Schrade Old Timer - maybe I simply missed this

[les.b]

Chief, I seem to remember around 1966, being issued a Shrade folding Electrician's knife. I was an ET, and seem to remember that there was a screwdriver blade which had a liner lock, and a regular blade with no lock. Both opened from the same end of the knife. Sawn delrin scales. Brass liner lock.

But that was 53 years ago, so I might have some of the details wrong. I remember I brought the knife home with me, but it seems to have vanished somewhere along the way!!

Edit....did a little research. The knife I remembered, the electricians knife, was a "TL-29". A search of the web shows that these were being made by a number of companies, Camillius, Schrades, Klein, and others. I believe that the early ones were made in WWII. Then Korea, and then during Vietnam. The earliest had wooden scales, then later, the ones that I remember had the sawn delrin.

Here's a pic of an early one:

The reason that I mention it is that the liner lock on the screwdriver blade may have been the inspiration for the liner lock on a regular cutting blade. I know that it was great to keep the thing from closing up when I was using the screwdriver blade. Yes, we had more sophisticated tools, but sometimes having this item that you could strip wire, scrape, tighten screw terminals and so forth with one tool was pretty handy, and you always had it with you.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Drm50]

I have a dozen or more of those electrician knives. Mine are not
from military. Most of the mills & mines around here issued them
to certain job classifications. The Hawk bills were also handed out
Klien Tool was the major brand through local industrial supply houses. I do have a leather belt case with a pair of utility pliers and electrician knife. It is US military, for como guys I think. I
will have to look at knife and check the brand.

 

[k22fan]

[...] The reason that I mention it is that the liner lock on the screwdriver blade may have been the inspiration for the liner lock on a regular cutting blade. [...]
Best Regards, Les

I recently read an article on English jack knives that pictured original liner lock single blades from approximately 1870 so WW II electrician's knives were not the inspiration for liner locks on cutting blades. Liner lock cutting blades became better known in recent decades because they are so common in one hand opening knives.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Fascinating - I love discovering new information like all of this. gracias!

 

[Drm50]

I'm, shocked- shocked, I just looked at a Klien hawk bill. A guy gave it to me this spring, NIB. Came from
coal mine sub contractor. Under Klien on the blade it
says JAPAN. I guess that's better than China. Lowes
stopped carrying Klien and put in a line of Chinese
electrician tools. I haven't had to replace any of my
tools for awhile so I don't know if Klien farmed out
everything. Almost everything in my pouch is Klien
except a Channel Locks & 8" Cresant wrench. Won't
be buying anymore if they are Jap.


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[Buford57]

I'm, shocked- shocked, I just looked at a Klien hawk bill. A guy gave it to me this spring, NIB. Came from
coal mine sub contractor. Under Klien on the blade it
says JAPAN. I guess that's better than China. Lowes
stopped carrying Klien and put in a line of Chinese
electrician tools. I haven't had to replace any of my
tools for awhile so I don't know if Klien farmed out
everything. Almost everything in my pouch is Klien
except a Channel Locks & 8" Cresant wrench. Won't
be buying anymore if they are Jap.View attachment 359837


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

When I was doing alarm installations in the 70s the standard line was "when you lose a Klein tool you've lost $10". Since that was about 3 hours pay, it meant something. Mine are still around and work as well as they did then.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

That reminds me time to watch Cutlery Corner.

 

[Drm50]

I have Klien dikes & lineman pliers that my old man issued me
back when I was a teenager. I have never had a Klien tool fail. I
have lost some and had a partner that had a habit of cutting hot
wires. Even 120v will blow a hole in them.

 

[Narragansett]

I can't say for sure that Schrade had single blade liner locks. There were lots of models.

i have several NIB Schrade small lock backs, and a couple of their scrimshaw sheath knives. i have several of the small lockbacks that commemorate 100 years

Schrade went out of business in their 100th year. Pressure from overseas competition. A whole way of life changed in the NY counties that worked there. 2 and 3 generations worked side by side. The same is true for Olean knives in NY.

For myself, i will not own a Chinese made Schrade or S&W knife. There are plenty of quality USA made knives. Just my opinion

 

[Muley Gil]

I have Klien dikes & lineman pliers that my old man issued me
back when I was a teenager. I have never had a Klien tool fail. I
have lost some and had a partner that had a habit of cutting hot
wires. Even 120v will blow a hole in them.

My dad was an electrician. He said that hole in your side cutters was for stripping wire.

 

[D Brown]

Uncle Henry

I have an Uncle Henry LB7 that I received as a ten year safety award from the company I was working for at the time in 1992. It's definitely Made in U.S.A., and is in fact, a very nice knife.

Uncle Henry LB7

Funny thing is, if I wore it to work at my current place of business, I would be immediately fired for carrying a prohibited weapon! Times change, and not always for the better.

 

[white cloud]

That's a handsome "no B.S." knife.

While I was working (in IT. I retired this year.), I routinely carried a lock blade of some sort clipped in my pocket. A lot of the time it was a Spyderco Chinook. No one ever said anything. I wonder why.

 

[Narragansett]

My dad was an electrician. He said that hole in your side cutters was for stripping wire.

I also am an electrician. I hate to ruin a set of side cutters on a live wire. It's not so much the cost, but the breaking in period of a new set