TL-29 Electricians Knives

[trail]

Dale, I remember another one you had that isn't on your list:

AE Fuller

[orvet]

Dale, I remember another one you had that isn't on your list:

AE Fuller

You are right!

Thanks.

[knife7knut]

Found this Camillus TL-29 in an antique shop today.The crosshatch pattern on the scales looks pretty symmetrical to have been done by hand.I seem to recall seeing one in a post here somewhere with a similar pattern.Anyone have any info?

[orvet]

That used to be done by file on bone handles from Sheffield 100 years ago or so.
I believe it was called scratting.

Here is example of scratting, this one was probably done in Germany according to Bernard Levine-

[thefarside]

Here are a couple of Schrades; Wood handle is a Schrade Walden and the Bone is a Schrade Cut Co.

[glennbad]

Here are a couple of Schrades; Wood handle is a Schrade Walden and the Bone is a Schrade Cut Co.

Wow, nice bone TL-29! I don't believe I have ever seen a SCC like that with the jigged bone.

Glenn

[thefarside]

Glenn,
Thanks, the back handle has a crack, but since it was the only one I have ever seen, I had to own it for a while. Sargents 2nd edition has a picture of one.
Jim

[Miller Bro's]

Here is a Remington electrician`s knife.

I wonder who the genius was that decided to handle these in Aluminum at the factory?

[Old Hunter]

That's a shocking design for an electricians knife!

[jerryd6818]

Who said officers don't have a sense of humor?

[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.

Aimus

[garddogg56]

This is my Camillus 4 line TL-29 c1940-46

[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

[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.

[jerryd6818]

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.

[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.

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?

[jerryd6818]

Dale, does that mean you found a Jensen?

[orvet]

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.

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

[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.

[Shearer]

Here a few I have .The ulster was new with a box

[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)

Picture B-
Kingston
Kingston
Kingston
Schrade Cut Co
Schrade Cut Co

Picture C-
Western
Camco
Camillus
Proto
Kabar

Picture D-
Ric-Nor Co.
Kutmaster
Jensen
Colonial
Utica

Picture E-
Ric-Nor Electric-Mate
High Carbon
No Name
OK (Olsen Knife or Ontario Knife, apparently both companies used this OK logo)
Queen

Picture F-
Miller Bros
Pal Blade
Robinson
Cattaraugus
Cattaraugus

Picture G-
Case
Remington
John Primble
Craftsman
Boker USA

Picture H-
M. Klein & Sons
Camillus
Imperial
Powr Kraft
Colonial

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.

[royal0014]

Good Heavens Orvet 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.....

[garddogg56]

How bout one a little different an Xela solid maple scales a lock back one blade with two stripping nicks with brass liners

[Miller Bro's]

Nice one

[orvet]

Cool! Nice knife!
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?