Old Keen Kutter Knives

[FRJ]

Thank you, Dan.
Yes, the covers have been on there a while.
Some one cared for this knife and rightly so.

[jxr1197]

Nice knives Jason and Joe! Joe, the handle replacement looks like it was well done quite some time ago. With fairly full blades and that spiral punch it is a nice old knife.
Jason, Sharpshinyknives has one just like the one in your last post in his AAPK store. It is a very distinctive clip blade. I am at a loss on it as to where it fits in. The tang stamps, on yours and on the one in the AAPK store, do not look quite right for old Simmons era Keen Kutters. I would not be surprised if they were more recent remakes, possibly in the 60s by Val-Test Distributors??

Thanks for the info Dan, I hadn't even thought of Val-Test because honestly I didn't know they owned the rights to Simmons tang stamps - that just adds a whole new layer of confusion to Keen Kutter knives. BTW I bought this one from sharpshinyknives on ebay - I hadn't seen the other one here.

[msteele6]

I've seen quite a few KK's in this pattern, can't remember seeing one that wasn't mint which always makes me think fake or "unauthorized" reproduction etc. It's hard not to assume this given the fact that E.C. Simmons name is on the tang. E.C. Simmons, of course, went out of business before WWII.

JMO

[BWT]

Here's a nice old knife that apparently has been recovered.
Sellens book says this should have Celluloid covers.
As it is, it has cracked jigged bone with a patch, thank you very much.
I love the spiral and those blades. And the pattern. And the stamp. And the nickel silver liners.
3 5/8" closed.

That's a good looking knife anyway Joe, I like the bone better than celluloid!!

[danno50]

I've seen quite a few KK's in this pattern, can't remember seeing one that wasn't mint which always makes me think fake or "unauthorized" reproduction etc. It's hard not to assume this given the fact that E.C. Simmons name is on the tang. E.C. Simmons, of course, went out of business before WWII.

JMO

Sellens say "The trademark name and logo" were purchased by Val-Test in 1960. Perhaps Val-Test used both the EC Simmons and Keen Kutter names?? However, you are probably right and they are unauthorized reproductions, but, are they "reproductions" if they are a pattern that EC Simmons never made?

[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.

[FRJ]

Thank you, Bill.
This bone does have some personality.

[KAW]

Picked up a couple of old Keek Kutters at the Lehigh Valley Knife Show last Saturday.
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?


then there the Coke bottle Jack @ 3¾"...


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...

[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.

[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

[peanut740]

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

[KAW]

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.

[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.

[KAW]

Thanks msteele6 for those pattern numbers.
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?...

[FRJ]

Nice knives, Ken.
That sleeveboard is a real looker.