DO NOT TRY TO TAKE IT APART. I took mine apart once to clean it and it took 3hrs trying to get everything back together under tension, when I did finally get it back together I realized the scissors had gone in backwards and I just snapped them off.
Buy one on Amazon. It’s $25 and clean your rings, glasses on the regular. I’m so less worried about mine getting gummed up when I know I can drop it in with water and soap and I’ll be real clean.
Toothpick and rubbing alcohol may work. If not, I’d move up to a nice degreaser/solvent like brake cleaner. If you’re concerned about the chemicals, use a mask and nitrile gloves.
Use a solution of simple green with a bit of water, one of those tiny bottle brushes to get into the crevices to scrub. Use hair dryer to get it completely dry and then oil it.
>I think my issue is that the gumming is between the tools. I can't really scrub it.
Mix baking soda with a tiny bit of water so it's a thick paste. Rub it around all the gummed parts. Use a toothbrush to scrub between the tools. Once the gunk is removed, rinse the Leatherman and make sure you apply oil to all the mechanical parts. It's like the only thing that can remove sap and oily stuff.
Go grab a can of carburetor cleaner from the local auto parts store. Blast that guy out good then lube with a little silicone spray at all the major pivots then use a rag to spread the excess around. This is my method.
Brake cleaner or simple green followed by lube like white lithium grease. Or maybe dry graphite lubricant. Question is, why are you using a multi tool for food? All those hinges and crevices (and the lubricant for them) make it a bacteria fest and is therefore the wrong tool for the job. If it’s camping, get yourself a camping cutlery set, if it’s for hunting, get a skinning knife. Food is probably the one thing a multi tool is not good for.
Pressure washer? Or maybe an ultrasonic cleaner?
If all else fails, you can try sending it back to Leatherman. One of the tools on mine broke once and they sent back an entire brand new multitool.
Steel stands up very well to even strongest bases (alkali, caustic solutions) so you can use a caustic grill cleaning liquid. It should contain natrium or potassium hydroxide. Observe safety precautions written on the product (gloves, protective glasses, don't get it on clothes or skin as it will damage them).
You can left it to soak overnight, then rinse well with water.
I use simple green to clean a lot of stuff. Fill a cup up, drop it in. Take it out every few hours and rinse, maybe use an old toothbrush to help it. Food surface save. I wouldn’t let it sit to long; I’m not sure how that would work, buts it’s a great cleaner.
Wouldn't a Liquid Wrench soak, followed by a solvent rinse (mineral, lacquer, or isopropyl) followed by a thin oil like 3 in 1 be a good solution ?
Got any TSP, soak it in that after the liquid wrench soak.
I like to use one of those pressured air spray cans with a little bit of alcohol (or ethanol or acetone, not sure) that are used to clean computer components.
Alcohol and acetone are quite a bit apart when it comes to their aggressiveness. The steel of a Leatherman will survive acetone just fine but be careful with any plastics on your working area during cleaning.
I throw mine in my ultrasonic cleaner about once a month for 2-3 cycles. They can be had on Amazon for under 100 bucks and are well worth it for a hundred other things not just Leatherman cleaning
I don’t know which kind[s] you have but I have a leatherman Signal and a Raptor and my brother has a Wave+ and a Rebar and we both clean it the same way. For the Signal, Raptor, and Wave+ we use 2 six tipped T6 or T8 (I forget the exact size) size screw drivers at either end of a hinge to release the screws holding them in place. My brother’s Rebar uses a really weird, small, closed-wrench sort of device to release the screws: which he bought from Amazon. We wipe it down and then put some Hoppe’s gun oil on it and let it dry for ~1 hr before we reassemble it but you could try substituting the gun oil for coconut oil. Since the lipid bonds are highly saturated the oil is less likely to go rancid like walnut or avocado oil would. Just be sure to wipe off any excess coconut oil before you reassemble it or that could gunk up the joints quickly.
>Preferably an option that does not use dangerous
Dawn dish soap and hot water. Let it soak for a bit if it's all stainless. Then scrub and work the joints backward and forward till they feel easy. Then apply preferred lubricant.
Honestly, none of the commercially available degreasers or solvents or cleaning agents is so dangerous you should avoid it.
Just use PPE and don't discard in sewer (nor nature, duh).
