Klein Tools tang stamp ?

J

Joshua91

Joined
Mar 27, 2024
Messages
57
Hello friends!

I was wondering if anybody here could help me with information on the klein tools Chicago tang stamps.

I bought an old Hawkbill and made it all pretty again. Mine says T-2, other similar hawkbills on the internet say BB or S on the tang stamp.

What does it mean?

Kind regards,

Joshua from the Netherlands.
 
I don’t know the answer, maybe a picture would help others? I like researching knives (tang stamps) I’ve found, hoping I’ve found something rare. Best of luck!
-Frank
 
I've seen them with all different kinds of stamps from S-2 L-L and many others, I don't really know but my guess is that it's some kind of date code.

Aside from some that were made in Japan at one time and the current ones that have been made in China the past couple years, the Klein Electricians knives and hawkbills...etc were contracted by Utica Kutmaster before they stopped making them and I've seen the same kind of number and or letter codes on the regular Kutmaster examples.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I've seen them with all different kinds of stamps from S-2 L-L and many others, I don't really know but my guess is that it's some kind of date code.

Aside from some that were made in Japan at one time and the current ones that have been made in China the past couple years, the Klein Electricians knives and hawkbills...etc were contracted by Utica Kutmaster before they stopped making them and I've seen the same kind of number and or letter codes on the regular Kutmaster examples.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply!


 
Joshua91 said:
Thanks for your reply and input. How would you determine the date? I haven't been able to find a proper date chart.
Click to expand...
I don't know the date, I just know that this is not a particularly old knife because it has a more recent tang stamp like was used up until a few years ago.
older knives would be marked M.Klein and Sons.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I don't know the date, I just know that this is not a particularly old knife because it has a more recent tang stamp like was used up until a few years ago.
older knives would be marked M.Klein and Sons.
Click to expand...
That's valuable information thank you! Learned something today
 
That hawk I'll, as already stated, was made by Utica.

A good many of the Klein knives seem to have been made by them.

Dont laugh too hard at me, but I happen to think the sheepsfoot from Utica is one of the best patterns ever made, ever, for a work knife! No it's not a fine knife, but it's a work horse




Anyways I believe the random latter codes on the Klein versions of these knives (including op's hawk) belong to Utica. I haven't found any information about Utica date codes... But I really havent put too much effort into looking.

If you look at the tang stamps, the top knife is a Utica and it has the letter stamps, then there are three Klein's with the letter stamps...(Two modified)

The last one is a stainless "Revere" and it has a letter T on the can opener. After close inspection and tearing a few of this pattern apart it's 100% a Utica knife.


Anyways, I don't think the answer is going to come from Klein. I'm pretty certain it will have to come from Utica.
 
RickHuf said:
That hawk I'll, as already stated, was made by Utica.

A good many of the Klein knives seem to have been made by them.

Dont laugh too hard at me, but I happen to think the sheepsfoot from Utica is one of the best patterns ever made, ever, for a work knife! No it's not a fine knife, but it's a work horse




Anyways I believe the random latter codes on the Klein versions of these knives (including op's hawk) belong to Utica. I haven't found any information about Utica date codes... But I really havent put too much effort into looking.

If you look at the tang stamps, the top knife is a Utica and it has the letter stamps, then there are three Klein's with the letter stamps...(Two modified)

The last one is a stainless "Revere" and it has a letter T on the can opener. After close inspection and tearing a few of this pattern apart it's 100% a Utica knife.


Anyways, I don't think the answer is going to come from Klein. I'm pretty certain it will have to come from Utica.
Click to expand...
Yes, I do not really think that those stamps are necessarily Klein tools date codes because as you have shown the letters can also be found in the Utica tang stamp as well.
I'm guessing Utica started the date codes themselves, but I suppose there could be any number of exceptions for Utica using a date code system prompted by Klein in their own examples as well.
 
RickHuf said:
That hawk I'll, as already stated, was made by Utica.

A good many of the Klein knives seem to have been made by them.

Dont laugh too hard at me, but I happen to think the sheepsfoot from Utica is one of the best patterns ever made, ever, for a work knife! No it's not a fine knife, but it's a work horse




Anyways I believe the random latter codes on the Klein versions of these knives (including op's hawk) belong to Utica. I haven't found any information about Utica date codes... But I really havent put too much effort into looking.

If you look at the tang stamps, the top knife is a Utica and it has the letter stamps, then there are three Klein's with the letter stamps...(Two modified)

The last one is a stainless "Revere" and it has a letter T on the can opener. After close inspection and tearing a few of this pattern apart it's 100% a Utica knife.


Anyways, I don't think the answer is going to come from Klein. I'm pretty certain it will have to come from Utica.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for your input!

Greetings from the Netherlands.
 
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