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How to maintain a Leatherman

Updated: 22 October 2026

Your Leatherman is stiff, the plain edge skates on a cable tie, and salt air has left a brown bloom on the stainless. How to maintain a Leatherman means opening that model as it was built, then washing, drying, oiling the pivots and sharpening the edge you have. A cracked plier head, or a blade that should lock and will not, goes to the seller or the UK warranty centre, not a home strip-down. The bundles are on the [Leatherman comparison](/hub/tools/leatherman). Peter F. updated this page on 22 October 2026 from Leatherman's UK maintenance and warranty pages, checked on 21 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Your Leatherman is stiff, the plain edge skates on a cable tie, and salt air has left a brown bloom on the stainless.

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On this page
  1. 1.Open the tool you actually own
  2. 2.Clean and oil the pivots
  3. 3.Sharpen the edge you have
  4. 4.When to stop and send it back

Open the tool you actually own

On the Rev, the Wingman, the Skeletool, the Wave+ and the ARC, the blades and drivers come out while the pliers stay closed. That is outside access. The Rebar and the Bond open from the inside, so the handles unfold first. Flick a Rebar as if it were a Wave+ and you load a liner meant to stay shut. The Rev's implements do not lock, though the plain blade itself locks. The Rebar's implements lock, and only the ARC is the one-hand opener. Lock status is on the Leatherman buying guide.

Clean and oil the pivots

This stainless is corrosion-resistant, not rust-proof. Wash sticky debris with mild detergent and water, and use turpentine or mineral spirits on tar. Acetone or brake cleaner can damage the plastic scales. After salt water, rinse in fresh water, dry the tool and add a light oil. Drive moisture out with a low-viscosity oil. The UK page names WD-40, Liquid Wrench and CRC 3-36 as examples, not as the only oil. Then a PTFE lubricant goes on the pivots. On 21 October 2026 a maintenance kit was £79.95 and a blade sharpener £19.95, both backordered. The kit is not the multi-tool.
Leatherman Leatherman Rebar

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Sharpen the edge you have

A plain edge is sharpened at 32° inclusive, which is 16° on each side. Hold 16° on one face and then the other so the V stays 32°. A thinner kitchen-knife angle takes steel the edge was not given. Stop when the edge cuts paper. Serrations are 20° and one-sided. Sharpen the edged side only, one gullet at a time, and do not stone the flat back. That flat pass rounds the teeth. On the Wingman's combo blade the plain section stays at 32° inclusive. Leatherman UK will not sharpen it for you. A chip towards the spine, or a blade that should lock and will not, is past a stone.

When to stop and send it back

Do not use the pliers on a live 230 V mains conductor. Isolate the circuit and prove it dead, or leave live electrics, gas fittings, brakes and structural fixings to someone competent. Do not strip the pliers. Disassembly may void the warranty. A cracked plier head, or a blade that will not lock, is a return to the seller or to Whitby & Co in Kendal. The 25-year cover is material and workmanship for the original owner's personal use. It excludes sharpening and sheaths in general. A two-year exception names the Premium Leather Sheath. They do not sharpen and will not post parts.

Common questions

How do I open a Leatherman without opening the pliers?
On the Rev, Wingman, Skeletool, Wave+ and ARC, the tools open from the outside with the pliers closed. The Rebar and the Bond open from the inside. The ARC is the one-hand opener in this set. The amazon.co.uk Wave+ listing describes two-hand opening for the knife blade.
What oil should I use on a Leatherman, and where?
Use a low-viscosity oil to drive moisture out, then a PTFE lubricant on the pivots. WD-40, Liquid Wrench and CRC 3-36 are named examples, not the only oils. Work each implement and wipe the handles. After salt water, rinse in fresh water and dry the tool first. Keep acetone and brake cleaner off the plastic.
What angle do I sharpen a plain Leatherman blade to?
A plain edge is 32° inclusive, which is 16° on each side. Match that 16° on both faces so the V stays 32°. A thinner kitchen angle removes steel the edge was not given. Stop when the edge cuts paper. Work on the bevel, not the shoulder above it.
How do I sharpen Leatherman serrations without ruining them?
Serrations are 20° and one-sided. Sharpen only the edged side, one gullet at a time. Do not stone the flat back, or the teeth round off. On a combo blade, keep the plain section at 32° inclusive, which is 16° per side. Leatherman UK does not sharpen tools for you.
Is Leatherman stainless steel rust-proof?
No. It is corrosion-resistant, not rust-proof. Salt water, a wet sheath and a damp shed mark the pivots. Rinse with fresh water, dry the tool and oil it. A brown bloom is a cleaning job. A cracked plier head is a return.
Will Leatherman UK sharpen my tool or post the parts?
Whitby & Co in Kendal do not sharpen tools and will not post parts for you to fit. The 25-year warranty covers material and workmanship for the original owner's personal-use tool from an authorised dealer. It does not cover sharpening, cleaning, colour finishes, abuse or sheaths in general. A shop-bought cutter insert is a purchase, not a posted part.
Can I use the pliers on a live mains wire?
No. Keep the pliers off a live 230 V mains conductor. Isolate the circuit and prove it dead, or leave live electrics to someone competent. Gas fittings, brakes and structural fixings are the same stop. A cable tie is a fair job.

Related pages

Leatherman UK knife law

Leatherman for camping

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Best Leatherman UK for the bench or the garden shed

Leatherman buying guide: job, opening, and the box

Sources

Public UK sources used for this page in October 2026. Prices are the five amazon.co.uk bundle listings captured on 21 October 2026. Four of those listings have no star line. The ARC listing shows 3.5 from 2 ratings. None of these scores is a laboratory test. A locking blade is not the folding-pocketknife exception on GOV.UK.

  1. GOV.UK, selling, buying and carrying knives (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.139 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. CPS, knife and other weapons offences (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. Offensive Weapons Act 2019 statutory guidance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Leatherman UK warranty (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Leatherman UK maintenance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Leatherman UK multi-tools (retrieved 21 October 2026)