For vintage pinball restorers reaching into cramped backboxes to tweak EM-era and early solid-state coil stops, the leatherman wave plus for vintage pinball machine restorers coil stop adjustments is one of the few pocketable tools that genuinely earns a spot on the workbench. Coil stop work demands a tool that can grip a 6-32 stop nut without rounding it, drive both flat and Phillips machine screws on the bracket, and occasionally file a mushroomed plunger face — all without forcing you to walk back to the toolbox. The Wave Plus packs needle-nose pliers with a fine tip, a full set of bit drivers, replaceable wire cutters, and a diamond-coated file into a 8.5 oz multitool that slides into an apron pocket between games. This guide walks through why restorers reach for the Wave Plus when servicing flippers, pop bumpers, and slingshots, what to watch for during adjustments, and what to pair it with for a complete restoration kit.
Why coil stop work is different from general repair
A coil stop is the small metal bracket that limits how far a solenoid plunger travels into the coil. On flipper assemblies in Williams, Bally, Gottlieb, and Stern machines from the 1970s through mid-1990s, that stop wears, mushrooms, and loosens after tens of thousands of activations. When the gap between the plunger face and the stop grows beyond roughly 1/16", the flipper loses snap, the EOS switch geometry drifts, and the coil itself starts running hot because the plunger never fully seats. Restorers who buy a project machine almost always find at least one worn stop, and frequently all four flipper stops need attention.
The adjustment itself is mechanically simple — loosen two screws on the bracket, slide the stop closer to the coil, retighten — but the access is brutal. You're working under the playfield with the machine on its side or propped on a service rail, often with cabinet wiring draped across your forearm. A bench vise and a full screwdriver set are useless in that position. This is exactly the niche where a quality multitool stops being a novelty and becomes the right tool for the job.
What the Wave Plus brings to the bench
The leatherman wave plus for vintage pinball machine restorers coil stop adjustments works because Leatherman included four features that map directly onto coil stop service. First, the needle-nose pliers taper to a point fine enough to hold the captive nut on the back side of the bracket while you spin the screw from the front. Second, the outside-accessible bit driver accepts standard 1/4" hex bits, so you can swap from Phillips #2 to a flat 3/16" without folding the tool. Third, the replaceable 154CM wire cutters handle the 18 AWG solid-core lugs that run between the coil and the playfield switch matrix when you need to free a corroded coil for replacement. Fourth, the diamond-coated file deburrs the plunger face after you've squared up the stop.
The tool also opens one-handed, which sounds like a marketing line until you've been holding a coil bracket steady with your left hand and realized you need pliers now. The slide-lock on the Wave Plus keeps each implement locked open, which matters when you're applying torque inside the cabinet and don't want the blade or driver folding back on a knuckle.
Leatherman Wave Plus
The Wave Plus is the workhorse pick for this job. It carries 18 tools including 420HC plain and serrated blades, spring-action needle-nose and regular pliers, replaceable premium wire and hard-wire cutters, an electrical crimper, a wood/metal file, a diamond-coated file, a saw, scissors, a ruler, a can/bottle opener, a wire stripper, and large/small bit drivers compatible with Leatherman's flat bit set. For coil stop adjustments specifically, the bit driver accepts the long flat and Phillips bits you need to reach past the playfield apron. Made in Portland, Oregon and backed by Leatherman's 25-year warranty, it's the tool most working restorers I know keep clipped to their belt. Check current price on Amazon.
A typical coil stop adjustment with the Wave Plus
Here's how the tool earns its place during a routine flipper rebuild on a 1980s Williams System 11 machine. After dropping the playfield and locating the flipper assembly, you'll see the coil stop held by two machine screws — usually slotted on older boards, Phillips on later ones. With the Wave Plus opened to needle-nose configuration, you can pinch the captive nut from below while engaging the screw head from above with the bit driver. Slide the stop forward until the plunger seats fully without binding, retighten, and check the EOS switch gap. The whole procedure takes about four minutes per flipper once you've done a few.
If the plunger face is mushroomed — the telltale flared edge from years of impact — flip the Wave Plus to the diamond file and dress the face flat. Don't remove more than a few thousandths; you're squaring the surface, not reshaping it. A mushroomed plunger that's been ignored will eventually chew through a new coil sleeve in a season of league play.
Where the Wave Plus has limits
No multitool replaces a proper bench setup, and the Wave Plus is no exception. For nut driver work on 1/4" and 5/16" hex nuts common on lane guides and post sleeves, you'll want a dedicated nutdriver — the Wave Plus bit driver doesn't accept socket adapters cleanly enough for high-torque work. For soldering coil lugs, you obviously need an iron. And for cleaning the playfield itself, microfiber and Novus do the heavy lifting.
The pliers also have a single weakness worth knowing: the spring-loaded jaws are excellent for repetitive picking but can feel slightly loose when you're trying to apply steady crushing force on a stuck bracket screw. If you encounter a frozen fastener, switch to a dedicated vise-grip rather than fighting the Wave Plus pliers.
Pairing the Wave Plus with the rest of your restoration kit
Most restorers carry a few things alongside the multitool. A quality bit kit extends the Wave Plus reach into the cabinet — Leatherman's own flat bit set fits the outside driver and gives you long-reach Phillips and flat options. A small inspection flashlight is essential because cabinet interiors are dark; a sub-100-lumen pen light is fine but a 500-lumen pocket light makes finding the right solder joint faster. For more on choosing that pocket light, see our guides on the best everyday carry flashlights for 2026 and how to choose the right EDC flashlight for workshop tasks.
A pair of digital calipers handles plunger gap measurement better than the Wave Plus ruler, which is engraved at 1/16" increments — fine for most field work, insufficient for chasing a specific 0.020" gap spec. A small magnetic parts tray catches the captive nuts you'll inevitably drop into the cabinet.
