Leatherman 830850 Skeletool CX Multitool

Product: Leatherman 830850 Skeletool CX
Manufacturer: Leatherman
MSRP: $96 [BizRate]
Lowest Historical Price: $64 [History]

Introduction
Leatherman has a long history of producing high quality multi-tools. Their Skeletool & Skeletool CX, introduced in late 2007, marks a distinct departure from the smooth designs that they've had since the early 80's with their PST. The Skeletool CX is a minimalist's multi-tool, with a knife, pliers, screwdriver, and most importantly, a bottle opener.



First Impressions
I've owned and used a Leatherman Wave for the better part of a decade (in fact, it was one of the first Ben's Bargains back in 2000), and it has always been a reliable multi-tool for many a situation. When I first saw the Skeletool CX, I knew that I had to try it out. It looks completely different than regular Leathermans (men?) with its Tungsten DLC Coating and generous use of speed holes throughout. When you try it out though, it has a distinctly Leatherman feel. It's solid.

In fact, it is so solid that at first I couldn't get it opened, so much higher was the opening force requirement than my own expectation. Once I recalibrated myself into a Leather-Man mindset, all deployments of the capabilities became routine. The Skeletool CX is light, weighing in at 142g, compared to the Wave at a relatively bulky 241g.

Pliers
The pliers are of a rather thin profile, suitable for all but the most hardcore plying and wrenching jobs. The fine serrated tip comes together precisely enough that you can use them as tweezers to remove splinters. The regular pliers section will make quick work of bolts up to 1/2" and maybe even 3/4", while the wire cutters work very well for chopping up stranded or solid core conductors. The hinge has nary a hint of any play, and the handle is surprisingly comfortable, but not as comfortable as the rolled edge of the Wave.



Blade
The main blade is made of 154CM steel, which is a high end grade of steel known for its high hardness as well as toughness. That gives the Skeletool CX blade exceptional edge holding ability without the propensity to roll or chip that is characteristic of lesser grade steels. The translation of all this is that the Skeletool CX blade will provide a long service life between sharpenings. It is possible to open the blade one-handed, however it ultimately proved easier (and safer) to use both hands while opening the blade.

Screwdriver
Gone are the days of flip-out bits a-la Victorinox knives. Instead, the Skeletool CX adopts Leatherman's proprietary fixed-chuck system. It comes with double sided Philips and Flat bits for a total of 4 possible driving options. One of the bits is stored inside the handle and held in place by friction. These bits are useful for the occasional fix when a real screwdriver isn't available. That makes buying the bit expansion kit (about $15) pretty useless, as you can easily pick up a real screwdriver & bit set for that price.



Bottle Opener, Carabineer, Clip
With the Skeletool CX clipped on, you'll always have easy access to a perfectly functional bottle opener. It works much better than the Swiss-Army style blade openers, although you need to be careful lest you pinch your index finger in between the Leatherman and the bottle cap. When you're done opening bottles for all your buds and ladies, simply clip it to your belt loop or slip it in your pocket with the pocket clip.

Conclusion
The Leatherman Skeletool CX is a minimalist's multi-tool that gives you much of the functionality of the full-featured Leatherman offerings, at less than 60% of the weight. The build quality is top notch, and it appears to be a tool that will give you years of trouble-free service.

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