Tools-Home-Improvement · Iconic Everyday Products
Is the Leatherman Multi-Tool Patented?
Tim Leatherman's original full-size pliers-based multi-tool patent (US 4,238,862) was filed in 1980 and expired in 2000. That's why Gerber, SOG, and dozens of brands now sell legal pliers-based multi-tools.
Quick answer
Originally yes — most expired
Tim Leatherman's original full-size pliers-based multi-tool patent (US 4,238,862) was filed in 1980 and expired in 2000. That's why Gerber, SOG, and dozens of brands now sell legal pliers-based multi-tools.
Key patents on the Leatherman Multi-Tool
Every patent number below is a live USPTO record — click through to read the original claims on Google Patents.
- US 4,238,862 (1980) — Folding pocket pliers with multiple integrated tools. Status: expired / public domain.
What to know
- Leatherman keeps a moat through ongoing improvement patents (e.g., the FREE-series magnetic pivot lock, US 10,953,529).
- The original 1980 patent is one of the more famous "founder filed before going to market" stories — Tim Leatherman spent six years getting the patent before launching the company.
Have your own invention idea?
If a product like Leatherman Multi-Toolcan get patent protection, your idea probably can too — assuming it’s novel. The cheapest first step is a provisional patent application, which locks in your priority date for 12 months while you validate the market. LegalZoom files provisionals from $199 + USPTO fees; you can also read the official USPTO patent basics first if you prefer.
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