jtieman Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Buddy's Klein screwdriver fell to the floor from roughly 3 feet up... And this happened. See pictures. You guys ever seen this from a Klein? I've worn some tips out, but this is bad.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryNY Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Probably some kind of defect during manufacture it's such a clean break. I wonder if its also some kind of scintered powdered metal like they use for gears these days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Yea that's crazy how clean that break itJimboSent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmorales Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 I see. Thanks for the sharing your photos regarding this defective tool. I guess there is something problem on the durability of their products supposed to be any type screw fell 3 feet up this tool should not broken. That's my I stick on the popular screwdriver brand.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicholasShetley Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 That must have been a bad screwdriver. Klein screwdrivers can take some abuse. That break looks super clean too. It looks like it is almost perfectly straight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Glassey Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Buddy's Klein screwdriver fell to the floor from roughly 3 feet up... And this happened. See pictures. You guys ever seen this from a Klein? I've worn some tips out, but this is bad.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkYeah I agree with JerryNY, that has to be a flaw in the manufacturing, even the cheapest screwdrivers would not do that. I'm sure Klein would love to see that tool to learn what happen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millerzconstruction Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 You wasn't prying the screw driver? Its bent near the bottom. Or have you ever pryed with it in the past? Because it shouldn't have broke from 3ft. Or a 100ft. Not even bent at a 100ft drop. That's crazy. Millerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtieman Posted January 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Yeah. It's so clean if you hold it together you cannot see the break. Its interesting for sure. We'll send it in and see what happens. Must've been a random flaw... I thought he was kidding at first though, or that one of the other guys was playing a (bad) joke on him Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millerzconstruction Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Oh it's not yours. I think someone doesn't like him or they just pranking him. I've seen the guys do some mean stuff to each other. But I've never done any thing. Lol we have taken nail aprons and nailed them to the floor or up in the rafters. Stuff like that. But that's pretty mean. Millerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 I'm not a fan of Klein screwdrivers but I can't believe that happened, it definitely looks like a defect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazzman Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Not every single tool can be 100%,its manufacturing,and people doing the work,have you seen how many they produce in a day? One is bound to get missed here or there. Send Klein the pic and get another one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 the harder the steel the more brittle it can get, the more brittle can lead to clean breaks....usually annealing the steel (heat treatment) is done by heating it up to approx 1550 degrees F for about 12 hours..then quenched.grinding the unfinished product can be where defect can arise also, poor grinding stones can cause vibration and effect the out come..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Klein has declined dramatically in the quality department. I am an electrician, I love the design of the Klein linesman and side sitters but they are just not built well anymore. Other than my 11 in 1 screwdriver, I have switched to wera due to Klein's poor quality.Sent from my ONE E1005 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 (edited) Klein has declined dramatically in the quality department. I am an electrician, I love the design of the Klein linesman and side sitters but they are just not built well anymore. Other than my 11 in 1 screwdriver, I have switched to wera due to Klein's poor quality.Sent from my ONE E1005 using Tapatalk Didn't the quality go down soo bad that they recently (within the past two years) change how they made their screwdrivers? Edit: No date but here's something about it on their website: http://www.kleintools.com/content/our-secret-sauce-new-improved-screwdriver-steel Edited January 14, 2016 by BMack37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Klein has declined dramatically in the quality department. I am an electrician, I love the design of the Klein linesman and side sitters but they are just not built well anymore. Other than my 11 in 1 screwdriver, I have switched to wera due to Klein's poor quality.Sent from my ONE E1005 using TapatalkLove my 11 in 1 but it rusted on me like an idiot, toilet tank was leaking from a loose nut and gasket so grabbed it in a pinch, covered in water. Thought I got it nice and dried but not enough, should have wiped down with wd40. Oh well won't make that mistake again.Sent from my LG-V410 using TapatalkJimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conductor562 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Klein has declined dramatically in the quality department. I am an electrician, I love the design of the Klein linesman and side sitters but they are just not built well anymore. Other than my 11 in 1 screwdriver, I have switched to wera due to Klein's poor quality.Sent from my ONE E1005 using TapatalkThere was a guy on another forum a year or so ago who claimed to work for Klein. According to him, the latest generation of family ownership was much less concerned with quality than previous generations and he feared more corners would be cut and more products would be sourced from overseas as time went on.There were rumors that Klein was getting ready to move a lot of manufacturing of their existing line, but when Asian tools started popping up there was a good month of absolutely pissed off people posting their displeasure on the Klein Facebook page. Klein's core users are tradesmen (many Union) who do care where their shit is made.The offshore rumors subsided and Klein eventually backpedalled. There's pressure on manufacturers