Tim Leatherman - inventor of the multitools
A multitool is a multifunctional tool built on the basis of a combiner, which is equipped with many practical tools. Some of the most recognizable multitools on the market are Leatherman models. This brand, is particularly popular among: preppers, survival, bushcraft and outdoor fans, as well as DIYers and uniformed services.
A multitool is a very well-known tool, but what do you know about its inventor, Tim Leatherman? From this article you will learn who the founder of the Leatherman brand is, what the process of creating a multitool was like and where the idea for it came from.
Who is Tim Leatherman?
Tim Leatherman, or actually Timothy S. Leatherman, is the founder of Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
He earned a professional bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University in 1970. Five years later, he took an automobile tour of Europe and Asia - from Amsterdam to Iran - during which he came up with the idea for the multifunctional tool that is now known as a multitool. In 1980 he obtained a patent for his invention, and over the next few years tried to sell his product. He took his first steps toward the brand we know today in 1983, when he and Steven Berling founded the Leatherman Tool Group.
Although formally retired, Tim Leatherman is still actively involved in the life of the company, which now has about 500 employees.
Mr.Crunch, PCT - the origins of the Leatherman multitool
It is no secret where the Leatherman brand name came from. The name often arouses amusement, as Tim himself said - many people think that Leatherman is an age-old company that originally produced leather goods (Leather - leather), and later turned to manufacturing tools.
Today's Leatherman multitool was to have a completely different name (less associated with the company's name). The inventor originally planned to call it Mr. Crunch (English - to crunch, crackle, creak, crunch) because of the main tool - the pliers. However, the first multitool was named PST - Pocket Survival Tool. A tool under the name Crunch was also developed later.
The making of a multitool
As a recent graduate of the University of Oregon, Tim Leatherman often used a Boy Scout knife for all kinds of small repairs. However, when he ran into a problem that his knife couldn't solve, a design for a better, more practical tool was already germinating in his mind.
In 1970, he met his now-wife Chau in the basement of the Portland dorm where he played ping-pong. In 1975, the newlyweds bought a derelict Fiat 600, with which they set off on a journey through Europe and the Middle East, during which they sought the answer to the question: what direction to take in life. It was during this trip that Tim learned the answer to his question. The car in which he and his wife traveled was constantly malfunctioning, with wiring problems and leaky, leaking hoses. In the motels where they stayed overnight, conditions were also not the best. In most of them, the condition of the plumbing left much to be desired. All these faults caused Leatherman frustration, which he finally decided to put on paper. This led to a sketch of a scout knife with pliers, which Tim needed.
For the next three years he worked in his garage building a prototype of the tool. When the results were satisfactory and the inventor obtained a patent, he began trying to sell the tool to various companies. However, he met with rejections. His invention was rejected by a knife company, which considered the multitool too advanced a tool. Tool companies, on the other hand, believed that this type of gadget would not become popular and would not make a profit. Leatherman also tried to cooperate with AT&T and the U.S. military, but even this did not bring the desired result. Tim realized that he had to produce his product himself.
After eight years, the Pocket Survival Tool found its way into the pockets of the first buyers, and by 1993 sales had grown to more than a million units a year. Leatherman's products were so popular that when the Wave multitool hit the market in 1998, it sold millions of units overnight.
While the goal of any company (including Leatherman) is popularity and profit, Tim could not have expected his products to become the most recognized multitools in the world. Leatherman multitools are used not only by survivalist or DIY fans. They also appear in pop culture. They can be found in cinema productions such as A Quiet Place, Speed, Battlestar Galactica or in the hands of Tom Cruise in Oblivion. The Leatherman multitool is also the official name for the gadget in the video game Escape from Tarkov. Tim Leatherman's tool even found its way into space - it was used by NASA astronaut Donald Pettit.
It is worth knowing that the Leatherman Multitool was recognized by The New York Times magazine as the best multitool on the market, ahead of well-known companies such as Gerber and Victorinox.
Check out the video on the history of Leatherman:
Multitool currently
Today's versions of the Leatherman multitool are known for their consistent quality, but the company is constantly striving to develop new and better solutions. The original multitool was known for its butterfly shape, where access to the tools required opening it. In newer models, the tools are directed outward, and in some models, additionally, there are buttons for opening various items.
Interestingly, one of Tim Leatherman's ideas was to put a flashlight in the multitool.
Unusual use of a multitool
Multifunctional multitools are so extensive in terms of the number of tools that they can be used for countless activities. With its help:
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cut the wire,
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you open the canned food,
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you screw in a wide variety of screws,
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you will saw through metal and wood,
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nail it.
The most creative use for the multitool was found by the company's CEO Ben Rivera. Using the scissors available in the tool, he cut the... the umbilical cord after the birth of his child.
And what does the multitool use its inventor for? The use of the world's most popular multitool is unfortunately not spectacular in this case, because Tim Leatherman uses his multitool model.... to open packages from Amazon.
Leatherman multitool at Militaria.pl
If you are looking for your own Leatherman multitool, check out the assortment at Militaria.pl store.
Militaria.pl is the only distributor of Leatherman brand tools from Poland. In our offer you will find original multitools at attractive prices. It is also worth remembering the 25-year warranty on all tools of this brand. In addition, we offer Leatherman multitools with engraving, which is great for example as a gift.
In 2015, Tim Leatherman visited our shop in Warsaw, Krakow and Wroclaw. During the meetings, fans could, among other things, get Tim Leatherman's signature on the tools.
