The Radio, Electrician, and Lineman's Knife

Jake I had to jump ahead and say what a magnificent collection, or piece thereof, you have there! I've joined a TL-29 Modder's Facebook group, that anyone who enjoys these knives can join. Some great new work, as well as the old knives too. Plus original gov'mint blueprints of these.
Thanks, Neal
 
Ok, then I hit post #68, waynorth waynorth 's beauty, then #75 supratentorial supratentorial 's monument of goodness! You two are a pair! Incredible knives/tools gentleman. Stan Stanovich is part of the group I've mentioned, he rescales, beautiful work, and files the springs and blades, in addition to other stuff. He and a few others are making some that are as good looking as the custom from back in 2012. The old versions, the condition they are in, is amazing. Have you had to clean any up? Anyone?
Thanks, Neal
 
neal70 said:
Jake I had to jump ahead and say what a magnificent collection, or piece thereof, you have there! I've joined a TL-29 Modder's Facebook group, that anyone who enjoys these knives can join. Some great new work, as well as the old knives too. Plus original gov'mint blueprints of these.
Thanks, Neal
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Yes. Those blueprints have also been posted in this forum. Along with spec history tracing back to prior versions of the design.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/new-life-for-a-tl-29-camillus.1080692/page-2#post-16184355
 
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Just incredible Charlie! Love the blade-locks on some of those knives. The Ric-Nor brand always had some nice ones, but they were a supply house, I think?, and someone, Camillus perhaps or Utica? made the knives for them. Wish I had an example!
Thanks, Neal
 
IMG_1923.PNG IMG_1922.PNG Charlie, those are absolutely beautiful. I would love to have the opportunity to fondle those for a little while.

Here's a 1940s Camillus that I'm thinking is pre-WWII. The brass liner lock and liners as I understand it, would not have been there during the war because of the rationing of brass. And if I remembered my history correctly it was a while after the war before they began using brass again. Would love to hear more intimate details on these during that period in time if anybody wants to chime in.
 
neal70 said:
Ok, then I hit post #68, waynorth waynorth 's beauty, then #75 supratentorial supratentorial 's monument of goodness! You two are a pair! Incredible knives/tools gentleman. Stan Stanovich is part of the group I've mentioned, he rescales, beautiful work, and files the springs and blades, in addition to other stuff. He and a few others are making some that are as good looking as the custom from back in 2012. The old versions, the condition they are in, is amazing. Have you had to clean any up? Anyone?
Thanks, Neal
Click to expand...

Hi Neal. "Cleaning" knives with abrasives depreciates the historical value so I only wipe down steel parts with a rag damp with mineral oil until the steel no longer dirties the rag. What is commonly called "cleaning" is actually resurfacing or regrinding. If Frank in Kentucky buffs a Winchester, it becomes a Kentucky fried Frank-n-Winchester more than a Winchester. As a modern example, when Krein regrinds a GEC knife, he puts a "Krein Regrind" stamp on the blade. He doesn't call it a "mint" GEC. He has modified the knife. Unfortunately, a lot of the "cleaned" knives are misrepresented as mint. The original crocus and glaze finishes on antique knives are becoming rarer and rarer.

I had an interesting discussion recently. Someone offered me a knife that he claimed as mint. I told him it was "cleaned" with abrasives and he denied it. After considerable back and forth exchanges, he finally admitted "all he did" was sand paper the bolsters and the blades! That can't be mint then.

The Schrade Co that I posted just has honest use. It was never cleaned. Unfortunately a fluff and buffer got ahold of the Morley before I could save it. It was ruined imho. Ironically, I get more compliments on that resurfaced knife than on others. It's still interesting but the historical value is diminished since it is no longer original. Appreciation of old knives as historical artifacts is nearly completely lost in knife collecting. And history is being buffed away one knife at a time. The fakers love it because their fakes share many of the same finishing steps and fit right in with all of the "cleaned knives". I fear it is a lost battle.

I have no problem with making a broken tool useful or tinkering with common knives as long as it is honestly represented as a parts knife or rework. A good thing to do is mark the knife to show that it's been worked on. One way to mark a rework is to stamp the inside of the liners with initials and date. I know a few guys who mark their work but most of the reworked knives that I seen on Ebay are not marked unfortunately. And most of them are misrepresented. Hopefully the guys marking their work will have some influence on the others.
 
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Neal, I have this knife that I could give to you if you want to modify it. It's a German made knife...it's unmarked but I figured the brand out a while ago... and now it has slipped my mind--haha. I saw an identical knife marked with a brand... maybe Kaufmann. Very nice carbon steel blade and heavy screwdriver/crateopener/file. It could be modified with or without the wrench. If it is kept as a 2-blade, the wrench could be cut and ground so that the neck fills in the well for the short blade (sorta like a wrap around spring).

I saw an identical knife that someone just glued wood covers onto. Didn't even take it appart and pin it. And it sold for over 100 on the big auction site--blows my mind since an original knife would sell for less. And the modified handles weren't even pinned. I'd prefer that this knife get used rather than resold.

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Here's an oddball Craftsman from my collection, with a wood saw. There's also a ruler on the tool blade, and lots of wire strippers. I'm not sure if it was made by Camillus or Schrade. I'm guessing Schrade.

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I'm very partial to my Camillus TL-29's. I have a bunch of them.

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And here's my father-in-law's TL-29 from the Korean War. It was left to me, but I've since passed it on to his son, so it stays in the family.

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I have recently become rather fond of this pattern and picked this Boker U.S.A. 9229 up for next to nothing. I have no idea how old it is but it's in great shape. I don't think it was ever sharpened. Its thinner than my Camillus tl-29 and feels pretty good in the hand however the scales are rather slick.
 
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