How the Wave Plus compares for this specific task
I've used the Victorinox SwissTool and the Gerber Suspension NXT on similar projects. The SwissTool has better-feeling pliers and a more refined fit and finish, but its tools open from the outside without the Wave Plus's one-handed action, which slows you down inside a cabinet. The Suspension NXT is significantly cheaper and lighter but its bit driver is fixed-bit rather than universal, which kills it for varied screw heads. For the specific job of coil stop adjustments, the Wave Plus's combination of one-handed access, bit driver, and replaceable cutters makes it the clear pick. For a broader head-to-head, see our Wave Plus vs Victorinox SwissTool comparison.
If you want a deeper look at the Wave Plus itself outside the pinball context, the full Leatherman Wave Plus review covers daily-carry use, materials, and warranty experience.
Caring for the Wave Plus after shop sessions
Pinball workshops are dusty, and the dust is conductive — it's a mix of carbon from arcing switch contacts, brass shavings from worn coil sleeves, and general cabinet grime. After a long session, blow the Wave Plus out with compressed air and put a single drop of light machine oil on each pivot. The bit driver mechanism in particular collects debris and will start to feel gritty if neglected. Leatherman's warranty covers manufacturing defects but not contamination, so a few seconds of maintenance after each session pays off across the 25-year service life.
For more general EDC tool maintenance habits, our multitool and flashlight maintenance guide covers lubrication, blade care, and storage practices that apply directly to workshop carry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Leatherman Wave Plus actually reach inside a pinball cabinet for coil stop screws?
Yes, with the right bit. The outside-accessible bit driver accepts standard 1/4" hex bits, including Leatherman's own extended flat bit kit. With a long-reach Phillips bit installed, you can engage coil stop bracket screws on most 1970s-1990s machines without removing the coil assembly. The needle-nose pliers reach behind the bracket to hold captive nuts steady during loosening.
Will the Wave Plus pliers damage the brass nuts on vintage coil brackets?
The serrated jaws can mark soft brass if you over-grip, which matters when you're trying to preserve original hardware on a high-value machine like a 1979 Gottlieb. For light grip work — holding a nut steady while a screw turns — the marking is minimal. For applying significant torque to a stuck nut, wrap the nut in a strip of masking tape first or switch to a dedicated brass-safe wrench.
Is the Wave Plus file aggressive enough to dress a mushroomed coil plunger face?
The diamond-coated file removes material slowly but cleanly, which is exactly what you want for plunger face work. You're not trying to remove bulk metal — you're squaring up a few thousandths of mushroomed material. Aggressive files like a bastard mill file remove too much too fast and round the edges. The Wave Plus diamond file gives you control, though for major plunger reshaping you should replace the plunger rather than file it.
What other multitool features matter for pinball restoration beyond coil stops?
Scissors are useful for trimming heat-shrink tubing on coil lug repairs. The wire stripper notches handle 18-22 AWG cleanly, which covers most pinball wiring. The serrated blade slices old foam ball-saver pads off slingshot kickers. Beyond the multitool, dedicated soldering equipment, a logic probe for solid-state board work, and a quality inspection flashlight matter most. Our guide to using a multitool for everyday tasks covers similar adaptations of EDC tools to specific workshop niches.
Should I get the Wave Plus or the Wave+ Heritage edition for shop use?
Functionally they're identical — same tools, same dimensions, same warranty. The Heritage edition has cosmetic differences (leather sheath, brushed finish) that look better on a workbench but cost roughly 30% more. For a tool that's going to be exposed to carbon dust and occasional contact cleaner, the standard Wave Plus is the practical choice. Save the Heritage version for cleaner EDC.
How does the Wave Plus compare to a dedicated electronics multitool like the Leatherman Electrician?
The Electrician has wire-specific features — better strippers, a built-in fish tape puller — that the Wave Plus lacks. For pinball work specifically, the Wave Plus's file, saw, and second blade earn their keep more often than dedicated electrician features, because restoration involves wood (cabinet repair), metal (bracket dressing), and wiring in roughly equal measure. The Electrician is the better pick if you're doing pure electrical work all day; the Wave Plus is the better generalist for restoration.
Can I use the Wave Plus on early solid-state Stern machines from the late 1970s?
Yes. Early Stern boards (Stars, Memory Lane, Trident) use the same general flipper assembly architecture as period Williams and Bally, with the same 6-32 coil stop hardware. The Wave Plus handles the screws and brackets identically. One caution: early Stern cabinets are tighter than Williams cabinets, so the one-handed opening becomes more important — you'll have less room to maneuver the tool open with two hands.
Final thoughts
The leatherman wave plus for vintage pinball machine restorers coil stop adjustments isn't marketed for this niche, but it fits the workflow remarkably well. The combination of one-handed access, a universal bit driver, fine-tip pliers, and a diamond file covers roughly 80% of the field adjustments you'll make during a typical flipper rebuild. Pair it with a long-reach bit set, a good inspection light, and digital calipers, and you have a portable kit that handles most coil-related service without a trip back to the bench. For restorers building out a broader EDC setup that travels between shop, garage, and on-site service calls, browse our top multitools for everyday carry in 2026 for additional options worth considering alongside the Wave Plus.
Key Takeaways
- Choosing the right leatherman wave plus for vintage pinball machine restorers coil stop adjustments means matching capacity and output ports to your actual devices
- Always check actual watt-hours (Wh), not just watts — runtime depends on Wh, not peak output
- Also covers: best multitool for pinball machine restoration
- Also covers: leatherman wave plus for arcade tech coil stop work
- Also covers: wave plus pliers for pinball flipper rebuilds
- Compare price-per-Wh across models to find the best value for your budget