Lineman Pliers

[M_George]

I'll take a picture when I get home tonight and post it.

Here's the pic. Note the hole on the handle. It is for tying field wire and swinging it over tree limbs for road crossings.

Lots of patina, that's from years of use in every kind of weather.

 

[redwrench60]

Here's the pic. Note the hole on the handle. It is for tying field wire and swinging it over tree limbs for road crossings.

Lots of patina, that's from years of use in every kind of weather.

Thanks for sharing that with us, I love stuff like that. Things with history.


As far as Linemans, (side cutters, nines, Kleins) whatever you call them I'm a Mechanic and I use them pretty often. I use them to cut battery cables, brake cables, bulk hose, brake lines during re piping. I use them to cut and twist coat hangers securing parts out of the way during work. They're a great companionion for all the rough cutting, twisting, pulling and squeezing the job calls for. I also always seem to find a pair in my pocket while doing anything around the house. They truely are one of the most versatile tools ever developed. I prefer 2000 series 9" Kleins.

 

[boomer12831]

I have read a couple different stories on how Mathias Klein got started. One was that he was a Blacksmith and he fixed and changed the style of a pair of pliers for a telegraph lineman and the guy showed his co-workers what a great job he did and they all wanted him to make them a pair for them. I started out with a pair in the late 70's and have used several different brands over the years, but Kleins have always been the best. I still have a pair of Wesco boots up in the attic that were posted by 1cargarage.

 

[Gerard]

I have a pair of 9" Kleins with a 1-31 date code. They have a "Bell System" stamp on the back, so presumably they were originally issued to a telephone lineman. The jaws on these show almost no wear and the cutters are still sharp and free of chips. A combination of high quality metal and an easy life free of abuse, I suppose.

These Kleins happen to be the first used/antique tool I ever bought, also. I didn't realize they were quite so old when I bought them. I just stumbled upon them in a consignment store and a good pair of pliers was something I was in the market for. Still use them for occasional household wire work and the like.

 

[Climatecreator]

Here's the pic. Note the hole on the handle. It is for tying field wire and swinging it over tree limbs for road crossings.

Lots of patina, that's from years of use in every kind of weather.

Cool stuff, my uncle gave me his knife from the navy as well. Same one you got there.....thanks for sharing!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[kctyphoon]

Sad to say you won't find any tools marked for specific companies in the telephone field anymore. You won't even find any American made hand tools in my company anymore, yet we seem to have enough cash laying around to buy AOL, Yahoo, and now possibly Charter Communications and Comcast. Not to mention the dozen or so other companies they already bought.. yet we need to outsource jobs.. but go figure..

 

[Slednut]

Here’s a picture of a small pair of Kleins and steelworker pliers. Also a pic of an old Klien linesman’s knife that’s been sharpened beyond recognition.

When I was a regular telephone man I used my Kleins more for hammering staples in poles than anything else.

 

[Gmonkee]

I saved a BeCu sparkless pliers of this style. It's sort of a joke that one would work with electric stuff in an explosive environment.

Yeah, we kind of figured the power would be cut first.

 

[Marctrees]

Chicago USA made Klein tools were and are still a big part of building the USA. Marc

 

[engineer2]

And technically you don't even need to do that.....

Not for a couple of wires, but I beleive twising more with Kleins is taught by the IBEW. Maybe some who are IBEW-trained can chime in.

 

[Cope]

Not for a couple of wires, but I beleive twising more with Kleins is taught by the IBEW. Maybe some who are IBEW-trained can chime in.

You don't twist stranded to solid, but you do twist solid to solid.

 

[Local]

Cool thread and thanks a ton for the stories and pictures boys.

 

[Slednut]

Here's my old lineman's wrench which I think you can buy at Home Depot today.

 

[decableguy2000]

We refer to them as 9's. have at least a 12 pair, some with crimpers, some with bolt thread cleaners. At least one in bucket, one in my splicing bag, and set that stays on my climbing belt. I have tried several brands, but always return to Klein's. Use them every day to cut coax drop cable, lashing wire, #6 copper, all kinds of weather also. Usually get about 2-3 years out of a pair.

