Colonial is pulling a strange one...

C

Captain O

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I referenced their website two days ago. Colonial is claiming that their TL-29 (Electrician's Knife) blade is manufactured of 440A steel, that's been tempered to between 58-60 Rockwell hardness. If this is true, in this instance their 440A generally outperforms a large number of other knives of the same alloy. I loved my TL-29 back in the Navy. I really wonder if their new products perfrom as well as those manufactured 44 years ago?

It does make me think hard about how things may have changed, or how they may have remained the same.
 
I thought 440A maxed out somewhere around 56-57? Dunno, I am not a metallurgist.
 
John -

Their "assisted opening" knives are of the same alloy and made the same claim of Rc hardness. I know that their M724 auto is manufactured in either 440C or 1095 steel. (I really like their autos, because they are built to be used).

You can check Colonial's website and see that a few of their knives are even made in ATS-34 steel (a tanto version of their (M550 auto).
 
I'll take your word for it. I don't get hung up too much on the steels. I use SAKs and Case Tru-Sharp more than anything else and neither of those are especially sexy steels.
 
Captain O said:
I referenced their website two days ago. Colonial is claiming that their TL-29 (Electrician's Knife) blade is manufactured of 440A steel, that's been tempered to between 58-60 Rockwell hardness.
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These are the knives which last June you said were listed as 440C blade steel on the web site?
Sounds like Colonial fixed a typo in the steel name.
Sounds also like they may have a typo in the hardness.

Captain O said:
The Colonials may not be pretty, but they certainly are functional. The 440C stainless steel with it's HRc 58-60 makes for an unbeatable combination of toughness and edge holding abilities. Cosmetically they're not the best, but when it comes to dependability and function, the products from Providence are hard to beat.

Form follows function.
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And you wonder why I am confused. I would much rather have a pre-2007 Camillus TL-29 that uses 0170-6C Carbon Steel (KaBar's 1095 Cro-Van steel). This would hold a better edge and take a nice patina over time.
 
As a smaller family based company, I don't think they have a designated copy writer/editor. I do notice that some of the product descriptions contain errors, but they do get updated from time to time. I have been carrying the little 2205 scout for the last several months and I have found it to be very well made for my purposes, edge holding on the main blade is a bit better than the old Camillus version I had for many years, based on frequency of touching up the edge.
 
Captain O said:
And you wonder why I am confused. I would much rather have a pre-2007 Camillus TL-29 that uses 0170-6C Carbon Steel (KaBar's 1095 Cro-Van steel). This would hold a better edge and take a nice patina over time.
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Colonial has been moving back to more American made products, but the TL-29 copies that they carry are made in China, and not in the same league as the 2205 scout. I would go vintage on one of these.
 
I'd been wondering about the current quality of Colonial's offerings. They have some marlin spike knives I like, as well as a liner lock hawksbill they call a "coping" knife, much to my puzzlement. Iirc, there were more offerings that by price certainly made me suspicious of quality. Too good to be true, is the phrase that comes to mind. But at the price it might be worth checking a few out, just to see.
Thanks, Neal
 
neal70 said:
I'd been wondering about the current quality of Colonial's offerings. They have some marlin spike knives I like, as well as a liner lock hawksbill they call a "coping" knife, much to my puzzlement. Iirc, there were more offerings that by price certainly made me suspicious of quality. Too good to be true, is the phrase that comes to mind. But at the price it might be worth checking a few out, just to see.
Thanks, Neal
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Contact them for a print copy of their catalog first. In the 2016 catalog, the items you list are described in the catalog as "imported." I got in touch with them before I purchased the 2205 scout knife, and it is US made. They appear to be a small company making a real effort into shifting production back to the USA.
 
Good thought! I have looked over the website, but as has been previously noted, there are a fair number of errors.
Thanks, Neal
 
Captain O said:
This is too bad. They need a full-time proofreader and publicist.
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They were always a value for money brand, I doubt they would hire a guy just to write! They do need to proof read that's for sure! I have always had a soft spot for their products. A Forest Master was about all we could afford when I was a kid. I carried an Old Cutler for years when I was working my way through college. I was glad to see that even though they had to reboot, they are still run by the family that started them in the 1920's, instead of being just another brand name.
 
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If I could move to Providence, I could provide a valuable service to them for the rest of my life. (Heck, I could do that from here)!
 
That's actually something I've wondered about in the past: how to get paid for proof-reading knife 'sites? People who spell coarse-course, nickel-nickle, or even misspell knife companies and custom makers names: i.e. Krein/Krien. There has to be a way, heck I'd take steel for pay, mostly. Mostly. ;)
Thanks, Neal
 
Captain O said:
And you wonder why I am confused. I would much rather have a pre-2007 Camillus TL-29 that uses 0170-6C Carbon Steel (KaBar's 1095 Cro-Van steel). This would hold a better edge and take a nice patina over time.
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0170-6C and Kabar 1095 Cro Van have similar, but different compositions.
 
I find I am drawn to threads about knife steels these days for the knowledge that is shared. for the most part I know very little about knife steels but thinking back to my pre Blade Forums days the only thing I new was that carbon steel would patina or rust and stainless not so much. Now I do know substantially more than that but there was something to be said when blade steel never came into the equation of what to purchase.
 
r redden said:
I find I am drawn to threads about knife steels these days for the knowledge that is shared. for the most part I know very little about knife steels but thinking back to my pre Blade Forums days the only thing I new was that carbon steel would patina or rust and stainless not so much. Now I do know substantially more than that but there was something to be said when blade steel never came into the equation of what to purchase.
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Knowledge is power - Sir Francis Bacon
 
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