Leatherman has announced their latest Garage series knife, the Harvest, a fixed blade knife geared towards outdoors use.
The Garage Batch #006 Harvest knife features a 4.25″ blade that’s made from premium S35VN steel, and G-10 handle.
This is Leatherman’s 6th Garage Series special edition tool, and like the others that came before it, the Harvest will only be available in limited quantities.
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Leatherman’s Garage series is an experimental product platform, with limited edition tools that feature new materials or design innovations.
Leatherman says that the Harvest started as a passion project for their product team before “developing into a deeper representation of the meaning behind harvest: honor, responsibility, and tradition.”
It’s designed for a range of uses: from gathering crops, trimming and pruning, to cleaning game, or general maintenance around the farm.
The Leatherman Harvest seems suited for outdoors enthusiasts, camping, and other such user needs.
Leatherman says that it pokes, pries, and cuts. They don’t specify the blade thickness. While it looks robust in the product images, I wouldn’t treat it like a pry bar.
The Harvest comes with a brown leather sheath.
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- 4.25″ blade length
- 9.1″ overall length
- Weighs 5.75 oz
- S35VN blade steel alloy
- G-10 handles
Price and Availability
Price: $250
Note: The Harvest will appear at the Leatherman Garage page after it launches.
Leatherman Garage Details
Name: Harvest
Garage Series 006
Launch Date and Time: 9/19/2023 at 9am PST
Announced Quantity: Unknown
Sold Out between 9:15 and 9:20am PST
Discussion
This looks to be an interesting new direction for Leatherman. Garage series tools are one-time-only products, but they’re experimental platforms for the brand. Meaning, this could precede other Leatherman fixed blade knives.
Leatherman multi-tools are widely used for outdoors tasks. It makes sense that the brand would experiment with a sturdy-looking fixed blade knife, even though it might seem out of characteristic with the brand’s many multi-functional tools and knives.
A knife can certainly be multi-functional.
Hon Cho
The knife business is just crazy. I can understand high prices for handmade knives of exotic materials if that’s what one wants, but the many “limited” releases of rather pedestrian designs and materials at pretty high prices just turns me off. Don’t get me wrong, I like Leatherman products and have been buying them for years; I’m just not going to buy stuff sold like this.
MM
I agree, high prices may be justified for premium materials or special designs but a lot of the market seems to be focused on generating hype about limited editions which seem to sell out to scalpers long before the average customer could have a shot at getting one without having to pay inflated Ebay prices. I’m sure that this will sell out in a matter of minutes just like the previous Leatherman Garage releases. It’s really more of a means of advertising than it is a product.
As to the knife itself, it seems pretty nice. It’s interesting to see a fixed blade from Leatherman. But I’m curious what’s supposed to be new or different about it, it seems a relatively generic pattern, and it’s hardly the only fixed blade outdoor knife with nice steel and G10 scales. It might be a new direction for Leatherman but it’s nothing new to the market in general.
eddie sky
Same here. $20-$40 for a knife is reasonable. $100+ for a 4″ knife that you might lose or not use often… crazy.
And I never get to the Garage series releases in time either. Like some insider fan club or something.. SOLD OUT.
Now, if Leather made pruners that could compare to Japanese brand like Tobisho, Okatsune, or ARS…
Eric
$100+ is find for something that you’ll EDC. The problem in my eyes is that a knife is a tool. There has been a big push to turn them into collectables. And very few of them will every actually be carried or used. Which is such a waste.
Stuart
There’s nothing wrong with that either.
Some people collect knives, others bench vises, and many knives, flashlights, and other EDC gear.
In the past 10 years or so, there have been great advances in folding knife tech, and it’s largely because of the enthusiast market.
Franco Calcagni
Also, agreed.
For the same money, there are a lot of choice; most better or the same for less.
Also, the “limited series” game seems to becoming very popular. As soon as you make something limited, with “X” number available, the MFR can charge more and almost always insures quick sales.
Only when we stop biting on the higher prices, for as Hon Cho said pedestrian knives, will this fad go away. With COVID and the subsequent crazy inflation we have had in the past 5-6 years, I am surprised there is enough of this limited series BS going on.
Regardless of the limited series, I do not have much need or care for non folders. And also the price for this is more than I care to spend. I have spent this much in the past, and probably will again, but for something worthy of the price.
This is not.
Eric
And the really crappy part is you’ll never know how many they actually made. Ferrari made a lot more Enzo’s than they claimed. And those are relatively easy to keep track of. Tracking something like a limited edition knife to stuffed toy would be nearly impossible for someone outside of the factory.
Sean Pero
Agreed!
Chuck
S35GN is a “premium steel”. Very expensive to produce, and difficult to machine.
BMak
It’s a nice looking run of the mill fixed blade knife. Probably could pick up a comparable model for half that price, if not less.
Jared
I have a similar, but slightly different take. This looks like a NICE knife, but it is a bit expensive for the size and materials.
