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The Klein Tool addiction thread! :)

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willf650

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Mar 10, 2010
Messages
978
Here's one for you. I'm 50 and this digging bar is older than me. I remember using this all my life as it was my father's.

I've bent modern digging bars before prying with them and never even had this one deflect on me.

Hated using this as a kid as it was heavy and you were busting asx when this came out. Got up close and personal with it this week and curios who made it. Says Klein Logan Bell System. I suspect this may be a different company or maybe division of Klein.

IMG_2592.jpegIMG_2591.jpeg
 
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neophyte

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Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Messages
9,877
Location
Pennsylvannia
Here's one for you. I'm 50 and this digging bar is older than me. I remember using this all my life as it was my father's.

I've bent modern digging bars before prying with them and never even had this one deflect on me.

Hated using this as a kid as it was heavy and you were busting asx when this came out. Got up close and personal with it this week and curios who made it. Says Klein Logan Bell System. I suspect this may be a different company or maybe division of Klein.

IMG_2592.jpegIMG_2591.jpeg
Items made for “Ma Bell” ie., Bell Systems, ie. the “Telephone Company” were usually marked with “Bell Systems”.
Bell would contract for the tools they needed, and sometimes switch suppliers.
“Klein Logan appears to be this manufacturer.


“Klein-Logan Co. was a Pittsburgh, PA, manufacturer of tools for railroads, paving, blacksmithing, and masonry. “

“On July 1st 1868, John C. Klein and Frederick C. Klein, brothers engaged in the manufacture of coal picks, hand shovels, pokers and other small iron items since 1856, took as a third partner Edward P. Logan and continued business under the firm name of Klein, Logan & Co. Because the business was located in Birmingham, at that time a suburb but now that part of Pittsburgh lying along the south bank of the Monongahela River, the Birmingham Tool Works was selected as a descriptive sub-title.”

So basically the company made tools for railroad and mining use, in a state heavily involved in the steel and coal industries.
 

KnurledNut

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Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
8,287
Location
n/a
Here's one for you. I'm 50 and this digging bar is older than me. I remember using this all my life as it was my father's.

I've bent modern digging bars before prying with them and never even had this one deflect on me.

Hated using this as a kid as it was heavy and you were busting asx when this came out. Got up close and personal with it this week and curios who made it. Says Klein Logan Bell System. I suspect this may be a different company or maybe division of Klein.

IMG_2592.jpegIMG_2591.jpeg
How long is that, around 8'? They made a telegraph digging bar, which would make sense for a company like Bell System. Longer than a slate bar and the chisel end was straight like yours instead of bent. Thats actually a really nice pattern and I can think of many occasions it would have been better than my slate bar.
 

willf650

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
978
The 50% off at Lowes got me on the Modbox bandwagon

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You can get some decent prices on Modbox stuff at Lowe's. Every Modbox item I bought has been on sale and about 40% off of what they are charging currently. The base pricing has jumped up over the past year.
How long is that, around 8'? They made a telegraph digging bar, which would make sense for a company like Bell System. Longer than a slate bar and the chisel end was straight like yours instead of bent. Thats actually a really nice pattern and I can think of many occasions it would have been better than my slate bar.
i believe it’s 6’, it’s definitely not 8’
 
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four.cycle

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Oct 19, 2015
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Tacoma, Washington

Steel_Rain

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Apr 23, 2024
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Great pics. Whats your initial thoughts?

Used it once this morning to clean out one of the wife’s vacuums. It’s good. Like all Klein divers, it’s got a heavier feel to it. If you notice, the metal shank extends the entire way though the driver, so it’s solid. The stub works well, albeit a little shallow with the bits circling around it. The quality is high and there isn’t a lot of flex in the two part handle.

So far, I’d give a 4/5.
 
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Steel_Rain

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Apr 23, 2024
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Early bday present from my buddy

Got mine today, good knife fellas:

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Compared to others in this range:

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Compared to its biggest rival:

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Love the fact this has a locking 90d for the 1/4” driver. Knife is plenty sharp and it has a solid feel. I like the wire stripper.

I’m not an electrician, but maybe I wanna be. 🤣
 

willf650

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
978
Got mine today, good knife fellas:

IMG_1876.jpeg
IMG_1877.jpeg
IMG_1878.jpeg
IMG_1879.jpeg
IMG_1880.jpeg
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IMG_1883.jpeg
IMG_1886.jpeg

Compared to others in this range:

IMG_1884.jpeg

Compared to its biggest rival:

IMG_1885.jpeg

Love the fact this has a locking 90d for the 1/4” driver. Knife is plenty sharp and it has a solid feel. I like the wire stripper.

I’m not an electrician, but maybe I wanna be. 🤣
So does it have a belt clip?

Any mention of steel type for the blade?
 

willf650

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
978
If anyone is near a city electric supply and can pick a couple of these up for me, please let me know!
There are two on either side of my area about 20 miles from my house. Never heard of them and never been in one. Did they buy some other company out?
 

Steel_Rain

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Joined
Apr 23, 2024
Messages
1,476
So does it have a belt clip?

Any mention of steel type for the blade?

How the hell did I forget to post a pic of the other side.

That’s my bad @willf650 :

IMG_1889.jpeg

IMG_1888.jpeg

Per Klein’s website:


Blade Material:
High Carbon Stainless Steel

Not very helpful.
 

pfbz

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Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
974
^^^ It is a very cheaply made knife, no-name steel, a ton of play in the blade, handle feel is sub-par compared to other Klein knives, made in Vietnam. IMHO of course... I'm a big fan of the regular Klein flick-blade, but this one is not one I would recommend.
 

willf650

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
978
^^^ It is a very cheaply made knife, no-name steel, a ton of play in the blade, handle feel is sub-par compared to other Klein knives, made in Vietnam. IMHO of course... I'm a big fan of the regular Klein flick-blade, but this one is not one I would recommend.
Yeah, I just looked it up and for the price of it, it would be hard to make a quality knife.
 

pfbz

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
974
Latest Klein purchase. Planning to use the 14" for sawzall blades and the 7" for misc. drill accessories on the job.

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I love those bags! Heavy duty, great size, great price!

The smaller one is fantastic for a roll-your-own mini tool kit.
 

LXCam

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Messages
19,287
Location
AZ
The rest of my misc modbox order made it in. A couple conduit bender holders and more importantly a replacement light for one I gave away recently
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But I have I a question for you guys. Sometime around Christmas I bought the dual beam one.
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I thought it was great all the way up until I bought the smaller one. What I found was the baby one seemed to provide far better task lighting and the battery lasted a lot longer. I’m just wondering if anyone else here has found this out as well?
 

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NoahG

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Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
1,081
Location
Detroit, MI
I've had a Kershaw Select Fire for years and still prefer the design of it over any of these newfangled versions.
The bit driver won't handle a lot of torque but for light to medium tasks it works well.
https://kershaw.kaiusa.com/select-fire.html

It rides with this OG Milwaukee compact fastback in one of my maintenance kits:
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I have two of those 1st gen Compacts in reserve. That design was fantastic.
 
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