Old Keen Kutter Knives

Keen Kutter was first used as a knife brand by Simmons Hardware Company in 1870. The trademark was used on the highest quality tools and cutlery Simmons offered.
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btrwtr
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by btrwtr »

The single clip blade with the blue handle is a more modern knife. I don’t believe it is a remake but rather more of a fantasy knife. There were quite a few handle color variations of them and they were more plentiful when first put out on the market 20 or more years ago. Not sure who was responsible for them.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, Bill.
This bone does have some personality. :)
Joe
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KAW »

Picked up a couple of old Keek Kutters at the Lehigh Valley Knife Show last Saturday. :D
Hoping the folks here can tell me what pattern numbers they are and if the were made at the Walden factory?
Keeping my fingers crossed...

First the sleeveboard with the "rat tail" bolsters @ 3¼" closed...
Can someone tell me if the clip blade is the original shape or has it been ground down?
10933 10931 10932

then there the Coke bottle Jack @ 3¾"...
10929 10927 10928

Here's a group shot with the MoP steak? knife my girlfiend picked at the show.
Can't tell in the photo but it has the the "Simmons Keen Kutter" logo stamped in the middle of the blade & a patina that looks like tarnished silver. If anyone has more to add about this piece I'm all ears...
10930
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by peanut740 »

Ken,from the picture your sleeveboard looks short.Close it and look down from the top and see how far from the opposite bolster the blade ends.
I don't know if Walden or Winchester made your cokebottle.I had a Winchester in that pattern with the double ringed bolster.Is that a weld spot on the back of the main blade?Regardless of that it is a nice knife. ::tu::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by thefarside »

Ken,
I would take a hard look at your Coke Bottle, most old EC Simmons Keen Kutter's have all blades stamped with the keystone stamp. The pen blade in addition to not being stamped, doesn't appear to sit correctly in the frame in the open position.
Jim
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by peanut740 »

Jim you are correct.I really didn't look at the secondary blade or blow up the photos.It should be a pen.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KAW »

peanut740 wrote:Ken,from the picture your sleeveboard looks short.Close it and look down from the top and see how far from the opposite bolster the blade ends.
Thanks Roger for your comments. It took a while before I could get around taking another photo with the proper angle to see how the clip blade sits in the slot with the other blade. It seems to me to be pretty close to being the original length... but then again... I totally missed the replaced blade in the cokebottle... BTW thanks Jim for pointing that out... it is what it is I guess... still not too bummed about it tho... it is still my first of that pattern.

10967
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by msteele6 »

The pen knife appears to be a K0678 3/4. The clip is a little short, a nice old knife.

The coke bottle is a K2718 3/4. :)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KAW »

Thanks msteele6 for those pattern numbers. 8)
Would you happen to know the time range they were offered?
I'm trying to pin down the probability of them being made by Walden.
With the rat tail bolsters on the sleeveboard, I was hoping it would be a good candidate?...
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by FRJ »

Nice knives, Ken.
That sleeveboard is a real looker. ::tu::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by msteele6 »

KAW wrote:Thanks msteele6 for those pattern numbers. 8)
Would you happen to know the time range they were offered?
I'm trying to pin down the probability of them being made by Walden.
With the rat tail bolsters on the sleeveboard, I was hoping it would be a good candidate?...
The K0678 3/4 is shown in Sellen's as being produced from 1914 thru 1920 therefore I believe that it is a Walden produced knife. The K2718 3/4 is shown being produced from 1905 thru 1929 therefore it might have been produced at the Winchester plant after the acquisition of Walden, still probably a Walden pattern produced on Walden equipment by Walden workers primarily.

JMO
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KAW »

Thanks Joe for the complement.
Great info msteele6! ::tu:: ... just what I was hoping for! 8)
Would you know anything about the fixed blade knife with MoP handles? Is it a steak knife?
It has a razor sharp edge with the the logo stamped in the middle of the blade.
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

Nice finds, Ken! ::tu:: Great master blade on the coke bottle. I am intrigued by that lovely MOP fixed blade.
Dan
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by Tsar Bomba »

I don't think I've ever posted this knife here (or anywhere, at least until yesterday). It's an ugly, worn-out HOK but it's a Simmons.
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Tony
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KAW »

Tsar Bomba wrote:It's an ugly, worn-out HOK but it's a Simmons.
That's exactly how I would describe the Ulster barlow I picked up while on vacation this summer...
but its the first real old one I've come across so far & figure it will make due until a better one comes along...
besides... just imagine the stories such a knife could tell... :)
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

Tony, that truly is an honest old knife, I don't find it ugly at all! ::tu:: ::tu::
Dan
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by edge213 »

Tsar Bomba wrote:I don't think I've ever posted this knife here (or anywhere, at least until yesterday). It's an ugly, worn-out HOK but it's a Simmons.
It's a Barlow,
It's a Keen Kutter,
Therefore it's beautiful!
David
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by FRJ »

Here's a nice little whittler. 2 7/8" closed.

I can't find this exact knife in Sellin's book.
He does show a K3808 with a bar shield and a milled back.
1912 - 1916
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by Duffer »

Joe, very nice! Who wouldn’t be attracted to that beauty ::tu::
Lloyd
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

That is a beauty, Joe! ::tu:: Still has some blade etch left to boot!
Dan
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by FRJ »

Thank you so much for your comments, Lloyd and Dan.
Joe
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by BWT »

That's one beautiful little knife Joe, very nice!!!
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by woodwalker »

Here are 2 Keen Kutters I bought today at my local antique store. Any info on them would be appreciated. I am unfamiliar with Keen Kutters. Thanks for looking. :)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, Bill. ::tu::

There you go woodwalker. ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by woodwalker »

FRJ wrote:Thank you, Bill. ::tu::

There you go woodwalker. ::tu:: ::tu::
Thanks Joe!! :)
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