Old Keen Kutter Knives

[timgreene48]

This is a sweet little one that I just picked up. According to Sellens book, this should be white celluloid, although it has turned a nice soft yellow. I can't find any sign of "outgassing", although I have never experienced that horror as of yet. Still, a sweet little knife!

[danno50]

Joe, very nice bone on that pen knife. Tim, another couple of good ones. I like the dog leg pattern.
Dan

[timgreene48]

Thanks Dan, these kk's are fun to collect.

[1967redrider]

Thanks Dan, these kk's are fun to collect.

I'll second that, tim!

Here's my last 2 finds; a pristine 6559 scout and an 853 folding hunter in feather jigged black comp.

Happy knifing!

[royal0014]

Here's my last 2 finds; a pristine 6559 scout and an 853 folding hunter in feather jigged black comp.

Really Knice Love that red bone!!

[danno50]

Nice finds, redrider, that folding hunter looks to be in good condition as well without much blade loss.
Dan

[Miller Bro's]

Beautiful scout knife!

[timgreene48]

Man redrider, those are pretty sweet! I especially like the scout knife. beautiful bone on that one, and I like that shield. Keep them coming!!

[1967redrider]

You guys are too kind, thanks.

The folding hunter is nice but just not quite as nice as the scout. Bought them at auction with only one picture, just of the mark side. I always hope for the best but expect the worst, these 2 were winners.

[1967redrider]

You guys are too kind, thanks.

The folding hunter is nice but just not quite as nice as the scout. Bought them at auction with only one picture, just of the mark side. I always hope for the best but expect the worst, these 2 were winners.

[danno50]

You did good on those two. The scout does have nice bone, but I still prefer the folding hunter. Scouts just are not my favourite pattern.
Dan

[Miller Bro's]

[timgreene48]

Now that is one sweet knife! Love the stag handles

[danno50]

I love that one, MB, beautiful old knife.
Dan

[Miller Bro's]

Thanks guy!

[steve99f]

Picked this one up at the Lehigh Valley Knife show yesterday. The master is a little slow, the re-profiled secondary is snappy though. Nice reddish brown bone. This one has both blades stamped KK inside the logo and the master blade is stamped K0198. Is the KK stamp common? Used on smaller blades? A couple of pics.

[timgreene48]

Steve, according to Alvin Sellen's book, the KK stamping was used after 1939 when Shapleigh hardware acquired the keenkutter name. I would imagine that it is fairly common, and used on all patterns made after that date. Hope this helps, and by the way, that's a sweet knife!!

[FRJ]

Here's a little peanut I got today at the local flea. Lots of action and half stops x2 with the common KK stamp.
I gotta keep an eye on these covers.
Nice knife Steve.

[steve99f]

Thanks for the replies guys. The few references I've got were silent on the KK stamp, so thanks for filling that in.

That's a nice 'nut Joe.

[msteele6]

Picked this one up at the Lehigh Valley Knife show yesterday. The master is a little slow, the re-profiled secondary is snappy though. Nice reddish brown bone. This one has both blades stamped KK inside the logo and the master blade is stamped K0198. Is the KK stamp common? Used on smaller blades? A couple of pics.

I own 170 Keen Kutters, of those, maybe 2 have the "KK" inside the logo stamping. The ones I've seen do not appear to be late (Goins' says AFTER 1960, manifestly incorrect in my opinion). To me, the ones I've seen appear to be closer to 1940 (more in line with Sellens). In addition, the pattern number K0198 is an early pattern. In Sellens' book, he lists it as being manufactured only until 1941. I would date it to close to the 1941 date.

JMO

[Miller Bro's]

I have very few with that tang stamp.

[msteele6]

Thought about this a little more and I have a few more thoughts. First, this knife appears to be a Camillus made knife. I base that on appearance and also the fact that the pattern number, as I understand it, incorporates the "K" into it. In my experience knives with the "K" in the pattern number are Camillus manufacture. This stamp might very well have been made about the time of the transition between E.C. Simmons and Shapleigh. It would make sense that the "normal" stamp (the one with the words "Keen Kutter" inside the logo and with E.C. Simmons at the top) would be discontinued. Probably Camillus would still be producing the knives since they seemed to be the one producing most of the knives for E.C. Simmons after the breakup with Winchester and the consequent ending of production of knives by Walden. That would place production right around 1940.

Of course, all of this is speculation, however, it is based on knowledge of the history of the Keen Kutter stamping.

Still, JMO.

Would love to hear other opinions, especially from someone with direct knowledge.

[steve99f]

msteele6:

Thanks for the added clarification on my little KK, much appreciated!

[jerryd6818]

This recent acquisition is not old (I'm thinking 1950s). It's in very good condition and most likely made by Camillus.

[Miller Bro's]

That`s a nice shield Jerry

Post a picture of it over in the shield thread