Since 1983, Leatherman Tools has been making life easier with its ever-evolving line of multitools. What started as one man’s idea of having a toolbox in his pocket has turned into a brand that most of us can’t live without.
In fact, Leatherman has had such an impact in the market that when someone asks for a multitool from any brand, they usually refer to it as a “Leatherman.”
For the second half of 2025, the Leatherman brand is expanding its product offering through its “Built Different” initiative. This campaign signals Leatherman’s official entry into the market as a dedicated knife brand with five new knives.
However, this isn’t just a side project for the brand. This new venture has led to investing in a new production facility so that Leatherman can design and manufacture its new line of knives in Portland, Oregon, like it does its multitools.
The result of these efforts is a line of knives that represents what the people want, in both form and function. It’s also a signal to a shining and sharp future for the Leatherman brand.
What is ‘Built Different’?
“Built Different” comes off as a two-part venture. The obvious part is the new line of knives. The other part is the future of the entire Leatherman brand.
The knife line consists of three fixed-blades and two folding knives aimed at life in the outdoors. All of the knives use MagnaCut steel. The fixed blade knives have full-tang construction and G10 handle scales, while the folding knives utilize Cerakoted 416 stainless steel for handles.
Though Leatherman has made knives in the past, these five knives are a step above anything we’ve seen from the brand before.
Along with its focus on form and function, and the inclusion of desirable materials, “Built Different” demonstrates Letherman’s commitment to manufacturing quality products in the United States. It could also indicate where Leatherman is heading as a brand.
Could we start to see MagnaCut in all of its multitools, an not just their Arc multitool? The brand toyed with G10 on tools in the past. Could the new resources also be used on a new line of multitools with alternate handle materials?
Only Leatherman knows these answers, but its enthusiasm for the future is admittedly contagious. We would implore any fans of the brand to continue to follow along as this whole thing develops.
Leatherman ‘Built Different’ Knives
All five of the knives in this new line are built with the outdoors in mind. he folding knives having a sprinkle of EDC mixed in. They also all come with Leatherman’s 25-year warranty, which is a nice boon for anyone investing in a knife that they plan on using and abusing for years to come.
Leatherman first gave us a hint of its design direction with the Batch #007: Malloy Special Garage release. The focus is on ergonomics and how it interacts with size. This approach has allowed Leatherman to have some fun and bring us forward-thinking and ultimately useful designs.
Additionally, the quality of this batch of knives is impressive. We’ve always considered Leatherman tools to be dependable and long-lasting, but manufacturing multitools and manufacturing knives are two different worlds.
So, it’s nice to see clean grinds and edges that line up from side to side, as well as handles and hardware that seemingly went through a white glove process to get to the finished product.
The choice to stick with the combination of MagnaCut steel and G10 handle scales parallels what we’re seeing in the world of knives overall. MagnaCut is the current EDC “it” steel due to its balance of toughness, abrasion resistance, and corrosion resistance. G10 is a fan favorite as it is durable and provides an uncanny grip in both wet and dry conditions.
Below is a breakdown of each model:
Pioneer Fixed Blade Review
- OAL: 10”
- Blade Length: 5”
- Blade Type: Tanto
- Grind: Flat Saber Grind
- Carry: Right hand, hybrid leather and Kydex sheath
- Weight: 8.30 oz (12 oz w. sheath)
- Price: $300
Out of the three fixed blades in the “Built Different” line, the Pioneer is the largest. It’s a full-tang, heavy-duty, hard-use knife aimed at being your true companion in the outdoors. Its flat, saber ground, Japanese Tanto blade excels at chopping, battoning, notching, and prying. Additionally, the G10 handle scales provide an excellent grip in wet or dry conditions.
For carry, Leatherman has created a hybrid sheath made from Kydex and Leather. It allows the Pioneer to sit low on your belt to help clear the hip belt on your pack. At an overall length of 10”, this positioning also keeps the knife from impeding your movement. Overall, this knife will serve survivalists and people who opt to spend the majority of their time in remote locations the best.
