Now we have a Colonial thread,Show'em

[shugy]

hey OH, Shugy here, got one of those but with a Camillus stamp? Guess they thought it was a good pattern. What do think,was there such a thing as a patent on patterns or was it free for all? Any clues Bobby? by the way thats about what I paid for it

[singin46]

These belong in here I reckon. Colonial LOCKBACKS. Yellow and brown plastic handles.

[Bonfire bob]

Hey tangstamp, nice rare individual boxed "Real McCoy"!! Very short run on these although we did make quite a few "Real McCoy's and very few were indivually boxed like this one!
Once again, the big boys at Colonial dropped the ball with plated bolsters and liners!
Early 70's on this one but made the cheap way, they never followed through with a bit more coin ..
Shugy shows another # 2902, the # 2903 had the third blade, the big hook blade!!

Singin46 shows are old lockback the with the awkward rear lever!! The idea was good but fell short with design flaws; came in brown, yellow, and many other colors.

Sorry. once again falling asleep at the keyboard! NEWS FLASH !! The Andvil Brand was the # 300 sre

[singin46]

Yep, it's interesting to me that the lock button on the brown one is different from the yellow one's button. Maybe it was a parts issue, using what they had or something else, who knows?

[orvet]

hey OH, Shugy here, got one of those but with a Camillus stamp? Guess they thought it was a good pattern. What do think,was there such a thing as a patent on patterns or was it free for all? Any clues Bobby? by the way thats about what I paid for it

Shugy,
The design of that electrician's knife is actually from the US Military. Originally the US Army Signal Corp, circa WW I. The design changed before WW II to the 3-3/4" size we see mostly today. The military designation is TL-29. Now many of the electricians were made for the civilian market, but they are generally to the same specs as the TL-29.

Nice one you have there.
I collect TL-29s had have identified 45 brand named, but only have 43 of the 45.



Bob,
Do you know if Colonial made the TL-29s on government contract during WW II, or at any other time?
I don't recall seeing numbers on the Colonial production of the TL-29, though I would be surprised if Colonial did not make some for the government, especially during WW II.

[orvet]

OK Bob,
I have a question for you; Who is making knives now under the Colonial name?

I bought one from ebay, new in box and unopened. It is apparently made on government contract. It is a Marlin Spike much like the ones made for by Camillus.
The blade is etched:
Gov. Issue/ NSN 5110-00-530-1757
It appears to be a government contract knife.

It came with this Tuckerman sheath. The box said Tuckerman by Colonial.

There was also a sheet of paper in the box with 35 knives listed on the sheet and the company name given is Colonial Knife Company.
They appear to target government contract type knives, like the Mark I and the paratrooper's switchblade with shroud cutter. Some knives are notes as imported, but many are labeled "Made in USA."


What relationship, if any, is there between this Colonial Knife Company today and the company your grandfather started?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

[Bonfire bob]

Shugy, I don't recall the T-29, and I'm not sure what it is. Honestly, just because I don't remember the # I would need to see a picture to know for sure..
Dale, here's the story....after Colonial Knife as we know it closed it's factory doors in 1998, apparently my younger cousin Steven opened Colonial Knife Corporation, and the address is Warwick R.I., about 10 miles from the original factory. He has done well and admits he sells a line of IMPORTED knives and tools! As far as claiming some models are Made in America, there seems to be some confusion about that! These days the laws are somewhat foggy and you can have a knife completely made overseas, then clip something on it or repackage it, and call it American made!! I have made many repeated attemps to contact him with kind and very nice mails but he refuses to answer back or contact me at all!! I must say some of the imported knives he sells are quite nice and as a matter of fact, I'm carrying one of Colonials new Push-buttons and I love it!!
His new company has "ABSOLUTELY NO AFFILIATION WITH THE ORIGINALL AMERICAN MADE COLONIALS, AND DO NOT CLAIM TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!
I am only concerned with THE ORIGINAL COLONIAL KNIFE MANUFACTURING PLANT THAT IS LONG GONE, and the histoy of Colonial that my grandfather and his brothers incorporated back in the late 20's...Shugy, get me a picture of this TL-29....
For WW.II, we made the Marine Corp. fighting knife, the UDT Navy knife, and the Pilot's survival knife. Full color pictures are in my book...

[shugy]

Bob the pic is in this thread( page 4) and it's stamped camillus, I guess if your building for the govt u can ignore patents if there were any

[Old Hunter]

Bob, this is a Colonial made TL-29 (US Government designation for an Electrician's knife) originally a WW-I Signal Corps design - see Dale/Orvets post. Many knife companies made these; I have some others made by Camillus and by Boker USA. OH

[Bonfire bob]

YES!! Thank you old hunter!! We had a rather large order with the government with these and I remember being part of the blanking myself. Blanking thickness of the blades and springs was .125 thousands of an inch, or 1/8th inch thick!! Very stringant government specifications and we had multiple problems reaching thier standards!! I was actually one of the quality controll team that followed that order from begining to end! Not remembering the model # is no excuse because we made so many private labels as I said before, it would be literally impossible to remember them all!! Now I'm trying to remember the amount of the order and I think it was 10,000..maybe 25,000...It was up there for sure!
I hope this info helps a bit...

