# I broke a Klein 6" 1/4 round screwdriver today



## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

I broke the last 3 inches off the thing and I was not even really prying hard with it. I think I will finally find another brand to try like the knipex linesmen's I bought months ago. I would of snapped a pic but what is the point?


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

jwjrw said:


> I broke the last 3 inches off the thing and I was not even really prying hard with it. I think I will finally find another brand to try like the knipex linesmen's I bought months ago. I would of snapped a pic but what is the point?


I have been hearing that alot lately they must be making them in China..:blink::blink::no:


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

I'd been seeing what appeared to be a decline in Klein screwdriver quality for a while, but the last straw for me was buying a 8" #2 Philips and having the tip break within the first two months of light use.

I've switched to Wiha heavy-duty, definitely haven't been easy on them, and they are still holding up well. So far, so good.

-John


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

My brother broke a 6" square shank Klein just like that about 10 years ago.


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## Josue (Apr 25, 2010)

That's pretty strange. 
That's the good thing about craftsman, you break them and go for a new one.

On the other hand, the wiha and wera, felo, etc. won't break. :lol:




There once was a man who had several very old pickup trucks. He bought one new truck and told a friend that he liked the old ones best because he knew how to fix them when the broke at the middle of the road. His friend answered, "yes, Al, but these new trucks don't break at the middle of the road." :lol:

It's the same thing with screwdrivers. Well, kinda.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I would have been like oh well, I'll get another one at the supply house or whereeverthehell. Although I have yet to break a Klein from abusing it, maybe I got all the good ones


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I would have been like oh well, I'll get another one at the supply house or whereeverthehell. Although I have yet to break a Klein from abusing it, maybe I got all the good ones


Their phillips tips don't last long at all..



Maybe your not as abusive as you used to be..:laughing:


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## gizmo21187 (Aug 11, 2010)

Josue said:


> That's pretty strange.
> That's the good thing about craftsman, you break them and go for a new one.
> 
> On the other hand, the wiha and wera, felo, etc. won't break. :lol:
> ...


Old truck, basic hand tools, and tape
New, laptop with engine software, special disconect tools, dmm, and the list does on


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## Josue (Apr 25, 2010)

gizmo21187 said:


> Old truck, basic hand tools, and tape
> New, laptop with engine software, special disconect tools, dmm, and the list does on


Yes. :laughing:


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Their phillips tips don't last long at all..
> 
> 
> :


Harry, you are on top of your game tonight.
:thumbup:

That's the main reason i stopped using that stupid Klein stuff.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Their phillips tips don't last long at all..
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe your not as abusive as you used to be..:laughing:


I have one Philips that's like 5 years old, still good, even after being used as a center punch on brick a few times :whistling2:

And I'm still abusive to screwdrivers, I used my 3/16" x 6" to chisel through 2 layers of T-111 siding the other day :laughing:


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## Josue (Apr 25, 2010)

Rudeboy said:


> Harry, you are on top of your game tonight.
> :thumbup:
> 
> That's the main reason i stopped using that stupid Klein stuff.


Phillips is stupid by itself, if doesn't need klein's help. 

And let's not start with slotted.:laughing::laughing:


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## keithbussanich (Apr 3, 2011)

where's your beater?


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

keithbussanich said:


> where's your beater?


Knowing jw he probably broke that already. :laughing:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I have one Philips that's like 5 years old, still good, even after being used as a center punch on brick a few times :whistling2:
> 
> And I'm still abusive to screwdrivers, I used my 3/16" x 6" to chisel through 2 layers of T-111 siding the other day :laughing:


 IDK i have been going through a lot of the Klein philips Screw drivers lately



But i must be a Dummy because i keep buying them..:laughing::laughing:


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

Josue said:


> Phillips is stupid by itself, if doesn't need klein's help.
> 
> And let's not start with slotted.:laughing::laughing:


They're all stupid... phillips, square, slotted, torx?

It's crazy we have to carry so many different drivers and sizes when they all have issues.


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## gizmo21187 (Aug 11, 2010)

Rudeboy said:


> They're all stupid... phillips, square, slotted, torx?
> 
> It's crazy we have to carry so many different drivers and sizes when they all have issues.


I know, got a pouch full bits and driver just for that, saves me on buy all separate drivers. My side bag is full enough.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

In my experience, the Klein screwdrivers last about 6 months with moderate abuse.


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## Demac (Apr 28, 2010)

I've noticed these threads all seem to have a common theme. 

1. Guy breaks Klein tool and complains that the quality seems to have gone downhill.
2. Another guy agrees, stating that his Klein tool doesnt last more then X number of months.
3. A third guy chimes in that his multi-year old Klein tool is still going strong.

Nothing wrong with these threads, it just makes me chuckle when I see them. It's like I told the guy at work when he puffed up and preached the 'Klein Religion', "Your Klein pliers that are 10 years old, are not the Klein pliers you can currently buy."

Gradually those people will replace that old klein stuff with new klein stuff, and we'll have to see if the song changes...


