Klein Tools Are they worth the extra money

[Dustydazzler]

Klein tools are massively popular in Canada & America

Less so over here but I have seen a few sparks using them in recent years

I usually use ck , Stanley , knipex

But am interested to try some Klein items but are they worth the extra few quid

Thoughts ?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Stanley ‘yankee’ pump action screwdriver

 

[telectrix]

i still have my dad's one. it's about 16" in length. most of the chrome on the body has gone, exposing the brass

 

[DT1991]

I had a brief spell wiring modular buildings and a polish guy was using one of them. A few people laughed (proberly because it was a old tool) but I was actually impressed at the speed he was using it.

Next your going to tell me times before SDS drills Haha. Love it!

 

[telectrix]

and i still have his calipers from when he had a wood turning lathe, stamper with the War Dep. arrow & 1944.

 

[ruston]

I had a brief spell wiring modular buildings and a polish guy was using one of them. A few people laughed (proberly because it was a old tool) but I was actually impressed at the speed he was using it.
Next your going to tell me times before SDS drills Haha

. Love it!

The forerunner to the SDS was the Spit , then Sds came out and Spit's seemed to vanish as the bits were not interchangeable, unless you could be bothered to grind a grove in the shank . That is how I remember it anyway; I am probably wrong .
I see there are some on Ebay, I have not seen one for years.

 

[Dustydazzler]

One thing I do keep in my own tool box is my grandfathers military issue cable stripping knife..
Think it dates back to around 1940

It’s blunt as a spoon but very sentimental

 

[Midwest]

I thought Calvin Klein made underpants?

 

[Phil Thompson]

The klein sidecutters from 20 years ago were 6" total, the ones I see in CEF are all 8" tall and aren't great for ease of use,
The pliers are good for cutting screws, but I still prefer my knipex, I have a set of the £30 screwdrivers had them 3 years and still good tips on them except the terminal, but overall my favourite screwdriver is the Wiha range, find the grips much nicer and the tips are as good as the klein, in fact better as the terminal is stronger.

I only have the klein sidecutters and pliers as I wanted a voltstick and a couple extra screwdrivers and at the time it worked out at about £38 the pair when bought in the price marked blister packs.

 

[robd]

Knipex every time for me, have dabbled with others, ck were a nasty cast metal that actually snapped when I was prying a screw or something out of a bit of wood, a bit heavy handed but even so. Had a pair of bahco ones which I quite liked as they had a really narrow nose so quite nimble. Had a pair of Kewtec ones they were ok until I blew them up. Then every time I go back to knipex and the quality feels night and day they just feel right in your hand. So my cutters history in 13 years reads CK, Knipex, Bahco, Kewtec, Bahco, Knipex, Knipex. And I haven't blown the jaws up on a pair for 4 or 5 years now, since I started working on my own! Yay me

 

[telectrix]

bahco and NWS in my bag. knipex for insulated crimps as the jaws are very narrow so i can do each end of the crimp separately.

 

[Dustydazzler]

For side cutters I use NWS as the price to quality ratio is very good.
Knipex for pliers and long nose etc etc
Used to use ck screwdrivers but more recently use Stanley.
Have also tried bahco , Draper , irazola and wiha screwdrivers.
I tend to just buy what ever is on offer.

Have been tempted to purchase one of those fancy wera interchange vde jobbies. But will wait till my Stanleys have worn out..

 

[Squid]

Back in the day it was for me anyway Elliot Lucas pliers, I think I paid £18 for them back in the 80's and CK side cutters, gave my Yankee away last year with the set of 3 bits back in the day it was handy for attaching conduit boxes to the ceiling still had the jubilee clip on it to stop it rolling of scaffold towers.

 

[MJPD29]

I have a few klein tools too and still go back to knipex. Stil prefer them

 

[Squid]

As with any tool, you need to handle it to see how it lays in your hand weight wise and for use.

I do like my Knipex multi pliers but they do seem a tad "girly" fine for house bashers I suppose but not for the manly job of industrial work unless you are in the switch room connecting heating control wires up.........

 

[Dustydazzler]

Out of curiosity is there any reason why Klein side cutters and pliers are so ruddy massive ?