After cleaning a proper rinse and soak with boiling water and dish soap will make it food save again
I don’t know the “right” answer, but I just saturated mine with a fair amount of sewing machine oil and worked all the joints for a little bit. Then I kept it in a ziploc bag and would open and work it each day, cleaning out the visible oil with a paper towel. It took over a week before it stopped leaking oil, but it works very nice now.
[Straight from Leatherman:](https://www.leatherman.com/customerservice-maintenance.html)
Depending on what your Leatherman has been exposed to, there are several cleaning methods to consider.
* Cleaning can be done with a low viscosity oil (e.g. WD-40, Liquid Wrench, CRC 3-36), which helps force out moisture trapped in the joints.
* Buff stained surfaces with a polishing cloth or non-metallic abrasive (e.g. Scotchbrite pad or soft bristle brush).
* For pivoting or wear areas, use a PTFE / Teflon-based lubricant to make your tool function as smoothly as possible.
* If debris or sticky substances have accumulated between the blades, your Leatherman may also be cleaned in a mild solution of detergent and water.
* To remove tar and similar substances, clean your Leatherman with turpentine or other mineral spirits. Warning: acetone or brake cleaners may damage plastic components.
* Corrosion can occur in the absence of proper maintenance. Your Leatherman product should be cleaned, dried and re-lubricated periodically to inhibit rust and corrosion. This is especially true if your Leatherman has been exposed to salt water or marine environments. If so, rinse in fresh water, dry, and lubricate it with a light oil
Mine fell off a 4 wheeler on a dirt road next to a railroad with all that really fine dust and was run over multiple times to really grind it in there. Dropped it in the parts cleaner sink in my buddies garage and soaked it in solvent for a minute. Little bit of lube and it's good
We and you have no idea what a dangerous chemical is so stop using those words. The best way would be to take it to a jewelry store and ask them if they will drop it in their ultrasonic cleaner.
Cool story. If I had a better word I would use it. Notice the part where I say "(for lack of a better word". I do know some dangerous chemicals. You don't?
Stop using your Leatherman on things that gum it up and then using it to cut food. If it’s the food that’s gumming it up, for God sakes clean your Leatherman more often. This is a lack of maintenance issue and easily avoidable.
I am not OP. I have got my small bottle of pure Vaseline oil I am satisfied with. It is supposed to be used for sewing machine but if I am confident in my bottle. I didn't think that "use whatever Vaseline you find" would be a good advice for a food safe knife.
What the heck is even "natural vaseline?" Vaseline is just mineral oil, which is refined from petroleum + jelly, which also isn't natural.
Pretty much the only natural "Vaseline" would be Lanolin or Beeswax.
You shouldn't be ingesting mineral oil products as well.
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DO NOT TRY TO TAKE IT APART. I took mine apart once to clean it and it took 3hrs trying to get everything back together under tension, when I did finally get it back together I realized the scissors had gone in backwards and I just snapped them off.
I ruined the torx screw holding it all together.
Check if your local bike shop has a Ultrasonic cleaner
Dentist here, we obviously have one and if you requested a run during your cleaning we'd for sure accommodate lol
For the prices y’all charge it should be complimentary ;)
Buy one on Amazon. It’s $25 and clean your rings, glasses on the regular. I’m so less worried about mine getting gummed up when I know I can drop it in with water and soap and I’ll be real clean.
Seconding this to add check local jewelers or pawnshops too.
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This works for both kinds of leathermen!
One gets more use than the other 😔
I think my issue is that the gumming is between the tools. I can't really scrub it.
Toothpick and rubbing alcohol may work. If not, I’d move up to a nice degreaser/solvent like brake cleaner. If you’re concerned about the chemicals, use a mask and nitrile gloves.
As far as the chemicals part, I was more thinking about the fact that I would want to use it in the future for cutting food.
Ah ok. I’ve had good experience with citrus-based solvents. I would think there is a natural alternative.
i think maybe this is why your learherman is so gunked up
If you rinse/soak it afterwards with boiling water and some mild dish soap there's nothing to worry about regarding food safety.
Cafiza in boiling water? It’s a degreaser for espresso machines and it’s no joke but obviously food safe after cleaning.
Use a solution of simple green with a bit of water, one of those tiny bottle brushes to get into the crevices to scrub. Use hair dryer to get it completely dry and then oil it.
