Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 53 minutes ago
Today we're covering the history of Klein Tools. A company that started out in Mathias Klein's blacksmith shop, where through his reputation he was able to score a contract with Western Union to provide tools for telegraph lineman.
Klein has become one of the most popular tool brands in the electrician's and HVAC industries, and is one of the oldest family run tool companies in America.
Still making most of their tools here in the US at their Mansfield Texas facility.
Check out the full Tool Lore playlist here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-fhNrtmTAv286gDzTcav8FyxCagDTouy
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCqlO54ZdQjkkjpgD1yWaWgQ/join
Moar History:
kleintools.com/history
alloy-artifacts.org/klein-tools.html
google.com/books/edition/Telephony/QALnAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA600&printsec=frontcover
americanmanufacturing.org/blog/while-other-toolmakers-moved-overseas-klein-tools-kept-it-made-in-america
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCqlO54ZdQjkkjpgD1yWaWgQ/join
Old Klein Catalogs:
archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Mathias+Klein+%26+Sons%22
Mathias Klein biography:
google.com/books/edition/Manufacturing_and_Wholesale_Industries_o/jy_PAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA154&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Historical_Encyclopedia_of_Illinois/WA1PYyJsVMQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA792-IA120&printsec=frontcover
1904 Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Electrical_World/3-VAAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=klein+Tools&pg=RA1-PA11&printsec=frontcover
1913 New Factory Articles:
google.com/books/edition/New_York_Review_of_the_Telegraph_and_Tel/yUI_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA1210&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Electrical_West/Sv0_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA117&printsec=frontcover
Mathias retirement announcement 1917:
google.com/books/edition/Telephone_Engineer_Management/77cCWdRhL70C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA284&printsec=frontcover
Mathias Death 1918:
google.com/books/edition/Bell_Telephone_News/b5rmAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=RA3-PA19&printsec=frontcover
1924 Color Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Southern_Hardware/clw-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=klein+Tools&pg=RA4-PA8&printsec=frontcover
1924 Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Electrical_West/2Oc_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=klein+Tools&pg=RA2-PA53&printsec=frontcover
1925 "I'll Fix It!" ad:
books.google.com/books?id=likDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA123&dq=mathias+klein&hl=en
Joseph Klein Death 1937:
books.google.com/books?id=7aoTAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA50&dq=klein&hl=en
google.com/books/edition/Hardware_World/A4CenEUMhX8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=klein&dq=klein&printsec=frontcover
Mathias A. Klien president 1950:
books.google.com/books?id=9pLmAAAAMAAJ&q=mathias+klein&printsec=frontcover&sa=X
1996 Home Depot Announcement:
web.archive.org/web/20230709185146/https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/19960706/ISSUE01/10006963/pliers-poker
Mansfield TX Plant:
contractorsupplymagazine.com/pages/News---20140416-Exclusive-Inside-Klein-Tools-Texas-Manufacturing-HQ.php
Klein moves to Texas 2012:
nbcchicago.com/news/local/klein-tools-inc-closing-2-locations/1917093
1982 Pliers Insulation Lawsuit:
google.com/books/edition/California_Court_of_Appeal_2nd_Appellate/Nb5m_GJHDbkC?hl=en&gbpv=1
2011 Irwin v Klien Lawsuit (step drills):
scribd.com/document/59416699/Irwin-Industrial-Tool-Company-v-Klein-Tools
Richard Klein Lawsuit:
chicagobusiness.com/article/20061209/ISSUE01/100026968/uncivil-war
chicagobusiness.com/topic/klein-tools-inc
Milwaukee Packout Lawsuit:
archive.org/details/gov.uscourts.ilnd.460151
Old Chicago Maps:
chicagoinmaps.com/historicmaps.html
Chicago Fire Map 1871:
blogs.loc.gov/maps/2021/10/the-city-which-would-not-be-cowed-the-great-chicago-fire-of-1871
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:44 The First Pair of Kleins
01:22 Chicago Fire & Expansion
02:36 Early Klein Tools
02:58 Belmont & Kedzie Factory
04:04 The Cushion Grip Screwdriver
04:32 Company Acquisitions & Deals
05:48 Mansfield Texas Plant
06:10 Lawsuits
07:25 Outro
Today we're covering the history of Klein Tools. A company that started out in Mathias Klein's blacksmith shop, where through his reputation he was able to score a contract with Western Union to provide tools for telegraph lineman.
