Ulster TL-29 marked CRAFTSMAN on blade and TL-29

[Johnny in Texas]

Is this a Military contract knife

[sac troop]

IMHO the fact that it's branded "Craftsman" would mean that it was made for Sears to sell thru their stores. Further I believe this would rule it out as having been a Government contract item.

[Johnny in Texas]

Is TL-29 a military designation? It is marked TL-29 on the blade opposite the ULSTER USA.

[Tom Doniphon]

According to an article by Frank Trzaska, the TL-29 design was based on a smaller pre WW1 designed electrician's knife. The Signal Corps used this earlier made small knife during WW1. The knife was later redesigned by the Army into the TL-29 style and used again by, among others, the Signal Corps. The "TL-29" designation stands for "Tool, Lineman, #29. The number 29 comes from the old radio-telephone repairman's tool kit. In those kits all the tools were assigned a number. This style knife was assigned number 29. So, yes I believe the "TL-29" is a Military designation.

Its a very popular knife still made today. I think sac troop may be correct that the "Craftsman" designation means it was made for the commercial market. Most, if not all, of this type Military knife have the "TL-29" stamp on the handle, not on the blade. The screwdriver blade is also usually stamped with an instruciton on how to release the blade.

Can you describe the knife a bit more? Are the handles wood or plastic? And the style of the Ulster mark may give a clue as to the knife's age.

[Johnny in Texas]

Marked ULSTER USA brown plastic scales screw blade not marked the craftsman logo is etched.

[thorin6]

Sounds like a post-WWII use of parts left over from a WWII contract.

[Johnny in Texas]

I have seen the exact same knife without the tl-29 on the blade without commercial markings.

[Ron James]

And not all the TL-29's were so marked, I've had several of the black handle knifes in my own tool boxes and my mechanics aircraft tool boxes that were unmarked. However all the brown wood handles TL's were so marked on the handle. These were very inexpensive knives, any that were marked Craftman would have been out of the contracts price line ( which was probably about a dollar apiece ).

[usmc69]

We were issued TL-28's and TL-29's the whole time I was on active duty. Never saw one that was marked CRAFTSMAN.

[rickgman]

There have been many commercial versions of the TL-29 marketed over the years. This tool has been very popular both in its miliary and commercial versions for many decades due to its great utility. I suspect that this was one of the commercial versions.

[Michaelp]

Still carry a TL 29 I scrounged in 1969.
Don't have it at hand, but I believe only 2 were issued and Craftsman not one of them.
Mine is black, but may once have been brown-can't remember.
They take a real good edge, but rust quick if not cared for.
Lost the holster and tool long ago.