Timothy S. Leatherman

Timothy S. Leatherman
Born
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
EducationOregon State University
OccupationsBusinessman, inventor
Organization(s)Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
Known forNamesake Leatherman multi-tools

Timothy S. Leatherman is an American businessman and the founder and Shareholder of Leatherman Tool Group, Inc..

Biography

Leatherman graduated from Oregon State University in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. While there, he met a Vietnamese exchange student named Chau, and moved to her hometown Saigon in 1972, where they were married. They returned to the US just before the fall of Saigon in 1975, and decided to embark on a trip to Europe and Middle East. In Amsterdam, they bought a 1969 Fiat 600 for $300, which repeatedly malfunctioned. According to The Oregonian, "Leatherman came up with the idea of a 'Boy Scout knife with pliers' during a 1975 driving tour of Europe with his wife, when he was unable to use his pocket knife to fix his repeatedly malfunctioning car." It took him several years afterwards to refine his idea, and he was granted a patent on the first Leatherman tool in 1980. Leatherman spent the next few years attempting to market his product to large companies with technical staff, such as AT&T, but this was largely unsuccessful. The tool eventually gained popularity through mail-order catalogues.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Leatherman inventor gives KGW tour of factory amid book launch". KGW. October 1, 2026. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Timothy S. Leatherman : Oregon Stater Academy of Distinguished Engineers : College of Engineering - Oregon State University". 1999 Academy of Distinguished Engineers. Archived from the original on June 4, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
  3. ↑ Woodring, Jenna (July 16, 2024). "Leaving a War Behind". The Immigrant Story. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Portland's Tim Leatherman shares stories and lessons in new book". opb. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ Evans, Scott (August 24, 2021). "How a Ratty Old Fiat Helped Inspire the Leatherman Tool". MotorTrend. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ Horjus, Maren (June 16, 2020). "Innovators: Tim Leatherman - Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication". Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication. Archived from the original on October 17, 2025. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Leatherman Tools, Leatherman Knives, Leatherman Pocket Pliers, Leatherman Products - ShopLeatherman.com". R.N. Product Guide for Leatherman tools and knives. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Leatherman - Overview - Free Online Library". Leatherman Overview. Retrieved April 4, 2010.