Stan Fagerstrom
09-12-2002, 06:31 AM
The Leatherman Tool
An Oregon-Made Problem Solver
By Stan Fagerstrom
One of the handiest tools that a fisherman ever hung on his belt, poked in a pocket or stuck in his tackle box is produced right here in the state of Oregon. I'm talking about a Leatherman. You don't have to tell anyone who has used one much just how handy it is.
Mine goes fishing every time I do. For that matter, it's on my belt every time I pull on a pair of work jeans. I don't how many steps that tool has saved me one way or another. Be assured it has been a bunch.
http://www.ifish.net/sflb01.jpg
The Leatherman tool is the handiest thing a fisherman can hang on his belt or place in a tackle box. It has bailed lots of outdoorsmen out of trouble since it came to market.
There have been plenty of occasions, as the makers of this fine tool will tell you, where the Leatherman has prevented serious injury or even death. I had a chance to read about some of them recently and wanted to share them with you.
Consider, for example, the scuba diver who was exploring an underwater wreck in Mexico. Somehow he managed to stick a marlin hook that was embedded in his dive boat's mooring line into his palm. He used his Leatherman wire cutters to cut the hook and free himself. Then he used the tool's pliers to remove the remainder of the hook from the mooring line before ascending to the surface. When he did surface he was able to again use his Leatherman's pliers again to get the marlin hook out of his palm.
Then there was a Florida firefighter. He arrived at an accident scene to find a vehicle upside down in 12-feet of water. A passenger was still in the car. The firefighter went down, broke a window of the car and cut the victim free of her seat belt with his Leatherman tool.
In Tennessee a police officer spotted a shooting suspect passed out in an abandoned school bus. The bus door was jammed shut and couldn't be opened. The officer used his Leatherman tool to remove a window directly above the suspect. Then he reached in and grabbed the man's gun. The suspect surrendered.
When a recreational boater's craft started heading for parts unknown, he discovered that a humpback whale had tangled in his boat's anchor line. The boater managed to use his Leatherman tool to cut the anchor line before the whale dragged the boat down.
You can bet the people aboard a Caribbean cruise ship's open launch were glad someone on board had a Leatherman. The engine of the launch went dead about 200 feet from shore. One of the passengers had a Leatherman tool. It was used to disassemble and repair the craft's fuel pump. It's my understanding the owner of that particular Leatherman didn't pay for another drink the rest of the trip.
Finally, there was the Alaskan pilot who used his Leatherman to avoid a crash landing. He used the tool to open his instrument panel. When he did he located a broken cable that was keeping his landing gear from engaging properly. While his co-pilot flew the plane, the pilot tugged on the cable with his Leatherman pliers until the landing gear descended and locked into position.
You could probably fill a book with stories similar to what you've just read. It's experiences like those you've just read that have made the Leatherman so popular among the world's outdoorsmen. Hearing similar stories was what got me started using mine.
It's easy to recall exactly when that happened. I was on the Columbia River fishing for walleye. Our guide had a Leatherman tool on his belt. I asked him if he found it useful. I've never forgotten his answer. "Stan," he said, "this tool has bailed me out of trouble on more than one occasion. I'm lost without it."
I've been carrying one ever since. But I take it one step further. Besides having that standard Leatherman on my belt, I also have one of the company's smallest version of the Leatherman, the one they call the Micra, in my pocket.
http://www.ifish.net/sflm01.jpg
The Leatherman Micra is small enough to carry almost anyplace. Like the larger tools in the Leatherman line, it can be used for a variety of tasks.
I'm forever finding a use for the little one. They run from repairing a fingernail to snipping leader or line. Now and then when I encounter a problem too big for the little one to handle, out comes the big one I've got on my belt.
It's easy to get all the details on Leatherman tools if you have access to the Internet. Just go to www .leatherman.com.
Like that guide friend of mine said, "I'm lost without my Leatherman." So am I. Use one awhile and you will be also.
