Current Issue U.S. Navy TL-29

Modoc ED

Modoc ED

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Mar 28, 2010
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I was recently talking to a friend of mine's son who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy as an ET (Electronics Technician). We got to talking about tools and I asked if they were still using Electrician's Knives (TL-29s). I asked him who was making them and he said he didn't know -- he's not a knife guy. After we hung up, I thought nothnig more about it.

Last Friday the FEDEX truck dropped off this knife at my front door -- unsolicited by me I might add. It is a Klein Electrician's Knife (1550-2) model. There is nothing to indicate TL-29 on the wrapper it came in.







The knife is well built and solid. Heck, even the blades are centered between the liners and there are no gaps along the spine. I'm wondering if Klein is actually building these knives -- they do build many of their tools -- or if Utica is making them for Klein.
 
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I was also an 'ET' in the Navy, back in the early-thru-mid '80s. The tool kits we used included a knife very similar to that one, although I think it was a Camillus at that time. Some things, seemingly, never change. :)

Edit:
I'll add, I don't recall seeing the 'TL-29' mark or label on our version, either (although that was a LONG time ago; don't think I would've recognized the significance of it, back then).
 
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I have one exactly like that, and on the back of the main blade it says "Japan" with a "V" Just noticed mine is missing the "K K" from the front of the main blade.

Mine has a bit of rust on it, as I just found it in a drawer at work. I'm assuming its Gov't Issue, though, as I work in a Gov't lab.
 
Ed, that is so totally cool!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Sixty six years after the end of WW2, GI's and sailors are still using a really classic knife. I guess some things really are timeless!

Carl.
 
Will take a pic in a moment. Mine has a 'J' on top of tang, followed by M Klien and Sons, Chicago, Made In U.S.A.. Mine is probably at least 25 years old.... Scales are plastic. Blades look brightly polished CV. (WAG)

Klien Tool website shows these knives...

300Bucks
 
As far as I know Utica is the only US company that would actually still make that pattern. Klein has never made knives; they have them contract made.
 
Just noticed that Home Depot carries the Klein model. Think I'm gonna have to pick up a couple for my coworkers (we're marine electronics technicians...).
Thanks for the reminder! :)
 
puukkoman said:
Just noticed that Home Depot carries the Klein model. Think I'm gonna have to pick up a couple for my coworkers (we're marine electronics technicians...).
Thanks for the reminder! :)
Click to expand...

Interesting. My first job after I retired from the Navy was with NASSCO Ship Building Company in National City, CA as a "Marine Electronics Technician" -- IBEW 569. Worked for them for a year and never even saw a TL-29, even on any of the Navy ships that were in for retrofit.
 
Modoc ED said:
Interesting. My first job after I retired from the Navy was with NASSCO Ship Building Company in National City, CA as a "Marine Electronics Technician" -- IBEW 569. Worked for them for a year and never even saw a TL-29, even on any of the Navy ships that were in for retrofit.
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That neighborhood is familiar to me. My ship was home-ported in San Diego at the Naval Base just adjacent to that shipyard. We frequently moored at pier #1 on the base there, which was immediately adjacent to the south end of the shipyard. We actually dry-docked in the shipyard for a while, for some upgrades/overhaul. I remember seeing the Exxon Valdez over there around '86 (it was built there), around the time it was undergoing sea trials, just before it was delivered to Exxon for duty. That was before it became notoriously famous (or infamous) up in Alaska.

We did have our 'TL-29s' (or equivalents) in our toolkits, in that time frame. ;)
 
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jackknife said:
Ed, that is so totally cool!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Sixty six years after the end of WW2, GI's and sailors are still using a really classic knife. I guess some things really are timeless!

Carl.
Click to expand...

No point changing a time tested tool, all the money they would spend doing R&D for a new model and it'd probably look identical. ;)

The navy knives from all countries have interested me with function alone.
 
Yup, the TL-29 has been made right for a LONG time. Thanks for the pics.
 
I had no clue TL-29's were still being produced however I have no experience with Klein knives but I have handled the newer Utica's and IMO they are of decent quality.
 
I may be slow but I attempt to be trustworthy.......finally a closeup of tang stamp as promised............300Bucks

25+ year old Klein TL-29
Klein.jpg
 
I guess I better hit that Klein website. Every time TL-29 comes up, I remember carrying one in the early 1960's. It is a good utility knife. The screwdriver blade did a lot of prying and scraping. It replaced a rusted K55K "Cat".
 
Thanks for posting the Tang Stamp photos.

I might add that the (WAG) in your first post would hold a lot more water if you used (SWAG) -- Scientific Wild A-- Guess -- instead. The use of "Scientific" makes it seem more like you know what you're talking about.:)
 
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Modoc ED said:
The knife is well built and solid. Heck, even the blades are centered between the liners and there are no gaps along the spine. I'm wondering if Klein is actually building these knives -- they do build many of their tools -- or if Utica is making them for Klein.
Click to expand...

knifeaholic said:
As far as I know Utica is the only US company that would actually still make that pattern. Klein has never made knives; they have them contract made.
Click to expand...

ditto to knifeaholic's answer.
 
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