Lineman Pliers

[Flinter987]

I've been fascinated with lineman pliers lately. I've got a few old pairs from early 1900's through to 1960's. This has got me thinking. Who were the men that carried these pliers? What trades used them back in the day? Any info or personal stories you have would be thoroughly enjoyed and greatly appreciated! Thanks! Fred

 

[1cargarage]

Tradesmen still carry and use them. They're called linemen. They work on power lines. They even have their own boots specially designed for protecting their lower legs from the inherent danger of climbing up and down wood poles all day long:

I have several uncles and cousins who work as linemen in the pacific NW. They all carry lineman pliers. One of my uncles still has his first pair of Kleins that he bought ~50 years ago and used throughout his career until he retired. He once said to me that you can tell a lot about a new guy and the crews he has worked on by looking at his pliers. Kind of like a blue collar palm reading. For example, arc marks on the pliers are a sign of a lineman perhaps being a bit careless about checking to see if what he's working on is dead or not.

 

[Westozfixer]

Electricians that work in mining generally use them.

 

[gdocktor3]

All electricians use them.

 

[jd_1138]

They're great for general use as they have cutters built in.

 

[kctyphoon]

Not all lineman work on power lines, but those pliers were designed to let lineman carry less tools. Typically anyone in an electical or telecommunication field will use them today. Years ago it would have been the telegraph guys. You can still here some seniors call them "telegraph" poles, since that's why they were first used. Most people will call them telephone poles still, since that's what replaced the telegraph. Most of what you would need to do could be done with a single pair of pliers and a few other tools if need be.

 

[Local]

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All electricians use lineman pliers but a lineman work on power lines, phones, or street lights. Most guys just say, throw me some kleins amd they'll be referring to linemans pliers.

 

[bobcatdan]

All I know is never call a linemen an electrician and vise versa.

 

[sberry]

Ironworkers use them. Actually all the trades. They may be called side cutters too.

 

[kctyphoon]

Ironworkers use them. Actually all the trades. They may be called side cutters too.

Or 9's too...

 

[M_George]

We used them in the US Army Signal Corps to string field telephone wire. They were issued to us in a leather case that attached to our belt. The kit contained a black handled TL-29 pocket knife and TL-13 lineman pliers. I still have mine with the 13th Signal Battalion unit crest attached to the leather flap. One of my most prized possessions.

 

[Westozfixer]

All I know is never call a linemen an electrician and vise versa.

Linemen are just not quite electricians, couldn't pass the final exams or something, but honestly you can stick your linework.

 

[Local]

We used them in the US Army Signal Corps to string field telephone wire. They were issued to us in a leather case that attached to our belt. The kit contained a black handled TL-29 pocket knife and TL-13 lineman pliers. I still have mine with the 13th Signal Battalion unit crest attached to the leather flap. One of my most prized possessions.

Have any pics?

 

[M_George]

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

 

[SantaAna12]

Linemen are just not quite electricians, couldn't pass the final exams or something, but honestly you can stick your linework.

Maybe so. Maybe not. I will pass on the linework too. Probably too old, and no need to find out.

However.....most electricians would pass on climbing a treated 90 footer in storm winds to hang off their hooks for a couple hours. Pass with both hands.

Most important thing about linemans pliers I know: buy the longer length in whatever brand you get.

 

[mjoekingz28]

About the only cutter that wont get chewed up when using. I have some orange handled HF from years ago and they can cut a nail or solid copper without having the mating surfaces dent or degrade to the point they are frustrating to use or worthless.


I use the pointed wire cutters for soft, stranded DC wiring which is easy on them.


What is the plier part of the tool for. Are they turning bolts with the plier end on power lines?

 

[rick carpenter]

Ironworkers use them. Actually all the trades. They may be called side cutters too.

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

 

[Brian_WK]

I use linemens in the HVAC trade as well. They are just good designed pliers. The hash style teeth on them give awesome gripping power. There is no better tool for twisting solid strand copper wire together to prepare for a crimp or wire nut.

Brian

 

[Marinegrunt]

We call them all Kleins here too. I once got a bunch of actuall Kleins from work once so handed some out to some buddies. I gave a pair to a friend who is a commercial electrician. He thanked me and proceeded to pull out a knife and cut the blue rubber handles off. My mouth dropped and asked what the heck he was doing. He said they do that so they can run one of the handles around the inside of a newly cut piece of metal conduit to get the little lip of metal off that hangs on there after cutting. Thought it was kind of interesting.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I always wondered what the guy doing the first telegraph systems used. You would need something like a linesman pliers to do a "Western Electric" splice.

 

[kctyphoon]

Ironworkers use them. Actually all the trades. They may be called side cutters too.

I don't wanna be "THAT GUY" to split hairs over things - but to be completely accurate, iron working pliers are slightly different. The heads will usually be a little smaller, handles might be spring loaded, and the bottom of the handle will almost always have 90 degree bend on one side. They are designed to twist rebar together. So the smaller, shorter heads help with getting into places. The spring loaded handles aid in the constant grabbing and letting go when twisting wire together, and the bend at the end of the handle helps provide more leverage for all the manual twisting that they need to do when forming rebar for concrete structures..

But yes, they can very easily slide into each other's field since they are so similar.

