Mat Klein III (left), chairman of Klein Tools, and Mark Klein (right), vice president domestic sales, presented Dan Schmidt with a reward for finding the oldest known pair of working Klein pliers.
“We were overwhelmed with the inquiries and heart-warming stories of Klein tools being handed down from one generation to another,” said Thomas Barton, product marketing manager. “Stories such as our second oldest pair from Robert Armstrong, Jr., really exemplify what the Klein Tools’ brand is all about. His pair of 1906 pliers were handed down to his father in 1941 while on the job as a line foreman in Dyersburg, Tenn., and then handed down to Robert.”
The oldest ‘original’ customer was Gerald Schumacher, 89 years old, who entered a 1956 9” pliers which he purchased in Colorado. It lasted for over 30 years on the job.
The youngest customer was Brody Tonelotti, 13 years old, who loves tools and searches yard sales for old tool boxes. In one container, he found a pair of 1952 pliers in good condition and thought it would last for a couple more generations of use.
“The value placed on our products is exceptional,” said Mark Klein, a sixth generation Klein who serves as the company’s vice president of domestic sales. “As a company, our goal is to produce the highest quality product possible. In exchange, we are rewarded with incredible customer loyalty.”
