Klein set

[Justin Hernandez]

I was suppose to buy this on Tuesday when I was there but forgot. $50 at Home Depot, I own all these tools already some even triples or quads but it was a fair price. Did anyone buy this and what do you thing about the price? Combo kits are always less money then buying individually but sometimes the combo kits don't sound like good deals. 

[Bremon]

Looks like a reasonable deal. I haven't heard great things about Klein screwdrivers in a while. Their lineman's pliers though are top notch. I'm looking to get one of the flagship pairs with the comfy grip and fishtape puller etc. 

[AnonymousJoe]

The lineman are nice and the stubby, i go thru about 2 Phillips a year, I don't like their tick testers and I'm not sure why you'd need those scissors I've never seen anyone carry scissors on them. That's just my experience

[JimboS1ice]

Saw the kit, I think it's worth it, years past they had nicer kits though with a Klein pouch and more pliers


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Justin Hernandez]

17 hours ago, Bremon said:

Looks like a reasonable deal. I haven't heard great things about Klein screwdrivers in a while. Their lineman's pliers though are top notch. I'm looking to get one of the flagship pairs with the comfy grip and fishtape puller etc. 

You mean these baby's..lol These don't have the tape puller though, their is a red handle vinyl pliers that I prefer over these though.   

[Justin Hernandez]

12 hours ago, AnonymousJoe said:

The lineman are nice and the stubby, i go thru about 2 Phillips a year, I don't like their tick testers and I'm not sure why you'd need those scissors I've never seen anyone carry scissors on them. That's just my experience

There testers do seem to give you a false reading just by bumping something, and I use there scissor's for datacom work. Believe it or not scissor's are a data mans number one tool. 

[Justin Hernandez]

5 hours ago, JimboS1ice said:

Saw the kit, I think it's worth it, years past they had nicer kits though with a Klein pouch and more pliers


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Would you know where I can find a picture of that kit somewhere? 

[Bremon]

9 minutes ago, Justin Hernandez said:

You mean these baby's..lol These don't have the tape puller though, their is a red handle vinyl pliers that I prefer over these though.   

Yep those are the ones!!

[JimboS1ice]

Would you know where I can find a picture of that kit somewhere? 

Maybe somewhere on Home Depot's website


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DerekTheToolGuy]

I couldn't find any Klein's at the, 3 HDs I went to, I looked for that set. The scissors are awsone and sharp as razors. My dad always carried them in his belt pouch, he was a master contractor for phone company and is a master electrician. Those are very handy for snipping the little thin copper wires in phone boxes and they will cut a penny and no knick or dull, wish I still had a pair but I can get a pair from him. The linesman pliers are legendary and strippers are great but screwdrivers suck compared to the German offerings. They are made by pratt Reed and I've seen them with many brand names even ideal and I like that brand as well I'd say maybe a little better since they own sk. 

[Justin Hernandez]

2 hours ago, DerekTheToolGuy said:

I couldn't find any Klein's at the, 3 HDs I went to, I looked for that set. The scissors are awsone and sharp as razors. My dad always carried them in his belt pouch, he was a master contractor for phone company and is a master electrician. Those are very handy for snipping the little thin copper wires in phone boxes and they will cut a penny and no knick or dull, wish I still had a pair but I can get a pair from him. The linesman pliers are legendary and strippers are great but screwdrivers suck compared to the German offerings. They are made by pratt Reed and I've seen them with many brand names even ideal and I like that brand as well I'd say maybe a little better since they own sk. 

Yup scissors are a low voltage mans best friend. You can order it online as many as you want free shipping on $45 orders. Let me know if this works for you  

 http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Electrician-s-Wiring-and-Testing-Kit-7-Piece-Z00019/207074262 

[Foneguy]

If shopping just for "snips" as Phone Guys call them .... I have always preferred the wiss. There is also a type with a fat red handle with a very pointy tip used for Kevlar that work well, maybe wiss, not sure of the brand.....Depends on your use.

Just an opinion from Foneguy the Phone Guy ...?????

[Justin Hernandez]

21 minutes ago, Foneguy said:

If shopping just for "snips" as Phone Guys call them .... I have always preferred the wiss. There is also a type with a fat red handle with a very pointy tip used for Kevlar that work well, maybe wiss, not sure of the brand.....Depends on your use.

Just an opinion from Foneguy the Phone Guy ...?????

Yes snips  I'm a little rusty on the datacom lingo..lol I use the Klein 21010-6 with the larger yellow handle. Nice to meet you Foneguy

[Conductor562]

2 hours ago, DerekTheToolGuy said:

I couldn't find any Klein's at the, 3 HDs I went to, I looked for that set. The scissors are awsone and sharp as razors. My dad always carried them in his belt pouch, he was a master contractor for phone company and is a master electrician. Those are very handy for snipping the little thin copper wires in phone boxes and they will cut a penny and no knick or dull, wish I still had a pair but I can get a pair from him. The linesman pliers are legendary and strippers are great but screwdrivers suck compared to the German offerings. They are made by pratt Reed and I've seen them with many brand names even ideal and I like that brand as well I'd say maybe a little better since they own sk. 

