Imperial Keen Kutter?
Imperial Keen Kutter?
Does anyone know the story on this one? It is a fairly modern Imperial, with a Keen Kutter etch on it, and the razor blade etch on the back. Did Imperial have the Keen Kutter rights at one time?
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- Gold Tier
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- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:41 am
- Location: Central Massachusetts
Re: Imperial Keen Kutter?
That knife dates from the mid 1960's to mid 1970's.
My understanding is that Val-Test (a hardware distributor) owned the KEEN KUTTER Trademarks starting in the early 1960's. I have also seen quite a few Schrade and Ulster made knives with delrin handles from that same time frame with the Schrade or Ulster standard tang stamps and wit the KEEN KUTTER blade etch.
So my speculation would be that Val-Test had Schrade/Ulster/Imperial supply standard product knives with the added KEEEN KUTTER blade etch.
My understanding is that Val-Test (a hardware distributor) owned the KEEN KUTTER Trademarks starting in the early 1960's. I have also seen quite a few Schrade and Ulster made knives with delrin handles from that same time frame with the Schrade or Ulster standard tang stamps and wit the KEEN KUTTER blade etch.
So my speculation would be that Val-Test had Schrade/Ulster/Imperial supply standard product knives with the added KEEEN KUTTER blade etch.
Steve Pfeiffer, author of Collecting Case Knives: Identification and Price Guide published by Krause Publications.
Re: Imperial Keen Kutter?
That's interesting.. Thanks Steve!
Re: Imperial Keen Kutter?
I've got a camouflage knife, but I can't find it.......
..... cardboard addicted.....
"The old timer's concentrated on making knives; not keeping records!!" ~ Bonfire bob
..... cardboard addicted.....
"The old timer's concentrated on making knives; not keeping records!!" ~ Bonfire bob
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- Gold Tier
- Posts: 5129
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:41 am
- Location: Central Massachusetts
Re: Imperial Keen Kutter?
That one has the post-1973 tang stamp.Joe Dirt wrote:Here's a Schrade Keen Kutter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1
...... Joe
Steve Pfeiffer, author of Collecting Case Knives: Identification and Price Guide published by Krause Publications.