TL-29 Electricians Knives

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Aimus Moses
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by Aimus Moses »

Well look at the bright side OH. It has a built in design that will let you know the exact moment that you've made a mistake. ::facepalm::

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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by garddogg56 »

This is my Camillus 4 line TL-29 c1940-46
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chautauqua
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by chautauqua »

i picked this one up recently ive never seen one made by queen and i have never seen this stamp with the usa on it some im thinking it is a military contract knife,plus queen seemed to put there own touch to it they used those nice fat nail nicks and sunk the screwdriver blade deeper it to the well and had to make a notch to get at screwdriver blade anyone else seen one of these ive had many tl 29 types and this is the first one ive seen or had in 30 years of hoarding queen knives
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by Old Hunter »

As of yesterday, when I found the Boker, I own four electricians knives. A Boker, two Camillus, and a Colonial - all within 30 years old. My Dad has a couple that I can remember him having since I was a boy, WW-II Army issue I would guess, will have to get by there and see if we can find them so I can take some pictures to post.
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

chautauqua wrote:i picked this one up recently ive never seen one made by queen and i have never seen this stamp with the usa on it some im thinking it is a military contract knife,plus queen seemed to put there own touch to it they used those nice fat nail nicks and sunk the screwdriver blade deeper it to the well and had to make a notch to get at screwdriver blade anyone else seen one of these ive had many tl 29 types and this is the first one ive seen or had in 30 years of hoarding queen knives
As a matter of fact Steve, I have seen that tang stamp. I have/had (It's been modified to a single blade) a Queen electricians knife just like that, with that tang stamp. I contacted Queen and was told that tang stamp was used on government contract knives in the 1980s.
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by orvet »

I have been searching for a Winchester TL-29 for about 8 years. I finally found one on ebay that I considered affordable, so I bought it.

It is the WWI version of the US Army Signal Corps knife; TL-29. There is no liner lock for the screwdriver blade.
The screwdriver blade does lock, but to unlock it you must press down on the spear blade in the closed position.
Winchester TL-29 a.jpg
Winchester TL-29 d.jpg
While examining this knife I think I figured out how the locking mechanism works. Note the cutout at the bottom of the screwdriver blade; I believe that is to clear the locking release mechanism on the spring for the screwdriver blade. I had always heard that that was there for use as a wire stripper to remove the insulation, and no doubt it can be used as such, but it is also necessary to clear the bar on the spring that is depressed by the kick of the spear blade to unlock the screwdriver blade. Quite an interesting system.


I now have 44 different brands of TL-29 style electrician’s knives, though I know all were not made for the military, they are all patterned after the 2 versions of the TL-29 used by the US Army Signal Corp and other branches of the US Military.

There are 2 brands I am missing that I know of; the Red Devil (see the one posted previously by Miller Bro`s) and the Schatt & Morgan.

There are 2 companies I think may have made a TL-29, but I have never seen one or heard of anyone who had one. Those two companies are New York Knife & Walden Knife Co. Does anyone know if either of those companies made a TL-29?
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

Dale, does that mean you found a Jensen?
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by orvet »

jerryd6818 wrote:Dale, does that mean you found a Jensen?

Yes I do have a Jensen.
It is the knife in the middle of this group of 5, just above the yellow Colonial.
Asst Electrician knives d.jpg

The knives in this picture from top to bottom are:
RIC-NOR CO.
KUTMASTER
JENSEN
COLONIAL
UTICA
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by tjmurphy »

Here are a couple that I have. Both four-line Camillus WWII. The wood handle, cocobolo I think, is nearly mint and unused and unsharpened.
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by Shearer »

Here a few I have .The ulster was new with a box
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by orvet »

Here a few pictures of part of my TL-29 type electrician knives. I am trying to clean up my collection, get rid of some duplicates and see just how many variations of each different brand I actually have.

The knives are listed from the top to the bottom of each list.

