Forty years ago, the first Leatherman multi-tool hit shelves — and since then, the brand has substantially grown both the multi-tool category and its own reputation for quality and dependability. Today, the brand launches its biggest swing of a multi-tool yet: the ARC.
An amalgamation of the experience of both Leatherman's team and its users, the ARC is built on the brand's revolutionary, magnet-based FREE platform and features an array of tools and functions co-developed with consumers every step of the way. With the ARC now available, here's everything you need to know about it, including my first-hand first impressions.
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How did Leatherman's team develop the ARC?
The ARC was designed and built in the brand's Portland, Oregon factory by a few dozen engineers, with plenty of input from actual users — specifically the 240-person Beta Team that Leatherman has put together for product feedback and testing.
What's special about the Leatherman ARC?
Everything, really.
It's a dramatic reinterpretation of the brand's classic multi-tool design, highlighted by the modified drop-point CPM-MagnaCut blade, the bit drivers, the diamond-coated file and a combination pry bar/bottle opener/flathead screwdriver.
Each of these has its own story. According to Senior Product Designer Adam Lazenby, the pry bar/bottle opener/flathead combo emerged out of a need to relocate the bottle opener; on previous Leatherman designs, it was on the Phillips head screwdriver, but since the ARC ditches the Phillips for a more versatile bit driver, the bottle opener needed a new home. Leatherman's engineers realized the pry bar could house the bottle opener and double as a flathead screwdriver in a pinch, integrating three different tools into a single implement.
The MagnaCut blade takes the quality of this multi-tool to the next level, but it came with its own set of engineering challenges. MagnaCut is only a few years old, but it's gaining popularity in the knife space thanks to its ability to find the sweet spot among the three most important attributes of steel: toughness, edge retention and corrosion resistance.
"Generally speaking you can maximize two of those things, but not all three; through some clever metallurgy, MagnaCut manages to bring all three to the same level," explains Lead Design Engineer Peter Parker. "The toughness is similar to 420 stainless steel, which is considered excellent. You don't have to sharpen it as much, or worry about corrosion. But, because MagnaCut is so strong, that also makes it very challenging to work with."
Leatherman's team took almost two years to develop the ARC, and a major part of that story was getting MagnaCut to behave in the way they needed. Additionally, this is the first Leatherman design to feature a thumbstud on the blade.
What tools are included on the ARC?
The ARC features 20 tools — some new for Leatherman, and some tried-and-true options. Standouts include the MagnaCut blade, awl, diamond-coated file and two bit drivers. Others tools include multiple pliers and wire cutters, a saw, an awl and scissors. The ARC also comes with a nylon sheath and an additional bit set.
Who is the ARC for?
Short answer: everyone. While Leatherman's team did acknowledge that some of the tools in its lineup are made with specific uses and end users in mind, the ARC was born from consumer input and feedback from a wide variety of users, and as such, is truly the people's multi-tool.
At $230, it's admittedly higher priced than many of its competitors — but when you factor in the upgraded materials, design and platform, it starts to look more like a bargain than an investment. (For comparison, Kershaw's Livewire is purely a pocket knife featuring MagnaCut steel, and its sale price is the same as the ARC's.)
What's it like using the ARC?
I received my ARC a week prior to writing this piece, and while I've only briefly gotten to know the multi-tool, so far impressions are good.
The moment I held the ARC for the first time, I sensed it was different from any other multi-tool I've used in the past. The ARC's action is smooth and the materials are simultaneously sleek and rugged. All of the tools can indeed be accessed with one hand, and although it only weighs 8.6 ounces, it feels hefty enough to tackle most jobs.
My favorite tools are the awl, the impact surface and of course the MagnaCut blade. The blade's belly is ideal for slicing, while the modified tip helps add strength and durability. I found myself reaching for the ARC throughout the day — I used the small bit driver to repair a pair of eyeglasses, used the blade for cutting open packages and tried the bottle opener out for good measure. Each tool is strong on its own, but together, they make quite the powerhouse.
Last but not least, why is it called the ARC?
Though it seems like an acronym, it's more symbolic than literal. “The name was on a long list of potential names, and it simmered to the top,” says Senior Product Manager Jeremy Rodriguez. Once the brand had a list of five strong name possibilities, Leatherman reached out to its testing community with the options, and ARC was the winner.
The name has multiple meanings: it symbolizes the sweep of a story (in this case, Leatherman’s), represents the way the tools move when opened and, at the end of the day, it just sounds plain cool.
The ARC is now available for purchase on Leatherman's site, and is available through the brand's customization program, the Leatherman Custom Shop.