[orvet]

Thanks for the info on the "New" Colonial Knife Corp. Bob!

Your qualities on the TL-29 orders sounds right, compared to numbers for single orders I have sen with other companies.
BTW, I would not necessarily expect you to recognize the TL-29 number, it is a US Army Signal Corp designator for; Tool Linesman #29.
It is not the number used by either Camillus or Schrade; both companies had internal numbers for that knife. I would expect Colonial did as well.

[Bonfire bob]

Thank you pal, I didn't want to be confused with a walking computer! Once I saw the picture, I could fill in the blanks...Bobby

[deadsledmotors]

Here's one I was carrying today.

[deadsledmotors]

Here is a Colonial with a Trails end logo. Not sure of the year.

[Old Hunter]

deadsledmotor, (welcome to AAPK) that logo looks like it is from the Trails End brand popcorn that my Boy Scouts used to sell when I was a Scout leader (late 1980's to late 1990's). I am thinking that it may have been a prize knife for a Scout that sold a certain amount of popcorn - there were all types of prizes for the boys who sold a lot of popcorn. I don't know when the BSA began selling Trails End brand popcorn, but I know they still are (had a Scout asking to sell some recently). OH

[deadsledmotors]

Old hunter- thanks for the welcome--also I enjoyed the shared history--I was a scout myself from 74 to 79. It truly is a pleasure to see these Colonials and the up close knowledge of the knives. Also there is a canoe in that trails end logo. Did you have any other input on the Jiant or Giant I posted?

[orvet]

deadsledmotors, Welcome to AAPK.
BTW, how did you carry that big boy, in a sheath? I hope you were wearing suspenders, 'cause that knife is heavy! I know it would drag my pants down to my knees!


Bob would know more about the big knife than I do, but I believe it was made for the US Air Force.
It was made as a survival knife for downed pilots in WW II.

Bobby, please fill us on on the USAF knife. Thanks!

[Bonfire bob]

No problem gents....
This was our Pilot's Survival knife! It came in a canvas O.D. sheath. One big locking blade and one big locking saw. The purpose of the saw was that if a pilot or airman was stuck in the plane, he could cut his way out of the fuseloge, and get out of the plane!
When my dad was stationed in Guam during the war, he was a co-pilot and they flew bombing missions over Japan in a B-29 bomber, and stayed alive long enough to come home in one piece! One day, a new pilot came in from the main land and he had one of these baby's. My father said WOW, my father and Colonial knife back in Providence, R.I.,
and we make this knife. So dad being the crazy arrogant man he was showed them the tang stamp that said Colonial Prov. USA, and he told the guys the saw could cut through anything!! As all the guys were laughing, he took the saw to one of the guys bunk that had steel rods for support...he started sawing away and in minutes cut half way through it!!! All the guys said ok,ok, Anthony, we believe you, we believe you!!!!
TRUE STORY, 1946 I believe....
These knives are rare and worth anywhere from $ 50-to $ 100.00, depending on condition.
Bobby p...

[orvet]

Thanks Bobby!

I am looking for a saw blade for mine, so I have been watching ebay for one with a broken blade or handle.
I don't see many of these that sell for under $100, and I have seen buy it now listings for $300 for a knife in less than mint condition.
They seem to be going up in value!

[deadsledmotors]

[quote="orvet"]deadsledmotors, Welcome to AAPK.
BTW, how did you carry that big boy, in a sheath? I hope you were wearing suspenders, 'cause that knife is heavy! I know it would drag my pants down to my knees!

Hey thanks for the welcome. Thats real hospitable. No sheath just switch between front and rear pocket, and yeah its kinda fun watching the expressions I get when that pocket knife comes out. This USAAF is a wonderful testament to American craftsmanship and metallurgy. I was showing off with it yesterday and cut a 5/16 grade 5 bolt with the hacksaw.

[deadsledmotors]

Colonial not sure of Model or year.

[deadsledmotors]

nice piece of history there

[Bonfire bob]

Long time model!! This is a # 2902, 2-blade Colonial Electrician's knife. The # 2903 is the one with that 3rd hook style blade! This baby has seen some action and we sold literally millions of them! This one in it's current condition is worth about 10 bucks....
Bobby P. CkCo....

[Bonfire bob]

Evening gents...going through my Colonial boxes I have found a few items for sale in two different lots...
#1) Four fixed blade skeletons, semi-finished blades of older Colonial hunters. They have casted guards and hilts, and can be fifnished with any type of handle...
Also, one "Case" throwing knife blade ground and polished, stamped Case on the blade.

#2) This lot has two old Western small hunters with Celluloid handles and a double leather sheath; dated probably 60's or so. One Solinger German fixed blade, and one old Colonial hunter, H-1, or H-5 models, bone handled with leather sheath. Dates back probably to late 40's or so. One gentleman recently posted a pick of close to an identical knife and sold it for $ 40.00.the last is an old lenolium, rubber handled knife. Very old..
Here's the photo's, and I asking for what you guys might be willing to pay for the lots.
I'm posting this here to give my knife buddy's first shot at them..go for it guys..
Bobby P. CKCo.....

[Bonfire bob]

Good evening gents.....
The two lots above I am selling are now on Knife-Auctions.com.....Colonials, Westerns, Case, Solinger....check em' out....