I have a question about the TL-29 electrician's knife. When did the did TL-29 electrician's knife.

Receive the designation of TL-29 electrician's knife?

Now I'd like to know the answer as well. All Army telephone linemen from as long as I can remember had set that included a pair of pliers, a TL-29 in leather pouch. Goes back as far as WW2, at least.

i seem to recall a discussion of this very question on Bladeforums within the last several months, but it doesn’t come up in my quick searches. The TL-29 designation may go back as far as WW I.
It is an interesting pattern, and a useful pocket knife.

__________________
Not in jail.

I suppose technically, it would be when the specification was approved and issued by the military agency that required it, which assigned it a number.

I looked around and found the design drawing that accompanied the specification. The original "Issue -A-" design drawing was signed off as approved 5-1-19. A revision "Issue -B-" was signed off 12-9-30.

Found reference to the original specification dated May 25 1935. It for the revised "-B-" issue of the specification, and shows a specification number 71-569. The -A- issue is dated December 13, 1932, and the -B- issue is dated May 25, 1935.

I don't see the reason for the 13 year lag between the drawing made for the knife and the issue date for the specification, but I guess things move a bit slower in the military world.

So, I'd say the 71-569-A issue date of 12-13-32 is the official beginning of the TL-29 designation, and since the drawing was already at revision -B-, then the revised -B- drawing of 12-9-30 was the original design for the specification.

This thread is really an extension of a thread I started recently, asking about a Schrade electricians knife we inherited. The members here generously helped with information that answered our question about dating our knife. It was in the 1930 catalog.

My Electrician's knife, A type TL-29 style, is of approximately the same dimensions, and made of the same materials as the TL-29.It is marked on the standard knife blade, on one side, CAMILLUS - NEW YORK - USA. And on the other side 27. There are no other markings. I bought it at a local electrical supply house, if memory serves me correctly, in the 1950 era. Here is a picture of that old knife. It was one of my most used tools, until I retired from the electric trade 1/1/1995, and for many years at home, after my retirement.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...1&d=1554323251

Chubbo

Attached Images

DSC01716.jpg (103.4 KB, 27 views)

A side note. The drawing's title block calls out the location of Fort Monmouth, NJ. This must have been changed as part of the General Revision of Issue B.
The Army first arrived at the site a month after the drawing was originally signed, and the name Fort Monmouth was not applied to the site until August 6th, 1925.

A history of Fort Monmouth:

https://www.fortmonmouthnj.com/wp-co...t-Monmouth.pdf