Klein Tools VDV226-011-SEN Ratcheting Modular...

Most Helpful Review

"With tools like this I generally prefer to buy them at the normal big hardware stores. It isn't that the prices are better, or that you get the item immediately, it's that you can return the item if something is wrong.I have spent quite some time wiring my house, but I've been on a spree where I've been adding several new IP cameras to my existing setup. Doing the work myself involves quite a bit of running back and forth between being outside on a ladder with poles and a box of wire, and crawling around in an attic. Occasionally forgetting to carry my rotary cutter and crimper from place to place adds up. The easy solution was to just get extra tools and not lug them back and forth.I've run a lot of cable for personal use, and a decent amount at work, too. Though I am NOT a low-voltage wiring professional, I've used enough crimpers to have an idea of what I do and don't like. I'm precariously perched on ladders or folded awkwardly into enough small spaces to have developed a preference for ratchet-type crimpers. I like rubber grips, and I prefer a front-loading mechanism. The cutting blades need to be replaceable, and the screws should be easily accessible.So, you probably know that this item is not really what I wanted (and I knew that when I purchased it). I was shooting for a price point, since this is essentially my backup crimper, so I was willing to forego front-loading for side loading (a byproduct of it crimping multiple RJ types). So why two stars? Well, the ratchet mechanism doesn't work consistently. It's not that the ratchet won't release, it's that it won't catch more than 20% of the time. It's essentially a crimper without the ratchet function. It could be that my unit is defective, but that would still be an indictment of the quality control, no?Otherwise, the tool appears to be of reasonable quality. I have a few Klein tools, which have all been fine. As I said, YMMV, but I did not have a good experience with this particular item."