Leatherman Fuse - More Accomplished Compared With The Less Costly Leatherman Kick But Slimmer And Even Lighter Than The Leatherman Blast

 

All 3 multi tools bear a clear likeness to one another, and all make use of the same improved stronger elliptical plier head. (Just like the Leatherman Charge and Leatherman Wave).

The pliers on the Leatherman Fuse are the exact same thickness as my previous Leatherman PST, despite this the pivot area is the far wider and tougher. When using the Fuse on various odd jobs at home, I am not convinced that this extra width started to get in the way. With a larger wire cutter area too, I am sure the completely new plier head design is a vast improvement.

If you are more used to the older Leatherman tools, the first thing that jumps out at you about the Leatherman Fuse is its handles. Plastic grips with rounded edges have been molded in down the edges, making the pliers much more easy to grip than the first used plain steel sides. A series of finger grooves has been added as well, which will prevent the tool from sliding in wet and slippery hands.

Within one handle, the Leatherman Fuse features a set of scissors, a Phillips screwdriver, and a cap lifter/can opener/wire stripper combo blade. The scissors do the job, but they are a backward step if I am honest. For whatever reason, Leatherman has made them smaller than the old Wave scissors, with a noticeably shorter cutting stroke. I preferred the previous ones better.

A big improvement though, is the Phillips screwdriver. In a different way to those on less expensive imported multi tools, it has a really well thought out appearance to it. It's also most definitely long enough to target recessed screws situated in the battery storage area on my boy's latest toys.

The opposite handle has a clip point knife blade plus two flat head screwdrivers, also a nice length.

Talking of long tools, this knife should be named the Crocodile Dundee of pocket tool blades, with a great deal more reach than that of early multi tools in its sector. Now that's a knife!

But compared to its less expensive cousin the Kick, the one extra tool the Fuse has is its scissors. Which kinda sucks. Why didn't Leatherman leave the silly lanyard ring off the Fuse, and substituted a high quality diamond file. I regularly us a file, and if I had the choice, would not carry a multi tool without one.

Another valid point about the Fuse blades; they have safety locks. Using the same rocker switch lock that Leatherman USA initially employed on the Crunch, every tool snaps securely into position with an audible click. Ok, I know, I used an original PST without locking blades for over a decade. But it's like power steering on lorries; as soon as it's an option, it makes no sense to do without. Locking blades are a necessary thing in my view..