad. Like other reviewers before me I noticed that the carbon fiber may reduce the weight very slightly, however I think it mostly serves to make the tool more aesthetically pleasing. I don't have the problems with the bits that another review had, the bit in the bit holder is held in by a catch that has to be depressed to remove the bit, The other bit is very secure in the handle, although it may get loose once there is some wear on the bit. The bottle opener works and now I'll carry it around for a while and see how it feels in the pocket. All in all I'm very happy with the tool, it has most of the tools I use the most, lacking only the scissors, in a smaller lighter package.
Update - carried it around all day in business casual dress, the position of the pocket clip and the slim profile allow it to ride unobtrusively and comfortably in my pocket.
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