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Reviews > Knives > Multi-tools > Leatherman Juice S2 > Owner Review by Amanda TikkanenOwner Review: Leatherman Juice S2 Multi-toolDate: October 7, 2006 Name: Amanda Tikkanen Age: 25 Gender: Female Height: 5' 4" (1.6 m) Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg) Email address: uberpest at uberpest dot com Personal website: http://www.uberpest.com City, State, Country: LaGrange, IN USA Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking and hiking for five years throughout Michigan and Indiana, covering several hundred miles, always with a dog by my side. Beau has been happily carrying a pack since 2002. Before Beau I hiked with Lucy, who is now retired. My style of backpacking is moving from overnights to long distance hiking, including multi-day trips. While I don't favor ultralight equipment, I do like to go as light as possible while still being comfortable. Product Information Manufacturer: Leatherman Year of Manufacture: 2005 URL: http://www.leatherman.com MSRP: $44.95 (US) Warranty: 25 years against defects in materials or workmanship. From the manufacturer: "This warranty does not cover abuse, alteration, unauthorized or unreasonable use of your Leatherman tool. This warranty does not cover sheaths, accessories, imprinting or color finishes." Materials: stainless steel with anodized aluminum scales (colored sides) Color: Flame (orange). Another available color for this model is gray. Manufacturer's weight: 4.4 oz (125 g) Manufacturer's dimensions: 3.25" (8.25 cm) closed Weight as used: 4.3 oz (122 g) (weighed on digital postal scale) Dimensions as used: 3.25" (8.25 cm) closed Product Review I purchased this multi-tool in May of 2005 for use as both an everyday pocketknife and as a trail tool. My #1 requirement for a new multi-tool was to have both needle nose pliers and scissors. Most tools have one or the other. This one had what I wanted, plus a few others.  
It's comfortable for me to use—its size is just right for my small hands and the rolled edges don't dig into my palms when I'm using the pliers and wire cutters. The pliers and wire cutters are in the same place on the tool. I've used the pliers to pick up very small things (and, admittedly, to pluck hairs, just to see if I could do it) such as fuses in a car and to bend small wires to fix a friend's dog leash. I've used the wire cutters to cut plastic zip ties, thin wires, plastic package banding, and many other thin stiff bits of things too numerous to name. While all of the tools are very useful, on the trail the tool that has been the most advantageous is the Phillips screwdriver. On the second day of my 5-day hike one of the shoulder straps on my pack popped loose when the bolt holding it in place worked loose. The screwdriver was a trip saver when I used it to put the pack back together in just a few seconds. I haven't had occasion to use the other screwdrivers in situations as urgent, but all are useful. The knife sharpens easily with my ceramic sharpeners at home (I have several different sharpeners thanks to a father who knows that a sharp knife is a safe knife) and keeps an edge for several weeks of regular use. I use the knife several times a day for opening packages, breaking down cardboard boxes, cutting rope and similar tasks. I've used the scissors for cutting paper, bits of yarn, clipping loose strings from various pieces of clothing, and for cutting a patch of hair from Beau's side when it got gummed up with pine tar on a long trip. There is a spring-loaded assist to the scissors, which make it easier to cut things. It's almost as easy as using full sized scissors, thought the cut itself is very tiny. I love having scissors in addition to the knife blade since the knife does not give as precise a cut as the scissors do on small things. I haven't used the can/bottle opener as a can opener since there isn't a sharp edge on it to pierce metal. It does work very well as a bottle opener, and the assist is useful for poking food packaging apart. The tool also doesn't seem strong enough to cut through the end of a steel can since it flexes slightly when I attempt to do this. I do have to open the can opener to get at the scissors. At first I thought this was annoying, but I've gotten used to it now. The lanyard ring is the only tool I can really complain about since it's the only one I can't easily use. The ring regularly folds up into the body of the tool and it's difficult to use since I can't fish it out with my finger. Instead of using the ring as the manufacturer suggests—to attach the tool to a pack or a pair of snow pants—I keep the tool in my pocket. It is neither too big nor too small for a pocketknife. It's small enough to not be bulky, but large enough to easily find when it's needed. I do think it would be advantageous to keep the tool tied off to my pack, as I do with my LED task light.  
The orange sides have definitely been useful. Just last week I was hiking and, at a rest stop, I accidentally dropped the tool. When I looked down the shiny orange sides stood out easily from the green grass and leaves it was hiding in. I'm sure if it was a less obvious color I would have lost the knife (something I am prone to with any tool, but especially this one, as you will soon see). The problem I've had with the colored sides is that small bits of grit have worked their way between the stainless steel skeleton of the tool and the aluminum side. It doesn't affect the functionality of the tool as far as I can see, but when I grasp the tool I can hear a soft grinding sound. I wonder if this will cause wear that could affect the tool in the long run. One unintentional abuse of the Juice S2 was when I lost it last winter while working on our refrigerated toboggan track at work. I looked for it but, despite the bright orange color, I couldn't find it for over a month. It turned up underneath a floor mat in my work truck. I still have no idea how it got there, but it had been exposed to dirt, grime, road salt, being stepped on, and I can only imagine what other adventures. The only noticeable damage resulting from this little escapade was a few spots of rust on the pliers, but those wore off quickly with use. Another accidental abuse was when a friend borrowed it "a minute" to use the knife blade to fish a penny out of the lighter socket of his car. The car's electrical socket arced and put two small pockmarks on the edge of the knife blade. These eventually wore out with use and sharpening. Despite a few nitpicks, I love this tool. It doesn't have a thousand different gadgets, but it does have exactly what I need. It is also exactly the right size for my small hands. I don't think I will be replacing this tool any time soon. Pros:
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