Lost an old friend yesterday, and it was my own damn fault.
I was opening a box at work, and after checking the contents, I walked away with the box, and left my Leatherman.
Third time I left this laying around the office, but this time it was out in the open, where it may have been picked up by janitorial or security staff. Who knows if they’ll turn it in or I’ll ever see it again.
I feel bummed out because I’ve had this, literally, by my side for about 25 years, when I got my first ‘real’ network admin job back at Onizuka Air Station.
One of the guys there had one, and suggested that I get one for myself, so I picked one up at the nearby Fry’s Electronics store.
It turned out to be real handy over the years, initially because the flathead screwdriver was a perfect fit for the hex screws that Compaq used on their desktops and servers at the time.
I’d used it almost a couple times a week, if only to open a box from Amazon, or cut something with the scissors or knife, take apart a laptop, pry open paint cans, and a myriad of other tasks.
Most recently it was used to help clean up prints from my 3D printer.
Unless it turns up in the next couple of days at work, it’s probably gone forever.
And Leatherman doesn’t make that particular “original” model anymore. They make bigger and smaller ones, with different tools, so I’m getting this one as a replacement.
It’s about as close to the original that I could find on their site, aside from the out-of-stock limited edition anniversary “Heritage” model, which was being sold for $275.
The one I ordered is about $50.
I hate that it comes with a nylon sheath. I hope it fits in my empty leather sheath.
Farewell, original Leatherman PST. Thanks for your service for 25 years.