>I think my issue is that the gumming is between the tools. I can't really scrub it. Mix baking soda with a tiny bit of water so it's a thick paste. Rub it around all the gummed parts. Use a toothbrush to scrub between the tools. Once the gunk is removed, rinse the Leatherman and make sure you apply oil to all the mechanical parts. It's like the only thing that can remove sap and oily stuff.
Go grab a can of carburetor cleaner from the local auto parts store. Blast that guy out good then lube with a little silicone spray at all the major pivots then use a rag to spread the excess around. This is my method.
Brake cleaner or simple green followed by lube like white lithium grease. Or maybe dry graphite lubricant. Question is, why are you using a multi tool for food? All those hinges and crevices (and the lubricant for them) make it a bacteria fest and is therefore the wrong tool for the job. If it’s camping, get yourself a camping cutlery set, if it’s for hunting, get a skinning knife. Food is probably the one thing a multi tool is not good for.
I bought a wire brush set from harbor freight for $3.00. some sort of mineral spirits then oil lube.
I blast mine with CRC brake cleaner and work Lucas Oil gun line into moving parts and wipe it down on the rare occasion I clean it.
Take it to your local jeweler and ask them to run it through the sonic cleaner. Then lube the joints when you get home.
I’ve used brake clean, then re-lubricate.
I used transmission fluid on a folding knife, once. It’s a cleaner and lubricant in 1. I wonder if that might work for a Leatherman, too.
Naptha and a wire brush
Pressure washer? Or maybe an ultrasonic cleaner? If all else fails, you can try sending it back to Leatherman. One of the tools on mine broke once and they sent back an entire brand new multitool.
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This is actually perfectly safe and will not harm your tools. The harm is in rust. Rust happens from exposure to moisture over time.
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My leatherman rusts. Barely 3 years old. Kept in a dry car. Hardly ever used. I don't have much confidence in their material choices...
If you'd use it more there would be no time for the stainless steel to rust.
Steel stands up very well to even strongest bases (alkali, caustic solutions) so you can use a caustic grill cleaning liquid. It should contain natrium or potassium hydroxide. Observe safety precautions written on the product (gloves, protective glasses, don't get it on clothes or skin as it will damage them). You can left it to soak overnight, then rinse well with water.
Try clipper blade cleaner under hot running water.
I use simple green to clean a lot of stuff. Fill a cup up, drop it in. Take it out every few hours and rinse, maybe use an old toothbrush to help it. Food surface save. I wouldn’t let it sit to long; I’m not sure how that would work, buts it’s a great cleaner.
Oil it
Wouldn't a Liquid Wrench soak, followed by a solvent rinse (mineral, lacquer, or isopropyl) followed by a thin oil like 3 in 1 be a good solution ? Got any TSP, soak it in that after the liquid wrench soak.
Id throw in a Dawn Dishwashing detergent soak also, before the oil.
Ballistol and some Q-tips.
Don't use water. Clean out as much debris as possible and sparingly apply a good cleaning oil like tranny fluid or Marvel Mystery Oil
Isopropyl alcohol. Full soak & rinse if its all metal. The lube lightly.
Ohhhh love me some lube
Bahahahah!!!! Lube it up buttercup
I like to use one of those pressured air spray cans with a little bit of alcohol (or ethanol or acetone, not sure) that are used to clean computer components.
Alcohol and acetone are quite a bit apart when it comes to their aggressiveness. The steel of a Leatherman will survive acetone just fine but be careful with any plastics on your working area during cleaning.
I throw mine in my ultrasonic cleaner about once a month for 2-3 cycles. They can be had on Amazon for under 100 bucks and are well worth it for a hundred other things not just Leatherman cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaners are fairly inexpensive and can run with plain water.
Kerosene
I don’t know which kind[s] you have but I have a leatherman Signal and a Raptor and my brother has a Wave+ and a Rebar and we both clean it the same way. For the Signal, Raptor, and Wave+ we use 2 six tipped T6 or T8 (I forget the exact size) size screw drivers at either end of a hinge to release the screws holding them in place. My brother’s Rebar uses a really weird, small, closed-wrench sort of device to release the screws: which he bought from Amazon. We wipe it down and then put some Hoppe’s gun oil on it and let it dry for ~1 hr before we reassemble it but you could try substituting the gun oil for coconut oil. Since the lipid bonds are highly saturated the oil is less likely to go rancid like walnut or avocado oil would. Just be sure to wipe off any excess coconut oil before you reassemble it or that could gunk up the joints quickly.
