Old Keen Kutter Knives

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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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

Some more great information on Keen Kutters, msteele6, thanks.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by Duffer »

Msteele6, I agree with Jim and Dan very excellent and insightful information ::tu:: I am going to save that information for future reference and use! Thank you very much, Lloyd
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KnifeSlinger#81 »

I got this one a while back at the tulsa show. Really nicely made, the springs are perfectly flush in all 3 positions which you don't see too often. It's like a baby schrade 294.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

Great old knife, Paul! ::tu:: Sellens lists that one (KS369) as being in the catalog only in 1942.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by KnifeSlinger#81 »

Thank you very much Dan! That would put it in the schrade cut era :)


Does anybody know if all the schrade made KK's were stamped on all blades?
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by msteele6 »

Nice knife.

I don't really collect the post WWII knives (that is, most of the Schrade made knives), however, I do have a few and all of the ones that I own are stamped on the master only. It may be that since yours is an early knife it was stamped on all blades and that the later ones are stamped on the master only, I had never noticed before, probably few of the knives in the 1942 catalog were manufactured due to the war effort.

Maybe Danno has a few he can examine and verify (or disprove) my observation. I only looked at 5, not a very big sample.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

I don't have any post Simmons KKs. I did look at as many Schrade made KKs as i could find on the other forum. That only amounted to about a half dozen. They were all stamped on the master blade only.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by JohnR »

Picked up this trapper this week, pattern #841, looks to be Schrade made to me.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by msteele6 »

Nice old knife! ::tu::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by upnorth »

Most KKs have attractive patterns! Nice thread!!
Here's a non-Simmons KK Jack. The bone looks like Camillus or Rodgers - (Any comments?) The liners are coined. The knife is about 3 11/16".
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

Charlie, it looks like a Camillus #18 clone to me.

Here's one with Indian Stag covers. (Camillus #18 that is.)
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by upnorth »

It does look like the pattern, Jerry! Is the length the same?
Also, did yours come with Stag, or was it rehandled??
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

No, the #18 is a little longer at 3-7/8" closed and that's Camillus's Indian Stag Delrin®. I guess any serpentine jack looks like any other serpentine jack as long as they are close to the same length so it's not really a clone. ::shrug::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

This nice Keen Kutter whittler came in the mail yesterday. A K343, 3 1/4", has the most beautiful pearl I have ever seen (hard to photograph well), coined liners (on the back), saleman's ink, and is just about the mintiest knife I own. Sellens says it was in the catalogs between 1905 to 1923.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by Duffer »

Gorgeous KK salesman sample Dan ::tu:: Another beautiful one to add to your expanding collection! They don't get any better than this primo Pearl Whittler. I love Whittlers and especially a KK etched Whittler. I bet this Pearl is something to behold in person ::nod:: Congratulations on this acquisition!! Lloyd
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

Lloyd, thanks very much for the kind comments.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by peanut740 »

A+ Dan. ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by LongBlade »

Awesome knife Dan ::tu:: ::tu:: .... A knife in that condition is hard not to like in every respect :) ...
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by gsmith7158 »

Dan that surely does favor an Empire! Beautiful knife. ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by Duffer »

Here is a 3.5 inch Congress pattern I acquired a while back. It is catalog number 4577 (pg. 214 in Sellens) incised on the back or pile side of the primary sheepfoot. If it ever had KEEN KUTTER etched on the primary sheepfoot it is gone. The folder may have been lightly buffed prior to when it came into my possession. Never looks to have been sharpened post production and all blades are completely full.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

thanks for the comments Roger, Lee and Greg. Beautiful congress, Lloyd!! ::tu:: ::tu:: I love that bone and the curved bar shield!
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is an E.C. Simmons Keen Kutter # K2245, a 3 1/2" Swell Center jack which i won on ebay from seller Mark who is an AAPK'er. Excellent example, never used, yet it received little bidding which was good for me but rather unfair to the seller.
I cannot see any reason why most KK collectors stayed away from this one. Can you ?
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by LongBlade »

Beautiful knife KJ ::tu:: ::tu:: ... I have no clue either why someone who collects KK would not bid on it - I can't imagine there are many out there in that condition and a nice pattern as well!!
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Thanks Lee. Yes, the Swell Center jack is a popular pattern. I think jigged bone is more sought after but this wood is very attractive and condition is close to as good as they get.
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Re: Old Keen Kutter Knives

Post by danno50 »

That is a very nice knife, Roland. ::tu:: ::tu:: It also puzzled me as well as to why that one sold so reasonably. I watched the auction tick down and was prepared for a flurry of last minute activity, was very surprised when yours was the only bid in the last few seconds?

edited: to remove comments which would have been better posted in another thread.
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