Leatherman has made a small but significant change to their Wave, Charge, and Charge TTi multi-tools. Each now features new pliers jaws, with user-replaceable wire cutter blades. The new versions are named Wave Plus, Charge Plus, and Charge Plus TTi.
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Previously, these pliers had fixed jaws. Mangle the cutting edge by using them on something too hard, and it would scar your pliers for the life of the tool.
Here are the jaws of my Leatherman Wave, reviewed here. I use them occasionally, but only on copper wire and other soft materials. I never used them on things like piano wire, for fear of permanently damaging and deforming them.
This is what the new Leatherman Wave Plus looks like. It has all the same great tools and features, but you now get replaceable wire cutter blade inserts.
Many of Leatherman’s heavy duty tools, such as the OHT (reviewed here), and Rebar (reviewed here) feature these replaceable wire cutter blades as well.
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I can’t say I have had to replace any of my wire cutter blade inserts yet, but I do use the tools on more risky materials, knowing that I can.
Leatherman’s mid-sized multi-tool prices have increased in recent years, but they’re still the best multi-tools I’ve used.
Check out our multi-tool reviews
Buy Now(Wave Plus via Amazon)
Buy Now(Charge Plus via Amazon)
Buy Now(Charge TTi Plus via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Leatherman)
Hilton
They (Amazon) should sell the knives with an optional wire cutting blade replacement kit. After the fact it’s normally a serious hassle to get a set so I’d prefer to buy upfront.
Stuart
Amazon has them here. You can find them at Leatherman.com and other Leatherman tool sources as well.
They were hard to find on Amazon, though.
I get what you’re saying, but that’s a $10 kit that many customers won’t want to buy with the tool.
Things like flashlight O-rings? Sure, they might come in handy, and if not, no big deal. Spare O-rings might add pennies to a flashlight’s price. If inserts like these aren’t needed right away, I’d likely lose them, and that means I’ll have to spend another $10 for the replacement kit when I do need it.
Hilton
If you don’t have Prime shipping and live outside of the main areas (another country like me) then I’d appreciate the option to add in a cutter kit. Just an option though, not mandatory.
Nathan
wow – and my wave is something like 16 years old or so
love that thing – though it mostly lives in the car. I can’t carry it for work or I would I use a skeletool now and wish it had a smooth blade
demure
I wish that sog jumped on board with the replaceable cutters too >_<
Eric
A few years back they would send you a whole new pliers head for $10.
David
A bit off topic, but this brought a related topic to mind.
I’ve always been jealous of the folks who have found someone selling a stash of Leatherman tool parts – building some mix-master tools that have what I specifically want has always looked fun, and videos like Laura Kampf’s chisel Leatherman (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMQDHHnG10A) get me inspired to mess around with the tools I use.
Yadda
Mods can void the warranty, but most modder’s are aware of that. I saw Laura Kampf’s chisel mod. Okay for the purpose, but like most multi tools still doesn’t equally replace a single purpose tool, in this case a chisel.
Eric
Thats why I usually carry a SOG, they fully support modding and will sell you individual tools.
Jonathan
Leatherman’s still got a pretty generous/lenient warranty.
I have had one set of jaws replaced for that reason, and they have repaired/replaced a few other wave parts, you can drop them off in person in thw Portland area and they will mail them back to you.
Even with the warranty If I still carried my Wave daily and used it as often as I did I would have preferred the option for a quick replacement over not having the tool for the complete turn around time.
PB
I wonder if adding this makes for better sharper/ more durable cutting since now the material can be optimized vs the rest of the plier head that needs to be made out of a more forge friendly alloy.
They don’t seem to be advertising this as an added benefit though.
Yadda
Nice to see Leatherman thinking of the long term use of their tools. Their warranty is good, but it does take your tool out of service. This helps keep the tool in hand and in use.
Blythe
Are these carbide inserts? I can’t find the material type
fred
I’m guessing just hard steel – but it has me remembering.
Some years ago we thought that we wanted to replace the carbide tipped jaws on a Starrett end nipper. They were hard to find – and cost over $100 when we did find them. A brand new nipper was something like $200.
https://www.amazon.com/Starrett-PT01931-Adjustable-Jaw-Nipper-Width/dp/B003XU7GK6/
rmkilc
Nice addition, but for me, the Wave line is too small. I love my Surge, which is just a larger Wave and has already had the inserts for a while now. I carry it daily and it makes a great hammer in a pinch.
RodX
I have a surge too, even with a belt it pulls my pants down, so i carry the TTI Plus. Or one of the Waves. The surge has one thing the Wave doesnt, the interchangeable saw/file. When i go off the grid i carry that because the diamond file is removable and i can use it to hone an edge back on the knife. Also “T” shank jig saw blades (by bosch) are fully compatible with the tool exchanger. Think camping, need a bigger saw, pull out the biggest jigsaw blade, slap it in and when done put it back in the pack. Added functionality. I am waiting for the Wave /Charge platform to add the tool exchanger like the surge. That would be cool.
John S
Could you just buy the new jaws parts and retrofit an older model you currently have with these updated ones?
Stuart
Not that I know of.
RodX
Thats a good question. Maybe we all Email Leatherman and ask that, after a few thousand inquiries the assumed “no” may turn into a “yes” by popular demand.
Philip
I think they’ve introduced slightly redesigned belt pouch cases, too.
My local HD is selling the older version of the Wave on discount for $71
glenn
Stupid pricing for a stupid product. I have no need to carry a knife, I have two hands.
Jeremy
Your hands can cut wire, turn fasteners, open cans and carve wood? That’s impressive, you should sell sets of the them to people!
RodX
Or is it a stupid comment by a stupid person? I will let the readers decide. Now turn off your computer, your mom is telling you its time for bed junior.
Davida1
Isn’t the little notch at the very bottom of the cutter (on the regular wave), meant for harder materials
Michael
yes, but that area isn’t any harder. it just has a wider angle to resist chipping and deformation.
Doc John
For a while Uncle Sam was issuing slide outblack Gerbers- they had replaceable wire cutter blades- simple with three edges per blade. A very nice,and American-made multi tool.
Cameron
This is a good change, I only got my Wave recently and it lives in the car so I guess I will not be upgrading any time soon. My Victorinox SwissTool gets carried around more as an EDC, but even that does not see a lot of use.
RodX
Cameron, both are fine tools, but i find the Swiss tool (spirit X plus kit, man i like the baby ratchet and the refined carry all sheath) more difficult to use, i dont have much by way of fingernails for getting the tools out. On my wave or charge i just slide off the pocket clip to open tools.
Cameron
Definitely good points. The Leatherman does lend itself to easy access to the blades. I do prefer the grip and external tool access on the SpiritX, hence it has remained my EDC