The Origins of the Kelly Tool
Before the Kelly Tool, FDNY companies of the early 20th century often relied on what was known as the Claw Tool (or “Hayward Claw Tool”), a heavy steel bar with a hook on one end and a forked end on the other. While functional, the claw tool suffered from limitations: its curved, off-center hook end lacked flat striking surfaces, and its geometry made certain prying angles awkward or unsafe.
Enter Captain John F. Kelly
To address those shortcomings, FDNY Ladder Company 163 Captain John F. Kelly (circa the early 20th century) designed a new forcible entry tool: one that placed the striking (adze) end in direct alignment with the shaft, creating safer, more efficient force transmission. This became known as the Kelly Tool: essentially a straight steel bar, with one end as a chisel and the other as an adze.
The design improvement over the claw tool was immediate: cleaner, more controllable strikes, better leverage, and less risk to the firefighter wielding it. Over time, fire departments began adopting it widely and it became, for many years, a standard in forcible entry toolkits.
Council Kelly Tool: Respecting the Past, Elevating the Future
When we set out to design our version of the Kelly Tool, we held two goals in balance:
1. Honor the legacy– both in form and spirit.
2. Enhance performance– with modern materials, manufacturing, and finish.
Here’s how our Council Kelly Tool stands out:
–Rigorous forging: To match modern expectations of hardness, toughness, and resistance to bending or fatigue
–Tuned and Dressed: Forks and Adze tuned for smooth insertion and depth gauges ready for force on both working ends.
–Two length options (24″, 30″): Giving users flexibility depending on staging, space, and tactical preference
–Matte black or Gunmetal lacquer finishes: For durability, non-glare surfaces, and a professional aesthetic
While respecting the classic straight bar shape that Kelly envisioned, we’ve leveraged decades of improvements in metallurgy, machining, and finishing to push the tool’s performance envelope.
Why the Kelly Tool Still Matters Today
Even in an era when the Halligan dominates the scene, the Kelly Tool, still has compelling advantages:
–Simplicity: fewer angles, easier to maintain and stow away.
–Specialty applications: when space is tight, or when you only need adze/chisel functions
–Historical and symbolic value — using a Kelly connects firefighters to generations of tool evolution
When paired with other forcible entry tools (axes, sledge, wedges, etc.), a modern Kelly can still earn its place in the lineup. Especially for departments or crews that value tool simplicity and stow ability.
Council Conclusion
The Council Kelly Tool is more than just a new model, it’s a statement. We all need to remember where we came from even as we push forward. Captain John F. Kelly’s design was born of necessity, shaped by experience, and respected for decades. By modernizing that design, refining materials, balance, finish, and usability, we strive to deliver not just a tool, but a legacy renewed.
Credit-
Firehouse Magazine
Council Tool