Name: Ryan L. Christensen
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Height: 6’ 2” (1.88m)
Weight: 225 lb (102 kg)
Shoulder Girth: 56” (142 cm)
Hip Girth: 44” (112 cm)
Feet Girth: 33” (84 cm)
Email address: bigdawgryan@yahoo.com
City, State, Country: Idaho Falls, ID, U.S.A.

Backpacking Background:
I began hiking, camping, backpacking at twelve, continuing until 25. After a hiatus due in part to a bad back, I resumed hiking, camping, and biking three years ago. Now, I have teen-age sons with whom I share my love for these sports. The past three years, we have hiked, or camped, nearly every month, in desert, forest, meadow, and mountain; in spring, summer, fall, and winter; in sunshine, rain, wind, and snow. We began backpacking together the summer of 2005. I am not an ultra-lighter; but am looking to upgrade the quality and reduce the weight of my gear.

e307x -- Product Information:

The information in the table below comes primarily from the Leatherman website.

Manufacturer	Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
Manufacturer website	http://www.leatherman.com/
Year of Manufacture	2005
Blade opening	One-hand Blade Launcher™, thumb stud
Blade material	154 CM
Lock mechanism	Locking liner
Blade grind	CNC flat
Blade style	Combination straight and serrated
Blade shape	Drop point
Blade finish	Polished and ground
Handle material	Machined aluminum with glass-filled nylon inserts, stainless steel bolsters
Included Bits	Phillips #1 & #2 Screwdriver 3/16” (.476 cm) & ¼” (.635 cm) Screwdriver 1/8” (.318 cm) & Torx #15
Warranty	25 year limited warranty on materials and workmanship. At its option, Leatherman will repair or replace the item. If Leatherman discontinues the item, Leatherman will replace it with an item of equal or greater value.
MSRP	$100 - $110 US (w/7-piece Bit Kit)

In the table below, the manufacture's specifications come from the Leatherman website. The tester measurements are actual measurements taken by me, the tester of this knife.

Dimension	Manufacturer’s Specifications	Tester’s Measurements
Closed Length	3.875” (9.8 cm)	3.875” (9.8 cm)
Open Length	6.7” (17 cm)	6.56" (16.66 cm)
Blade Length	2.8” (7.1 cm)	2.8" (7.1 cm)
Width	none given	spine of knife to spine of closed blade 1.09" (2.8 cm) grip to grip 1" (2.5 cm)
Weight	4.2 oz (118 g)	knife (only) - 3.4 oz (96.4 g) sheath (only) - .5 oz (14.2 g) bit kit - 1.2 oz (34 g)

Leatherman e307x Folding Knife Diagram (from Leatherman website)

http://www.leatherman.com/images/products/knives/e306x-e307x-diagram.jpg

e307x -- Product Description:

The e307x is a locking-liner folding knife with a combination serrated/straight edge blade made from 154 CM. This knife offers two means of deploying the blade. The first, is Leatherman's patent-pending Blade Launcher™. The second, is a thumb stud. The handle is machined aluminum with glass-reinforced nylon grips. This folding knife has a few other unique features. In addition to the drop point blade, the e307x includes a bit driver. One can carry three double-ended bits onboard the knife at any given time, with one in the bit driver and two in the Bit Holder, which is integrated into one of the glass-reinforced nylon grips. The other unique feature of this knife is the combination Carabiner/Bottle Opener. Both of these unique features remain hidden in the knife until needed.

Because I knew nothing about the particular metal in this blade, I queried the internet. I learned that 154 CM is a high-carbon, high-alloy, stainless steel. This premium alloy has all of the strength, polish, and corrosion resistance properties of regular stainless steel. However, in addition, it has better edge retention characteristics.

Again, due to my limited knowledge, I queried the internet to learn more about the blade grind of the e307x. I learned that for production knives, the edge is ground in the factory by automated machinery (CNC machines). The flat grind, used on the e307x, is an exact wedge. There are some advantages to this particular grind. They are: 1. easy to grind using minimal equipment, 2. offers a thin cutting edge, and 3. provides plenty of support for cutting. However, the main disadvantage of the flat grind is that after several sharpenings, the cross-sectional area becomes thick, necessitating regrinding or relieving of the cutting edge. The regrinding to make the blade thinner requires a machine.

e307x -- Initial Impression:
The Leatherman e307x arrived via UPS ground delivery in a 10.5" x 14.5" x 7.5" (26.7 cm x 36.8 cm x 19.1 cm) brown cardboard box. The box size seemed to be overkill. However, I soon learned the reason for the over-sized box. In the bottom was an 8.5" x 11" (21.6 cm x 27.9 cm) document folder containing company and product marketing information as well as a business card from a Leatherman Corporate Communications Specialist. Leatherman obviously did not want this literature bent. Besides the folder, the shipping box contained one 2.9" x 5.6" x 2.3" (7.4 cm x 14.2 cm x 5.8 cm) yellow and black box with the Leatherman name and logo on it. On one end of the yellow and black box was a product label, which identified the contents to be an e307x, locking liner serrated knife w/bit kit and a black nylon sheath.

The yellow and black box contained a grey and black nylon sheath, a Bit Kit, and the User's Guide for Leatherman lockback and locking liner knives. The knife itself was inside the sheath.

The sheath has the Leatherman name and logo in yellow stitching. The back of the sheath has nylon webbing loops to facilitate attaching it to a belt, a pack, etc. The sheath has a fold-over cover with a hook and loop closure to keep the knife securely in the sheath. Inside the sheath, along the back, there is a compartment in which to store/carry the Bit Kit.