It would be like me trying to convince you to buy this...









...and telling you it was the same thing as this...


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Demac said:


> I've noticed these threads all seem to have a common theme.
> 
> 1. Guy breaks Klein tool and complains that the quality seems to have gone downhill.
> 2. Another guy agrees, stating that his Klein tool doesnt last more then X number of months.
> 3. A third guy chimes in that his multi-year old Klein tool is still going strong...


 :laughing: Very true.

If I hadn't rounded out a number of Klein Philips and a couple of Robertson screwdrivers in very short order, I might not have switched, but I expect to get more than 6 months out of a screwdriver and I wasn't seeing it.

-John


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

Rudeboy said:


> They're all stupid... phillips, square, slotted, torx?
> 
> It's crazy we have to carry so many different drivers and sizes when they all have issues.


Each one was probably invented because some one got the "brilliant idea" that they knew how to design a better driver after a frustrating day with their "piece of trash" driver.:laughing:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Demac said:


> 3. A third guy chimes in that his multi-year old Klein tool is still going strong.


I also bought a bunch of new klein stuff a couple weeks ago, just used one flathead to chip block and another to pry a large sprocket off a motor. :laughing:

If Klein quality sucked that bad I think I would be breaking a couple screwdrivers weekly.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I would have been like oh well, I'll get another one at the supply house or whereeverthehell. Although I have yet to break a Klein from abusing it, maybe I got all the good ones


This one was maybe 4 months old. Tip was still alright even after the abuse I 
put on it. I guess lifting weights does make you stronger? :blink:


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## Josue (Apr 25, 2010)

Rudeboy said:


> They're all stupid... phillips, square, slotted, torx?
> 
> It's crazy we have to carry so many different drivers and sizes when they all have issues.


I've never had a problem with square. :thumbsup:


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

Josue said:


> I've never had a problem with square. :thumbsup:


I haven't really either.

I'll put it another way. Since I started buying German drivers, I haven't retired any of them. Yes, I have bought a lot of them cause I like them but even the first wiha and witte I purchased over two years ago still work really well. 

I know I sound like a broken record but buying Klein is a friggin waste of money.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

I've never seen a Klein screwdriver over here, despite being awash with Klein pliers and other gear, Wiha is the most common screwdriver over here (actually sold with Klein apprentice sets) and I've never heard someone complain about them if that tells you guys anything.


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

I got quite a few klein drivers since I bought that bag off a retired electrician. I don't know if I could justify purchasing any new ones until I burn through these. I tried selling off some. I might start giving them away now.


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## justin1177 (Apr 10, 2011)

Frasbee said:


> I got quite a few klein drivers since I bought that bag off a retired electrician. I don't know if I could justify purchasing any new ones until I burn through these. I tried selling off some. I might start giving them away now.


Hang on to the old klein screwdrivers as long as you can, especially if the whole shaft is black not just the tool end. They make the new klein drivers seem like bath toys.

Or I'll Relieve you of them.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

jwjrw said:


> I broke the last 3 inches off the thing and I was not even really prying hard with it. I think I will finally find another brand to try like the knipex linesmen's I bought months ago. I would of snapped a pic but what is the point?


That's funny because I did the same thing a couple of week ago. I may have been prying an old staple that was securing an old bx cable. I never had that happen to me before and I always do it. This was a 4" Klein flathead and it broke where the porcelin ends and the steel begins. Definitely a WTF moment.


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## keithbussanich (Apr 3, 2011)

Magnettica said:


> I never had that happen to me before


say that often?


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

justin1177 said:


> Hang on to the old klein screwdrivers as long as you can, especially if the whole shaft is black not just the tool end. They make the new klein drivers seem like bath toys.
> 
> Or I'll Relieve you of them.


Guy another apprentice at work said he needs some new drivers. I was going to sell them to him, and figured f*ck it, I'll just give 'em away. I have like 5 #2 phillips and 8 slotted screwdrivers.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

Going on 13 yrs and have yet to wear out my Kleins. I do use them for what they are for though. I have an auto punch and craftsman for beaters and prying.

You need to look at the new Klein line not all are made in America any more. I only buy the American made ones. I'll keep using Klein until I experience poor quality. I do by the German tools as well like them too.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

AFOREMA1 said:


> Going on 13 yrs and have yet to wear out my Kleins. I do use them for what they are for though. I have an auto punch and craftsman for beaters and prying.
> 
> You need to look at the new Klein line not all are made in America any more. I only buy the American made ones. I'll keep using Klein until I experience poor quality. I do by the German tools as well like them too.


 Most of the Klien stuff is made here...:thumbup:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I used to be a Klein fan. I still WANT to be a Klein fan. I am from a family of proud German heritage, but was born in the US. Klein is a company of proud German heritage, but made in the US. Fact is, what you buy off the shelf from Klein now, plainly put... sucks! I couldn't be more upset about that. They used to be top shelf goods. I'm not sure what happened. There's definitely better stuff out there. Knipex and Wiha are two that are worth a serious look if a guy is dissatisfied with Klein.


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