Klein Tools has launched new blackout wire strippers, model K11095BLK, and they only cost a little more than the regular version.
Due to the color scheme, you might never find these Klein wire strippers in an actual blackout or dim lighting conditions. But that’s okay, they sure do look cool.
Can you tell that I’m a little over FOMO-driven limited edition all-black tools?
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These 11095 wire strippers, regardless of the handle color, features holes for 8-18 AWG solid and 10-20 AWG stranded wire.
It also features 6-32 and 8-32 machine screw shear cutting holes, wire looping holes, a wire cutter, and spring-action handles.
Something didn’t look right to me about the design.
Klein Tools’ flag, as shown from a closeup of the limited edition tool’s design, looks to have at least 72 stars in the design, with 53 visible despite the cutout.
The American flag has 50 stars, one for each state, arranged in 5 rows of 6 (30) and 4 rows of 5 (20). Klein’s flag appears to have 7 rows of 6 (42) and 6 rows of 5 (30).
The stars also aren’t supposed to be leaning over at an angle.
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I sure hope this is just a mistake in the product images and not the actual tools.
Online retailers have the new limited edition blackout Klein wire stripper available for ordering. Given Klein’s relationship with Lowe’s, I expect to see these in-store at some point, either as part of Spring Black Friday sales or for Father’s Day.
Price: $23
At the time of this posting, the regular version is priced at $21.
So – what do you guys think about Klein’s latest limited edition tool?
Frank D.
Black color scheme?
And that flag? Ouch.
How did that even get the green light???
Lance
53 stars makes sense… an extra one for Canada, Greenland, and another yet to be named.
This is the coveted 47-Edition tool, correct? 🙂
Stuart
NO POLITICS.
The only reason I’m not deleting it is to let the warning stand.
Jim Felt
Stuart. You’re taking all* the fun out of “current events”!
*Okay. Maybe not so much “fun” actually?
ElectroAtletico
Lighten up Francis! It’s actually a funny joke!!
Jamie Lee Davis
LMAO ! 🤣
PB
I think Lance did a great job not directly being political.
But good idea for the warning.
I was thinking that, it is future proofing. When your great great grandchild needs their first stripper and it will be correct then, if they can ever find them in the first place.
Lance
Sorry. I tried to be humorous without being “directly” political. Does it make it ok if I’m Canadian? 🙂
I’ll keep it safe from now on.
Stuart
I’ve been having to do heavy moderation lately about this topic. I kept yours in to avoid having to remove 20 more making the same reference.
I know how you intended it, but I’d like to keep the door to that discussion firmly closed.
Jamie Lee Davis
Perfect !
Adam B.
I think I’ve heard of companies intentionally messing with the flag design so that don’t get hit with complaints of “US Flag code” violations. They can say they’re not violating the codes because it’s not the official us flag, “see, it has too many stars, it’s not actually a US flag.” Kind of thing.
Saulac
TIL. Thinking about it, I am for the code. The reason is things will get old and got threw in the trash, along with the images of the flag. What is wrong with just having the good old USA stamped on?
MattT
The code only applies to flags. Pictures of flags aren’t flags. More info about that at the website of the American Legion, which supervised the drafting of the code originally. Also, the code isn’t law so it doesn’t really matter anyway.
Matt
Images or “representations” of flags do count as flags, also it is law, it is title 4 chapter 1. here is the part of law making it a criminal act
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/3
Bonnie
Looks about as half-assed as a limited edition can get. The flag looks like something you’d find on Temu.
LE
I really hate the all black trend. I like to ne able to see where things are. More hi-viz….. less black
Jeffrey
I, absolutely, agree. If I would advise anyone to get as many bright colored tools as are available to you. So many less tools would be left behind.
I have a stupid amount of black tools…
Bonnie
I spraypaint a lot of my tools bright blue, especially anything used outside.
randy
yes we need more unicorn vomit everywhere
S
Ironically, I did try this years ago, where I only bought neon yellow or orange tools for my shop.
What ended up happening is I lost tools into a yellow/orange pile.
Mateo
This looks pretty similar to the way they did their red white and blue special edition but I never sat down and counted the stars honestly. One red handle, one dark blue, and the white accents plus the flag printed in the same spot.
Peter
Had to look that one up and the stars on that one are staggered and the stripes are inconsistent too.
If it is right that that is a way to get around some royalties that is a pretty poor move from a company like Klein.
