In 1975, Tim Leatherman was on a "low-budget" trip through Europe. He got fed up with his standard "scouter's knife". It wasn't much help on old hotel plumbing and his unreliable car. What he really needed was a compact pocket knife with full-sized pliers, but no such tool existed. "I made notes of what I really needed," says Tim. "When I returned to the United States, I went to work in my garage and started designing a new kind of tool - one that would replace the knife with something more useful." He says "I was trying to build a pocket tool that met not only my needs, but the needs of others as well."

Tim spent the next eight years using his engineering background to design such a tool. In 1983, after working with hundreds of prototypes, he and Steve Berliner founded Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. and began production of the original LEATHERMAN Tool, known as the Pocket Survival Tool.

Today, Leatherman remains the leader in sales, quality and innovation within the compact multi-purpose tool market. Close inspection reveals the quality and attention to detail that make our products more useful and effective.

"My name is on every tool. That's why I want to make each one perfect."

All parts are polished to ensure smooth operation and reduce the potential for corrosion. Screwdrivers are ground square to hold a screw. The Phillips screwdriver is specially modified to fit both No. 1 and No. 2 sizes. Hard-wire cutters have been incorporated that cut material no competitive product can handle.

Representative of our commitment to innovation are two new products. The ultra-small Micra and the multi-position Tool Adapter exemplify the quality and innovation people have come to expect from LEATHERMAN. Using the best stainless steel, ingenious design and the tightest tolerances, we are making useful products our customers want and backing them with a 25-year quarantee .

Outdoor enthusiasts comprise a large portion of Leatherman's market. LEATHERMAN tools are also popular with electricians, mariners, stagehands, farmers, do-it-yourselfers, emergency services personnel and an ever-expanding range of professional and recreational users.