Imperial Keen Kutter?

[Bret888]

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?

[knifeaholic]

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.

[Bret888]

That's interesting.. Thanks Steve!

[Joe Dirt]

Here's a Schrade Keen Kutter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1

...... Joe

[knifeaholic]

Here's a Schrade Keen Kutter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1

...... Joe

That one has the post-1973 tang stamp.