like Klein to compete with top quality brands at Asian prices which is a lot of why all Klein's new products the last few years, largely in datacom, have been Asian sourced. It's also one reason why you don't see Klein at Lowe's anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR99 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Its a tough call you have to be price competitive to remain in big box stores when your competition is buying tools for significantly less money. Look at Lowes picking southwire they can sell it for near Klein prices but pay a lot less for the tools as they are Asian made. Its' a nice profit maker for them.The only way USA companies compete is with high efficiency and shorter supply chain which is why SBD is able to bring more assembly over here. Milwaukee is building a new plant in the USA I wonder if they are going to bring more assembly here. If the Fuel like was made in the USA it would be a big deal.They could still keep the lower cost brushed tools made in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Its a tough call you have to be price competitive to remain in big box stores when your competition is buying tools for significantly less money. Look at Lowes picking southwire they can sell it for near Klein prices but pay a lot less for the tools as they are Asian made. Its' a nice profit maker for them.The only way USA companies compete is with high efficiency and shorter supply chain which is why SBD is able to bring more assembly over here. Milwaukee is building a new plant in the USA I wonder if they are going to bring more assembly here. If the Fuel like was made in the USA it would be a big deal.They could still keep the lower cost brushed tools made in China.I don't buy handtools based on price. Klein didn't start selling a lower priced tool, they are charging the same for inferior quality. People have never bought Klein because they are priced competitively, they have a certain expectation.They want more profit. Plain and simple.Sent from my ONE E1005 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR99 Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 I wasn't talking about retail price I was talking about prices vendors charge retailers. If you were a buyer for home depot and you can get a tool made in Tiwan that costs 50% less but you can charge the same old price and the quality is decent enough were people don't complain too much. What to you thing the purchaser is going to do they are going to buy the cheaper tool. Plus your not the norm most people even trades men only want to spend so much money. Imagine you sell a tool that costs 19 dollars with an easy exchange warranty. verses a premium brand that sells the same tool for 60 dollars with the same warranty. Most people are not going to spend 40 dollars more on the the tool for the most part unless they use the tool to make money with it and the job is very profitable. That's why Snap on and other truck brands are still able to do what they do. People still make enough money that they can afford the tools. Also snap on offers easy financing. to help sell those high dollar tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 The sad part is that Klein has built their reputation with tradespeople. Did they think we wouldn't notice? Cheap screwdrivers that round off, chip and snap. Cutters that chip, cutting edges that don't come close to lining up and are so stiff they barely break in. Too bad. They have quite the legacy.When I bought new diagonal cutters, I went through about 15 pairs before I found one that has aligned cutting edges. Every single pair was misaligned. Almost like the die needs to be recast.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtieman Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 HiltiWpg,I share some of the same frustrations with their pliers as of late, but this is the first time I've seen a major flaw in the 'regular' screwdrivers. Last time I bought Klein Lineman's pliers, I paid far more than I should have for a pair of pliers that dented far too easily. Next pair was Knipex. Same with diagonal cutters. The 10 cutters hanging on the pegboard at HD each had different cutting edges and some had sloppy joints already. Pretty sad. I'm not really that hard on a pair of Lineman's pliers since I'm in the telecom industry, but was surprised how fast the cutters dulled. Not worth the money anymore.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 HiltiWpg,I share some of the same frustrations with their pliers as of late, but this is the first time I've seen a major flaw in the 'regular' screwdrivers. Last time I bought Klein Lineman's pliers, I paid far more than I should have for a pair of pliers that dented far too easily. Next pair was Knipex. Same with diagonal cutters. The 10 cutters hanging on the pegboard at HD each had different cutting edges and some had sloppy joints already. Pretty sad. I'm not really that hard on a pair of Lineman's pliers since I'm in the telecom industry, but was surprised how fast the cutters dulled. Not worth the money anymore.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkIt's quite frustrating, I used to be able to bring the cutters in to the supplier and swap them out when they started to overlap, scissor or dull. Now they send them away. Warranty seems less forgiving and the quality it worse. Why are they still charging so much for inferior product? Sent from my ONE E1005 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Argyropoulos Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 I would check the recall list as well. Klein recently had a number of recalled screwdrivers, mostly in the 1/4-inch range IIRC. Their quality has been going down for decades, or was never really there to begin with, they might just have been a little bit better than the others from the start. Back when their pliers were sold through electrical suppliers only, we'd ask to check out a few pairs until we found a pair that had relatively smooth action and matching jaws. It was easier back then since they packed the linesmans wrapped in wax paper in cardboard boxes instead of bubble packs. Sometimes you couldn't find a smooth working pair, so you took them and threw them down onto a concrete floor multiple times to loosen them up. Once you found a pair, you bought the red handles ("ergo" handles ) to replace the dipped ones, took them home to a pot of boiling water, and were finally ready to use them. So no, I feel no need to stop buying Knipex pliers. I'm happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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