The supplied Bit Kit is a 3.6" x 1.4" x .25" (9.1 cm x 3.6 x 0.6 cm) flat plastic card with seven double-ended bits, and space to hold three additional bits--the three bits included in the knife. One bit was in the Bit Driver, while the other two were in the Bit Holder. The Bit Holder is integrated into one of the glass-reinforced nylon inserts in the handle. The Leatherman name and logo, in yellow, are on the Bit Kit.

The User's Guide contains information in four languages: English, German, French, and Spanish. It contains information on safety considerations, features, operations, sharpening, maintenance, accessories, and warranty. It also lists contact information for Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.

The e307x is a sharp-looking knife (pun only slightly intended). The modern-look of the polished aluminum and steel with the black glass-reinforced nylon handle inserts is impressive. When I showed the knife to my teenage sons, in their words, it was "awesome." One nylon handle insert has two slots in which two, double-end bits will fit; this is the Bit Holder. On the spine of the knife, opposite the hinged end, is a metal tab which when lifted up, deploys the Carabiner/Bottle Opener. To the left of the blade, at the hinged end, is another metal tab. Lifting this tab deploys the Bit Driver. On the right side of the blade, and the hinged end, is a thumb stud for opening the blade. In addition, on the spine of the knife, near the hinge, is semi-hidden, knurled lever handle. This is the Blade Launcher™. Pulling this lever puts the blade into play. The blade itself is a 2.8" (7.1 cm) combination straight/serrated edge made from polished 154CM.

The e307x felt great in my hand, and I was excited to have the opportunity to test this particular knife.

e307x -- Initial Testing:
After opening the box, I could not contain myself. As usual, before reading the instructions, I began trying the various features. In doing so, I became a bit frustrated. Deploying the Bit Driver and the Carabiner/Bottle Opener was simple. However, disengaging and returning them to their stowed position was not so intuitive. Nevertheless, it did not take me long to figure out how to stow them.

Once over that frustration, I began testing the Blade Launcher™. I tried deploying the blade using the Blade Launcher™ more than fifty times. In all one-handed attempts, I was unable to deploy the blade fully. However, when I held the knife in my left hand, and pulled hard on the Blade Launcher™ with the index finger of my right hand, I was able to deploy the blade completely a few times. Maybe this will improve with multiple uses.

I also used the Bit Driver to replace the driver's-side visor clip in my wife’s mini-van. I used the included Torx #15 bit in the Bit Driver to remove the screw from the broken visor clip, and insert the screw into the new visor clip. This was an easy and smooth operation. The e307x has enough girth to provide adequate grip and comfortably use the Bit Driver.

First impressions, I believe the e307x is a nice folding knife and a great addition to one's gear.

e307x -- Test Plan:
My plan includes testing this knife near my home in Idaho Falls, Idaho, which is located at 43°29'30" North, 112°1'57" West (43.491775, -112.032509). The elevation is 4,700 ft (1,433 m). In addition to using the knife in everyday situations, I am currently considering using it on outings to the Kelly Canyon Nordic Area and other areas close by. The average winter temperatures for southeastern Idaho are in the low teens to 0 F (-10 to -18 C). However, the temperature can drop to 30 below 0 F (-34 C) or more, which we experienced in late 2005. The average annual snowfall in the region is 150” – 200” (381 cm – 508 cm).

The Kelly Canyon Nordic Area is located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Idaho Falls, in the Targhee National Forest, near the South Fork of the Snake River. It starts at an elevation of approximately 5,900 ft (1,798 m) and reaches elevations as high as 6,700 ft (2,042 m).

Other winter outings in southeastern Idaho with my teen-age sons and their scout troop will provide additional opportunities to test the Leatherman e307x knife.

I propose six objectives to my testing plan for the e307x.

First objective - test the Blade Launcher™

Can one truly deploy the blade with a simple flick of the finger as Leatherman claims? Will this improve over time?
Does the Blade Launcher™ action remain smooth and easy to operate over time?
How easy is it to deploy the blade with a gloved or mittened hand?
Do the finger tabs truly disappear into the handle upon deployment as Leatherman claims?

Second objective - test the Bit Driver

How easy is it to deploy the Bit Driver?
Can one deploy the bit driver with either the right or left hand?
How easy is it to change out driver bits?
Can one change out driver bits with gloved or mittened hands?
How easy is it to drive screws with the e307x?

Third objective - test the Carabiner/Bottle Opener

How easy is it to deploy the Carabiner/Bottle Opener?
Do I find much utility in the Carabiner?
Does the Carabiner keep the e307x securely attached to my pack?

Fourth objective - test the Blade

Is the 2.8” (7.1 cm) blade sufficiently long for most of the tasks for which I would need a knife?
How well does the polished and ground 154 CM blade keep its edge?
How easy is it to sharpen?
Does the blade discolor, or rust, with extended use, and exposure to water?

Fifth objective - test the Handle

What sort of grip do the glass-reinforced handle inserts provide?
How well the glass-reinforced handles do inserts hold up with extended use?
Do they resist cracking or chipping when dropped?

Sixth objective - overall impression

How comfortable is it to carry in my pants pocket?
How comfortable is it in my hand?
After using the e307x, would I be interested, or find utility, in purchasing the Bit Kit with its 21 double-ended bits?

I will address the items listed above as well as any other pertinent issues, which may arise during the test period.

Thanks to Leatherman and BGT for the opportunity to test the Leatherman e307x folding knife.

Read more reviews of Leatherman gear
Read more gear reviews by Ryan Lane Christensen

Initial Report

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