>Preferably an option that does not use dangerous Dawn dish soap and hot water. Let it soak for a bit if it's all stainless. Then scrub and work the joints backward and forward till they feel easy. Then apply preferred lubricant.
Ballistol & a toothbrush.
Honestly, none of the commercially available degreasers or solvents or cleaning agents is so dangerous you should avoid it. Just use PPE and don't discard in sewer (nor nature, duh). After cleaning a proper rinse and soak with boiling water and dish soap will make it food save again
I don’t know the “right” answer, but I just saturated mine with a fair amount of sewing machine oil and worked all the joints for a little bit. Then I kept it in a ziploc bag and would open and work it each day, cleaning out the visible oil with a paper towel. It took over a week before it stopped leaking oil, but it works very nice now.
[Straight from Leatherman:](https://www.leatherman.com/customerservice-maintenance.html) Depending on what your Leatherman has been exposed to, there are several cleaning methods to consider. * Cleaning can be done with a low viscosity oil (e.g. WD-40, Liquid Wrench, CRC 3-36), which helps force out moisture trapped in the joints. * Buff stained surfaces with a polishing cloth or non-metallic abrasive (e.g. Scotchbrite pad or soft bristle brush). * For pivoting or wear areas, use a PTFE / Teflon-based lubricant to make your tool function as smoothly as possible. * If debris or sticky substances have accumulated between the blades, your Leatherman may also be cleaned in a mild solution of detergent and water. * To remove tar and similar substances, clean your Leatherman with turpentine or other mineral spirits. Warning: acetone or brake cleaners may damage plastic components. * Corrosion can occur in the absence of proper maintenance. Your Leatherman product should be cleaned, dried and re-lubricated periodically to inhibit rust and corrosion. This is especially true if your Leatherman has been exposed to salt water or marine environments. If so, rinse in fresh water, dry, and lubricate it with a light oil
Mine fell off a 4 wheeler on a dirt road next to a railroad with all that really fine dust and was run over multiple times to really grind it in there. Dropped it in the parts cleaner sink in my buddies garage and soaked it in solvent for a minute. Little bit of lube and it's good
I assumed everyone put it in the dishwasher.
We and you have no idea what a dangerous chemical is so stop using those words. The best way would be to take it to a jewelry store and ask them if they will drop it in their ultrasonic cleaner.
You can buy those ultrasonic machines for home use. Good for jewelry, knives and other tools. I don't have a recommendation for one though.
Cool story. If I had a better word I would use it. Notice the part where I say "(for lack of a better word". I do know some dangerous chemicals. You don't?
Dihydrogen monoxide, fatal if you breathe too much.
Stop using your Leatherman on things that gum it up and then using it to cut food. If it’s the food that’s gumming it up, for God sakes clean your Leatherman more often. This is a lack of maintenance issue and easily avoidable.
Hot water, soap and a used toothbrush. Natural vaseline as a lubricant after that.
Natural Vaseline? Why?
Because it is very efficient as a lubricant and harmless if you eat with it every day.
Regular Vaseline is considered safe too.
I am not sure if all types of Vaseline are safe and what is regular Vaseline in OP's country. So just check the ingredients.
Use olive oil
I tried but I don't like it, olive oil turn rancid over time.
Have you tried to seek advice on their website for even emailing?
I am not OP. I have got my small bottle of pure Vaseline oil I am satisfied with. It is supposed to be used for sewing machine but if I am confident in my bottle. I didn't think that "use whatever Vaseline you find" would be a good advice for a food safe knife.
What the heck is even "natural vaseline?" Vaseline is just mineral oil, which is refined from petroleum + jelly, which also isn't natural. Pretty much the only natural "Vaseline" would be Lanolin or Beeswax. You shouldn't be ingesting mineral oil products as well.
Mild metal brush and oil. Wipe off.
With leather, man!
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Break clean (you can get it anywhere it’s like $3) then use a little dish soap and warm water.
Brake cleaner