Customer Reviews

Leatherman 831195 Squirt PS4 Black Keychain Tool with Plier

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've carried a Leatherman pocket tool for years. First it was the Micra. Then the Squirt S4. Now the Squirt PS4 looks like it may occupy my pocket for a while. One of the biggest drawbacks with the older Squirt models is that you had to choose between either pliers or scissors. Now with the PS4 you can have both. New are the pliers with wire cutters. Gone are the tweezers, small screwdriver, ruler and nail cleaner. The file has changed from a nail file to a wood/metal file (it's a lot more coarse). That may seem like a step backwards to some. But I think Leatherman removed the least useful tools and replaced them with a tool that significantly more useful. I will miss the small screwdriver though. It was just the right size for my glasses and none of the remaining screwdrivers are small enough.

The individual tools are identical in size to the corresponding tools on the Squirt S4, except for the scissors and file. The scissors are obviously smaller and the file is significantly bigger.

The design is basically the same. It is the slightest bit heavier and wider on one side compared to older Squirts, but it's not even noticeable unless you're comparing them side-by-side, and even then just barely. The nail nicks for both screwdrivers and the scissors are a bit hard to reach because the body is not recessed on that side. It has a matted aluminum finish so it is not as shiny, but it still looks very nice. And it comes in black which I like. The screws holding the body together are now Torx T-6 screws so the tension is adjustable which is a nice little bonus. It has the typical quality Leatherman build and definitely feels like another winner.

The Amazon product description from the manufacturer mentions tweezers which is a mistake because this model doesn't have them.

If you don't need pliers and scissors there probably isn't enough reason to upgrade if you already own a Squirt. But if you've been wishing for one Leatherman keychain tool with both, then do a victory dance and pick up one of these. Your wait is over.

11/2/2010 Update
Just one additional note about the finish. Those of you who own a P4 or S4 colored Squirt know that the color tends to wear off pretty quickly. After EDCing a black PS4 in my pocket for several months, I've noticed only a couple very small nicks where the color has worn off. Overall the color seemed to be holding up a whole lot better than it did on the older Squirts.

1/23/2012 Update
It was brought to my attention that the PS4s are now using rivets instead of Torx screws to hold them together. That's a shame because it's nice to be able to take it apart to clean and for modding.

I own numerous Leatherman multitools including the Mini, Pulse, PST, Juice S2, Juice SC2, Wave, Skeletool, Skeletool CX, Micra, Squirt P4, and Squirt S4. I also own numerous Victorinox Swiss Army Knives and multitools. I truly respect and admire the stellar designs utilized by both companies. Having used and owned all these different tools, I feel that the Leatherman Squirt ES4 and PS4 are now unparalleled as the best keychain size multi tools fit for everyday carry (EDC).

PROS
1. Small size, shorter than the Micra, although thicker
2. Lightweight, lighter than the Micra
3. Pliers, which Victorinox does not offer in any of their 58 mm size Swiss Army Knives (SAK)
4. In the ES4 model there are wire strippers (20, 18, 16, 14, 12 gauges)
5. Scissors
6. Flat screwdriver, medium size
7. Flat Philips driver
8. File, with fine and coarse sides
9. Knife, with clip point blade
10. Keyring
11. Bottle opener
12. All tools are accessible with the pliers closed
13. Aesthetically pleasing design with compact body

CONS
1. Colored handles, which I do not expect to hold up well on a keychain. The Micra has the best design in this instance with its steel handles
2. No toothpick, which is not important to me, but I always hear how people seem to want this in a SAK
3. No tweezers, which I do miss a little as they can be useful for removing splinters
4. No small sized flat screwdriver, which was on the Micra
5. Scissors are much smaller than the Squirt S4 but on par with the Victorinox 58 mm SAKs

CONCLUSION
The Leatherman Squirt PS4 and ES4 offer an amazing set of tools which include pliers and scissors in the same model, unlike the older S4 (scissors) or P4 (pliers) models or the Micra in which the presence of one excluded the other. If Leatherman ever makes the ES4 or PS4 with plain steel or aluminum handles, I feel that they would be close to perfect.

I got the squirt ps4 and the style cs, the ps4 for me and the style cs for my wife. Idea being that I would always have pliers and she would have scissors.

If I had only gotten the squirt I would have been happy but since we also got the style cs I am finding myself jealous of my wife. The style cs looks like it was designed to be this size, while the squirt is too much like a full sized leatherman shrunk down to toy size.

