# klein, ideal, greenlee handtools?



## sparky87

Which brand is better and why?


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## MDShunk

Ford, Chevy, or Dodge... which one is better, and why? :laughing:


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## 480sparky

All of 'em, because all the others make cheap stuff. :laughing:

There is no one single 'greatest tool maker in the world'.

Don't forget about Knipex!


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## mattsilkwood

Greenlee hand tools suck (and not the grit holesaws Ken :laughing.
Klein used to be the best there was but those days are long gone. 

Ideal makes some pretty good tools.


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## MDShunk

I really think that a top tool set would have certain tools from a great many brands. I don't think you can have the "best" tool SET by staying exclusively with one brand.


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## 480sparky

MDShunk said:


> I really think that a top tool set would have certain tools from a great many brands. I don't think you can have the "best" tool SET by staying exclusively with one brand.


If I looked, I'd probably have 10 different brands in my tool belt.

Klein, Ideal, Knipex, Johnson, Fluke, Craftsman, ChannelLock come to mind right away.


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## sparky87

What do you guys have


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## Frasbee

I own klein, knipex, greenlee, craftsman, channellock, wera, and maybe an ideal tool in there somewhere. As MD said, there isn't a specific brand that is the best, although each brand may provide a superior model of tool to the other brands.


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## sparky87

What screwdriver multimeter wire stripper channel locks do you have


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## Jlarson

sparky87 said:


> What do you guys have


Looking at my bag right now (what? it makes a good foot rest :laughing I've got Klien, Husky, Greenlee, Channellock, Irwin, Wera, Crescent, Ideal, Checkpoint, Fluke, and Nicholson for files and some Swedgelock Fittings tube deburrer thing I use on conduit.


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## The Lightman

480sparky said:


> Klein, Ideal, Knipex, Johnson, Fluke, Craftsman, ChannelLock come to mind right away.


Exactly what's in my pouch. Well, except for the Johnson.


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## mattsilkwood

sparky87 said:


> What screwdriver multimeter wire stripper channel locks do you have


Wera
Fluke
Klein
Knipex


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## jusme123

how do the knipex work on emt fittings?


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## Southeast Power

sparky87 said:


> What do you guys have


I have and prefer:
Klein Kleins
Channellock Channellocks
Ideal strippers
Klein Screwdrivers
Greenlee knockouts (although recently I found a 2" Chinese hydraulic set at Harbor Freight for $79.00 that functions very well)
Ideal benders
Greenlee tugger
Dewalt 18 volt Hammer drill, sawsall, impact & flashlight
Milwaukee 1/2" electric hammer drill (steel holes)
Hilti Hammer Drill for larger concrete anchor holes
Hilti Powder Actuated (thinking of switching to gas)
Ideal solenoid tester (Wiggy type)
Burndy dieless hydraulic crimper
Greenlee battery powered crimper
Ideal battery cable cutter for large cables (fits in battery drill chuck)
Greenlee ratchet cable cutters (for small amount of cuts 4/0 and above)
Greenlee 24" cable cutters (up to 4/0)

I I use something else in place of these specific tools, they get broken or "lost". I have bought several different brands over the years and always seem to come back to these.


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## farlsincharge

Anyone else notice the quality of klein screwdrivers has declined in the last year or so?


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## 480sparky

farlsincharge said:


> Anyone else notice the quality of klein screwdrivers has declined in the last year or so?


Yep. I'm slowly changing over to Knipex.


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## Rudeboy

480sparky said:


> Yep. I'm slowly changing over to Knipex.


Knipex doesn't make screwdrivers.

You get Witte maxxpro in the Knipex sets.


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## mattsilkwood

jusme123 said:


> how do the knipex work on emt fittings?


 They work great, They work more like a wrench than a pair of pliers.


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## 480sparky

Rudeboy said:


> Knipex doesn't make screwdrivers............


Sumbuny better tell Knipex to remove them from their catalog then.








​


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## Rudeboy

Those are re-branded Witte. Nice drivers one way or the other.


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## 76nemo

MDShunk said:


> I really think that a top tool set would have certain tools from a great many brands. I don't think you can have the "best" tool SET by staying exclusively with one brand.


 
And just what else do you own that's Greenlee other than the 555????

I'm in the camp that thinks Greenlee is junk and just a notch above GB.


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## Josue

MDShunk said:


> I really think that a top tool set would have certain tools from a great many brands. I don't think you can have the "best" tool SET by staying exclusively with one brand.


That's right,

I'll probably get , Knipex pliers

A fluke dmm

A veto bag

An ideal fish tape

etc etc etc.


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## Shockdoc

Josue said:


> That's right,
> 
> I'll probably get , Knipex pliers
> 
> A fluke dmm
> 
> A veto bag
> 
> An ideal fish tape
> 
> etc etc etc.


Actually I'm a huge fan of Greenlee silver slick snakes, Ideal sucks.


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## Josue

Shockdoc said:


> Actually I'm a huge fan of Greenlee silver slick snakes, Ideal sucks.


I haven't had greenlee, but I have two ideal fish tapes, one small and one big. The big one is much better than the klein, which a friend has, the ideal one pulls better, and winds up better than the klein


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## firelient

OK we have a smart bunch on here wonder who really makes each brand of screwdrivers and pliers I bet they all don't make their own whats your thoughts>>>


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## jza

firelient said:


> OK we have a smart bunch on here wonder who really makes each brand of screwdrivers and pliers I bet they all don't make their own whats your thoughts>>>


No. Lots of them have factories and produce product. But there's lots of re-branding too. All part of the game.