 

[RTUmark]

Pretty sure I have a Utica branded lineman pliers. Made neater since I grew up there

 

[rick carpenter]

You don't twist stranded to solid, but you do twist solid to solid.

Why not twist stranded to solid? Not arguing, just trying to understand. In my non-pro mind, twisting stranded wires makes for less likelihood for individual strands to "lever" out when the ends of the insulation meet, and get bent back and left out of the threaded nut.

 

[mrjaw14]

I found a pair of channellock Lineman pliers on the side of the road today

grips are in great shape, the head has some rust on it though. so I used a wire brush and got a lot of it off. now the head is soaking in some ATF. That's about a $30 find!

 

[MadMark]

Why not twist stranded to solid? Not arguing, just trying to understand. In my non-pro mind, twisting stranded wires makes for less likelihood for individual strands to "lever" out when the ends of the insulation meet, and get bent back and left out of the threaded nut.

I think you wrap the stranded wire around the straight solid wire.
Then you fold the far end of the solid wire over onto the stranded,
to keep the stranded from unwrapping.
The wire nut goes on last

 

[ecotec]

When you're up on a ladder or 50' underneath a house, they're called hammers too.

Everyone has done this at least once. Do not knock the little man off the pole, though! Do not use the side with the little man on it as a hammer. You can jack up the box joint.

 

[NoahG]

Chicago USA made Klein tools were and are still a big part of building the USA. Marc

A lot of production moved down to Texas a few years ago. The old Chicago (Skokie) plant is a grocery store now. At least they stayed in the USA.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[woody 73]

Just having some fun on this cold Sunday night with another post in the vintage tool section and I thought maybe some of you ********* lineman tool junkies would like to see just a few pliers.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=351659

Woody

 

[bczygan]

Even regular folks can use em.

 

[SnapOnToolsGreen]

My father was a master contractor for a phone company well a few companies for many years but since retired but used them daily. I grew up around Kline tools as they were his go to brand and still have a soft spot for them. I have not found linesman pliers very useful in the automotive world though I guess you could use them but use others instead.

 

[kctyphoon]

I found a pair of channellock Lineman pliers on the side of the road today

grips are in great shape, the head has some rust on it though. so I used a wire brush and got a lot of it off. now the head is soaking in some ATF. That's about a $30 find!

If it has a really small rivet joint extremely close to jaw opening, it'll be one of the newer XLT versions.

 

[Flinter987]

This is very cool! Thanks guys!

 

[Whchua]

Linesman pliers is one the first tool i play with since young... sorta like a multi tool for me..
Cut bent and pull

 

[ivel38]

all electricians use them.

^^^this^^^

 

[tonyprovo723]

Everyone has done this at least once. Do not knock the little man off the pole, though! Do not use the side with the little man on it as a hammer. You can jack up the box joint.

I sold Kleins and others at a supply house for 10 years and heard this as well. Banging on one side would tighten the pivot and the other would loosen it. Never used a pair long enough to find out myself.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[dvups1]

My dad had these as long as I can remember. I remember playing with them when I was a kid. I used them last year to help me wire my entire shop 35 years later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FlushingDIYer]

Thanks for the lesson on the history of linemen pliers!

I was looking through Cripe's selection the other day and I wondered why these pliers were called "telephone" pliers since telephone lines are going the way of the dodo. (At least around here they are...). They seem to have quite a few different "telephone" pliers. I wonder what name they'll have when they're all gone!

Over at Cripe:
KLEIN Long Nose Telephone Work Pliers - Type C 71972 USA

 

[jd_1138]

For the youngins who think country and western music is all about some dude singing about tractors, ATV's and beer.

Glen Campbell 'Wichita Lineman' (1968)

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I found thse at the flea market, saw the mint cutting jaw and bought them. 1943 production was a total surprise.