When Tim Leatherman developed his first prototype multitool in 1975, there was no such thing as a multi-tool—he invented the category. Innovation has been at the heart of his namesake company ever since, and is perhaps best exemplified by the brand’s in-house skunkworks unit called The Garage. Launched earlier this year, The Garage is a dedicated team within Leatherman focused on pushing the bounds of design, materials, and, with its latest release, called PARTS, sustainability.
PARTS is a pocket knife, and it's the third release from The Garage, preceded by Mr. Crunch (an updated version of Tim Leatherman’s original prototype) and The Darkside (a G10-handled and PVD-coated version of the Charge tool). With a quick glance, you’d be forgiven for assuming PARTS is just like any other EDC knife but the reality is far from it.
The flagship feature of PARTS is its interchangeable blade. Users have the option of switching between a “work blade” in a sheepsfoot shape and an “EDC blade,” which has a drop-point design, using the included bit driver (a must-have mini multi-tool in its own right). Each blade is 3.2 inches in length, and slots nicely between the G10 handle scales for a slender closed length of 4.3 inches. Beyond that, PARTS features a few touches you would expect from a high-end EDC blade like a lanyard hole, a removable and reversible pocket clip, and dual-sided thumb studs for easy opening with either hand.
