We love Harbor Freight and their economically-priced options to many kinds of tools. They have everything from hand tools and power drills to car jacks and tool chests. Sure, they’re not the best quality, but they’re definitely good enough for DIY home users. Apparently, the outfit has recently added a multi-tool to their inventory and it’s an interesting one in the form of the Harbor Freight Gordon 20-in-1 Multi Tool.
Yes, it kind of looks like the Leatherman Wave Plus. Seriously, you can etch the name there and it looks like the same thing. The functions look to be similar, too, putting over a dozen tools in your pocket at a fraction of the price of the bestselling Leatherman design
The Harbor Freight Gordon 20-in-1 Multi Tool packs all of its functions in a pocket-sized frame measuring 4.1 x 1.5 x 0.9 inches (length x width x thickness) and weighing just 10.5 ounces. It boasts one-handed blade deployment, with all tools able to lock in place, so it should work as reliably as more popular multi-tool brands. The main knife blade is made with 5Cr15MoV stainless steel, so it should be decent enough for most daily tasks and the occasional adventure in the backcountry, with the locking mechanism ensuring you can use it safely, no matter the job.
Since this is styled after the Wave Plus, it gets multi-function pliers, with a needle nose tip and a wire crimper at the opening. On one side of the frame, you get a small saw for cutting down small pieces of wood, a gut hook (yes, it can find some use when fishing), a tiny pair of spring-action scissors, a glass breaker, a screwdriver, and a bit holder that’s compatible with standard driving bits. On the other side, you get a can opener (that can also pop off bottle caps), the knife, a wood file, a metal file, and a diamond-coated file. When stretched to full length, by the way, there’s also eight inches of ruler markings, so you can it to make measurements when doing different types of work.
The Harbor Freight Gordon 20-in-1 Multi Tool has a handle that’s cut in the same 5Cr15MoV stainless steel as the blade, so this should be reasonably durable. You know… durable enough for home use and the occasional outdoor jaunt, but it’s definitely not something to take when doing professional jobs, much like many of the other tools in Harbor Freight’s inventory. Basically, it isn’t likely to hold up as well as the Leatherman Wave+ it seems to be based on, but you should be able to rough it up in the outdoors with this thing in tow without any worries.
Early reviews seem to point to the fact that the multi-tool feels stiff, which, we guess, isn’t going to be uncommon with newly-purchased tools. Maybe it can loosen up after a bit of use (or some lube). At any rate, this is a decent-looking multi-tool at a very attractive price point, which is why we have no doubt this thing will find itself into a bunch of people’s hands.
The Harbor Freight Gordon 20-in-1 Multi Tool is available now, priced at $39.99.