I would probably pick the ESEE-4 at $150 before this Leatherman – or if I wanted to spend $250, maybe the Bradford Knives Guardian which is about the same size, also has a leather sheath but is made with Magnacut steel (which is basically the top-tier do-it-all steel right now).
There’s nothing obviously revolutionary about the Leatherman knife. It’s a largish saber-height flat ground drop-point s35vn blade with g10 scales. I probably wouldn’t pick that blade geometry myself – I generally prefer full-flat grinds.
Jared
I was just thinking, this is probably the least-tempting “Garage” offering so far.
Not that there’s anything wrong with it, it seems like a nice-enough knife, but the Garage series has mostly brought us something unique or unusual that doesn’t have a direct parallel from Leatherman or any other manufacturer. In my mind though, there are MANY competitive options for this knife.
For that matter, it’s not a particularly good value for the materials and the design seems pretty ho-hum.
I was looking at the photos on the Leatherman site and there is at least some evidence of more premium manufacturing steps. E.g. the G10 scales have a gentle palm swell and it looks like the forward section of the handle is slightly scalloped to accommodate a pinch-grip. Contouring like that is more expensive to do than just g10 slabs with rounded-edges. I also noticed the spine is crowned and has some decorative jimping.
Franco Calcagni
Jared, you are definitely an afficonado. The way you describe the various points about how it is made, the blade grind, and what you would choose instead, naming alternatives I am sure the majority have never heard of.
Good for you, having a passion for knives or any hobby is great.
But in the end, you said what many of us stated; nice knife but you can get the same for much less, or much better for this price.
Jared
Ha! That’s fair. I did kind of end up in the same place.
I suppose what I had in mind though is that sometimes people react to the sticker price without understanding the premium knife market. That isn’t to say a $250 knife might be totally unreasonable for someone regardless of the materials, design and manufacturing steps. It’s just that I didn’t want to dismiss this Leatherman without considering why it might command a premium.
E.g. someone used to buying a 6-pack of screwdrivers for $10 might consider PB Swiss prices to be insane… but you ARE getting something for the extra money. It’s still subjective of course whether the marginal improvements (e.g. they both turn screws) are worth multiplying the price many times higher.
Franco Calcagni
I wasn’t trying to make fun of you, rather that you are someone who knows his knives, and pointing out the various features or nuances that can easily drive up the price.
Yet, in the end, even yourself, knowing and understanding the knife world quite well and all this knife has to offer, find that it is overpriced.
Stuart
In my opinion, also after looking over the various nuances of the design, is that it’s priced slightly higher than comparable USA-made knives.
Garage series tools look to require new techniques and tooling. That and the limited quantities could add to the premium.
I wasn’t interested in buying one – there are countless ways I’d spend the same money – but it’s still an interesting exploration into new territory for the brand.
Cr8on
This is a bad move by Leatherman, $250 for a knife that Buck has ten different ones in the same steel, with probably a better heat treat, for $100 to $200, USA made. I have a China made Kizer titanium frame lock with S35vn, I bought new for $90 .
Stuart
They sold out in less than 20 minutes…
Franco Calcagni
“They sold out in less than 20 minutes…”…and there in lies the problem.
You often announce these special or limited buys from Leatherman, and then so many of the comments are of people that went on the website, only to find it sold out.
(many other brands play the same game…and if it works, I can’t blame them)
We are so often our own worst enemy.
frobo
Given the high price of this thing, I would bet that most of them never actually get used for anything.
Robert
I advocate for words meaning something and truth in advertising, and charity by bankers. Why call it “Garage?” To imply because it’s “limited edition” it’s still made in the garage of the founder of Leatherman? I doubt that’s still the case.
Brian
From the Garage page: “Over 35 years ago, Tim Leatherman designed and fabricated the first multi-tool in a garage. Today, The Leatherman Garage takes that same spirit of grit, perseverance, and engineering to test out new ideas, tinker with the old ones (like the original PST design), and discover what works and what doesn’t. Everything that comes out of The Garage will be released in limited edition runs (less than 1000), and once they’re all sold out, they’re gone forever. Some will succeed. Some will fail. But all of them will be completely original. Which is the Leatherman way.”
Stuart
“Truth in advertising?” “Charity by bankers?”
The limited edition part isn’t implied. It’s a limited edition because there are very limited supplies. “Once they’re all sold out, they’re gone forever.”
Milwaukee M18 Fuel series tools don’t have gasoline tanks. I’ve never been served by a Wendy at Wendy’s.
You can dislike product family/series branding, but I see nothing to support “truth in advertising” complaint. Leatherman has made it very clear that their Garage series tools are similar to “sprint runs” and “one time tools.”
Franco Calcagni
“one time tools.”…yes, this sums it up quite nicely. Taken right out of the Woodpeckers handbook, or should I say “cookbook”, recipe for charging more.
Mike (that one)
That is a crazy price for a basic fixed blade. S35v is no longer considered premium steel. You can pick up a similar ESEE for around $100. Leatherman has been sniffing their own farts on this one.
