P38 and a TL-29

[chboats]

We are in the process of cleaning out our 98 yr old aunt's house after a stroke. When going through a box of stuff I found a P38. Most of you will remember what a P38 is but why she had one I don't know. She also had, some of you will know it is, a TL-29. Both bring back a lot of memories. If you need them pictures to follow.

Carl

[GOPHER SLAYER]

What's a TL29?

[Shooter]

Lineman's knife

[jeepyj]

Sometimes it kinda makes you wonder. It was like that when we cleaned out after my pop passed just stuff that after made my wonder why he even had it. I'd like to see a picture of you newTL29.
Jeepyj

[chboats]

A TL-29 is an electrician's pocket knife. It has a knife blade and a locking screwdriver blade. This one is old and needs more clean up and is missing the side plate with the TL-29 designation. When I was part of Uncle Sam's canoe club I carried one most of the time. Very handy

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/asset.php?fid=65742&uid=4866&d=136658612668106

[jeepyj]

Interesting, I'm going to have to have a look see if my pop had one of these he was a electrican an it looks very failure. i have a drawer in my tool box with a assortment of his old knives. Thank you for sharing.
Jeepyj

[beagle]

Got a TL-29 somewhere. The issued ones had TL-29 on the handles (some makers). When I made my last move, I found a GI sock full of the old style (smaller) P-38s in the wrapper. Think they came from when I was in Hawaii with the 25th Div, 3/4 Cav. Older P-38s had a metal spoon on them but I've lost theones I had./beagle

[chboats]

The P38 my aunt had was not an old one. This one is chrome plated. I had one on my key ring for a lot of years until the hole in the end ware through, never bothered to replace it. This TL-29 was probably my uncle's. He was in the Philippines during WWII, don't know why my aunt kept it. She got rid of most of his stuff after he passed about 15 years ago.

Carl

[472x1B/A]

I was not aware that they dated back to WW II. Bet I had at least 2 dozen of thoes electricans knives when I got out in '90. They make great birthday presents. Was issued a new P-38 everytime I went PCS or on a TDY. Never could convince anyone I already had more than 10 or 12 of them. That's 2 very handy tools to have around. Thanks for the picture chboats.

[deep creek]

When you said p-38 i smelled jungle .Still have some from nam in my camping gear.We used to get a few K rats with the old luckys and pall malls two drags and they were burning your nose:D thanks for the trip!!

[mnkyracer]

I have kept a P38 on my keychain for years. Even in high school they came in handy, although I would probably get suspended for it now. I would open soda cans to spit sunflower seeds for half the football team while we watched film.

[Dale in Louisiana]

When I worked as an electrician at one of the local plants they issued TL-29's to us. The one day one of the doofii pulled his out of his pocket to unscrew a terminal -- on a live 480-volt circuit. Knocked him visibly on his butt and while his co-workers were laughing, the only way he could save face was to get transported to first aid, making a big deal out of it.

By the time the safety fairies finished flitting around, TL-29's were history at that facility.

dale in Louisiana

[MtGun44]

Are we talking about a pistol or a can opener?

I have one of the electrician's knives, my Dad worked for AT&T back in the 1930s, probably got
it there. Never heard it called a TL-29.

Bil

[Smitty's Retired]

Are we talking about a pistol or a can opener?

I have one of the electrician's knives, my Dad worked for AT&T back in the 1930s, probably got
it there. Never heard it called a TL-29.

Bil

I was hoping he found a twin tailed, twin engine single seat WW-II fighter otherwise known as a Lightning!!! :bigsmyl2:

[Aces an Eights]

Are we talking about a pistol or a can opener?
Bil

Heck, I thought it must have been a big box to fit a twin engine fighter. :-)

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I felt rather stupid when I read that a TL-29 is a lineman's knife. I thought you were talking about a P38 Walther and another pistol I had never heard of. I have some TL29s myself. While I worked for the phone company I was never issued one but lineman were. I obtained a really old one from one of lineman that has rosewood handles. I let my son play with it when he was a small boy and either he or his friend broke the blade. I think it was his friend. My boy would never do such a thing.

[10-x]

First "GI issue"P-38 can openers were in some rations sets about 1943(according to WWII ration ration book) Wrapped in a small brown paper package, No spoon as GI's had mess kits with a knife, fork and spoon. Keep in mind most early WWII canned rations had the old time key like corned beef used to have. Pry out the tab, insert in the slot of the key and twist and twist. Have some original rations and a few P-38s in the collection. The TL-29 was also issued in a pouch with pliers, have to look it up or dig my set out .

[H.Callahan]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/P-38_Can_Opener.jpg/300px-P-38_Can_Opener.jpg

[WILCO]

I was hoping he found a twin tailed, twin engine single seat WW-II fighter otherwise known as a Lightning!!! :bigsmyl2:

Me too. Then I just figured a pistol. Kinda chuckled when I figured on can opener.

[WILCO]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/P-38_Can_Opener.jpg/300px-P-38_Can_Opener.jpg

Took mine off the keyring, as it kept on biting me at inopportune times.......

[BLTsandwedge]

I enlisted several years before C-rats went away- liked the green eggs and ham (didn't keep kosher in the Army). I still have a drawer full of P-38s.

The first Meal, Ready to Excrete (MRE) packs (circa '83) were some nasty poo. Half of 'em had some kind of biscuit made out of dessicated pork or beef. Couldn't break it with an E-tool. Then there was 'chicken ala king'.......looked worse than what you find all over the bar parking lot at 3am Sunday. MREs did get better with time though.

[Blacksmith]

The P-38 has a web site:
http://www.p-38.net/

[nicholst55]

I quit carrying a P-38 on my keyring because it kept wearing holes in my pockets. I use a Letherman for that purpose now. I picked an electricians knife up off the ground when I was out at the lake last Memorial Day. Figure some Marine dropped it, since it was at a Marine Corps recreation area. Hope he didn't have to pay for it.

[William Yanda]

TL-29 was also a tool that came in the blasting kit. Speaking of MRE's, when they first came out, I brought some home bragging on the freeze dried fruit. MLW tried some of the peaches-without rehydrating them. She wasn't impressed