This is the Klein D228-8 — an 8-inch high-leverage diagonal cutter with a short, strong jaw and beveled knives. The short jaw puts more of the cutting force directly over the conductor and cuts closer to the workpiece than a standard diagonal, which is what makes it the go-to for nail trimming, screw flush-cuts, and hardened wire where a longer jaw flexes and loses bite.
It’s the cutter for rebar-tying, flush-trimming fasteners that have been set too deep, and any close-in cut that needs to land precisely. The high-leverage pivot is set closer to the knives, which delivers roughly 36% more cutting power at the edge without a longer handle — so the tool still fits a pouch but handles harder cuts.
Klein Tools has been making hand tools for electricians and tradespeople since 1857, headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The Journeyman and Standard pliers lines — along with many of Klein’s cushion-grip screwdrivers — are forged and finished in the United States, and clearly marked as such, so you know exactly what you’re buying.
