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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
New Life for a TL-29 Camillus
- Thread starter Sulaco
- Start date
ea42
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Hey Jason, thanks for the heads up! It was a pleasure to work on, nice to see a different knife in front of me once in a while 
I'm glad you're happy with it, it's great to see a basically unusable knife get a new life :thumbup:
Scrteened Porch, they're not putty knife blades, just thin shim stock, the liners were slightly bent in so I slid the shims in to hold them out a bit while I hammered the bolster pin. It's makes it a bit easier to get the blades to walk and talk afterward, with a lot less chance of popping the pin in the process. The gap that they produce is eliminated when they're removed by the pressure of the newly hammered pin. This would normally be too much on a new knife but it works perfectly in situations such as this.
Eric
I'm glad you're happy with it, it's great to see a basically unusable knife get a new life :thumbup:Scrteened Porch, they're not putty knife blades, just thin shim stock, the liners were slightly bent in so I slid the shims in to hold them out a bit while I hammered the bolster pin. It's makes it a bit easier to get the blades to walk and talk afterward, with a lot less chance of popping the pin in the process. The gap that they produce is eliminated when they're removed by the pressure of the newly hammered pin. This would normally be too much on a new knife but it works perfectly in situations such as this.
Eric
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Sulaco
Gold Member
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- 2,420
Hey Jason, thanks for the heads up! It was a pleasure to work on, nice to see a different knife in front of me once in a while
Scrteened Porch, they're not putty knife blades, just thin shim stock, the liners were slightly bent in so I slid the shims in to hold them out a bit while I hammered the bolster pin. It's makes it a bit easier to get the blades to walk and talk afterward, with a lot less chance of popping the pin in the process. The gap that they produce is eliminated when they're removed by the pressure of the newly hammered pin. This would normally be too much on a new knife but it works perfectly in situations such as this.
Eric
Thanks Eric! I showed it to my dad and all he could say is the same thing I said, "wow". Ha!
Campbellclanman
Platinum Member
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- Mar 10, 2007
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I thought it was you Glenn!
Wow-fantastic work Eric, you did an amazing job, thank you for taking the photos so we could have a look at your Talent in actual real stages.
screened porch
Basic Member
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Thanks for the tip. That would have improved my last effort, and will future ones.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2011
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- 267
Fantastic work on a fantastic knife. The TL29 has been calling to be lately, but with Phillips and Roberts screws all over the place the times I'm actually get to use the screwdriver on it would be minimal. Although, I could find use for the screwdriver blade as a scraper and general use like that where I wouldn't want to use the knife blade. Regardless, excellent knife!
These knives are generally manufactures from 440C stainless steel and "clean up" quite nicely. The man did a good job on the TL-29. Remember, these were/are built to military specifications (mil-spec). What people ignore is the fact that they are built to withstand a beating. These knives are often used on board ship (I used them during my hitch in the Navy, right alongside Marines that were performing the same maintenance on aircraft). They're also used on Air Force, Army and Coast Guard ships and bases as well.
They're still being produced as they have for more than 70 years. In the early days, they blades were made from 1095 steel. Today, they all use 440C steel hardened to 58-60 HRc. Military specifications are quite precise in these respects. Nothing less is acceptable. The ability of the GI to use these knives as a screwdriver/wirestripper/drop-point blade knife is absolutely essential. This is why they hold such an important place in the hearts of service members.
They're still being produced as they have for more than 70 years. In the early days, they blades were made from 1095 steel. Today, they all use 440C steel hardened to 58-60 HRc. Military specifications are quite precise in these respects. Nothing less is acceptable. The ability of the GI to use these knives as a screwdriver/wirestripper/drop-point blade knife is absolutely essential. This is why they hold such an important place in the hearts of service members.
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Actually, there is one manufacturer currently purporting to use 440C. Other current manufacturers of the pattern do not. As for past manufacturers, Camillus and Schrade used 440A for their stainless blades. Traditionally, TL-29's were carbon steel, like the OP's knife.
Here is probably the best post on the history and multitude of makers who made TL-29's.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Knife-Pattern-Research?p=4128107#post4128107
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Yes Frank, The TL-29 was traditionally made with blades made from 1095 carbon steel. Today, Colonial makes them from 440C. If others make them from 440A, I'm not certain of how they would be "mil-spec". When it comes right down to it, my preference tends to run to the Colonial, because the 440C is hardened to HRc 58-60 for the sake of durability. Unfortunately, 440A, regardless of how well it has been hardened, may not hold an edge as well as its 440C counterpart.
When I was in the Navy, TL-29 knives prone to bending and breaking weren't the "norm". No, they were quite durable. The Navy preferred not issuing knives too often. Don't get me wrong, they would replace them "on demand" but they would rather not have them fail on a regular basis.
When I was in the Navy, TL-29 knives prone to bending and breaking weren't the "norm". No, they were quite durable. The Navy preferred not issuing knives too often. Don't get me wrong, they would replace them "on demand" but they would rather not have them fail on a regular basis.
A couple years ago or so I was looking for a replacement shop knife & eventually settled on the Colonials.
I ordered in two Colonial Military E2's, they are not polished and shiny but fit was good. They don't follow mil spec though, They are 440C, they are heavier built and the handles are saw cut.
Utica #11-2558 TL-29, is 1095 and still made in the U.S.
I ordered in two Colonial Military E2's, they are not polished and shiny but fit was good. They don't follow mil spec though, They are 440C, they are heavier built and the handles are saw cut.
Utica #11-2558 TL-29, is 1095 and still made in the U.S.
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.
Form follows function.
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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.
None of them called for 440C blade steel.
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