 

[Climatecreator]

I use linemens in the HVAC trade as well. They are just good designed pliers. The hash style teeth on them give awesome gripping power. There is no better tool for twisting solid strand copper wire together to prepare for a crimp or wire nut.

Brian

Me too. Also will cut soft copper tubing easily. My Klein's have the crimper built into them. I can cut, strip, crimp, and staple (as a hammer) with one tool!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Cope]

I don't wanna be "THAT GUY" to split hairs over things - but to be completely accurate, iron working pliers are slightly different. The heads will usually be a little smaller, handles might be spring loaded, and the bottom of the handle will almost always have 90 degree bend on one side. They are designed to twist rebar together. So the smaller, shorter heads help with getting into places. The spring loaded handles aid in the constant grabbing and letting go when twisting wire together, and the bend at the end of the handle helps provide more leverage for all the manual twisting that they need to do when forming rebar for concrete structures..

But yes, they can very easily slide into each other's field since they are so similar.

I picked up a pair of Klein iron worker's pliers. Don't know the number, but theyr'e asa you described.

 

[Cope]

We call them all Kleins here too. I once got a bunch of actuall Kleins from work once so handed some out to some buddies. I gave a pair to a friend who is a commercial electrician. He thanked me and proceeded to pull out a knife and cut the blue rubber handles off. My mouth dropped and asked what the heck he was doing. He said they do that so they can run one of the handles around the inside of a newly cut piece of metal conduit to get the little lip of metal off that hangs on there after cutting. Thought it was kind of interesting.

I've seen the tip of Klein D03-8N needle nose used for this purpose. I've tried it and it works well

 

[kctyphoon]

About the only cutter that wont get chewed up when using. I have some orange handled HF from years ago and they can cut a nail or solid copper without having the mating surfaces dent or degrade to the point they are frustrating to use or worthless.


I use the pointed wire cutters for soft, stranded DC wiring which is easy on them.


What is the plier part of the tool for. Are they turning bolts with the plier end on power lines?

That's all in the hardness of the metal, nothing to do with the type of pliers they are. Try cutting some stainless steel or spring steel and you might have different results

 

[sberry]

Klein makes several versions of 9. They make a hi lev version where the pivot point is slightly different.

 

[engineer2]

Every electrician around here has his Kleins.

 

[Local]

What is the plier part of the tool for. Are they turning bolts with the plier end on power lines?

I use the the plier part for cotter keys. The bolts are too big to use the plier end. I use 420 or 430 channel locks and Klein's daily. You can just about build everything with that on the distribution side with them.

 

[66354dream]

Do they have a use in auto repair? I don't think I've ever needed a pair of em, just curious.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Do they have a use in auto repair? I don't think I've ever needed a pair of em, just curious.

I use them in the same way some people might use slip joint pliers. Just an all purpose plier. Not needle nose thats for sure.

 

[66354dream]

^^^ Thanks, I may have to give em a try.

 

[Basher]

Or 9's too...

UK telephone engineers (linesmen) often referred to their pliers, used for wiring, as "81's"

here is a picture - the yellow handled ones, top left:

from the vintage-radio.net forum

 

[Local]

Do they have a use in auto repair? I don't think I've ever needed a pair of em, just curious.

They will cut 3/8 rubber fuel line pretty clean.

 

[Revelations]

They will cut 3/8 rubber fuel line pretty clean.

A good pair on linemans also work great for cotter pins. They bite better that needle nose.

Sent from a Galaxy far far away.

 

[sberry]

I was doing demo and my MIL happened to be there and was watching me. Said, I never realized how much one set of pliers could do and I would have had a dozen tools out to do what you did with one. I have pulled a lot of form nails on the carpenters with them,,, hahahqa

 

[engineer2]

Do they have a use in auto repair?

Never owned Kleins until I started doing a lot of home electrical mainly to twist wires together before putting on the wire nut.

 

[Climatecreator]

Never owned Kleins until I started doing a lot of home electrical mainly to twist wires together before putting on the wire nut.

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



Different strokes for different folks. I choose not add an extra step....

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[davethorik]

I bought a set of Klein D2000-7CST ironworker's pliers, mistakenly thinking they were the larger like typical 9", these are 8". However they are one of my favorites now. With the spring and curved handle, you can really yank on them. Also, the cut edges and jaws hold up very well. Cut hundreds of nails. Perfect for snapping individual squares off concrete backer board when laying tile. The jaws are more slender than traditional 9s, but larger than even large slip joint Channelocks.

I also have a Channellock 369, which saw light use in my machinist box. No complaints, it was basically used as a metal chip grabber.

 

[M6erfan]

we used them in the us army signal corps to string field telephone wire. They were issued to us in a leather case that attached to our belt. The kit contained a black handled tl-29 pocket knife and tl-13 lineman pliers. I still have mine with the 13th signal battalion unit crest attached to the leather flap. One of my most prized possessions.

have any pics?

 

[Zeke]

Right out of high school I climbed poles for General Telephone. Was issued a belt, hooks, a lineman's wrench and some nines plus gloves and a hard hat. Didn't need a lot of tools for phone work. Might of had a large flat screwdriver. Made a drop line in climbing school. I wasn't a splicer, just a grunt.