Julian Tracy
What the heck is the point of these stupid “black-out” edition tools. Silliest recent trend yet. I don’t even care for black tool boxes any longer – I want to be able to see all my tools, not make it harder to look for them. Don’t get me started on flags, I could GAF.
Peter
Yeah, black tools are a pain if you work in the field.
I like a black tool box for my truck bed with a cab.
Disappears with the black bed liner.
Erik
And in the shop too. In particular I use bright colors for phone cases that also don’t match my tool brand colors.
John E
*Couldn’t
PB
Maybe if you work in an all white clean room or photo booth.
Or
See’s candy store.
Stuart
At this point, it seems to me that Klein has become very customer-oriented, with Lowe’s as its customer.
Their blacked-out linemans pliers seemed to sell well 2 years in a row, and their blacked-out screwdrivers also seemed to sell well.
I imagine the conversation went something like:
Lowe’s: more! What else have you got next?
Klein: wire strippers!
That we’re seeing more limited edition blacked-out tools suggests that everyone at Lowe’s and Klein corporate have been happy with the sales.
They’re not going to keep coming out with more limited edition tools if the tools aren’t selling. It’s as simple as that – Klein is giving its retail customers what they want, and their retail partners are giving their shoppers what they want.
tjb
Wait – blacked-out screwdrivers?! Must have missed that one since their screwdrivers were already black-handled! Stupid.
It’s like saying you bought specially-ordered color-matched tires … FOR YOUR BLACK CAR.
Stuart
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/klein-blackout-screwdriver-set-2024/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/klein-limited-edition-blackout-screwdriver-set-85446blk/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Jim Felt
I’m pretty sure this all goes back to the 1960’s when the high end Nikon F and Leica M2 cameras first became available in “professional” black finish. Albeit barely matte which did indeed follow.
More visually hard to spot v. common brushed chrome which easily stood out.
In other words no logical reason for commonly used tools to be black.
Yadda
I wouldn’t pay extra for the black.
Albert
I dislike those thick handles more than the color. Since they are strippers, I don’t squeeze them very hard. But the thick handles take up a lot of space in my tool bag and melt easily when touched by a soldering iron. I do like Klein’s needle nose pliers with yellow dipped handles. Nice and slender.
Mark. M
I keep a roll of florescent orange duct tape on a peg above my workbench to combat what Klein intentionally did here (flag stupidity aside). Anything that isn’t high-vis by nature gets a wrap around a handle…black rake handle, black spanner wrench for an angle grinder, etc etc. It is really hard to imagine how a product manager (and presumably their supervisor) thought this was a good idea.
Joe E.
I feel the complete opposite. “Hi-Viz” is played out. I’m tired of the bright greens, reds and yellow’s. Orange doesn’t seem to get much love either.
Personally, I like the all black tools. I don’t want every tool I own to be black, but I wish someone would offer some all black pliers and screwdriver sets for a change. No goofy or chunky handle designs either.
DB
Honestly, I like to buy tools of different brands, based mostly on what is best at the price I can afford. I love my Dewalt contractor saw and my Bosch router. Yellow and blue go fine together, but then I pull out my Milwaukee angle grinder, my Ridgid drill, my Ryobi miter saw, and I got a rainbow going on. I wish the colors were a bit more subtle, instead of the main color of the product. Like trim it in the brand’s colors, and go black, grey, etc otherwise. I’m never going to be loyal to one brand, but would appreciate if my collection wasn’t a rainbow.
Jack
I personally have no use for limited edition tools. I buy my tools to work with, not to collect or try to look cool.
Michael F
I love my Stabila Dark Shadow levels and you can pry them from my cold, dead hands. They’re cold and dead already, which is obviously why I needed black levels to compliment my gothic aesthetic.
Seriously, though – I only use my levels for interior installations and finish work, and could completely see how the high-visibility yellow would be far superior for a job site. With that said, I completely support providing tools in multiple colorways. This isn’t sesame street and not every tool needs to be a primary or otherwise high-visibility color.
Dustin
I dislike stuff like this… from the United States Flag Code:
i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever.
Alexk
Current Status:
While the Flag Code (4 U.S. Code § 4) continues to be followed as a tradition, it is not a law that the government can enforce.
Advertising:
The Flag Code does state that the flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever.
Walt Bordett
Blackout tools seem to me to be designed to be lost. IMHO just a dumb idea.
Corey
Dumb for the consumer, great for the manufacturer!