Traditional knives, for dirty jobs.

When I started this thread I mentioned dry wall, something I don't normally cut with a knife. I've had a utility knife and drywall saw for forty years.

I drive back to MO. as often as I can to visit Mom and catch up on repairs. She makes a list so I know what tools to bring. I was up there before Christmas and the day before I left she dropped a hint about having cable run to the dining room.

Okay no problem except, my work knife, utility knife and saw are 700 miles away. When your Mom is 95 and wants the TV in the dinning room working, that's what she gets.

So out comes my brand new S&M barlow, make a starter hole with a nail and carefully cut a hole with it.

So the lesson is never travel with out a work knife or utility knife.
 
I stopped in a new pawn shop in Moscow about two months ago and found this little Imperial. At just over 3" and with sunken joints, it's a perfect little two blade knife to carry. It's always in my front right, in addition to my carry of the day, which is in a belt pouch. It was dirty and sluggish when I first saw it, but the blades were full. 10 bucks, and home we went. It never complains when it has to do the jobs that I don't want to ask my "nice" knife to do. I've really grown to like it. I'm afraid that if I get more attached to it, I'll have to carry a third knife to do the jobs I can't ask it to do!

 
Dean51 said:
The new addition is a Colonial Military E2 electrical knife, it's a little heavier built than a TL-29.
...
So the question is, do you have traditional knives that are dedicated to the real Dirty Jobs.
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Heavier than the TL-29? :eek:

The Camillus TL-29 is my go-to "utility" knife. I love the soddie and junior soddie, and the Opinels are endlessly useful for $8-12 knives, but if I know I'm going to be scraping, banging, prying or prodding the one knife I will rely on is the TL-29. I have a number of Camillus examples at my disposal, including one in a toolbox at home and one in the car toolbox. I have one (with screwdriver blade extended) sitting in the pen cup on my desk at work. I also have an EDC TL-29 which has made an appearance or two in the traditional "toting" thread, normally used to spell my SAK but also known to ride along when I think the going might get really rough.



I'm working on resuscitating a Camillus demo knife from the '70s to help with the rough stuff, but for now the TL-29 is my first choice to tackle the jobs that leave my stockmen shaking and my trappers trembling.
 
TsarBomba said:
Heavier than the TL-29? :eek:
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The Colonial Military E2 electrical knife has heavier blades and is a little thicker than the TL-29. It's also 440C so it's a real work horse.
Mine lives in the tool box so it's not carried much.

I've had two TL-29's for several years now, one is new & one used and re-handled in ebony.
 
I have a Queen Electrician's Knife that gets a lot of rough use in the garage. The main blade is thicker than any other TL-29 or electrician's knife I've seen to date. I plan to re-scale it to ebony sometime down the road.

~Chris
 
For many years, all my knives were hard-use knives:

Loewen hippekniep, bought in Amsterdam in 1970
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Opinel No. 7. No stainless on it anywhere.
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This little Anza has proven well nigh indestructible. Blade ground from a file, excellent for opening frozen car doors.
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The only one that was spared the really nasty stuff was a Tapio Wirkkala puukko. I'm glad now I didn't abuse it too badly.
 
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TsarBomba said:
I need to start looking for these mega linesman's knives! :eek:
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My Holub (Schrade) Electricians knife was a hawk bill, but now that it's a sheepsfoot the blade gets thicker towards the tip. Really tough. heres a quick pic, notice the gap between blade and calipers farther down the blade, showing how much thicker the end is.

Connor

597bc14922665d665e2df22f98e59020.jpg
 
Dean51 said:
When I started this thread I mentioned dry wall, something I don't normally cut with a knife. I've had a utility knife and drywall saw for forty years.

I drive back to MO. as often as I can to visit Mom and catch up on repairs. She makes a list so I know what tools to bring. I was up there before Christmas and the day before I left she dropped a hint about having cable run to the dining room.

Okay no problem except, my work knife, utility knife and saw are 700 miles away. When your Mom is 95 and wants the TV in the dinning room working, that's what she gets.

So out comes my brand new S&M barlow, make a starter hole with a nail and carefully cut a hole with it.

So the lesson is never travel with out a work knife or utility knife.
Click to expand...

This is why I always have my leatherman on my belt. The saw/pliers are invaluable, plus the two blades make great beater blades. However, there isn't much I won't cut with my traditionals. I have no problem scoring drywall with my knives and do it quite often.
About the only things I won't cut with my slip joints( or modern/ fixed blades for that matter) is carpet and insulation. I've made those mistakes too often, and by the end of the day I have to put a brand new edge on them while cursing my ignorance.
 
I carry a old Kershaw Wildcat Ridge in my tool pouch that's
held up good. I use to carry a Camillus TL-29, but now I carry it in my pocket or it's on my bench.
 
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