Franco Calcagni
They must like what they smell!
Jared
Just FYI Stuart, the article repeats itself half-way through – just after the sentence “The Harvest comes with a brown leather sheath.”
I refreshed my screen to see if it just loaded funny for me, but the repeated section remains.
Stuart
Thanks! *fixed*
I wanted to give interested readers a heard start, even if it was only an hour, so I started with what was in Leatherman’s public email, and added more details once the sales window opened. Something must have went wrong with the update. I appreciate the heads-up!
Yadda
I am always hoping for innovation that may eventually make it into production at a lower price when I seen each Garage release. This seems to be the least innovative Garage release so far. It does address within the brand the lack of a fixed blade that many people seem to want/need. I wish them luck. I’m sure it will sell out, but I won’t be buying.
Genes1s
What is innovation to you?
Ed
You can get as35 Esse 4 for like 150$ and that’s a lifetime no question asked no reciet warrenty. Also it’s available not some overpriced limited edition that doesn’t offer anything better except the high price
OldDominionDIYer
I understand a company needs to make money but this knife is priced way way to high! They could make a profit selling it for $65 but $250??? Ridiculous. I own a few Leatherman knives and they’re very good but this one is way out of line! Plus the G10 handle looks way to thin for my liking.
Oleg K
I have a set of kitchen knives made out of properly heat treated S35VN, great steel for cutting tools… Survived salts, acids, doesn’t require re-sharpening for weeks at a time, sometimes months.
I don’t like the fact that Leatherman makes these tools in such small batches, it’s as if they were showing their user base “this is what we can actually do! Behold: a proper knife, of proper size, made using proper steel and a fill tang!” and then “unfortunately, because it’s already sold out, since we’ve only made 25 of them, you’ll have to settle for a Chinese-made 420HC, the blade is glued to the handle using the finest grocery-sourced cyaniacrylate and has a 45 minute warranty, with a $50 turnaround surcharge”.
Leatherman should stop messing around with their dozens of multitool of similar look, function and material and start selling high quality tools, made with high-end steels, titanium, etc.
Sean Pero
You make a great point
JoeM
*Sigh* I’m just going to say it… The people who have taken over Leatherman consist of people who Hate Leatherman. The recent years’ price increases to unreasonable amounts, the total nonsense half-tools, the horrible naming conventions… And now a fixed-bladed knife that goes against absolutely everything Leatherman stands for? Oh, and let’s not forget it is a “Garage” series, so it’s a panic-buy gimmick tool…
If it was a high-end version of the Crater series folding/blade launching knives they made decades ago, then I would understand how this relates to the Leatherman brand. But… This is absolutely nothing like a fancy, aesthetically upgraded, Crater series… It’s a plain, boring knife. It has no added features, it doesn’t fit into the specifications for a Leatherman tool. I have no idea where, or why, Leatherman is doing what it’s doing.
(To be deleted: Stuart, have you seen the overpriced Leatherman Utility Pouches they have now? Something worth $30 that they are selling for $100, and no version in the new pouch lineup that goes below $80… Except for the Tool Oil and Silicone Work Pad that they include in the “Maintenance Model”, I could use standard MOLLE pouches to duplicate their utility, for significantly less than the MSRP!)
Stuart
Leatherman has attempted to control pricing over the years.
Price increases are better than diminished quality.
Yes – I’ve seen the pouch and will be reporting on it soon, but your pricing looks way off base.
Nimrod
I have a old Western knife that was made in Boulder, CO. Probably made in the 50s. This knife holds an edge like no other that I have owned. I don’t understand with today’s technology that knife companies can’t make the comparable quality knives that we want. I have had other brands of popular knife makers. Just not the same long edge holding knives of old. Before I stumbled onto my old Western I always used a old Marbles brand knife.
Bushman
Well, here it goes.
It looks like one of the passenger cars, when you can’t tell from a distance whether it’s Toyota, Hyundai, Daewoo, or Ford. Even though they could totally come up with something with a recognizable Leatherman style (blade profile, handle texturing, etc.)
The blade is from Helle (or any typical Swedish knife), with a slightly wider bevel grind.
The handle spine profile is from the old Benchmade 15008/15009, except for it’s sharp and will rip the skin off your palm if you do any heavy cutting.
Tip-to-choil crowning is done by many small manufacturers but I bet it’s “inspired” by TRC because it’s a hip thing on Instagram.
Handle shape and color reminds of the commercial kitchen knives meant for restaurants that go for $25 (Tramontina, Dexter, etc.) even being made of a fancier material than polypropylene.
Inscription on the sheath… 12 y.o. playing with WordArt from the Office ’97? Text like that must be straight vertical. And the font must be a monospace type to avoid ugly situations like the narrow R above the wide M. That’s a classic lettering design rule, shame on those who did it and who allowed them to.
Someone might call me a “hater” for no reason, but if you can’t refute the claims I made above – it’s not me being a hater but someone being a shill/fanboy.