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## 76nemo

firelient said:


> OK we have a smart bunch on here wonder who really makes each brand of screwdrivers and pliers I bet they all don't make their own whats your thoughts>>>


 
GB went Platinum and labeled some of their stuff Greenlee??????:laughing:


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## bduerler

every brand has it pros and cons. What really matters is your personal opinion and what tools are you more comfortable with. Some pliers fit peoples hands better than others, whereas some screwdrivers handles are to big or to small for others. I personally like Ideal for my work out in the field I use their hand tools, data-comm tools, and meters. For work at the house I use Snap On/Blue Point and Matco


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## 76nemo

bduerler said:


> every brand has it pros and cons. What really matters is your personal opinion and what tools are you more comfortable with. Some pliers fit peoples hands better than others, whereas some screwdrivers handles are to big or to small for others. I personally like Ideal for my work out in the field I use their hand tools, data-comm tools, and meters. For work at the house I use Snap On/Blue Point and Matco


 
Have any Greenlee stock Duerler???????


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## bduerler

76nemo said:


> Have any Greenlee stock Duerler???????


hmmmmm you know what I own three Greenlee items:laughing: the scratch awl, the extend-able wire pulling hook pen, and of course I just bought a knock set as we speak


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## bduerler

76nemo said:


> Have any Greenlee stock Duerler???????


oh stock as in stock market:laughing::laughing::laughing: my bad nemo no i do not


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## 76nemo

bduerler said:


> oh stock as in stock market:laughing::laughing::laughing: my bad nemo no i do not


 
I never meant that duerler, it wasn't a lame joke. I didn't know you had Greenlee tooling. Now on that matter, you said you bought another KO set from Greenlee. I do like there punches alot!!!! Thumbs up!!!


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## bduerler

76nemo said:


> I never meant that duerler, it wasn't a lame joke. I didn't know you had Greenlee tooling. Now on that matter, you said you bought another KO set from Greenlee. I do like there punches alot!!!! Thumbs up!!!


:laughing ok my bad. Yea this is my second knockout set i have bought my other was stolen right out of the company truck


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## Michael86

Klein 
Knipex
Wera
Stabila
Fluke
Stanley
Stiletto 
:thumbsup:


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## The_kid

I use Knipex linemens and i absolutely swear by them. But be warned, for those who like to drive staples with their linemens, the Knipex are much lighter. 

I also noticed how crappy klein screw drivers are becoming. I found this brand, Wiha, another German company. They make outstanding drivers, very reasonable price (compared to klein)

For my dikes, strippers, tick tester, tape measure, and pouch i use klein. 

It's all preference, like we all know. I just personally refuse to use the cheap stuff.


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## the-apprentice

mostly greenlee, but some klein and some irwin


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## travis13

Well this thread came back from the grave


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## J F Go

the-apprentice said:


> mostly greenlee, but some klein and some irwin


And I believe we could all use a good pair of Ideal strippers. :thumbup:


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## theJcK

Klein.. 
Milwaukee strippers work well plastic lock already broke ::..
Ideal meters.. or Fluke (if you got the money)..
Flir imager..
and Greenlee hand tools ::thumbsdown::.
Greenlee hydraulic KO kits, hydraulic benders and rotosplits.. ::thumbsup:: 
IMO.


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## tjb

76nemo said:


> And just what else do you own that's Greenlee other than the 555????
> 
> I'm in the camp that thinks Greenlee is junk and just a notch above GB.


I've been though several pairs of dikes, and really prefer Greenlees. Some reason I like their angle and size so I'm on my second pair.


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## Cwhitman

The Lightman said:


> Exactly what's in my pouch. Well, except for the Johnson.



Is that because the Johnson is in the pants 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## freeagnt54

tjb said:


> I've been though several pairs of dikes, and really prefer Greenlees. Some reason I like their angle and size so I'm on my second pair.


 Yeah I like the greenlee dikes and linemans


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## heavysparky

In my bags I have

Ideal
Irwin
Channel lock
Klein
GB( linemen only) they are great for rewires of the dumps I seem to be working on lately
Raptor
Masterforce
Knipex( I'm a bit disappointed in their lineman's ) 
Fluke
Amprobe


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## Jhellwig

Michael86 said:


> Klein
> Knipex
> Wera
> Stabila
> Fluke
> Stanley
> Stiletto
> :thumbsup:


Did you seriously buy a 160 dollar hammer to pound in romex staples?


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## Batfink

I have two sets of tools, one is mainly Phoenix Contact (NWS) and one set is Klein. I see little quality difference in the basic tools but NWS makes some items that make my job easier and quicker. :thumbsup:


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## Michael86

Jhellwig said:


> Did you seriously buy a 160 dollar hammer to pound in romex staples?


Nope, I sure didn't. I work commercial and industrial so more like wedge anchors up to 3/4 in diameter. If you've pounded these anchors all day with a double jack overhead then you would understand why I invested that money in that hammer. They are light, powerful, and have a lot less recoil. I too was a sceptic till my buddy lent me his. After 2 anchors I was sold. I hear dewalt makes a hammer similar to mine now. I've heard many good things about it but have never had the privilege of trying it. My red wings were 300 after getting the toes dipped. I could have bought die hards and saved me a pretty penny. Why not show my hands and arms the same kind of affection I show my feet. LOL


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## kleidealee

Anything you can't find made by Ideal, choose Knipex. Anything you can't find made by Knipex, choose Klein. Specialty tools that go beyond the description of basic hand tools, choose Greenlee.


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