Klein

When Mathias Klein emigrated from Germany and made his way west to set up shop in Chicago's bustling downtown business district, the "communications industry" amounted to nothing more than bare wires strung on telegraph poles.

The first tool he ever made was actually half a tool. A broken side-cutting pliers was brought to his forge shop by a telegraph lineman. Mathias Klein forged and finished a new half for the tool, riveted it to the old, and the lineman went on his way. Shortly thereafter the lineman returned. The other original half of the tool had now broken and Mathias Klein forged the second pliers half, producing the first complete Klein pliers.

Since 1857, the company operated by Mathias Klein and his descendants to the fifth generation, has grown and developed along with the telecommunications and electrical industries where Klein pliers first found major use.

The company's product line has broadened to include virtually every major type of hand tool used in construction, electronics, mining, and general industry in addition to the electrical and telecommunications fields.