The squirt's pliers are great and the knife is OK (wish it locked), but the rest of this tool is too fiddly or hard to get at. The scissors are comically small, the wood file is really not important in daily use, and the screw drivers are both very hard to get at and lack a real phillips head. A keychain tool needs to be well designed as weight and space are at a premium, and the squirt isn't well designed.

The place where the difference is most clear is in the bottle opener. The bottle opener on the squirt is nearly impossible to get out and requires endless fiddling on the edge of the bottle to work. The bottle opener on the style cs is combined with the carabiner so it's always there and it's big and works great.

It's a shame you have to pick between the style cs and pliers. I think Leatherman should dump the squirt design pattern and just invest in more options for the style cs. For starters, add a pliers option and add a real phillips head off the short end of the tool (like the skeletool).

So, upshot as I see it is that if you are on the fence about the importance of pliers vs scissors, get the style cs. The bottle opener alone is worth it. The squirt is good for pliers and OK for a knife, but is frustrating to use, especially after using a well designed tool like the style cs.

Basically, the PS4 is the P4 where the scissors replace the mini screwdriver and the awl. I would've rather replaced the wood/metal filer over those instead. After all, it is a keychain-sized tool, meaning it's meant for "keychain-sized jobs"; better to have mini drivers. I've almost found no job small enough for a wood/metal filer that size (unless one cares for his/her fingernails that much, but I don't think the wood filer side leaves your nails smooth).

I don't favor the new handles, to be honest. The P4 had larger "dips" making it easy to pull out all the tools, but the newly designed handles "dip" for the blade and filer side only. There's a real tiny dip for the scissors, but if you want to pull out the drivers...you have to kind of dig your nails into it. Also, I'm not sure of this since I'm an owner of an early generation P4, which had a smooth, lacquered handle finish, but the PS4 handle is powdery and rough. That'll scratch and wear much faster.

Also, I'm not sure, but this may be something new...I noticed all the photos I see of the PS4 have hex or torx screws...this one I purchased recently (Sep 2010) does NOT. So, the option to tighten or loosen...gone. I'm not saying the P4 was any better (because that did not have hex/torx screws either), but I was mislead to believe there was an improvement over the "retired" model.

Overall, it is great scissors were added, but I'm not too happy of what was taken away. And with the more fragile finish on the handles, I do not foresee this Squirt outlasting my previous one.

I've carried a small key ring Victorinox "Swiss Army" knife for about 30 years, and only recently switched to the Leatherman Squirt PS4 (Red). I often wear slacks or chino type pants for work, so carrying a large knife usually doesn't look good. That's why I've preferred the Victorinox, usually something along the lines of the Classic or Rambler models. I was in the market for a new knife when I came across the Leatherman at a local event. Unfortunately (for that vendor) the price was more than twice what it is here at Amazon, so I ended up buying here (the Prime shipping made it an even better deal, by the way).

Three things worth noting about this knife. First, The size is perfect for someone who wants a small multi-tool/knife combination but doesn't want to carry a large belt mounted unit or a bulging tool in the pocket. As the name Squirt implies, it is small (2.9" x 2" x 1.2") for comparison purposes it is actually smaller than a ChapStick or similar item. Length and width are about like a small pocket knife, and the only "bulk" for the unit is its height. Another comparison is about the size of a typical flash drive. There is a downside to the size, obviously, since you will also get a small knife and other tools. So long as you're not trying to skin anything larger than a hamster then you're okay.

Second, the combination of needle-nose pliers and scissors in the unit (two different tools, actually) are a huge advantage. My Victorinox had scissors, which I used a lot, but does not have the pliers. In my opinion, the pliers are worth the money alone, but to put pliers and scissors in the same unit is simply brilliant!

Third, the overall quality is actually very good, even though some have complained. There are a LOT of cheaper units on the market, and once you compare the Leatherman to any of the less expensive models you'll realize just how good the quality is for the money. Do NOT expect this to be the same as the much more expensive full size multi-tools. I have a Leatherman "Super Tool" that I carry on my belt when I'm in shorts or jeans, and will never go on the ATV or motorcycle without this tool. The quality difference between the Super Tool (MSRP $84) and the Squirt (MSRP $41.40) is obvious, but I think part of that is more about the size of the tool than the actual quality of the workmanship. I say all this because I've read a few other reviews that suggest the quality is not very high for this tool. I don't know what those folks expect for under $25, but this is a great quality piece for the price/size of the tool.

