Tim Leatherman (an Oregon native) received his Mechanical Engineering degree from Oregon State University. While on a budget trip to Europe in 1975, Tim and his wife Chau constantly came across leaky hotel plumbing and road-side fixes for their cranky Fiat. Tim realized the need for a pliers based, multi-purpose tool. "I was carrying a scout knife and used it for everything from slicing bread to fixing the car. But I kept wishing I had a pair of pliers!". When Tim came back to the states, he took his “multi-tool” idea, some sketches he made on the trip and got to work. For another three and a half years, Tim faced one rejection letter after another. Until he partnered with his college friend, Steve Berliner, and in the spring of 1983, they received their first order for 500 tools and launched the first Leatherman tool.

Leatherman provides multi-tools, knives, pocket tools, and accessories. An American company, Leatherman is a known for being a world leader of manufacturing high-quality multi-tools. We build and manufacture all of our tools in Portland, Oregon. And when it's time to put our tools through their paces, we test them in the great Pacific Northwest. From hiking in the rugged Cascade Mountains, fishing off the beautiful Oregon coast, or exploring the high desert in the east, we ensure our tools are reliable for any adventure or task, big or small.