M. Klein & Sons

[d42jeep]

I have an old one as well and no idea how to date them. I’ll check the zipper later today.
-Don

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

This is my only Klein bag, I bought it full of folding rules, can’t remember If I posted this or not, but here it is.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have an old one as well...

Your photo is of the larger 5102-20 bag, but I'm assuming you mean an older example of the smaller 5139 bag. If so, please let me know what kind of pull it has on the zipper (i.e., leather, like mine), newer (i.e., like the nylon rope on the one you just posted), or something else.

...and no idea how to date them.

Thanks. I'm going to look into it, not immediately, but as time allows.

I’ll check the zipper later today.

Thanks.

 

[d42jeep]

The zipper is YKK.
Here are my two Klein bags together
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up this Klein cleaver at the flea this morning. In lineman's lexicon, it's a chipping knife, used to remove lead-jacketed sheathing on a cable. The spine has been struck with many a hammer blow, which is routine. This one is not marked for Bell System duty, but I have another one that is, made by Utica, older, with a Bakelite handle and copper rivets, linked in the Bell thread here.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up these long flat nose duck bills at the flea market this morning. I suspect the number on the flip side ("XC968060") is a customer number, because these are without a doubt their No. 304. Date code (E-EP) maps to 4th Qtr 1940. (That "0-" before the "E-EP" is one of a few prefixes that appears with these pre-1972 production date codes for which we still don't have any explanation.)

 

[Mintgrun]

I was happy to find a faint Klein logo hiding under the rust on these super skinny needle nose pliers.

 

[d42jeep]

These Klein lineman’s pliers I found at yesterday’s estate sale cleaned up pretty well.
They look to be from 1958.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I found these at a garage sale yesterday and they came out of the evaporust today. I’m a little puzzled by the date code.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’m a little puzzled by the date code.

If you mean the first "0", Don, I've been talking about these "prefixes" since 2021. We still don't know what they mean. I posted a couple inventories. Good opportunity to update it with your latest find, yours from April (post #88), and mine from February (post #86).

2 4-27, where the "4-27" signifies April 1927, preceded by an unknown "2"
0-4-37, where the "4-37" signifies April 1937, preceded by an unknown "0"
0-M-LO, where the "M-LO" signifies 1st Qtr 1938, preceded by an unknown "0"
0-E-EP, where the "E-EP" signifies 4th Qtr 1940, preceded by an unknown "0"
X EEK, where the "EEK" signifies 4th Qtr 1942, preceded by an unknown "X"
O-L-EK, where the "L-EK" signifies 3rd Qtr 1942, preceded by an unknown "0"
O-E-EC, where the "E-EC" signifies 4th Qtr 1947, preceded by an unknown "0"
/_\ KER, where the "KER" signifies 2nd Qtr 1949, preceded by an unknown delta symbol
O LER, where the "LER" signifies 3rd Qtr 1949, preceded by an unknown "0"
/_\ ELL, where the "ELL" signifies 4th Qtr 1955, preceded by the unknown delta symbol
/_\ LIN, where the "LIN" signfies 3rd Qtr 1958, preceded by the unknown delta symbol
0 LIO, where the "LIO" signifies 3rd Qtr 1958, preceded by an unknown "0"
/_\ MNE, where the "MNE" signifies 1st Qtr 1964, preceded by the unknown delta symbol

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks for keeping track of those.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for keeping track of those.

I was hoping that by visualizing them altogether, in sequence, that a pattern would eventually be revealed. But the duration of the practice - from the old date stamp scheme to the new one, the absence of a pattern, and the variety of the characters used, only continues to reinforce my conclusion that (a) they have nothing to do with the date code, despite them being part of the stamp, and (b) they are probably so esoteric to the manufacturing process we'll never know what they are and they're probably irrelevant anyway.

 

[d42jeep]

I found these at a TOO on Saturday. Apparently the previous owner didn’t pay attention to the warning on the handle.
Never use on live circuit
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

Apparently the previous owner didn’t pay attention to the warning on the handle.
Never use on live circuit

Oh dear. I bet the sparks were flying! Hope the user was OK..

 

[d42jeep]

Found this crimping tool yesterday at a yard sale. It’s hard to leave Klein tools behind.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I found these angle nose pliers at a yard sale today. I recognized that the plastic handles matched a pair of straight longnoses that live in my toolbox.
-Don

 

[GarageHobbyist]

My first Klein tools, and I’m very close to Chicago, so that’s a little embarrassing.

 

[genog]

Hey!
Me too

 

[genog]

I keep both on my workbench

 

[GarageHobbyist]

Hey!
Me too

They had the snips mixed in with the scissors at the estate sale I went to, 2 small pairs for $1. I lucked out on that

 

[Beerhippie]

My only "wild-caught" Klein tools:



Crimpers are 9 1/2" long.

I suspect that the vintage of these is "recent", but for $1 each, they sure get a lot of use! Both live in my electrical tote.

 

[B Halverson]

I have been a union electrician for over 4 decades and have always picked up tools for that trade if I ran across them. Here are two of the older sidecutters I have run across that are Klein. They are still in good enough shape to use. I have quite a few more pairs of various Klein pliers and other tools of theirs, I will take a look at them soon if I get a chance.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here are two of the older sidecutters I have run across that are Klein.