Klein has become one of the most popular tool brands in the electrician's and HVAC industries, and is one of the oldest family run tool companies in America.
Still making most of their tools here in the US at their Mansfield Texas facility.
Check out the full Tool Lore playlist here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-fhNrtmTAv286gDzTcav8FyxCagDTouy
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCqlO54ZdQjkkjpgD1yWaWgQ/join
Moar History:
kleintools.com/history
alloy-artifacts.org/klein-tools.html
google.com/books/edition/Telephony/QALnAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA600&printsec=frontcover
americanmanufacturing.org/blog/while-other-toolmakers-moved-overseas-klein-tools-kept-it-made-in-america
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCqlO54ZdQjkkjpgD1yWaWgQ/join
Old Klein Catalogs:
archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Mathias+Klein+%26+Sons%22
Mathias Klein biography:
google.com/books/edition/Manufacturing_and_Wholesale_Industries_o/jy_PAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA154&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Historical_Encyclopedia_of_Illinois/WA1PYyJsVMQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA792-IA120&printsec=frontcover
1904 Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Electrical_World/3-VAAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=klein+Tools&pg=RA1-PA11&printsec=frontcover
1913 New Factory Articles:
google.com/books/edition/New_York_Review_of_the_Telegraph_and_Tel/yUI_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA1210&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Electrical_West/Sv0_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA117&printsec=frontcover
Mathias retirement announcement 1917:
google.com/books/edition/Telephone_Engineer_Management/77cCWdRhL70C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=PA284&printsec=frontcover
Mathias Death 1918:
google.com/books/edition/Bell_Telephone_News/b5rmAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mathias+klein&pg=RA3-PA19&printsec=frontcover
1924 Color Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Southern_Hardware/clw-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=klein+Tools&pg=RA4-PA8&printsec=frontcover
1924 Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Electrical_West/2Oc_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=klein+Tools&pg=RA2-PA53&printsec=frontcover
1925 "I'll Fix It!" ad:
books.google.com/books?id=likDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA123&dq=mathias+klein&hl=en
Joseph Klein Death 1937:
books.google.com/books?id=7aoTAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA50&dq=klein&hl=en
google.com/books/edition/Hardware_World/A4CenEUMhX8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=klein&dq=klein&printsec=frontcover
Mathias A. Klien president 1950:
books.google.com/books?id=9pLmAAAAMAAJ&q=mathias+klein&printsec=frontcover&sa=X
1996 Home Depot Announcement:
web.archive.org/web/20230709185146/https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/19960706/ISSUE01/10006963/pliers-poker
Mansfield TX Plant:
contractorsupplymagazine.com/pages/News---20140416-Exclusive-Inside-Klein-Tools-Texas-Manufacturing-HQ.php
Klein moves to Texas 2012:
nbcchicago.com/news/local/klein-tools-inc-closing-2-locations/1917093
1982 Pliers Insulation Lawsuit:
google.com/books/edition/California_Court_of_Appeal_2nd_Appellate/Nb5m_GJHDbkC?hl=en&gbpv=1
2011 Irwin v Klien Lawsuit (step drills):
scribd.com/document/59416699/Irwin-Industrial-Tool-Company-v-Klein-Tools
Richard Klein Lawsuit:
chicagobusiness.com/article/20061209/ISSUE01/100026968/uncivil-war
chicagobusiness.com/topic/klein-tools-inc
Milwaukee Packout Lawsuit:
archive.org/details/gov.uscourts.ilnd.460151
Old Chicago Maps:
chicagoinmaps.com/historicmaps.html
Chicago Fire Map 1871:
blogs.loc.gov/maps/2021/10/the-city-which-would-not-be-cowed-the-great-chicago-fire-of-1871
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:44 The First Pair of Kleins
01:22 Chicago Fire & Expansion
02:36 Early Klein Tools
02:58 Belmont & Kedzie Factory
04:04 The Cushion Grip Screwdriver
04:32 Company Acquisitions & Deals
05:48 Mansfield Texas Plant
06:10 Lawsuits
07:25 Outro
