Cattaraugus tl29 ww2 or not

[Treasure Trawler]

Picked up this Cattaraugus electricians knife today. I'm wondering if this is a ww2 tl29. Looks like it's old enough to be. I've looked online & can't find much info. Have seen some with bales & some not. Any info appreciated. Thanks

[orvet]

How do you release the lock for the screwdriver blade?
The earliest version of the TL-29 used in internal lock for the screwdriver blade which was released by pressing down on the spear blade. This was a version used during World War I.

Sometime prior to World War II, I think it was in the early to mid-1930s, the DOD specs for the TL-29 was changed to the liner lock version we know today.
Along with that change the knife was lengthened to 3-3/4" from the earlier 3-3/8" for the World War I version.
The length does become a little confusing though because electricians knives made for the civilian market did not have to follow the DOD specs for the TL 29.

[Treasure Trawler]

Thanks, it measures 3.5" and it's the liner lock. Was this a military issue tl29 or is it considered a tl29?

[orvet]

At 3 1/2" it was probably made for the civilian market. The only TL-29s I have seen were either 3-3/8" or 3-3/4". I believe those are the only two dimensions ever approved for military issue TL-29s.
You are probably aware that TL-29 stands for; "Tool, Lineman, 29". That is the military nomenclature.
Technically other electrician knives are not TL-29s unless they are made for the military.

[tjmurphy]

Does it have a model/pattern number stamped on the back of the tang? From what I've seen, the military versions did not, while the civilian versions did. I have an older (pre WWII) that is stamped 21087 on back of tang that was made for M.Klein and Sons that is stamped.

[Treasure Trawler]

It's got no model #. I re measured this morn & it was a little bigger 3 5/8. I noticed online a bunch with model #...couldn't find any with # missing. Thanks for the help.

[orvet]

I would think yours was probably made for the military.
They were originally made for the U.S. Army Signal Corps, but other branches of the service use them as well. I had a Camillus TL-29 issued to me in the Marine Corps before going to Vietnam.