TL-29 mods thread... Let's put 'em here

[Jeffinn]

Nice ones Jeff..... The ones with the hook blade inspired me to find a 3 blade TL-29 so I could follow in your footsteps....

Here is the one I have in the mail....

Colonial.jpg

It's a Colonial..... and a LITTLE nasty right now......we shall see....

I really like the hook blades/hawkbills Mike.
That should clean up nicely. Looking forward to seeing the end result!
Jeff

[TripleF]

Makes me want to buy electricians knives and send 'em to you fellas to mod up!!!

[New_Windsor_NY]

This is my "contribution" to this topic. While this is not a modified TL-29 compared to the previous, ABSOLUTELY STUNNING, posted TL-29s. I did restore the blades, bolsters and pins on my one and only Camillus, 4-line, TL-29 to 99.99% of their former luster. However, if and when the time ever comes to have it re-handled, I know the artisans who can do it. FANTASTIC results gentlemen!

[Jeffinn]

There’s a lot of great looking knives in this post! It’s always nice to see what others are doing with knives and sometimes it pushes me to try different things and especially different colors.

[Jeffinn]

I've only done a few.
IMG_2518.JPG
IMG_2539.JPG
IMG_1616.JPG
P1010687.JPG

Loving these, especially the green!

Thanks glennbad! I rarely use green bone but that one was a particularly nice shade of green once it was polished. A lot of the greens (at least the ones I’ve used) are somewhat dark and muddled.

[glennbad]

Here's a funky one, my take on a Eureka pattern made from the screwdriver blade...

[Meridian_Mike]

Man.... Glenn, That is just too cool....

Making a blade out of the screw driver takes a bit of thought. You did a great job with that one!
It would be nice if they just would NOT put that finger notch in that blade.

Great work Glenn!!!

[doglegg]

Glenn, that is a great looking mod. I would not have recognized it as a TL-29. Excellent!

[orvet]

I did this TL-29 mod in 2007 according to my records. Below is the text of what I posted when I first posted on AAPK. My apologies if you’ve seen it before but I imagine it’s probably buried somewhere in the files.
In the 12 years since I did this modification I have carried this knife a lot, but not every day. The knife is held up well the handles were made from scraps I had in the shop. I did it in a hurry and didn’t put a lot of effort into this mod. Someday I’ll have to go back and do one properly with the Wharncliffe blade made from a worn down Hawkbill blade.
I have probably modified the bolsters a little bit since I took these pictures, but the X on the bolsters was my least favorite thing about this mod. If I can remember all dig this out and take some fresh pictures and let you see how it has aged.

I will also show a couple work-in-progress pictures.

This is what I posted about 2007 when I did the work on this knife.:

“Here is a M. Klein three bladed electrician’s knife that I reworked. This knife is an experiment on several fronts. My first attempt at split handles. My first attempt at a different style of filework; using both back springs to make a whole image. I imagine someone else has done something similar, but I haven’t seen it. Also I was experimenting with the filework on the bolsters.

Since this was an experiment on several levels, I used an old knife that wasn’t in the best condition. It turned out well enough that I wish I had used a better knife to begin with.

I am not very pleased with the X filed into the bolsters. That was a salvage of a more decorative pattern I started but had problems with. I think it would have looked better with plain bolsters or with threading on the bolsters.

The handles look nice (IMHO), but I will have to see how they hold up in EDC & use.
I left the sheepfoot blade (though in fact it may really be a worn down hawkbill blade) because I like the sheepfoot.”

(BTW – The handles have held up.)

[glennbad]

I did this TL-29 mod in 2007 according to my records. Below is the text of what I posted when I first posted on AAPK. My apologies if you’ve seen it before but I imagine it’s probably buried somewhere in the files.
In the 12 years since I did this modification I have carried this knife a lot, but not every day. The knife is held up well the handles were made from scraps I had in the shop. I did it in a hurry and didn’t put a lot of effort into this mod. Someday I’ll have to go back and do one properly with the Wharncliffe blade made from a worn down Hawkbill blade.
I have probably modified the bolsters a little bit since I took these pictures, but the X on the bolsters was my least favorite thing about this mod. If I can remember all dig this out and take some fresh pictures and let you see how it has aged.

I will also show a couple work-in-progress pictures.
Scales.jpg
Rough out of eagle file work b.jpg
scale- rough out.jpg


This is what I posted about 2007 when I did the work on this knife.:

“Here is a M. Klein three bladed electrician’s knife that I reworked. This knife is an experiment on several fronts. My first attempt at split handles. My first attempt at a different style of filework; using both back springs to make a whole image. I imagine someone else has done something similar, but I haven’t seen it. Also I was experimenting with the filework on the bolsters.

