TL-29 Electricians Knives

[orvet]

I will have to check, but I think I have several older Camillus TL-29s that have the same stamping on the bail. I think that goes back to the 50s and before.

[tjmurphy]

I'd appreciate that, Dale. Thanks a lot

[orvet]

Well TJ, after doing a little checking I think you may be right.

This picture is 2 Camillus four-line tang stamp TL-29s (top and bottom) and the Utica in the middle.

The Utica has the stamping on the bail. I know some of the older Camillus life raft knives had a similar stamping on their bail.

While I was looking for the Utica and the Camillus TL-29s I started noticing other fancy bails in my collection of TL-29s.
I have 3 Pal Blade TL-29s that have this fancy work on their bails.

This is a Kabar TL-29. Not really what I would call fancy work, but the flat spot above the end of the bail seems to be unique to Kabar.

While this is not a TL-29, obviously not made on government contract, it is nonetheless and electricians knife.
I have it stored with my TL-29 collection and I noticed it had fancy work on its bail. I think this is the most unique fancy work I have seen on any factory electricians knife.
It's pretty cool, IMHO.

[tjmurphy]

Thanks a lot for going to that trouble, Dale. But you did find some variances in your TL-29's from this exercise.

But now you have me a little esscared. I feel I may be morphing from an accumulator to a collector

[orvet]

But now you have me a little esscared. I feel I may be morphing from an accumulator to a collector

The collector is always the last to know!

[tjmurphy]

Well, I've got the knife in hand. I'm going to go out on a limb (a fat one but a limb just the same) and say that this knife is probably post WWII, and made up of left-over parts. The handles are cocobolo, bolsters are nickel-silver, pins and liners are brass, blade pivot pin and bail are steel and a good guess is that the pin attaching the bail is nickel-silver. A lot of different materials.

Dale, what are the materials of construction on the UTICA TL-29 that you show in your picture? It appears to be steel through and through.

[garddogg56]

Gut me a Camillus electrician with an Ideal etched blade.She cleaned up well.

[orvet]

Well, I've got the knife in hand. I'm going to go out on a limb (a fat one but a limb just the same) and say that this knife is probably post WWII, and made up of left-over parts. The handles are cocobolo, bolsters are nickel-silver, pins and liners are brass, blade pivot pin and bail are steel and a good guess is that the pin attaching the bail is nickel-silver. A lot of different materials.

Dale, what are the materials of construction on the UTICA TL-29 that you show in your picture? It appears to be steel through and through.

Brass liners, steel bolsters & bail.
The pins are brass, including the rocker pin. Note in the picture I posted that it has an extra pin at the upper edge of the handle, slightly behind the rocker pin.
This is the only TL-29 I recall seeing that has 3 handle pins.

[tjmurphy]

Brass liners, steel bolsters & bail.
The pins are brass, including the rocker pin. Note in the picture I posted that it has an extra pin at the upper edge of the handle, slightly behind the rocker pin.
This is the only TL-29 I recall seeing that has 3 handle pins.

Are you referring to the UTICA that you posted?? I don't see any of that in the picture. The three handle pins and the rocker all appear to be steel and the lock, being part of the liner, also appears to be steel. The pin configuration appears to be the same for all three knives.

[orvet]

Are you referring to the UTICA that you posted?? I don't see any of that in the picture. The three handle pins and the rocker all appear to be steel and the lock, being part of the liner, also appears to be steel. The pin configuration appears to be the same for all three knives.

Maybe this will help, I polished up the handle and liner a bit so you can see they are brass-

Note the pin at the top of the handles. I have not seen this pin on other versions of a knife stamped TL-29.

A view of the back so you can see the brass liners-

I would postulate this knife was made shortly before WWII or very early on in the war, before the brass was all being used for shell casings.

[orvet]

Tom-
Do you have one like this?
Made for the civilian electrician market.
The blade that replaced the screwdriver blade is used to strip insulation from a certain type of electrical cable.

