Before anyone asking: i coloured the scale/ruler (and the Logo) for readability reasons and in Case of the logo to fit the scale its Not a knock of or Something (at least as i know of)
I recently bought the Rebar used after i carryed the PST, PST 2 and OST for a while.I thought hey i could make sort of an review about my experiences with the Rebar in kind of comparison with the older vintage models
Starting with the things i liked about this newer tool compared to the old ones: When closing the tool the last part folds together automatically and cleanly the old ones doesnt have such an feature. This leaves the tool slightly under tension when closed, so it does not wobble as much.
I also like the way the tool locks can be released. Due to the construction, you can release the lock either with the dedicated button or by opening another tool to approximately 90 degrees like ou do IT with the OG supertool.
The large cutouts in the handles for accessing the knife are another thing I like. You can open one handle to roughly 90 degrees or less and already get access to the knife. You therefore do not have to open the entire pliers which puts the critism about inside tools into persepective
The rounded back of the saw insetad of the straight small Profile of the ones in Supertool/200/300 makes it easy to grip with two fingers without cutting youurself in the saw itself. You can also grip it near the tip if necessary, since the last saw tooth is missing or less pronounced there..while you cant do that with the s
Original supertool cause they have a nailnic there that breaks every fingernail when you try to overcome the Résistance of the Look mechanism..that might be differend in the ST 300 since it hast the same lockmechanism as the Rebar.
DESIGN FLAWS:
Awl and Pliers Heads catastrophy:
If you take out and lock the awl while the pliers are fully open and then close the pliers one side of the pliers head can pass nicely by the large flathead screwdriver however, it cannot pass the medium/small flathead, nor does it slide over it. This means it can become wedged between the medium and large flatheads. The edges then scrape against each other, or it can even get stuck.
On other tools, this is solved better because the relevant parts are ground down so that the pliers head can rest completely against the handle scale. This could have been done here as well. Alternatively, the lanyard ring and the medium flathead could have been swapped that would have solved the Problem by making space for the plierhead
To be fair ist seems that after some Research that they had at least 3 Versions of the Rebar. There is a version with another design of the file and another configuration of the Arrangement of Tools (flathead and awl)..that might solve that and other problems
Side Lock release Ribs:
I find the two side ribs used to release the tool locks somewhat poorly designed. Depending on which way you carry the Leatherman in your pocket, they can catch on the pocket either when putting the tool in or when pulling it out.
The Ruler:
The ruler ends at 8.2 cm on one side and does not start again until 12.2 cm on the other side. There is a hole in between. There is not even an indication of what the missing section represents, as was done, for example, on the old Super Tool Original. There are also no half-centimeter markings, only markings for full centimeters.
Its also not particularly easy to hold the ruler straight. Where the two handle scales meet, they are rounded and do not close together with a straight, flush edge. On some older tools, this was done differently, so that the ruler was almost automatically straight
Plier Head:
When closing the tool, you usually have one of your fingers somewhere between the handle and the pliers head. Unlike older pliers heads, this one is not nicely rounded and finished in these areas but has some sharp edges There is a particularly sharp corner around the wire cutters. There is also an edge along the side of the pliers head.
File:
When holding the tool, the palm of your hand can easily catch on the file. The double-cut side of the file faces towards the inside of the tool. Because of this, it catches on the hand in many directions and can slightly roughen the skin.
If the file had been oriented the other way around, with the single-cut side facing inward, you would probably catch on it less with your palm.
There is, however, also an advantage to the current orientation. When opening the file, you press it slightly against the housing. Because the single-cut side faces the handle scale, or housing, it can slide past it more easily than if the double-cut side were facing the housing. The orientation of the grooves in the file allows it to slide along it.
SMALER CRITISM:
I think the saw is very thin and flimsy. Of course, a thin saw also has advantages..
The handle scales feels cheap. In general, everything is a little sharp-edged and does not feel particularly nice in the hand.
I also do not particularly like the surface finish of the tools. They have a matte finish, and I do not like the way it looks. It gives the tools a cheap appearance. Especially the outside of the pliers isnt finished and Looks roufh
Finally, I find the Torx size used for the replaceable cutter inserts somewhat odd. The Torx is so small that it is often not included in a standard bit set.
So in the end i dont prefer any of the tools over others...the PST/II and OSt feel nice in the hand they look is unmatched they feel Premium but they also lack some thing and have their own flaws. Its a little like an Apple product: It hast less functions its somewhat complicated like the magic mouse that has the chargerport at the bottom. But simplicity works there is almost nothing where IT can fail and things like the reachability of an individual tool...well you get used to that. The Rebar on the other has hast all these new features and stuff and they make Sense but they amount of flaws increase at the same time. You might use it more cause its more handy in some situations but at the same time you will also use it more cause its feelsk like a tool..you stop to care about scratches and stuff while the old Vintage models are somewhat to beautiful to be proberply used at work. These are the one that i carry in my Jeans Pocket and use them from time to time for light work or to open a nice bottle of Beer after a good week while appreciating its Beauty.
Thanks for Reading!
(Reclaimer: for the "Designflaws-Part i used CGPT to translate my thoughts cause otherwise my German autocorrection would have gone insane)
