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Friday, 05 December 2008 00:24

Leatherman Juice KF4 (Visual Tour)

The KF4, though now retired, was introduced by Leatherman in 2001 with the launching the Juice line. It’s been released in “solar” yellow as well as “storm” grey. You’ll also see my customized beater in a few picks.

As far as the tools go, the KF4 tool list reads like a fully equipped large multi-tool, with the notable exceptions of scissors and can/bottle openers. Everything on this tool solidly snaps open with back springs like a slip joint pocketknife.

All opened:

Juice KF4

Size
The tool is a medium size; significantly smaller than most common full sized multi-tools, but a lot bigger than the standard keychain fare. For me it’s on the large side of “pocketable”.

Measured in Inches:

Juice KF4

For those who like things simple:

Juice KF4

Larger than a Micra:

Juice KF4

More pocketable than a PST:

Juice KF4

Smaller than a Super Tool 200:

Juice KF4

Thickness compared to a Juice S2:

Juice KF4

Plain Blade
To me it’s a very nice length- just a hair over 2.5 inches (6.5 cm). That, along with its slip-joint design, keeps in legal in most places, but still long enough to be very useful. Its edge holding is nothing special, but it sharpens up quite easily.

Plain Edge:

Juice KF4

Serrated Blade
Same length as the plain blade, but the point comes down in a sheepsfoot pattern. The plain edge at the tip helps make up for lack of scissors if you keep it sharp. The serrations are designed well and cut effectively.

Serrated Edge:

Juice KF4

File
On both sides the cutting surface starts close to the handle and extends to the tip, giving the most usable edge possible. I’ve used the standard side on both wood and metal, and it’s worked great on both. On the other side, the diamond file is something special- very fine and yet quite aggressive. Lastly, there’s a “metal saw” on the edge, but to be honest it’s not all that functional.

Standard File:

Juice KF4

Diamond Coated:

Juice KF4

Awl
The awl on the KF4 isn’t very sharp, but it is a handy feature, and works great for putting clean holes in drywall/plaster, and general poking around.

The dull-but-handy Awl:

Juice KF4

Next to Surge & PST:

Juice KF4

Saw
It’s thin, it cuts well, and is amazingly long for the tool’s size. The saw is placed in the same slot as the awl, which needs to be opened to get to the saw.

Saw & Awl Combo:

Juice KF4

With a Super Tool 200:

Juice KF4

Ruler
The KF4 was the only Juice to have a ruler printed on it’s scales:

Juice KF4

Pliers
Though they are not as strong as a full sized Leatherman, they open wide. And more importantly, they feel nothing like a keychain. The wire cutters are small but functional, and the hard wire notch works well.

Up Close:

Juice KF4

With PST and Surge:

Juice KF4

With Surge:

Juice KF4

Phillips
Nicely cut, fits both #1 and #2 Phillips heads equally. I can use this as fast as a “real” screwdriver when it’s stretched out.

“Stretched”:

Juice KF4

Squared edges:

Juice KF4

Flat Drivers
There are medium, small, and eyeglass sizes. All are chisel ground, but have worked well for screws and light prying.

Medium:

Juice KF4

Small:

Juice KF4

Eyeglass:

Juice KF4

Lanyard Ring
It’s small, and hides away in a cutout in the Phillips without wasting any extra space. It does require some tool, like a key, to open it.

Hiding beside the Phillips:

Juice KF4

Lanyard working out:

Pros:
+ Medium Size
+ Lots of Functional Tools
+ Diamond File
+ Usually Legal

Cons:
- Smaller/Lighter Duty Pliers
- No Scissors, Can/Bottle Opener
- Mediocre Awl
- Non-locking

 

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