M. Klein & Sons Knives

[supratentorial]

Here's a Klein with a built in folding crate opener (top of the photo). The others aren't Klein. The crate opener has an advertisement for a candy company on it. I also have a few Klein knives with adjustable wrenches built into the handles. I believe they were all made by Camillus.

Nice tool kit knife, Robin.

I bet it would fit on the 53 pattern.

 

[AreBeeBee]

A Camillus for comparison. Most of the one's they made for Klein had a woodgrain texture.

That's one of those rope or lifeboat knives I mentioned above. An electrician could use it, but it's not optimal. The blunt blade end is so that a sailor wouldn't stab himself (or a neighbor) when working with rope in a hurry, perhaps in bad weather. The cutaway in the handle is for easier opening, perhaps while wearing gloves.

 

[screened porch]

I found out where I got the idea that Utica made Klein's knives. Levine 2cd says Utica made Klein &Sons knives from 1911 to "present" (1980s).
I don't know what Levine might have said in 3rd or 4th editions.

 

[Modoc ED]

In case anyone is interested, here's the opening of a thread I posted back in August 2011.

I was recently talking to a friend of mine's son who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy as an ET (Electronics Technician). We got to talking about tools and I asked if they were still using Electrician's Knives (TL-29s). I asked him who was making them and he said he didn't know -- he's not a knife guy. After we hung up, I thought nothnig more about it.

Last Friday the FEDEX truck dropped off this knife at my front door -- unsolicited by me I might add. It is a Klein Electrician's Knife (1550-2) model. There is nothing to indicate TL-29 on the wrapper it came in.







The knife is well built and solid. Heck, even the blades are centered between the liners and there are no gaps along the spine. I'm wondering if Klein is actually building these knives -- they do build many of their tools -- or if Utica is making them for Klein.

As it turns out, they are made by Utica.