About Us

Our Founder​

In 1975, while on a budget trip through Europe with his wife Chau, Tim Leatherman ran into leaky hotel plumbing and roadside breakdowns with their cranky Fiat. He realized he needed 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 returned to the States, he got to work on his “multi‑tool” idea, using sketches he’d made on the trip.

The Original​

Tim figured building the prototype would take about a month. Instead, it took three years to create the tool he’d envisioned and file for a patent. With his prototype and patent application ready, he set out to sell the idea—but company after company passed. For another three and a half years, Tim faced rejection after rejection.

Then he teamed up with his college friend Steve Berliner. In the spring of 1983, they landed their first order: 500 tools from Cabela’s. That order launched the very first Leatherman tool, the PST.