Camillus electrican's knife variations

[garddogg56]

Smokepole that is what I was thinking we use those to tie rerod togeather but they don't cut flush enough a pair of sidecutter will do the samething

[smokepole]

garddogg, I know them as end cutting pliers/end nipps/steel fixers pliers/rigging pliers/riggers pliers etc etc - we also use them over here to for fixing re-enforcing steel cages for concrete etc. You do get some models that cut flush - or if you have a belt sander or nice big wet grinder like Dale has, you could very easily convert the standard model into a flush cutter.

[orvet]

That is the general idea, though I was hoping to find ones that were made for a flush cut.

I think my problem has been solved by Aimus Moses.
Aimus read this thread and PMed me. He is mailing me a pair that he has.

AAPK has the best members on the web!

Thanks Aimus.

[jerryd6818]

Well, show 'em when you get 'em. Not that I've seen every pair of pliers ever made but I've not seen any of the end nippers in flush cut. I used to have a set of end cutters that had handles like and were made like the Bernard parallel jaw pliers. I can't find them. We sometimes used them to pull taper pins out of a shaft when we couldn't get a punch on the other end.

[smokepole]

Jerry, here's some pics of an old pair of flush cutters I have - the jaws and pivot pin are all shot and don't bite flush or in line with each other any more - you can see that in the first pic - the jaw on the right of the pic is at an angle to the other one. The very slight angle you see on the outside of the jaws/cutting edge is something I put there a couple of years ago trying to touch up the cutting edge without stripping the pliers apart - I stopped when I realized it wouldn't cut flush anymore if I carried on any further. I now use it just as a puller - the other pair cuts flush enough for peening and spinning purposes. Looking at it now I reckon I need to take them apart and give them a good reconditioning.

[jerryd6818]

Thanks for showing those Smoke. They look like they've been around for a while.

[smokepole]

They look like they've been around for a while.

That they have. Like yourself I hate throwing something away if it has the slightest chance of still being useful - that is why I like making knives out of files and old circular saw blades too. So I reckon a revamp is on the cards for this pair..

[orvet]

Speaking of circular saw blades....I have one from a saw mill that is about 4 feet in diameter.
I will have to get some pics later....my wife & I are going garage sale-ing.

[smokepole]

Nice steel that Dale. I'd love to see some pics - as a general rule, if the cutting tips are shaped from the blade steel itself and not tungsten inserts, and the thinner the blade relative to it's diameter, the better the steel. If that blade is between 1/8th and 1/5th thick you have yourself some really nice high carbon steel for knives.

[zp4ja]

Good thread Guys. Never visit this forum ( I am a Case collector) but I have found this one in my tool box in great shape.

Looks to be 3-3/4" closed. Stamp in case u cant see it is...

CAMILLUS
________
NEW YORK
U S A

Not spaced or centered like that but you get the idea.

Thanks, Jerry

[orvet]

nice one zp.

Did you know that for many years Camillus built the TL-29 for Case as well as most of the US knife makers?

[zp4ja]

No Sir Dale, I did not.

What do you know about the one I posted as far as year/era goes. Just curious how old she is.

Thanks for the input, Jerry

[jerryd6818]

Long line Camillus -- Not guaranteed but generally accepted years of mfg 1960-1976

[zp4ja]

Long line Camillus -- Not guaranteed but generally accepted years of mfg 1960-1976

Thanks JerryD! Looking at it closer, this knife has factory edge. Never been put to work. Besides some very minor handles scratches, mint.

[smokepole]

zp4ja, that is a fine example - one of the nicest ones I have seen around. Very handy tools too.

[zp4ja]

Thanks Smoke!

Not bad for a toolbox knife that has been there for 20 years. I guess I had enough screwdrivers and razor knives in the toolbox that I never used it. Kinda got lost in the shuffle but the outcome is good. Only alittle Blue Magic used after I pulled it out to clean it up.

Thanks for the input. Jerry

[jerryd6818]

Ya know Jerry, after looking at the knife again, I don't remember seeing an electricians knife with the bail hinged that close to the end of the knife. I'll have to drag out my Camillus long line and see if it compares.

[zp4ja]

Hey Jerry,

What did you find out? I picked up a straight line at a garage sale and here is the pic comparison...
What are your thoughts? I agree very close to the knife end but not my forte so I don't know what is expected.
Regards, Jerry

[jerryd6818]

It's embarrassing but I totally forgot about this. I dug out my long line this morning and discovered I have two of them. Good. Now I can get one of them overhauled and modified.

Anyway, the bail on both my knives are as close as the bottom knife in your picture. A closer look at the picture and it appears your top knife is lopsided. The mark side is a skosh shorter than the pile side and since the bail is so close to the end in the first place, that minor difference makes the bail look like it's stuck right out on the end. It's an optical delusion.

[orvet]

Here is a pic I took today showing how the bail placement on the Camillus TL-29 has evolved since the 4 line tang stamp to the last stamp in 2004.

I will explain more later when I have a bit of time..

[jerryd6818]

I see why they moved the bail out to the end. It let them use the end pin to secure the bail to the knife. Smart move. Double duty.

What is wrong with me? I never thought I would find myself in the middle of a discussion concerning the bail placement on an electricians pocket knife.

[orvet]

Jerry, that is the sort of minutia that makes collecting fun and distinguishes the ‘collector’ from the ‘accumulator.’

I will try and get pics of other electricians’ knives that have the bail at the end.
Two I know I have are a Boker & a Case, both probably made by Camillus.

[jerryd6818]

Does that mean I'm a collector now?

I think life was more simple when I was an accumulator. "Oh! Pretty knife. Must have."

[Vit_213]

Is it possible that TE-33 set contained a Camillus TL-29 knife and Utica TL-13 pliers?
What year pliers TL-13 was changed to cutting pliers TL-13A?

[orvet]

Is it possible that TE-33 set contained a Camillus TL-29 knife and Utica TL-13 pliers?

I think that is quite possible. I don't think Camillus made the pliers.

What year pliers TL-13 was changed to cutting pliers TL-13A?

Sorry Vit, but I don't know the answer to that.