Old Keen Kutter Knives
- 1967redrider
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Cool find, I'll look in the Sellens book when I get home.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
- 1967redrider
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Well, Sellens lists a K4428 Vaquero in stag, made from 1905-1942, a red and white striped cell (K4425/C), and some Pearl variations as K4429. Price and Zalesky list it as stag too.ratlesnake75 wrote:Hey Guys, Can you help me with approximate dating of this E.C Simmons Keen kutter & where it may have been made?
It has all nickel silver construction, hammered pins & the small Winchester type shield which lead me to think its 1920s era but I dont know.
On back of master blade is stamped 4428
Thank you very much for the help on this one
Kind Regards,
Mark
Could it be buffalo horn?
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
- ratlesnake75
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Thank you Redrider for looking that up. There is not a "K" in the pattern# --- Does that matter?
I also notice my shield is different than these pics. I really believe the handles are "slick black" composition
Kindest Regards,
Mark
I also notice my shield is different than these pics. I really believe the handles are "slick black" composition
Kindest Regards,
Mark
I Buy/Sell/Trade All Vintage Antique Pocket knives from Junkers to Mint. I am Easy going, so Please shoot me a message ANYTIME!!! l Live & Breath KNIVES Everyday.
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Nice looking KA-BAR, mastiff!
Mark, I believe your knife is the K4428, which 1967redrider posted from Sellens. Sellens produced his guide by looking at all the Simmons catalogs put out. However, there are gaps of up to 3 years where Simmons did not produce a catalog. I am sure that there were occasional handle variations produced that never made it into a catalog. I have 3 good Keen Kutters that have handle material that is different than that listed in Sellens guide. Also, Sellens picked one catalog cut out of the many years that a pattern was produced to represent that pattern. I am sure there were minor variations in shields etc. which are not represented by the one picture.
I would agree with you that your knife was likely made by Winchester. In my simplified view, a stamped pattern number, not preceded by the K, is usually a Winchester made knife.
Mark, I believe your knife is the K4428, which 1967redrider posted from Sellens. Sellens produced his guide by looking at all the Simmons catalogs put out. However, there are gaps of up to 3 years where Simmons did not produce a catalog. I am sure that there were occasional handle variations produced that never made it into a catalog. I have 3 good Keen Kutters that have handle material that is different than that listed in Sellens guide. Also, Sellens picked one catalog cut out of the many years that a pattern was produced to represent that pattern. I am sure there were minor variations in shields etc. which are not represented by the one picture.
I would agree with you that your knife was likely made by Winchester. In my simplified view, a stamped pattern number, not preceded by the K, is usually a Winchester made knife.
Dan
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Danno that is Awesome & I THANK YOU Sir for your expertise & sharing of information
Kindest Regards,
Mark
Kindest Regards,
Mark
I Buy/Sell/Trade All Vintage Antique Pocket knives from Junkers to Mint. I am Easy going, so Please shoot me a message ANYTIME!!! l Live & Breath KNIVES Everyday.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Here is an EC Simmons Keen Kutter K2825 I felt sorry for. I found it today at the antique store and I guess the previous owner rehandled one side of it and then carved "J Hill" in it. Previous owners name I guess. Main blade has Hammer Forged on it. I guess I just felt it needed to come home with me. Cleaned her up a bit and oiled it and know she snaps like a gator. Thanks for looking.
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Nice one
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Thank you sir.msteele6 wrote:Nice one
- 1967redrider
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Nice, woodwalker! I like how they stamped the blades on those in the series.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Thanks redrider!! Appreciate your comment!1967redrider wrote:Nice, woodwalker! I like how they stamped the blades on those in the series.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Thanks Danno! Some, I feel, still deserve some pocket time! Been carrying that rascal since I got her. I think it makes her smile. Sure does me. LOL.danno50 wrote:Lot's of character in that old girl!
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Here are some of my favorite keen kutters. 1st is a E.C.Simmons stag handled congress whistler. 2nd is a keen litter quill knife. 3rd is a E.C.Simmoms stag handled doodleg jack. 4th is a Simmons Hornet lockback dirk. It has an unusual locking mechanism. You have to swivel the guard on the back side to unlock the blade.
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
I can see why they are favorites. Very nice group of KK knives.
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Wayne
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Wayne
Please visit My AAPK store https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/btrwtr
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Very nice!!knife-nut wrote: ↑Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:50 am Here are some of my favorite keen kutters. 1st is a E.C.Simmons stag handled congress whistler. 2nd is a keen mutter quill knife. 3rd is a E.C.Simmoms stag handled doodles jack. 4th is a Simmons Hornet lockback dirk. It has an unusual locking mechanism. You have to swivel the guard on the back side to unlock the blade.
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Those are some great KKs.knife-nut wrote: ↑Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:50 am Here are some of my favorite keen kutters. 1st is a E.C.Simmons stag handled congress whistler. 2nd is a keen litter quill knife. 3rd is a E.C.Simmoms stag handled doodleg jack. 4th is a Simmons Hornet lockback dirk. It has an unusual locking mechanism. You have to swivel the guard on the back side to unlock the blade.
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
- 1967redrider
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
The stag on those is amazing!
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Four lovely old knives, knife-nut! Beautiful stag on the congress and the dogleg, but I am especially partial to the old pick bone on the quill knife.
Dan
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
I picked up this Keen Kutter over the weekend at our local flea market. It is going to need some work to get it back in shape, but I bet it was a nice one when new and spendy too. I don't know that I have seen the butt end bolsters stamped Keen Kutter before. It is a coffin handle jack, pattern # 2203. The work needed includes a new spring on the small pen blade and there are a couple of pieces of bone missing on the pile side. Blades have been sharpened a lot, but are still usable. The tang stamp includes the E. C. Simmons name.
In reading further back in this thread, it appears that the Camillus made ones were marked K2203, and the Keen Kutter tang stamp had "ears". This doesn't have either of those characteristics, so was it most likely made by Winchester?
In reading further back in this thread, it appears that the Camillus made ones were marked K2203, and the Keen Kutter tang stamp had "ears". This doesn't have either of those characteristics, so was it most likely made by Winchester?
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
No knife rule is absolute in my experience, however, in my opinion this is a Walden (Winchester) made knife. Sellens has a date of manufacture for this knife of 1921-1939. If it's not a Walden pattern it's exactly like the Walden pattern. Oddly, in Sellens book this pattern is shown with two different patterns, one at 3 1/2" and one at 3 7/8". The 3 7/8" knife is completely different from the 2201, and 2204 and presumably from the unshown (in Sellens) 2203 (yours).
JMO
JMO
Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives
Nice knives Mark.
Harold
Harold