 

The Klein drivers aren't made by Pratt-Reed. PR makes a nearly identical version, but Klein still makes their own drivers. 

 

Klein kind lost me 3-4 years ago. They added more and more import stuff to their line and these days I'm not sure Klein offers a single tool in which a superior version can't be found elsewhere. This was based partly on some post by a Klein employee who posted about how the current generation of ownership was more concerned with cutting corners to keep cost down than they were producing top quality tools. He also talked about a widespread fear within the company that many production jobs were about to be offshored. Sure enough, after his posts there was an uptick in posts about Klein tool defects. People went postal on Klein's FB page and eventually Klein even released a statement explaining that they had not cut any American jobs, only new products, most of which were Data/Com, were produced overseas.

 

  Maybe I'm holding them to an unfair standard as I know companies like Klein have a harder time than ever trying to compete with import tools that are of much improved quality than in the past, but high quality, American tools, were Klein's identity and as a tool junkie, I have no respect for a company that purveys reduced quality tools with the intention of surviving on their name.

 

Klein may well have cleaned up their act, and I may be a vocal minority, but only time will tell. I've gone through similar self imposed embargos with other brands such as Mac and Makita. Mac really stepped up and started producing tools that were top shelf in quality and not just in price. Makita improved their line as well, so I quit riding their ass last year. They're still behind Milwaukee and Dewalt, and have plenty of room to improve, but for awhile their line got almost to the point of being laughable by comparison.

 

Of course we had plenty of drama over that too. We had some 19 year old, self proclaimed blogger/professional contractor/professional gamer/confirmed moron, who went around the internet slandering our opinion and professing the superiority of Makita based on nothing aside from his "extensive professional experience". So goes the internet I suppose. 

 

 

 

[Foneguy]

1 hour ago, Justin Hernandez said:

Yes snips  I'm a little rusty on the datacom lingo..lol I use the Klein 21010-6 with the larger yellow handle. Nice to meet you Foneguy

No worries on the lingo..... its only been about 30 years for me calling them snips.... Good to meet you Justin !!

[DerekTheToolGuy]

I don't believe for one bit that PR doesn't make Klein screwdrivers as I have many in many brands even PR and they are identical in every way shape or form from ribs on grip to the yellow handles round part above blade you use to spin the screwdriver. There is a pantent number on each grip and says made in USA on all, there's no way they can all be identical with the same patent number idk where you got your info but I'm certain as they have made them for years for Klein as Klein specializes in pliers they don't make much of they're own goods other than those and the bags/belts leather and canvas goods as they own another company they bought to make those my dad has used klien since 60's-70's and even in my life time ive noticed the quality go down and up but not much in the up department but i use them because i think of my dad when i do who is now in his 60's. They were supposed to have been making stringer tips on thier screwdrivers as they releaded the info seems like forever ago but ive noticed only slight difference at best they are still kinda soft. I will did out pics of my screwdrivers and i bet you guys you wont guess the one that says klein or PR or crescent and so on as they are identical in everyway except the name on them..I have a lot of Klein tools and I like the needle nose and larger wire cutters the most aside from snips. They do make damn good tool bags and belts that's for sure and will last decades. 

[Conductor562]

Klein manufactures screwdrivers at their Mansfield, TX plant in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. They gave several bloggers a tour a couple years back.

 

They're either making them, or they staged an elaborate hoax. I would believe Klein may source some component of the drivers from PR such as the acitate handle or the grips, but Klein is not OEM'ing the completed drivers through Pratt-Reed. 

 

Here is an article on Tools of the trade about a tour of their screwdriver plant (since shifted to Mansfield as I understand it)

 

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/hand-tools/a-trip-to-the-screwdriver-factory_o

 

Dan and Eric toured Mansfield, though the focused mostly on pliers:

 

 

There are several others as well

[JimboS1ice]

 

The Klein drivers aren't made by Pratt-Reed. PR makes a nearly identical version, but Klein still makes their own drivers. 

 

Klein kind lost me 3-4 years ago. They added more and more import stuff to their line and these days I'm not sure Klein offers a single tool in which a superior version can't be found elsewhere. This was based partly on some post by a Klein employee who posted about how the current generation of ownership was more concerned with cutting corners to keep cost down than they were producing top quality tools. He also talked about a widespread fear within the company that many production jobs were about to be offshored. Sure enough, after his posts there was an uptick in posts about Klein tool defects. People went postal on Klein's FB page and eventually Klein even released a statement explaining that they had not cut any American jobs, only new products, most of which were Data/Com, were produced overseas.

