Camillus Radio Knife

BRAND:  Camillus

MAKER:   Camillus

PATTERN:   Radio Knife

LENGTH (Closed):   3-5/8”

BOLSTERS:   Nickel silver

SHIELD:   Nickel silver bowties shield

HANDLES: Rosewood

BLADES: Spear blade, locking screwdriver/wire stripper blade

LINERS:   Brass

TANG STAMP:   SWORD/ (crossed swords logo) /BRAND

REAR TANG STAMP: CAMILLUS/CUTLERY CO. CAMILLUS NY/U.S.A.

CONDITION:   Very Good +

DAMAGE:   Normal use and wear marks to handles, bolsters and blades.

BLADE WEAR:   Blade has been poorly sharpened in the tip has risen to the edge of the liner. This is easily corrected if the new owner desires to do so. Judging from the proportions the blade is probably 1/8” short.

SNAP:  Good audible snap opening and closing with both blades. Closing snap is loud and strong on both blades but less so on opening. I believe this is a function of the design around the internal blade locking mechanism for the screwdriver blade.

MADE IN:   U.S.A.

ADDITIONAL INFO:     I don’t have much information on this particular knife, but it seems to be a variation of a World War I era TL-29 circa 1917-1918. I have an almost identical knife with the only significant difference being the nail necklace on the mark side of the knife instead of on the pile side as it is with this knife. That knife also has a blade edge that says RADIO KNIFE. I believe it is likely that this knife at one time had that etch also, but it has worn off. According to Bernard Levine in LG4, page 194; “A few variations of the two TL-29 patterns have been offered for sale. Signal Corps size knives with just a screwdriver-wire stripper blade were made in the 1920s. These “Radio Knives” have a back lock.” In my collection I also have the single screwdriver/wire stripper blade mentioned by Levine. I believe the two blade Radio Knives were probably made in the 1920s as Levine says. If the etch has worn off of a two blade radio knife, such as this one they look very much like the U.S. Army Signal Corps TL-29 that were made for use in World War I. The main difference is the radio knives were made for the civilian market and were capitalizing on the relatively new found popularity of the radio among the public. The TL-29 made for the military was primarily used in laying phone lines on the battlefield, before radio was widely used on the battlefield.

*By Purchasing, The Buyer Confirms It Is Legal For Them Purchase And Own This Knife.

Shipped by Priority Mail flat rate box in the US.

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Item # 42043