Kleins are lineman's pliers: heavy, square-nosed side cutters used to grip, twist, cut and pull wire, named after the toolmaker most associated with them. A nine-inch high-leverage pair is the standard tool in an electrician's pouch, used to twist splices before a wire nut goes on, cut conductors up to around 6 AWG, pull wire and straighten box tabs. The name sticks even when the pliers come from another brand.
Hand me the Kleins, I'll twist these together before the wire nut goes on.
Also heard as
- lineman's pliers
- linemans
- nines
Related terms
Dikes
Diagonal cutting pliers, used for snipping small wire and cable ties close to a surface.
Channellocks
Tongue-and-groove adjustable pliers, named after the brand that made them a trade staple.
Wire nut
Twist-on connector with a tapered spring inside, used to splice two or more wires together in a box.