Forging, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a verb that means: to form (as metal) by heating and hammering.
It's a process that has been part of Klein Tools' manufacturing since our founding in 1857. Though the scale and mechanics of the tool forging process has changed throughout the last 158 years, the act of forging as defined above still very much applies today in Klein Tools' forging facility.
The history of forging goes back to 4000 BC, maybe even earlier. Early blacksmiths did their forging using a hammer and anvil to make tools and weapons for battle.
When Mathias Klein, the founder of Klein Tools, became a blacksmith, the trade was more focused on wrought iron work – locks, hinges, and other items used in the construction industry.
It was quite by circumstance that Mathias' skills as a blacksmith transitioned back into tool manufacturing. Mat Klein III, the founders' great-great grandson, explains how it happened in this Tradesman TV episode:
Of course, with the Industrial Revolution, the forging process is much different today. Improvements in steel quality and machinery has made forging more efficient and cost-effective. Klein Tools' forging process has, in many ways, changed with the times. But the spirit of Mathias' blacksmithing background, the precision, the detailed process, and the careful inspection are still utilized in our forging process now.
Take a look!