An Oregon-Made Problem Solver
By Stan Fagerstrom
One of the handiest tools that a fisherman ever hung on his belt, poked in a pocket or stuck in his tackle box is produced right here in the state of Oregon. I'm talking about a Leatherman. You don't have to tell anyone who has used one much just how handy it is.
Mine goes fishing every time I do. For that matter, it's on my belt every time I pull on a pair of work jeans. I don't how many steps that tool has saved me one way or another. Be assured it has been a bunch.
http://www.ifish.net/sflb01.jpg
The Leatherman tool is the handiest thing a fisherman can hang on his belt or place in a tackle box. It has bailed lots of outdoorsmen out of trouble since it came to market.
There have been plenty of occasions, as the makers of this fine tool will tell you, where the Leatherman has prevented serious injury or even death. I had a chance to read about some of them recently and wanted to share them with you.
Consider, for example, the scuba diver who was exploring an underwater wreck in Mexico. Somehow he managed to stick a marlin hook that was embedded in his dive boat's mooring line into his palm. He used his Leatherman wire cutters to cut the hook and free himself. Then he used the tool's pliers to remove the remainder of the hook from the mooring line before ascending to the surface. When he did surface he was able to again use his Leatherman's pliers again to get the marlin hook out of his palm.
Then there was a Florida firefighter. He arrived at an accident scene to find a vehicle upside down in 12-feet of water. A passenger was still in the car. The firefighter went down, broke a window of the car and cut the victim free of her seat belt with his Leatherman tool.
In Tennessee a police officer spotted a shooting suspect passed out in an abandoned school bus. The bus door was jammed shut and couldn't be opened. The officer used his Leatherman tool to remove a window directly above the suspect. Then he reached in and grabbed the man's gun. The suspect surrendered.
When a recreational boater's craft started heading for parts unknown, he discovered that a humpback whale had tangled in his boat's anchor line. The boater managed to use his Leatherman tool to cut the anchor line before the whale dragged the boat down.
You can bet the people aboard a Caribbean cruise ship's open launch were glad someone on board had a Leatherman. The engine of the launch went dead about 200 feet from shore. One of the passengers had a Leatherman tool. It was used to disassemble and repair the craft's fuel pump. It's my understanding the owner of that particular Leatherman didn't pay for another drink the rest of the trip.
Finally, there was the Alaskan pilot who used his Leatherman to avoid a crash landing. He used the tool to open his instrument panel. When he did he located a broken cable that was keeping his landing gear from engaging properly. While his co-pilot flew the plane, the pilot tugged on the cable with his Leatherman pliers until the landing gear descended and locked into position.
You could probably fill a book with stories similar to what you've just read. It's experiences like those you've just read that have made the Leatherman so popular among the world's outdoorsmen. Hearing similar stories was what got me started using mine.
It's easy to recall exactly when that happened. I was on the Columbia River fishing for walleye. Our guide had a Leatherman tool on his belt. I asked him if he found it useful. I've never forgotten his answer. "Stan," he said, "this tool has bailed me out of trouble on more than one occasion. I'm lost without it."
I've been carrying one ever since. But I take it one step further. Besides having that standard Leatherman on my belt, I also have one of the company's smallest version of the Leatherman, the one they call the Micra, in my pocket.
http://www.ifish.net/sflm01.jpg
The Leatherman Micra is small enough to carry almost anyplace. Like the larger tools in the Leatherman line, it can be used for a variety of tasks.
I'm forever finding a use for the little one. They run from repairing a fingernail to snipping leader or line. Now and then when I encounter a problem too big for the little one to handle, out comes the big one I've got on my belt.
It's easy to get all the details on Leatherman tools if you have access to the Internet. Just go to www .leatherman.com.
Like that guide friend of mine said, "I'm lost without my Leatherman." So am I. Use one awhile and you will be also.