Leatherman Knives – New Knife Line and Field Review 

Leatherman Tool Group has come out with a new line of knives. Yes, that Leatherman. But these new knives aren’t just blades inside a multitool, but rather they are ultra-high-end dedicated cutting tools. And there’s a lot that makes them special.

In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the new Leatherman knives, and give you a brief field review as well. Let’s jump right in! 

In This Article

• The Folding Knives
  • Leatherman Blazer
  • Leatherman Glider
• The Fixed Blades
  • Leatherman Pioneer
  • Leatherman Rustle
  • Leatherman Trac
• What Makes Leatherman Knives Different
  • Innovation
  • Quality
  • Warranty
• Field Review
  • The Blazer
  • The Rustle
  • The Trac
• Get Ready for Leatherman Knives 

5 New Leatherman Knives 

The Folding Knives

Leatherman took a very different approach to making folding knives than I’ve ever seen before.

Instead of the scales, pivots, pins, and spacers of typical folders, Leatherman has made most of that integral to the frame side. You’ll notice that there is a pivot screw on the front, but not on the back. That’s because the pivot is milled from the same piece of steel as the handle. So is the stop block on the spine, and so is the spacer on the pommel.

The lock functions much like a button-actuated top liner lock, just with a far smaller parts count. 

Right now, there are two models of folders. They both come with MagnaCut blades and Cerakote-finished steel handles with a ton of internal milling to keep the weight down. 

They also include fun lanyard beads that are also bit drivers for either standard ¼" bits or Leatherman proprietary bits. I guess Leatherman just couldn’t help themselves… 

Leatherman Blazer

Leatherman Glider

The Fixed Blades 

Fixed-blade knives are simple, so Leatherman ensured that every detail was executed perfectly. All three of the models come with beautifully sculpted G-10 handle scales, MagnaCut blades, and sheaths included.

Each is unique, so it’s hard to lump much about them together, but what I can say is that each of their handles is dialed. I’ve held literally thousands of knives, and these are easily among the most comfortable. 

Leatherman Pioneer

Leatherman Rustle

Leatherman Trac

What Makes Leatherman Knives Different 

These new knives may look like a lot of other knives, but there’s a fair bit more going on under the hood here. 

Innovation 

Leatherman didn’t copy anyone’s homework when making these knives. It’s like they took a group of world-class engineers who hadn’t ever designed knives and told them to make a new knife line.

Actually, it’s not like that, it is that. There’s a reason the beaten path is so beaten, it’s because it’s the easiest way to go. But Leatherman didn’t take it, and it pays dividends.

I don’t think I’ve ever used a locking folding knife with fewer parts than Leatherman’s knives (I believe there are 9 total). I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more versatile Leather sheath than the one on the Trac.

They’re thinking out of the box, and I love it. 

Also, fun fact, this new knife line isn’t made in the same place as all the other Leatherman tools. They built a new factory across the street specifically for this new knife line, and filled it with experts from all over the industry. 

Quality 

This new knife line is held to the highest possible standard. They use the best materials, the strictest tolerances, and most importantly, the best personnel.

When I visited the factory, I broke from the group a few times to talk to the people making the knives. Everyone from the surface grinders to the machine operators to the assemblers were masters of their craft. Heck, their lead sharpener, Maximo, does the best free-hand edges I’ve ever seen.

If you get a Leatherman knife, you won’t be disappointed with it. 

Warranty 

It’s really hard to beat Leatherman’s warranty. They don’t hound you with questions or hassle you with the old "abuse, misuse, or wear and tear" copout many other companies do. If you’re using any Leatherman, be it a multitool or one of these new knives, and it fails you, they will take care of you. 

For example, I told the CEO of Leatherman that I had snapped the screwdriver off of my Wave breaking into my own car after locking myself out. I tried to tell him that what I did probably constituted abuse, but he cut me off. He told me that even though the tool wasn’t made for that, it still failed, and they would STILL fix it for free.

You don’t find warranties like that every day, and I’m happy to pay a premium for it. 

Field Review 

One of my favorite parts of my job is the fact that I get to occasionally take brand-new unreleased knives out for a spin, and that’s just what I did with Leatherman.

Below, I’ll throw a mini review of the three knives I put through their paces: the Blazer, the Rustle, and the Trac. 

The Blazer

The Blazer somehow feels both familiar and completely different from any knife I’ve ever used. It feels extremely premium, and its finish work is incredible. Thanks to a ton of internal milling, it’s also surprisingly light. That’s especially impressive considering it’s made with a stainless steel handle, which is a rarity in the premium knife space.

But where it really differs is in its construction. By thinking out of the box, they managed to keep the parts count to an absolute minimum. 

One thing to note is that the knife doesn’t drop shut when you disengage the lock. Think Chris Reeve Sebenza action, not Pro-Tech Malibu. I personally prefer a one-hand operation, but many like the two-hand closure. It’s probably a bit safer, and gives you more control of the blade.

The Rustle 

I gave this one a trial run in the kitchen, and my wife took it for a spin too!

Leatherman set it up as a camp chef’s knife, and they nailed it. Its tall flat grind is nice and slicey, and the santoku-esque blade makes cutting against a board nice and easy. Top marks! 

We also appreciated that it came with a Kydex sheath. I could see me buying one of these to just use in the kitchen, and that sheath enables you to just chuck it in a drawer and not worry about it.

But it’s also light and small enough to pack without weighing you down, and the MagnaCut can handle itself with camp chores as well. I could see myself using this one a lot. 

The Trac 

As someone who has 24 fixed blades at his desk right now, I do not say the following lightly: The Leatherman Trac is one of the best fixed blade knives ever made.

It was an absolute dream to cut with. Its hollow grind falls through softer materials with ease, but its edge is thick enough to hold up to batoning, hard carving, and other woodwork. Its handle is super comfy, and its sheath can be oriented vertically or horizontally, right- or left-handed with no modifications. 

If it wasn’t obvious, I LOVE the Trac, and will probably buy one. 

Get Ready for Leatherman Knives 

Like many new Leatherman products, it’s likely to be very popular in the beginning, but rest assured that they will return if they’re out of stock.

If you’re looking for a top-quality knife built to the nines and backed by a best-in-class warranty, I’d advise you to check out Leatherman! They’ve really done something special.