Since this was an experiment on several levels, I used an old knife that wasn’t in the best condition. It turned out well enough that I wish I had used a better knife to begin with.

I am not very pleased with the X filed into the bolsters. That was a salvage of a more decorative pattern I started but had problems with. I think it would have looked better with plain bolsters or with threading on the bolsters.

The handles look nice (IMHO), but I will have to see how they hold up in EDC & use.
I left the sheepfoot blade (though in fact it may really be a worn down hawkbill blade) because I like the sheepfoot.”

File Work.jpg
Klein red white & blue.jpg
Pile Side Open +.jpg
Mark Side Open.jpg

(BTW – The handles have held up.)

I always enjoy seeing this one, Dale!

[orvet]

Thanks Glenn,
I need to do a new one with a mint knife and new bone instead of scrap bone.

[Brumbydownunder]

Great to see such a variety here and particularly the handle materials ... I'm envious of you guys State Side who seem to have access to such beaut bone and Stag which I struggle to source.
Thanks to Glenn and Dale for the original inspiration for me to split a TL into bits and rebuild it and for anyone thinking of having a go ... just do it!

Some very handy tutorials here...

viewforum.php?f=38

Derek

[orvet]

I like the really clean lines on this knife.
The course with the bevel on the bolsters coming out over the Ebony wood handles there is no need for front and rear handle pins, just the rocker pin in the center.

I have no notes about for whom I made this knife, but as I recall the long bolsters front and rear order to make it more durable, and I would add probably bulletproof. Not the knife you would want to drop on your toe if you are barefoot! Even if the blades were closed it was heavy enough to bruise your foot!

[glennbad]

I forgot about that one, Dale! Another killer mod!

[Jeffinn]

I really like the beveled bolsters! It’s a great looking knife.
Jeff

[Meridian_Mike]

I did this TL-29 mod in 2007 according to my records.

(BTW – The handles have held up.)

WOW... I LOVE the file work on this one Dale!
This is the first time I have seen this one. That is one reason I wanted to "smoke out" a few of the ones y'all have done in the past.

The handles are GREAT!!

What a beauty!

Mike

[Meridian_Mike]

Great to see such a variety here and particularly the handle materials ... I'm envious of you guys State Side who seem to have access to such beaut bone and Stag which I struggle to source.
Thanks to Glenn and Dale for the original inspiration for me to split a TL into bits and rebuild it and for anyone thinking of having a go ... just do it!

Hey Derek.....
Is that one you are working on now? I can see you have a good idea and are headed in a good direction.

[Meridian_Mike]

I like the really clean lines on this knife.
The course with the bevel on the bolsters coming out over the Ebony wood handles there is no need for front and rear handle pins, just the rocker pin in the center.

I have no notes about for whom I made this knife, but as I recall the long bolsters front and rear order to make it more durable, and I would add probably bulletproof. Not the knife you would want to drop on your toe if you are barefoot! Even if the blades were closed it was heavy enough to bruise your foot!

Oh yes! That is a beauty Dale. I can see how it would feel substantial in your hands! A BIG plus in my book.
Great lines and really nice fit and finish on the beveled bolsters.

[Dinadan]

I did not realize that it was possible to make a TL-29 as nice as some of the ones Glenn and Dale have done. Wow! I especially like Jerry's knives with the sheepsfoot modification.

[Brumbydownunder]

Mike it is one I did a while ago ...just posted the pic so folks could see some of the process.
Great mods can be done by simply tidying everything up and just replacing the scales
However with most of mine I ditch everything except the blade and spring ... make new brass liners, make and silver solder new bolsters on,
then add scales .... doing it this way I can vary the pattern away from the standard TL29 profile.

Derek

[cudgee]

Nice work.

[Jeffinn]

Just finished this one.
Its an Ontario Knife electricians knife. I removed the screwdriver blade but there was a notch in the handle liner so the user could get their fingernail into the nail nick (for the screwdriver). I elongated that notch a bit so the user could use it for the main blade and filed the kick of the main blade so the blade would sit a little deeper in the pocket. It turned out pretty good.
I re-handled it in some amber Shetland bone from Culpepper;

[doglegg]

Another charmer Jeff. Nice touch with the nail notch. Excellent.

[Brumbydownunder]

Really nice jeffinn .... simple elegance with eye catching bone Love it!

[orvet]

Nice one Jeff!