I can easily see carrying this knife/tool for many years in the future. As I noted in the opening, I carried the Victorinox models for more than 30 years, and I still have the original knife I bought in the late 70s. It is pretty banged up, so it has been "retired," and I've gone through a couple others in that time. I would say this Leatherman will likely last as long (if not longer) than any of the Victorinox. That's not to say the Swiss Army knifes aren't still great, just that they will have a little place in my arsenal for the future.

While I'm thinking of it, there is a doofus on YouTube that did a review of this tool and didn't have any clue as to the use of the flat head Phillips screwdriver. I can understand this, especially if you've never seen one before, and I bring it up in case anyone finds that video online. I think he called it a "worthless" tool or something silly like that. The reality is that this is a single-blade Phillips screwdriver (separate from the flat head screwdriver) and it is actually fairly good for small Phillips head screws. Don't look at the tool and think you're just getting two flat heads, the two drivers are very different and serve very different needs.

I like this PS4 so much that I am ordering the Leatherman Squirt ES4, which is intended for electrical work. The biggest difference is that instead of the regular needle nose pliers, which have a standard gripping surface on the inside, the ES$ is designed to work as a needle-nose pliers with Wire Stripper for 20GA, 18GA, 16GA, 14GA and 12GA wire.

One last item ... if you're looking for a good present (Christmas, Hanukkah, or Birthday) for someone, then consider this tool. This is a good tool for both men and women. It will easily fit in a purse or pant pocket, and as noted it will not cause a big bulge. It is reasonably priced, comes in three colors, and has a nice feel to it overall. I can't imagine someone getting this as a gift and not appreciating the value right away.

I've had this little Squirt PS4 on my keychain for a couple of weeks now and I have to say it does a great job. I don't like having a lot of keys and other stuff hanging from my keychain, so I replaced my bottle opener with the Squirt PS4 (it has a bottle opener on it). It is a little heavier than the bottle opener that it replaced, but way more useful and actually more compact in size.

I'm usually carrying with my some kind of knife (Spyderco Delica 4, Cold Steel Recon 1, Kershaw Skyline, Spyderco Endura 4, etc) with me so the blade on this PS4 doesn't see much use. But all of the other tools seem to work very effectively. The scissors are smaller than the scissors on the older Squirt S4, but I find them still up to the job from cutting thread to cardboard and thin plastic containers. I was able to utilize the screwdrivers the other day to open up a server at work when I had forgotten to bring my screwdriver set with me (saved me 10 minutes of having to look for the set).

I used to carry the Juice S2 with me, but with the Squirt PS4 and an additional knife I find myself very well equipped. So I moved the Juice to my EDC bag and have it available if there are bigger tasks required. The anodized handles are very nice too, I love the blue color and after a few weeks of rubbing around in my pockets with the keys and other loose items it shows absolutely no signs of wear. I figured by now it would have some kind of scratches, but it still looks brand new (that may change though who knows).

The only con in this review is that I don't really like the blade on the knife. I mean it works alright, and I don't expect a lot out of such a small blade, but they only grinded one side. Not a big deal it still cuts things, I'm just not really a fan, which is why I carry another knife.

I love this keychain multi-tool, I even bought one for my girlfriend (the red one), to replace her broken (scissors broke, tweezers got lost, etc) Swiss Army knife.

I own numerous Leatherman multitools including the Mini, Pulse, PST, Juice S2, Juice SC2, Wave, Skeletool, Skeletool CX, Micra, Squirt P4, and Squirt S4. I also own numerous Victorinox Swiss Army Knives and multitools. I truly respect and admire the stellar designs utilized by both companies. Having used and owned all these different tools, I feel that the Leatherman Squirt ES4 and PS4 are now unparalleled as the best keychain size multi tools fit for everyday carry (EDC).