I spent my time testing the Pioneer in the thickest, most unkept of hiking areas near my house. With all of the inclement weather we’ve received in the last month, anything that could grow up and around a formerly groomed trail did. The Pioneer was great for cutting through the thick of it. I was able to take down numerous saplings and baton up some weathered kindling for a small fire on the banks of the river. Even at 10″, the Pioneer never felt unbalanced or a burden.
There’s no doubt in my mind that this knife will be overkill for a couple of miles out and about, but for the person spending a lot of time off grid in the thick of it, they’ll enjoy every aspect of it. Put it this way, if Rambo were just an outdoor enthusiast, this would be the knife he took with him on his adventures.
– Nick LeFort
Trac Fixed Blade Review
- OAL: 8.93”
- Blade Length: 4.20”
- Blade Type: Drop Point
- Grind: Hollow Saber Grind
- Carry: Left or Right Hand, Full-grain leather sheath
- Weight: 6.40 oz (10.5 oz w. sheath)
- Price: $300
With a focus on versatility and precision, the Trac is Leatherman’s well-executed interpretation of the quintessential outdoor knife. From harvesting and foraging to field dressing game while exploring the wilderness, the Trac has a blade-forward balance that matches its ergonomics for years of hard and effective use.
The choice to go with a hollow saber grind on a drop point here proves that Leatherman did its homework in designing a knife for hunters, gatherers, bushcrafters, and beyond. These features allow for both precision and brute work to be completed successfully and with ease. The ever-grippy, all-conditions G10 scales will keep your hand in place, and look good when you pass the Trac down to your next of kin.
Leatherman went with a full-grain leather sheath for carry. It can be set up for left or right-hand carry as well as horizontal carry across the small of your back, otherwise known as “scout carry.” This is some of the best leather work Leatheman has ever offered with its products.
The Trac quickly became my go-to belt knife, being that its size and shape allowed it to do both utility and precision work without early onset fatigue. It’s hollow saber grind and drop point blade shape play exceptionally well with one another for cutting, slicing, batoning, and anything else you could consider encountering in the great outdoors. I think this will be the most popular of the three fixed-blade knives in the collection.
– Nick LeFort
Rustle Fixed Blade
- OAL: 8.30”
- Blade Length: 4”
- Blade Type: Santoku
- Grind: Full Flat Grind
- Carry: Left or Right Hand, Kydex sheath
- Weight: 4.30 oz (5.3 oz w. sheath)
- Price: $280
Many of us have no problem using our belt knives to prepare a gourmet meal, trailside; however, the Rustle has been designed to let you leave that knife on your hip when it comes to food prep and cooking. With an OAL of 8.30” and featuring a 4” fully ground Santoku blade, this knife has been designed with confidence and control in mind. After all, you don’t want to mess up those Morel mushrooms and fiddleheads you put in all that effort to find.
The Rustle is a backpack knife. Sure, you can buy a belt clip and wear it on your hip as an outdoor knife and have a fine time. However, it’s best reserved for those occasions where you can sit back and relax after a long day of exploring, to cook a grand meal. So, it lives in your pack clean and free from whatever other organic materials, goops, and saps.
Being that the Rustle is a true food processing knife, the choice of MagnaCut and G10 was spot on here. Both clean up really well and won’t suffer from corrosion. Additionally, the Kydex sheath can be cleaned up easily as well, and can dry overnight so it’s ready for your next adventure.
I do a lot of cooking at home as well as for my kids and me when we go camping. Never did I consider MagnaCut steel for a kitchen knife – but here we are, and it’s incredible. The full flat grind really lets the Santoku shape shine in slicing up fruit, veggies, meat, poultry, and fish. When it slices, there is an audible and satisfying slicing sound that is a chef’s kiss. Where I originally thought the result would end up in our camp kit, it’s become a staple in our home kitchen, pushing aside knives from Victorinox and Benchmade as my go-to prep knife.
– Nick LeFort
Leatherman Blazer Folding Knife Review
- OAL: 7.30”
- Blade Length: 3.15”
- Blade Type: Drop Point
- Grind: Hollow Saber Grind
- Carry: Left or Right Hand Deep Carry
- Weight: 3.70 oz
- Price: $300
Of the two knives I received for testing, this one is probably my favorite. The Leatherman Blazer has all the trappings of a future icon.
