noun General Slang

Klein's

· noun · construction

Lineman's pliers, named after the brand that owns the trade.

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Definitions

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Lineman's pliers — the chunky side-cutting pliers electricians live by. Klein Tools so completely dominated the category that the brand became the tool. Saying 'pass me the Klein's' on a job site means the pliers, even if they're a different brand. Like Hoover for vacuum, Kleenex for tissue.

“Hand me my Klein's, I need to twist these conductors before I cap them.”
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Klein's In A Sentence

Hand me my Klein's, I need to twist these conductors before I cap them.

Origin & Usage

Klein Tools, founded 1857 in Chicago by German immigrant Mathias Klein, who built the original lineman's pliers for a telegraph repairman.

Variants Kleins
Tags #construction#electrical#trades#tools#genericized-brand

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