I haven't kept careful track, and it's not easy or foolproof to search if members did not post the date as text in their post, but 1913 and 1914 might be two of the oldest pliers in the thread so far. The pliers that won the Oldest Pliers Contest that Klein ran a few years ago (a trip to Chicago and a $5,000 prize) were made in 1904.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Well, I got curious enough to scan with a little more scrutiny, and it looks like @B Halverson 's 1913 lineman's are the oldest pliers in the thread, so far. Don ( @d42jeep ) has a 1914 and a 1915.

 

[d42jeep]

These 11045 wire strippers I found at a garage sale yesterday cleaned up pretty well.
-Don

 

[B Halverson]

Here is a lovely Klein electrician's folding knife with wood handle that looks to have largely been a sock-drawer queen.

 

[oldpliers1]

I have been a union electrician for over 4 decades and have always picked up tools for that trade if I ran across them. Here are two of the older sidecutters I have run across that are Klein. They are still in good enough shape to use. I have quite a few more pairs of various Klein pliers and other tools of theirs, I will take a look at them soon if I get a chance.

From one Electrician of over 4 decades to another very nice , ( I have picked up some nice 1950s crescent stuff recently) one question and pardon my ignorance as I live 12000 miles away , is their anyway of dating Klein pliers post 1972 ? Like the INS and journeyman series. ( I have read the comments on the pre 1972 dates )

 

[B Halverson]

From one Electrician of over 4 decades to another very nice , ( I have picked up some nice 1950s crescent stuff recently) one question and pardon my ignorance as I live 12000 miles away , is their anyway of dating Klein pliers post 1972 ? Like the INS and journeyman series. ( I have read the comments on the pre 1972 dates )

I don't know much about Klein or any other brand of tool.

I can just bore you by saying that I never bought any tools I have because of possessing any specific information about them. I just go to local garage and estate sales and if they look old or unusual, are in good condition so I may possibly use them, and are dirt-cheap, I may take them home with me.
Some of the guys here are exceedingly good at finding stuff on the internet and I am sure one of them will come along sooner or later with real information. I probably use the internet less than anyone here, as I do not even have a cellular portable phone, I just use the desktop computer at home whenever my wife is not playing solitaire on it.

 

[Bryan Burns]

Well, I got curious enough to scan with a little more scrutiny, and it looks like @B Halverson 's 1913 lineman's are the oldest pliers in the thread, so far. Don ( @d42jeep ) has a 1914 and a 1915.

I haven't kept careful track, and it's not easy or foolproof to search if members did not post the date as text in their post, but 1913 and 1914 might be two of the oldest pliers in the thread so far. The pliers that won the Oldest Pliers Contest that Klein ran a few years ago (a trip to Chicago and a $5,000 prize) were made in 1904.

I have a linesman's from 1911. I entered in the contest but lost by seven years. Oh well, it was a great contest. Also a 1914 .

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have a linesman's from 1911.

Congrats! We have a new "Oldest Pliers on the Thread" champion! (This could be fun... )

 

[d42jeep]

A couple of Klein finds today at two different sales. The first sale provided this hex key set in need of some cleanup.
At the second sale I found this adjustable wrench with a plastic handle. When i cleaned up the cover I discovered that it was a pretty nice Klein.
Tools cleaned up.

 

[d42jeep]

I added my summers Klein finds to the storage box today so I took some pictures while I had them out.
-Don
Lineman’s pliers
Crimpers and strippers in the lid
Added all the pliers
Adjustable wrenches
Tools in the box
Nutdrivers and screwdrivers

 

[d42jeep]

I can’t seem to leave Klein lineman’s pliers behind when I see them at sales. This pair is dated the third quarter of 1940 with the mystery O prefix. They are destined for the evaporust.
-Don
Edit*** Out of the evaporust and looking much better.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this Klein driver handle with a broken tap clamped in it with the set screw. I haven’t researched it yet.
-Don

 

[Beerhippie]

That would make a nice handle for a square-tang file!

 

[d42jeep]

Here is my first Klein marked claw hammer, found at a Mill Valley estate sale on Saturday.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

I found this mid-seventies socket set at an estate sale the other day

It isn't complete, so I have some looking around to do

The extension and spark plug socket aren't correct, and I need a ratchet, 7/16 and 9/16 sockets, but I couldn't pass it up.

not with the original decal hiding under what looks like the original cardboard it came in glued to the front.

 

[d42jeep]

Cool find. I would have grabbed that too. Can you tell who manufactured them? The ratchet image might indicate a Wright tootsie roll handle.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

Looking at the catalog, #120, it is pretty clear they are Wright sourced. Which is not too surprising, as Wright did this for a lot of companies. I do know that after Wright, they went to SK and then overseas for non-core products.

 

[LowOiL]

I really don't collect tools so much as just pick them up as I find a good tool.... Some I inherited, some were stolen from me, some from yard sales... Just life. Dad was an electrician, so some I got from him.
I do like the spare handles for linesman pliers... got a few packs here and there. Probable got a good 6-7 old linesman pliers... and other stuff I will picture later on. After I was robbed of a toolbox full of tools I started engraving my tools... so I have blurred a few tools in this picture.