 

  Maybe I'm holding them to an unfair standard as I know companies like Klein have a harder time than ever trying to compete with import tools that are of much improved quality than in the past, but high quality, American tools, were Klein's identity and as a tool junkie, I have no respect for a company that purveys reduced quality tools with the intention of surviving on their name.

 

Klein may well have cleaned up their act, and I may be a vocal minority, but only time will tell. I've gone through similar self imposed embargos with other brands such as Mac and Makita. Mac really stepped up and started producing tools that were top shelf in quality and not just in price. Makita improved their line as well, so I quit riding their ass last year. They're still behind Milwaukee and Dewalt, and have plenty of room to improve, but for awhile their line got almost to the point of being laughable by comparison.

 

Of course we had plenty of drama over that too. We had some 19 year old, self proclaimed blogger/professional contractor/professional gamer/confirmed moron, who went around the internet slandering our opinion and professing the superiority of Makita based on nothing aside from his "extensive professional experience". So goes the internet I suppose. 

 

 

 

I've noticed all the multibit drivers are imported


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Conductor562]

On 11/27/2016 at 0:37 PM, JimboS1ice said:

I've noticed all the multibit drivers are imported


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yea, and just about all their Data/Com tools are imported too. 

[Surfer (aka Nalu)]

As for the original post, I think that's a great price for those tools. If I seen that kit here locally I would definitely jump on it.

 

It sucks though that Klein has shifted overseas. I used to think in my head "Klein, made in the USA". Now I think "Klein, made in the USA, but some stuff is from Taiwan or China, as least all the screwdrivers are made in the USA, except for maybe the multidrivers or the little itty bitty ones, but for sure, we still make the pliers in the USA"

 

Knipex, Wiha, Wera and Gedore tools have been getting my attention lately. I really prefer the fit and finish of my Knipex pliers but I like the colored handles of Klein. Anyway, I still think they all make great tools, yes, even the ones made in Taiwan.

[ChrisK]

5 minutes ago, Surfer (aka Nalu) said:

As for the original post, I think that's a great price for those tools. If I seen that kit here locally I would definitely jump on it.

 

It sucks though that Klein has shifted overseas. I used to think in my head "Klein, made in the USA". Now I think "Klein, made in the USA, but some stuff is from Taiwan or China, as least all the screwdrivers are made in the USA, except for maybe the multidrivers or the little itty bitty ones, but for sure, we still make the pliers in the USA"

 

Knipex, Wiha, Wera and Gedore tools have been getting my attention lately. I really prefer the fit and finish of my Knipex pliers but I like the colored handles of Klein. Anyway, I still think they all make great tools, yes, even the ones made in Taiwan.

I hear you Nalu. I actually just bought my first Gedore tools from KC today, they are out of stock but I figured I would order the set and take advantage of the 20% off while I can. Still love my American made Kleins though!!

[Surfer (aka Nalu)]

1 minute ago, ChrisK said:

I hear you Nalu. I actually just bought my first Gedore tools from KC today, they are out of stock but I figured I would order the set and take advantage of the 20% off while I can. Still love my American made Kleins though!!

 

That's awesome Chris! What type of Gedore tools did you buy? Screwdriver set, etc?

 

I don't own any Gedore stuff, but I've been hearing great things about Gedore on YouTube. There are a few good channels talking about german made tools. 

 

KC Tools is kick ass by the way, just saying.

[Justin Hernandez]

Yea multidrivers, and meters are made overseas and anything with lots of parts is made overseas from them. But I like Klein because I learned the trades with them, even if the quality is not what it use to be its still better then Harbor Freight..lol Plus if a tool is left behind on a job its not expensive to replace, attic work eats up tools like nobody's business. If you drop a screwdriver in blown in insulation you will not find it. Also if you are crawling in the attic like G.I Joe tools fall out your pocket or hands.  

[Surfer (aka Nalu)]

At my local IBEW 1186 everyone has Klein. I imagine it must be that way for most unions. In fact, the tool list they give you has all Klein tools. I'm still proud to own my Klein tools and I will be picking up more eventually. I want to pick up the journeyman series of pliers and keep all different colored handles for easy identification. I think I'll be keeping my Kleins on the belt and Knipex in the veto bag. 

[ChrisK]

1 hour ago, Surfer (aka Nalu) said:

 

That's awesome Chris! What type of Gedore tools did you buy? Screwdriver set, etc?

 

I don't own any Gedore stuff, but I've been hearing great things about Gedore on YouTube. There are a few good channels talking about german made tools. 

 

KC Tools is kick ass by the way, just saying.

Sorry Nalu! Here's the set I got....

 

https://www.kctoolco.com/gedore-s-8393-3-piece-pliers-set/

 

It looks pretty sweet, I've got a bunch of NWS pliers and absolutely love them but these look really solid and I really need a pipe wrench so.....