Barlow-ish knife

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Pondoro2310

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Apr 13, 2014
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I got a Barlow-looking knife at a garage sale, nothing special. Two blades, a normal blade that had been sharpened poorly and a long thin blade with an edge and a screw driver bit or a chisel shaped bit on the end. It may have started out as a screwdriver but it is sharp like a chisel now. The screwdriver or chisel blade is a liner lock, the main blade does not lock.

I could almost see the screwdriver blade being used to pry out staples? (Sharpened to a chisel point as it is.) It would not be an effective screw driver as it is. The liner lock would stop this odd chisel blade from closing on your hand if you pushed it forward to chisel or pry. Closing on your hand would be bad, because that long blade also has a sharp edge.

The main blade says "Japan 635."

I'd love to know what that long blade is for. Odd thing is it is thin and has an edge but the edge ends and the blade thickens near the tip. I can't get a good picture of that location but I could this weekend under the sun.

I just bought it because it was cheap and kinda cool. Of course I could say that about most of my knives.

I know, pictures are worth 1000 words.

 
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It's an electrician's knife. The main blade was reshaped... most likely originally a spear. Made by Sabre.
 
Funny, there is one on eBay and the seller says the tip of the second blade is "missing" but it looks just like mine. What do electricians use a spear point blade for? If it was broken and reshaped the one on eBay suffered an identical fate. Edit - All the lineman and electrician's knives that I can find have this same blade, so I am sure it is useful. I don't think mine was broken as all the blades seem to end at the same length. I would have assumed they were screwdrivers, and may be, but mine is now a chisel.
 
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Pondoro2310 said:
Funny, there is one on eBay and the seller says the tip of the second blade is "missing" but it looks just like mine. What do electricians use a spear point blade for? If it was broken and reshaped the one on eBay suffered an identical fate.
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Lots of old knives have similar fates. Look at unused or well preserved examples of the knives.

This old IX*L catalog cut has nice explanations for the uses of the pattern. Your knife doesn't have the file but the other parts have the same functions.

smiling-knife said:
From a Wostenholm 1930s flyer. Wish I had the actual knife to show.

scan0085.jpg
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Pondoro2310 said:
What do electricians use a spear point blade for? If it was broken and reshaped the one on eBay suffered an identical fate. Edit - All the lineman and electrician's knives that I can find have this same blade, so I am sure it is useful. I don't think mine was broken as all the blades seem to end at the same length. I would have assumed they were screwdrivers, and may be, but mine is now a chisel.
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What is now known as the TL-29 pattern started as a military knife for the communication corps for field duty. The blade would have been used for stripping insulation from the wires. I suppose they could have used a clip, but the spear is a nice general purpose shape.

The pattern turned out to be such a useful item that it lasted for many decades. I got a post around here somewhere that gives the spec numbers and dates. I'll see if I can find it.
 
found it:
Specification history for the TL-29:
The first spec for this pattern was RL-A-532

RL-A-532 was originally issued in 1919.
RL-A-532 was superseded in 1954 by MIL-K-13419
MIL-K-13419 was superseded in 1965 by GGG-K-484
GGG-K-484 was cancelled in 1997.
Click to expand...

2334296632_6feb6480a3_o_zpsq5g3g0kv.jpg
 
supratentorial said:
It's an electrician's knife. The main blade was reshaped... most likely originally a spear. Made by Sabre.
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Jake would this be made by sabre then? No other markings. Beaut little knife and I scored it for nix:D
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Meako, Unfortunately I can't help. I'm not very familiar with Sabre. I only recognized the electrician's knife since I've gotten a few in lots with other knives.
 
Here a couple more of that pattern. The brown one is an Imperial I picked up at a flea market for a couple of bucks. The black one is a new Rough Rider, just a couple of bucks more. Yep, the crappy cell phone pics make them both look old and beat up.

Fgk3YY.jpg
 
The old knives had some neat locking mechanisms. Here are a few variations.

From left to right: Klein, Remington, and Schrade
 
Jake, the celluloid(?) covers on the electricians knife with the wrench are absolutely mesmerizing, albeit a very odd choice for a knife of its purpose.
 
Thanks! That type is sometimes called "Christmas tree". There was also faux tortoise and faux stag. Some (or all) of them may have been promotional items. The one with the folding crate opener has an advertisement for an old candy company on the crate opener (goods were often packaged in wooden boxes and opened with this type of tool).

 
Pondoro2310, Although an electrician's knife is not a barlow, you weren't far off. Many barlows and electricians knives are straight jacks so they have some similarity.

Nice Case electrician's knife, Clay :thumbup:
 
Jake those are all some great knives, I especially like the bottom 2 in post #7. Don't recall ever seeing a camper style electricians knife before, and the very bottom knife is just elegant looking. Not what you expect from this pattern. The different locking mechanisms are neat, and the crate opener? Sweet, just sweet.
Thanks, Neal
 
Some nice pics. I'd love to see that style of screwdriver blade make a comeback. There appears to be enough metal to incorporate a caplifter. That type of screwdriver would look better on Case's beer trap than the one they scavenged from the mini scout.
I'm a strong believer that a pocket knife should have a screwdriver implemented. Sooner or later you'll need a screwdriver badly and end up ruining a good blade trying to improvise. Maybe more threads like this and mfr's will ditch the tiny pen blade for a screwdriver.
 
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