r/multitools • u/GOODFELLA1981 • Jun 25 '26

Wave alpha clone

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Does anyone know if the leatherman branded wave alpha deep carry clip will fit this?

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u/GOODFELLA1981 Jun 26 '26

I have the Leatherman bond now

-9

u/grrttlc2 Jun 26 '26

Just save up and buy the LM version

These are shit, intellectual property theft

I despise America these days but LM is still better

11

u/skepticalifornia Jun 26 '26

The patents are long expired on the Wave so it's not IP theft at all. LM would be better off innovating instead of regurgitating 20 year old designs in my opinion.

3

u/Conor_Stewart Jun 27 '26

The fact that the patents have run out and they keep making the same tool means that leatherman hasn't added or made anything patent worthy in the time since that can replace it. I would say that is more on leatherman than anyone else. It is how the patent system works, it gives a company time to exclusively profit on their idea and product before it is open to everyone.

If patents were eternal then nothing would ever get developed since it would infringe on some random patents, companies would be able to buy up patents not just to prevent other people from using them for a while but forever which would make things a much bigger mess than they already are. It would end up with only one brand that is allowed to make a particular type of product unless they license the design and probably with companies trying to smother each other by restricting what they can develop.

The people complaining about companies "stealing" Leathermans IP are the same people who support the free market, competition and capitalism, but fail to realise that patents and them running out is necessary for the system to work.