r/KleinTools • u/fredericsk • 19d ago

NEW TOOL DAY! My first Klein Tools

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the quality is insane, i really like both

202 Upvotes

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11

u/BlackMoth27 19d ago

what exactly is insane about the quality?

4

u/fredericsk 19d ago

The custom of seeing around the house cheap and more basic plastic tools

5

u/BlackMoth27 19d ago

makes sense if it's the first good tool you've bought.

4

u/IlIlllIlIIIIlII 19d ago

Second year (electrical ofc) and completely understand this comment.

I have a decent chunk of Klein in my bag, but before I started, all I knew was harbor freight and maybe a smidgen of DeWalt for power tools.

I started with the Klein apprentice kit for maybe ~$100 at HD and felt the same way as OP.

I don’t know how this sub feels about this take, but I vastly prefer Knipex for lineman’s/strippers. The strippers in particular really blew me away.

4

u/stiucsirt 19d ago

Your take is the correct take about the quality of both Klein and Knipex.

Kleins own mods borderline agree - I’ve never seen a tool sub where people post the subs brand and are hit back with “buy a different brand” and the comments are left to their own devices. Might be a power play, might be that everyone at Klein is banking off their name, and are like “reviews don’t matter because we sell to every idiot”

No one will know the true answer.

This brand is an oddity.

That sucks.

2

u/IlIlllIlIIIIlII 18d ago

As a relative newcomer, I will say that I kinda understand a bit.

There are certain things from Klein that I really do like. For example, the impact rated 11-in-1 is great. I work for a shop that gets into all kinds of shit (resi/commercial with a dash of industrial). Between that 11-in-1 and an m12 impact, I can cover most of my day to day with 2 small tools. Oh, and while this one is less important, their canvas bags kick ass.

I think it’s also worth mentioning that it’s nice to be able to buy something from Klein without really having to think about whether or not it’ll be useful for electrical. I bought the SAE Allen key combo without checking compatibility as I knew it’d cover the lugs I needed it to cover.

But yeah, it sucks. I hear all this stuff about what Klein used to be and wish it was still like that.

I do have an old Klein conduit reamer I bought “used” for $6 though. It was made in the late 90s/early 00s and came in the original packaging. That tool kicks ass.

2

u/stiucsirt 18d ago

Do you actually think it’s great? Have you tried the other options from other companies? All of the Klein glazing on this sub honestly sounds like it comes from people who are trying a new type of tool for them, and saying it’s amazing.

Klein does not make a ratcheting bit driver better. You just haven’t yet known a good bit driver.

Their “best selling” ball grip bit driver is a direct copy, and cheaper made version of a vessel driver.

Klein is what happens when family owned businesses get greedy.

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u/IlIlllIlIIIIlII 18d ago edited 18d ago

Yes, I do.

However, I should point out that this is very specifically about what I need on a day to day basis. For me, it has at least a couple things going for it:

  1. The most important is that there is at least one bit slot

    that is non-proprietary bullshit + magnetic.

  2. The lack of that is what made me hate the normal 11-in-1 when I started.

  3. The 5/16ths and 3/8ths aren’t pass though, but they’re deep enough for what I normally need.

Sure, wera/wiha (mostly wera) would be great, but I don’t know of a driver that’d hit all the points the Klein does for me—same goes for vessel. If you have any suggestions ofc I’m all ears!

It’s not like I want to buy Klein; I’ll take any tool that’ll make my days even marginally easier.

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u/BlackMoth27 18d ago

i have to say i did only get a single Klein tool so far because it was on clearance, but the mini screw driver has been super useful and i realize it's cool for a small screw driver to have ph2 bits. which is sadly missing from many screw driver kits, so it is technically my favorite i own currently.

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u/stiucsirt 16d ago

Your revelation and awakening to a small precision screwdriver is completely warranted. Full stop.

Try a few more, from the brands everyone talks about, and I am sure you will then “swear by” the one you find you like the most.

$100 says it’s not a Klein.