Camillus electrican's knife variations

[garddogg56]

Here is a Camillus a hunting buddy gave me original edge and it HAD the packing grease on it

[orvet]

Vit,
Nice historical display.
You have from left to right; a WWI era TL-29, a WWII era Tl-29 and a post-Vietnam era TL-29.

Here is a picture of a Vietnam era issue TL-29.

It was issued to me about 1970 or 1971. Notice it has the same tang stamp as yours, except the top line is not slanted as it is in your example. Also notice that it has a single scale pin at the front of the handle and a shallow bail. I believe this was the tang stamp immediately preceding yours, and when the handles were still pinned to the liners. Later methods of handle attachment were prongs; prongs of the liner were stamped out and bent outward where they were imbedded in the plastic of the handles. The newest TL-29s I have are of post construction. Posts (or rods) of handle material protrude through holes in the liner and appear to be melted off on the inside. They are very difficult to remove. In both prong and the post construction methods there are no external handle pins, only the rocker pin and the pin in the bail, as in your example on the right.

[Vit_213]

You have from left to right; a WWI era TL-29, a WWII era Tl-29 and a post-Vietnam era TL-29.

Thank you Dale!
I can dating it more precisely
Left to right: TL-29A (1919-1929); TL-29 (1943-1945); MIL-K-13419 (late 70s-80s).

I think that your item was made in 1954-1965 (or 68)

[orvet]

That dating is probably as accurate as anyone can be dating a Camillus by the tang stamp.
Tom Williams, who worked at Camillus for 30 years and was the company historian, said that no one can accurately date a knife Camillus by the tang stamp. One must also look at the materials and methods used in making the knife in addition to the tang stamp.

You can read the notes from an interview with Tom on February 16, 2010, where he discussed tang stamps, by scrolling up on this same page. See my second post dated July 19, 2010.

[Hutter]

I have one question. I have a TL-29. Using the specifications from this thread it is a deep bail, 5 pin, three line (Camillus *underlined, New York, USA). The handle is black composite/synthetic material. TL-29 is engraved/stamped into the handle. There is no number stamped into the reverse side of the spear blade from the camillus etc. side. Is this a military issued knife??? It was my grandfathers who served in WWII and retired from the military. He then went back to work at Fort Bragg, N.C. where he worked until he passed in the mid seventies. I never knew him very well, not being born until '73. I would like a little bit of history of it's origin to pass on to my son. I understand that it is not of the WWII era, I would just like to know wether or not it is military issue?

[Vit_213]

I have one question. I have a TL-29. Using the specifications from this thread it is a deep bail, 5 pin, three line (Camillus *underlined, New York, USA). The handle is black composite/synthetic material. TL-29 is engraved/stamped into the handle. There is no number stamped into the reverse side of the spear blade from the camillus etc. side. Is this a military issued knife??? It was my grandfathers who served in WWII and retired from the military. He then went back to work at Fort Bragg, N.C. where he worked until he passed in the mid seventies. I never knew him very well, not being born until '73. I would like a little bit of history of it's origin to pass on to my son. I understand that it is not of the WWII era, I would just like to know wether or not it is military issue?

Yes, it's a military issue.
These attributes correspond to the knives, manufactured from 1950 to 1954. But this time frame may be more.

[Hutter]

Thanks everybody!
Vit_213 that time period fits with the small ammount of info I have. My son will love it all the more and have the cooliest knife in his troop. I am sure my grandfather is smiling about my nostalgic interest and his great grandson carrying his knife.

[Hutter]

Here's the knife or should I say my sons "kewl knife". After he helped in a little clean up. Pretty funny that my android takes better pics than my hp photo smart M415 digi camera.
Thx again.

[PigSticker]

Here's a nice old five hole TL I'm not so sure it's Camulis but the bail looks like other Camilus bails the tang stamp is light--bottom line is all you can read clearly Made in USA when I first looked at it it looked like a Kutmaster tang stamp the screw driver blade is etched and visable-main blade is swedged. Tried getting a clear pic of tang stamp but just can't get a clear image-I'll give it a couple more tries in different light

[mtds]

Since Dale showed us his USMC-issued Camillus, I'll show mine, too. This one was casually handed to me by the Staff Sergeant who ran the maintenance shop where I worked at MCB Twentynine Palms. It was near the end of my enlistment, so '69 or '70. The Marines were notoriously frugal with equipment, so I felt a little honored. I wince when I read that one former sailor threw his Camillus overboard when it unexpectedly closed on his fingers. At least in my unit, almost everything was counted, signed for, and re-counted. Getting a second blanket took connections and maneuvering! Unlike Dale, I had little use for a knife in my daily work, but I held on to it anyway. It is now with my uniform and will eventually belong to my son.

This knife has one scale pin, a shallow bail, and unfinished springs and liners.

[jerryd6818]

Twenty Nine Palms

I extended my enlistment for a year to get out of there. The only good thing about that duty station was the enlisted swimming pool.

[garddogg56]

For variation here's one from 1940's and one of the last USA's.

[Old Hunter]

I posted this in a general knife thread up top last night, but I guess it rightly goes here too. I bought this late Camillus USA #27 yesterday from a pawn & gun, no box or blister package but new and unused. Strong snap and cool coloring in the Delrin handles.

[garddogg56]

gets better every time I see it OH

[Old Hunter]

Added a second variation yesterday, the Camillus Hawkbill (TL29) to pair up with the TL27 I already had. Some differences; the 29 has unfinished springs, the 27 is nicely finished, the tang stamps are different, and the model number "27" is marked on the reverse of the tang on the Spear blade. The 29 has no model number marking on it anywhere. The screwdriver blade on the 27 has an etched instruction for releasing the blade, which is lacking on the 29. Both are new old stock knives bought in the last month.

[garddogg56]

Very knice

[Vit_213]

[Vit_213]

Oops! Update

[Old Hunter]

Vit, they're multipling in the drawer! Need to teach mine to do that. Nice knives.

[mtds]

Great picture, Vit_213. I wouldn't repost it because the pic belongs to you, but I hope you won't mind if I use it as my desktop for a few weeks.

Oops! Update

tl29.jpg

[Vit_213]

9 May Russia celebrates the great national holiday - Victory Day!
TL-29 knife is a contribution of Camillus to the victory over Nazi Germany.

mtds, If you tell me your email, then I can send you this picture in higher resolution.

[garddogg56]

Those five 29's are kinda like a chorus line

[Vit_213]

Those five 29's are kinda like a chorus line

[garddogg56]

I love these electrician knives,well made and tough,but as an electrician I very rarely use them,too many modern knives like AO knives and the trusty lock-backs like the 110s or the LB7s.

[mtds]

garddogg56: Your comment about the chorus line gives me a new way to look at Vit_213's picture. I'm using it as a desktop, so I see it several times a day.

Also, it is good to see those old analog meters; my garage meter is a 70's vintage Simpson, a fine American-made instrument. It is not really practical, but I enjoy using it anyway. Too bad that so many of our tools are imported nowadays; it just doesn't feel right to me.