KEEN KUTTER 887

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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tnorton
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KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by tnorton »

I am not a Keen Kutter collector - Does this Tang Stamp / number 887 give any indication of date range? or other info - Thanks
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edge213
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by edge213 »

tnorton wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:03 am I am not a Keen Kutter collector - Does this Tang Stamp / number 887 give any indication of date range? or other info - Thanks
1940 to 1960. While Shapleigh Hardware owned the KK name.
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
tnorton
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by tnorton »

edge213 wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:34 am
tnorton wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:03 am I am not a Keen Kutter collector - Does this Tang Stamp / number 887 give any indication of date range? or other info - Thanks
1940 to 1960. While Shapleigh Hardware owned the KK name.
Thanks David - I searched for a Keen Kutter tang stamp chart - no luck
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1967redrider
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by 1967redrider »

tnorton wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:16 pm
edge213 wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:34 am
tnorton wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:03 am I am not a Keen Kutter collector - Does this Tang Stamp / number 887 give any indication of date range? or other info - Thanks
1940 to 1960. While Shapleigh Hardware owned the KK name.
Thanks David - I searched for a Keen Kutter tang stamp chart - no luck

Alvin Sellens put together a great reference book on KK knives. On Amazon if you're interested. 😉
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tnorton
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by tnorton »

thanks redrider
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by ea42 »

Schrade did a lot of knives for them in those days. That one looks like the turkish clip stockman pattern with propwood handles. Those were made during the early to mid-fifities.

Eric
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by tnorton »

ea42 wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 11:16 pm Schrade did a lot of knives for them in those days. That one looks like the turkish clip stockman pattern with propwood handles. Those were made during the early to mid-fifities.

Eric
Now that you mention it - I compared to Schrade Walden 825 very close and the handles i compared to 832 with the prop wood handles - I think your on to something Eric
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1967redrider
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by 1967redrider »

Napanoch and Winchester made early KK's, Schrade and (Camillus/🤔someone else???) made the more recent ones.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
ea42
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by ea42 »

Napanoch never made the early Keen Kutters. Walden Knife Co made the early ones and continued to do so after Simmons Bought them out in 1902. Fast forward to 1919 when Winchester decided to get into the knife making business via acquisitions. They purchased the Eagle Knife Company and Napanoch Knife Co and moved the equipment to New haven, Ct. This wasn't quite cutting it so in 1922 they merged with Simmons and in the process got the Walden Knife Co, whose employees and equipment they also moved to New Haven. It was at this time that Winchester was producing the Keen Kutter knives and continued to do so for some time. Around 1940 Shapleigh bought Simmons and during this time Keen Kutter knife production moved to Schrade and others. This is also the time that the tang stamp changed to just Keen Kutter, with the old St.Louis portion omitted.

So it was possible that some ex Napanoch employees made Keen Kutter knives whilst working for Winchester but Napanoch Knife Co itself was never involved.

Eric
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by 1967redrider »

Thanks for the clarification, Eric. ::handshake::
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
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Re: KEEN KUTTER 887

Post by ea42 »

Any time amigo! ::handshake::

Things definitely did get convoluted between the companies back then.

Eric
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