With the Blazer, Leatherman focused on a minimalist design and build. Composed of only 12 components, including hardware, the knife has a tapered, Cerakoted, 416 stainless steel handle. The drop point is the most universal style of knife blades. Here, on the Blazer, with its hollow saber grind, its uses are endless.
Leatherman created its own, patent pending, button lock mechanism referred to as the “Compression Wedge Lock”. It’s easy to use and appears reliable and safe. The blade opens via a color-coded thumb tab, and the pivot rides on ball bearings for a smooth opening experience.
This knife is dope. The handle is rigid, and the blade is ideally shaped for myriad tasks. The machining tolerances are wildly close, with barely a hair’s width between the scales and the blade when the knife is closed. Indeed, I did find a little friction between the blade and scales when flipping open. This knife requires a hearty “thunk” to open one-handed, so it could be a touch intimidating among gentle company.
But overall, this knife is poised to be an EDC and outdoors workhorse. The only bummer is the cost, as $300 is a heavy hit for a pocket knife, even one with premium materials. I’ll put it through some rough use and write a complete review soon.
The Blazer is available with Denim, Alpine, or Stainless Steel 416 handle scales.
— Sean McCoy
Leatherman Glider Folding Knife Review
- OAL: 7.30”
- Blade Length: 3”
- Blade Type: Sheepsfoot
- Grind: Hollow Saber Grind
- Carry: Left or Right Hand Deep Carry
- Weight: 3.70 oz
- Price: $300
Still aimed at the great outdoors, the Glider is visually the more refined of the two folding knives in this collection. With its streamlined, minimalist handle and sheepsfoot blade design, this knife is the equivalent of a collared shirt being worn in a high-scale burger joint.
Like the Blazer, the Glider is made from only 12 components and has Cerakoted, or plain, 416 stainless steel handles. It also has a focus on ergonomics and adaptability. Though people have long argued the benefits of Drop Point style blades, just as many have found the benefit in a sheepsfoot style blade. Where a Drop Point may excel in stabbing, users will find that a Sheepsfoot blade can still stab, but has a greater focus on utility tasks.
The Glider has the aforementioned, patent-pending “Compression Wedge Lock”, thumb tab, and a pivot with ball bearings for smooth opening operation.
In the hand, the Glider feels like an exceptional EDC knife with chops for the outdoors. The steel scales are extremely rigid. Every detail is clean, with tight tolerances. I’ve only tested this knife for a week, but my initial impressions are excellent.
It comes out of the very nice packaging wicked sharp. While flickable, it does require a little force to flip open. It’s not the most fidgety knife, but it is certainly pleasant to open and close. I did notice that the ceracoated scales scuffed quite easily. I’m not sure what this will mean long term, but my guess is that it, and the similar Blazer, will patina over time.
The Glider is available with Jet Black, Okra, and Alpine 416 stainless handle scales.
— Sean McCoy
What’s With The Lanyards?
Fans of knife lanyards will not only enjoy the visual finishing touch that the cord and bead combo on the Blazer and Glider offers. They will enjoy the functionality of the bead, which doubles as a hex bit holder. Leatherman also includes a Torx #6 and Torx #8 combo bit with each knife.
The #6 size is to swap the thumb tab from left to right, and the #8 is to do the same with the pocket clip.
Conclusion
As of today, July 8th, 2025, all of these knives are available to order through Leatherman directly. They will be available at both local and online retailers in the coming weeks.
Additionally, in the course of the next month we’ll be providing you with full, extensive reviews of these knives from two of our dedicated experts, Sean McCoy and Nick LeFort.
Both of these guys had the honor of being invited to the official press conference launching the “Built Different” campaign. They were then both given production samples and told to head out into the outdoors and give ’em hell.
Stay tuned for those reviews coming soon. Both McCoy and LeFort are currently out there in the middle of nowhere, seeing what makes Leatherman’s line of premium outdoor knives tick.
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