[edgy46]

The change order that removed the shield and stamp T L-29 in the handle is dated ?-5-42.
The print shows a third handle pin.
Hope this helps.

P.S. Somewhere is a print showing the pin being deleted.

[orvet]

Thanks Bill, I blew up the blueprint and the date is 8-5-42.
Perhaps this my Utica was made with parts that had been made prior to the brass shortage, or it may have been after 8-5-42 that the brass was redirected to the production of shells.

[tjmurphy]

Are you referring to the UTICA that you posted?? I don't see any of that in the picture. The three handle pins and the rocker all appear to be steel and the lock, being part of the liner, also appears to be steel. The pin configuration appears to be the same for all three knives.

Maybe this will help, I polished up the handle and liner a bit so you can see they are brass-

Utica TL-29 brass liners & pins c.jpg

Note the pin at the top of the handles. I have not seen this pin on other versions of a knife stamped TL-29.

A view of the back so you can see the brass liners-

Utica TL-29 brass liners & pins b.jpg

I would postulate this knife was made shortly before WWII or very early on in the war, before the brass was all being used for shell casings.

I still don't understand what you're saying In the grouping of three TL-29's, all have the same number of pins and the same configuration.

[orvet]

I was so focused on the Utica I didn't look at the other two.
Never mind!

[tjmurphy]

buckwheat-t-shirts-of-the-little-rascals-tee-shirts-4.jpg (44.68 KiB) Viewed 4026 times

[orvet]

Thanks TJ.

[tjmurphy]

Here's a Remington WWII TL-29 that's on Ebay now. A little expensive but, if it's one you're looking for.........

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-MINTY-TL-2 ... 2c97830765

[jlholdings]

Here is my most recent find. Purchased it from Ross Askins who is the man who supplied this TL-29 to M.H. Cole for illustration in his Military Knives Bayonets and Machetes Book IV , page 50. It is a Kabar manufactured I.C. Co. tang stamped version. It was stated to be very rare as he had only seen 3 in his lifetime of collecting. I also got the original box with it which is also illustrated in Cole. Here are the pics...

[#goldpan]

Now thats cool! Nice purchase

Randy

[jlholdings]

I have never seen another I.C. CO. Olean, NY before. When I heard the story on this knife, I had to get it. I love KA-BAR knives.

[orvet]

Great find!
I don't I have that one on my TL-29 brands list.
Come to think of it, I don't have Cole's IV.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I know that "Buckwheat" is generally associated with the phrase, "OTAY!" and that Eddie Murphy probably made a fortune off it, but my usually reliable memory re' things from my childhood is telling me that Buckwheat was not the Little Rascal that said "Otay", I think that was Spanky McFarland's little brother and a white boy at that.

Charlie Noyes

[JohnR]

Picked this one up at a flea market this weekend for 3 bucks, maker has been ground off,only mark is Made In Usa, spear blade has a swedge, any idea who made it? I suspect the maker was ground off because it is a factory second?

[carrmillus]

Well TJ, after doing a little checking I think you may be right.

This picture is 2 Camillus four-line tang stamp TL-29s (top and bottom) and the Utica in the middle.

Cam Utica Cam.jpg

The Utica has the stamping on the bail. I know some of the older Camillus life raft knives had a similar stamping on their bail.

While I was looking for the Utica and the Camillus TL-29s I started noticing other fancy bails in my collection of TL-29s.
I have 3 Pal Blade TL-29s that have this fancy work on their bails.

Pal TL-29 bails.jpg

This is a Kabar TL-29. Not really what I would call fancy work, but the flat spot above the end of the bail seems to be unique to Kabar.

Kabar TL-29 bail.jpg

While this is not a TL-29, obviously not made on government contract, it is nonetheless and electricians knife.
I have it stored with my TL-29 collection and I noticed it had fancy work on its bail. I think this is the most unique fancy work I have seen on any factory electricians knife.
It's pretty cool, IMHO.

German electrician knife bail.jpg

.....dale, Tombigbee electric supply co. is located here in tupelo!!!..... ..........