PROS
1. Small size, shorter than the Micra, although thicker
2. Lightweight, lighter than the Micra
3. Pliers, which Victorinox does not offer in any of their 58 mm size Swiss Army Knives (SAK)
4. In the ES4 model there are wire strippers (20, 18, 16, 14, 12 gauges)
5. Scissors
6. Flat screwdriver, medium size
7. Flat Philips driver
8. File, with fine and coarse sides
9. Knife, with clip point blade
10. Keyring
11. Bottle opener
12. All tools are accessible with the pliers closed
13. Aesthetically pleasing design with compact body. Please note that the "red" model is actually a darker, maroon color and quite different from what I expected from Amazon's product photo

CONS
1. Colored handles, which I do not expect to hold up well on a keychain. The Micra has the best design in this instance with its steel handles
2. No toothpick, which is not important to me, but I always hear how people seem to want this in a SAK
3. No tweezers, which I do miss a little as they can be useful for removing splinters
4. No small flat screwdriver, which was on the Micra
5. Scissors are much smaller than the Squirt S4 but on par with the Victorinox 58 mm SAKs

CONCLUSION
The Leatherman Squirt PS4 and ES4 offer an amazing set of tools which include pliers and scissors in the same model, unlike the older S4 (scissors) or P4 (pliers) models or the Micra in which the presence of one excluded the other. If Leatherman ever makes the ES4 or PS4 with plain steel or aluminum handles, I feel that they would be close to perfect.

I've had excellent experiences with Leatherman products (Wave, moderate-to-heavy use for 6+ years, Micra(s) ~4 years), and I held off purchasing prior versions of the Squirt so I could get the PS4. Unlike the previous reviewer, I'm very happy with it -- but I bought it with a different purpose in mind than he/she did. I'm not looking for a trail-hardened battle-robot that holds every instrument in the kitchen and is forged of Damascus steel.. I'm looking for an upgrade to my Micra that will serve as a reliable and un-obstructive multitool, that can sit in my pocket wherever I am until I need it.

On to why I like it. The PS4 is slightly shorter than the Micra (but slightly thicker), lightweight, and lines up quite nicely with my keys when I stuff them into my pocket. It allows access to all the fold-out tools without deploying the pliers (a game-changing feature compared to the Micra). The colored endguards are resistant to scratches from e.g. keys, but apparently can be chipped off if you try hard enough (which I did). There's a nice bevel on the endgaurds, too, so if they PS4 is hanging off your keychain, your fingers can find side with the knife without demanding your attention. The pliers provide good leverage, and if you flex on them, you can cut through 0.010" spring steel with the wire cutters at their base. The return-spring action of the pliers is stiff: balancing an animal cookie on one handle, I could catapult it ~6" without difficulty. The scissors are decently sharp -- sharper than my Micra's (which of course is quite old now) -- though the jaw is pretty short (~0.5"). One side of the file is has single-cut teeth, the other side is double (cross) cut.. I haven't used it yet, so I won't pass judgment on it. Both the flathead and half-phillips screw drivers taper in at their tips, which is nice, and the width of the phillips' tip is just less than 1/16", which I think will work with screws as small as #2. The knife-blade is made from 420HC (high-carbon) steel (look it up for properties and characteristics), which is the same as the Micra, and can cut the plastic bumper off a car. If it's in the way.

Note that the Product Description is incorrect (at the time of this writing, anyway): this isn't the S4, it doesn't have tweezers anywhere on its person, and I've seen no evidence of micro-serrations on the scissors. (They may be too micro.) Other than that, no real cons, yet. I bought mine on Amazon for $25. Happy shopping.

I was holding off on getting a mini Leatherman like this until they had both pliers and scissors.

I got mine and was blown away by how small it is. It's the perfect size for a keychain. I find all the functions very useful on a day to day basis except for maybe the file. I would rather Leatherman replaced the file with some tweezers, but that's a very minor complaint.

This seems to be holding up well on my keychain

Mine didn't have torx screws holding it together, it just had rivets. Not a big deal though

A very useful tool to have around

The PS4 is a great little tool, quality and elegant but it truly fits into the "subcompact" realm of the multi-tool family. Finding myself in the market for a "pocket" multi-tool I struggled between the Juice S2 and the Squirt PS4. I wanted my pocket multi-tool equipped with both scissors and pliers and both models had each. I initially purchased the Squirt and found it was very efficient at light-duty tasks. However, for me the scissors are a bit disappointing, they will not cut much more than standard mil paper effectively (they will not cut gauze, first aid or electrical tape without a struggle). I have since upgraded to the Juice S2, for just a little more in size and weight (about the size of a large pocketknife) the Juice gives you so much more in capability. However I do appreciate and respect the PS4 for what it is and use it in place of my Juice when weight restriction is more of a consideration (jogging, swimming, etc.)