Question on the TL-29....

R

RRR1977

Joined
Jun 2, 2011
Messages
289
Good morning traditional fans. I have a quick question for the knowledgable guys in here. I recently picked up a TL-29, and a Camillus military camp knife to augment my (re)growing traditional collection. The question I have is about the screwdriver. Are they normally magnatized? I was removing some staple from one of my daughters dance props, and it made it super quick not having to chase dropping staples.
 
I have an old 60's era Craftsman model of my Dad's, it is not magnetized.
 
My klein tools electrician, it is magnetized.
My Queen steel #40 electrician, it is not magnetized.
 
Whether it started out being magnetized or not, I don't know. An interesting thing about some steels is, just sanding or grinding on a blade or tool can make it magnetic. I noticed this a while back, after sharpening a cheap 'duct knife' bought at Home Depot. Sharpened it up on some sandpaper, and the blade took a magnetic 'charge' in a hurry. The same can be done simply by putting the tool in proximity of a magnetic or electric field (such as the electromagnetic field surrounding a cable with electric current passing through it). Being that the TL-29 is an 'electrician's knife', just working in or around an energized circuit might induce some magnetism. Wouldn't surprise me if this is how yours became magnetized, IF it was previously used as such.

Edit:
I used to work as an electronic equipment tech, both in the military and in the semiconductor business after that. More often than not, screwdrivers used in or around electrical panels, especially those used to remove or re-install terminal lugs, would always end up with magnetic tips (whether they came that way, or not). Even the steel hardware in the panel itself, like some of the screws, would become magetized over time.
 
Last edited:
I checked my 35+ year old Klein. The tip is magnetized.

That knife was a hand-me-down. My then boss gave it to me some 35 years ago. I never used the screwdriver blade. Never noticed till you brought it to my attention that it was magnetized.

It would not surprise me if the Kleins were magnetized on purpose. I have a set of Klein tools. Many of them have features not found on other brands.
 
Klien, Craftsman, Colonial, Schrade and almost every version of Camillus 'NOT' magnetic. 13 tested. 300
 
good answer

Obsessed with Edges said:
Whether it started out being magnetized or not, I don't know. An interesting thing about some steels is, just sanding or grinding on a blade or tool can make it magnetic. I noticed this a while back, after sharpening a cheap 'duct knife' bought at Home Depot. Sharpened it up on some sandpaper, and the blade took a magnetic 'charge' in a hurry. The same can be done simply by putting the tool in proximity of a magnetic or electric field (such as the electromagnetic field surrounding a cable with electric current passing through it). Being that the TL-29 is an 'electrician's knife', just working in or around an energized circuit might induce some magnetism. Wouldn't surprise me if this is how yours became magnetized, IF it was previously used as such.

Edit:
I used to work as an electronic equipment tech, both in the military and in the semiconductor business after that. More often than not, screwdrivers used in or around electrical panels, especially those used to remove or re-install terminal lugs, would always end up with magnetic tips (whether they came that way, or not). Even the steel hardware in the panel itself, like some of the screws, would become magetized over time.
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