The Leatherman Book: Stories, Lessons, and Advice from the Inventor of America’s Original Multi-Tool

Description

The inventor behind the Leatherman multi-tool and founder of the beloved company presents his inspiring personal story as a practical how-to guide for entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives of all kinds who want to pursue their own big ideas.

On a budget trip to Europe in 1975, Tim Leatherman started making a list of ideas for what to do with the rest of his life. After months of fixing the plumbing in cheap hotels and toiling on his temperamental Fiat, Tim added to his list of ideas: “add pliers to pocket knife.” Little did he know he would spend the following four decades building an iconic American company that would go on to manufacture more than 90 million multi-tools in its Portland, Oregon, factory.

His latest multi-tool is a book.

In The Leatherman Book, Tim uses the pieces of his story as tools to help dreamers, entrepreneurs and creatives of all kinds build their own big ideas. Each chapter shares valuable insight into how Tim built his invention and his company–and the lessons he’s learned doing it–including:

– You don’t have to be “qualified” to pursue your big idea
– If you’re serious about your principles, they become your competitive advantage
– Your most important tool is a willingness to figure things out as you go along

Weaving storytelling, advice, and never-before-seen photos, this is a visionary and intimate look at a true American icon, meant to inspire and enable dreamers to bring their ideas to life.
Binding Type: Hardcover
Contributors: Tim Leatherman,Chris Kornelis (Author)
Published: 10/06/2026
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9798217298921
Pages: 272
Weight: 1.50lbs
Size: 0.72″ H x 9.25″ L x 7.38″ W

About the Author
Tim Leatherman invented the Leatherman multi-tool. He is the co-founder, owner, chair, and a very engaged part-time employee of Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. He has appeared at events and retail stores all over the world to sign tools and greet Leatherman fans. He and his products have been covered in many national and international publications and programs.

He has won national championships in pickleball (but in an ancient age group and a middling skill level), swallowed more of the Zambezi River than is considered healthy, once hit the only tree north of the Arctic Circle, has traveled into the hinterlands of Mongolia, attended the Bolshoi Ballet without wearing a suit, occasionally casts a fly for trout and drops a lure for salmon, and has the two cutest grandsons in the history of mankind. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Chau.

Chris Kornelis, a reporter at The Wall Street Journal, has written and co-authored numerous books.