Picture A-
Schrade Cut Co (I think)
Schrade Cut Co
Schrade Walden
SCC (Schrade made by Camillus)
Holub (made by Schrade as I recall)
Asst Electrician knives a.jpg
Picture B-
Kingston
Kingston
Kingston
Schrade Cut Co
Schrade Cut Co
Asst Electrician knives b.jpg
Picture C-
Western
Camco
Camillus
Proto
Kabar
Asst Electrician knives c.jpg
Picture D-
Ric-Nor Co.
Kutmaster
Jensen
Colonial
Utica
Asst Electrician knives d.jpg
Picture E-
Ric-Nor Electric-Mate
High Carbon
No Name
OK (Olsen Knife or Ontario Knife, apparently both companies used this OK logo)
Queen
Asst Electrician knives e.jpg
Picture F-
Miller Bros
Pal Blade
Robinson
Cattaraugus
Cattaraugus
Asst Electrician knives f.jpg
Picture G-
Case
Remington
John Primble
Craftsman
Boker USA
Asst Electrician knives g.jpg
Picture H-
M. Klein & Sons
Camillus
Imperial
Powr Kraft
Colonial
Asst Electrician knives h.jpg

I took these scans several years ago and have added a number of knives since then, so all the brands I have are not listed here. In addition I realize there is one substantial group I have left out of these pics and that is the shell-handled versions of the TL-29 such as the Imperials and Colonial. Those will have wait until I have time go through a couple hundred TL-29s & see what all I have.
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by royal0014 »

Good Heavens Orvet :shock: Nice selection there.

The Ric-Nor barlow is only about the third or forth one I've seen. Mine is a two-blade, looks like yours has three?

And what's up with the 'scallops' on the yellow Colonial? Interesting.....

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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by garddogg56 »

How bout one a little different an Xela solid maple scales a lock back one blade with two stripping nicks with brass liners
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by Miller Bro's »

Nice one ::tu::
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by orvet »

Cool! 8) Nice knife! ::tu::
There is another one I can look for.
Goins' says XELA was a trademark used by M. Klein, circa 1910-1932.

Gardd, that does not appear to have the liner lock for the screwdriver blade.
Does the screwdriver blade lock?
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by garddogg56 »

Dale thanx a million for the info.She'a lockback.my Dads an old tradesman and he remembers that name on tools.
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

One of you electrician knives collectors might be interested in this. It ends Monday Jan. 28th

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/e11021.m4 ... AUS%3A1123


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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by rexstubbins »

OK. I think this is an older version of what you have.
trail wrote:I posted this one in another thread but it should be on the "official" TL-29 thread. A brand new Utica. Yep, Utica is still making them in original configuration (Bear has one with a hawkbill blade).
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

rexstubbins -- (do you mind if I call you Rex for short?) Have you seen what some of the local knife mechanics have done with some of the ubiquitous electricians knives. I didn't go back through this thread to look but here's a few that will knock your socks off.

Disclaimer: Only one of these knives is mine, the top one. The third one down was made by Glenn for my cousin. The rest...???
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"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by ken6 »

Those are all super "knife" knives. I like the TL-29. The stories they could tell would really be interesting. Wish they could talk. Some can. I have 3, a really nice Ulster, a Camillus, and a 100 yr old Robeson. I don't take good pics so I will spare you on that. Almost forgot, I have a KaBar also. Makes 4.

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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

ken6 wrote: I don't take good pics so I will spare you on that.
Post 'em anyway. Don't make me beg.
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
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This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by tjmurphy »

I'm liking the TL-29's more and more, good solid knife. I've bought three or four in the last couple of months. They've all been Camillus from the WWII era with either rosewood or bone handles. A couple have TL-29 stamped into the handle, or stamped on a shield or no stamp at all, but all the tang stampes are of the four line variety. The first knife shown came in a lineman's set with the pouch and pliers. I now carry one on my belt every day. ::tu::
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by Cutty »

I don't think I've put this one in this thread?
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by tjmurphy »

Oooooo-Weeeeee! That's a dandy Cutty ::tu:: I like that one a lot ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: TL-29 Electricians Knives

Post by Cutty »

Thanks TJ ::tu::

I was surprised at how good the condition is vs the pictures on the bay when I snatched it up several months ago. Luckily your snipe cross hairs weren't aimed at it I guess. :shock:
I dig half stops!!



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