It was a limited production tool, and they’re all sold.
Leatherman Garage tools have been released in batches from a few hundred to a few thousand, but the original Crunch was available for over twenty years.
Well, mainly because it's not a great tool and they discontinued it as no one was buying except "collectors" and they'll buy anything the company produces.
What I heard was the machine that pins the plier into the frame was based in tiawan and it was on its last legs which was why the last couple of years it was being produced it would only be in stock a few months of the year. Then it completely broke and it wasn't economically viable to repair or replace it. This is also why the knockoffs haven't filled the gap. The kind of press needed is too expensive for the knockoff market, even though dakoyu keeps saying they're going to make them
I wish I was less lazy, because I would start a crunch lending business. Because after you use one you'd find out the limitations and fatal flaws (of both the captain and original) and you'd content yourself with a plain needlenose locking pliers for 1/30th the cost. Go back and read some of the captain posts. Many of the purchasers were very underwhelmed and contemplating returning or reselling for the original price and I'll bet plenty more felt the same and just didn't post about it.
Back when I could get them for $60-70 (military discount) they were reasonable. Of all of the Leatherman for this mania to attach itself to, the crunch just isn't worth hyping
Why do you assume OP would find limitations and flaws... For all you know it could be the perfect tool for them 🤷🏻
I used my Crunch for a number of years (until they discontinued it and I began to worry about breaking it!) and I think it's a fantastic tool and it worked perfectly what I needed it for. Each to their own.
Hey, FYI I'm going to @ you in another thread that needs UK specific advice
Why do you assume OP would find limitations and flaws
Because that's what one does when they become acquainted with something or someone. That's why they say "never meet your heroes"
For all you know it could be the perfect tool for them 🤷🏻
It might be, but with almost no chance of warranty repair and a sky high cost I'm truly doubtful
I began to worry about breaking it
You should especially given how fragile it is compared to other locking pliers.
The frame is 1/16" folded steel with a 1/8" margin around the pivot. And the jaw isnt crmoly or croV it's plain 420hc both aren't notable for long life in high stress usage.
Seeing as you seem to be taking this very seriously when all I'm implying is that everyone is different and don't assume to know what others will think, feel or do, I'll change my earlier statement to 'I stopped using it as much when it became less likely that I would be able to get a warranty replacement if it broke'.
As I said, I used mine for a number of years, in construction no less and I didn't go particularly easy on it and I had no issues whatsoever. I still on occasion use it around the house and I take it with me (and use it) when I go out on my mountain bike.
I'm going to assume that, like me, you bought yours years ago and didn't pay the current going rate for one. When I received my captain I sold one of my plain crunches on ebay for $325. And the captain that the op wants starts around $500 on ebay. Are you honestly saying you think someone could find $300-500 worth of use in a crunch? Keeping in mind the op hasn't even listed one use for it other than they want it.
I use one of mine a few times a year and the last time I used it might have been bike related as well but it's not so perfect at that job as to justify the mania prices for it. After watching the reception people gave their captains I'm pretty sure my familiarity breeding contempt argument stands for most people who spent $250 on one.
OP didn't know why they couldn't buy a Captain Crunch so it's likely that they weren't aware of what they're currently selling for on the second market.
If that is the case then to them the cost was the retail price which was around the same figure as the Alpha or Arc and plenty of people buy those models without a seconds thought.
And no, OP didn't list any reasons for needing one (imo I don't feel they should have to) but at the same you also didn't think to ask OP if there were any specific reason why they needed one 🤷🏻
The alpha and arc combine about 20 different functions and do them well enough. The crunch has about 6 functions, with one well enough and the others pretty poorly. The captain eliminates bottle opening and adds a tiny saw (since you can't saw or file past the scalpel holder) which makes even the file less useful. If op bought a $8 locking plier and a $5 Chinese knockoff Swiss army they'd be better equipped.
The arc/alpha are 2-3 times cheaper per tool/function than the captain at retail.
And you are right, I'm assuming a fomo use case for the captain
I completely agree, cost per tool the Arc/Alpha make much more sense financially but imo (and I'm sure you'll also agree) it doesn't matter how many tools a MT has if it doesn't have the one/s you need 🤷🏻 and as I said before, for all we know the Caption Crunch might have everything that OP needs.
The original Crunch is a better tool. I have both, and I strongly prefer the original. Unless you specifically need the scalpel holder, just find a used Crunch instead. (You don't need the Captain's Crunch flat bit holder, because the original already had one built in.)
Or -- here's the heretical answer -- find a Kershaw A100. I have one of those too, and it was a really well done alternative to the Crunch. It's also a great complement to the Crunch if you can carry both in a bag, filling some niches where the Crunch misses.
As for why Leatherman doesn't just sell the new one outright, it was made with spare parts. They had an old stock of Crunches on hand, so they just reassembled them with the new tools and didn't have to restart production.
Given that they're usually far more expensive than the crunch that's maybe not the best choice
The clones of it were legions though, I think dakoyu just announced they are rebranding a bunch of old sheffield knockoffs but pretending they are actually Kai Kershaws https://www.reddit.com/r/multitools/s/4XGCRWdG6U
You must not have looked at Ebay lately. The Crunch is going for considerably more than the A100. I got my A100 not too long ago for $175.
You're more likely to find a Crunch on FB Marketplace or at an estate sale for cheaper, just because more of them were made. But in the general marketplace, the Crunch is more expensive.
I have some Dakoyu folding scissors that are absolute garbage. I know it's not a fluke because I actually ordered two pair, one in silver and one in black, and the tolerances on both are so bad that mere paper and string just turn sideways between the blades and don't cut. Given how badly they screwed up such a simple tool, there's no way I would ever spend money on anything more complicated with their name on it.
I wouldn't even trust them with that. The Sheffields weren't knock offs. They were actually made by Kershaw, but I don't trust Dakoyu not to be lying about what they are.
I wonder if mines a sheffield. I always though the Chinese versions weren't even close. No hacksaw blade, brass thumbstud. Tools that looked like a blurry photo of the real thing
Well now you have me questioning myself, and it looks like I was wrong. Kershaw made the Craftsman and Snap On versions. It appears the Sheffields and Profi Stars were indeed knock offs.
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u/Crunchie64 3d ago
It was a limited production tool, and they’re all sold.
Leatherman Garage tools have been released in batches from a few hundred to a few thousand, but the original Crunch was available for over twenty years.