Cutlery Catalog Images

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:58 pm

The Keen Kutter catalog scans posted above all come from a website "www.blackburntools.com". They were originally scanned by Rose Allen of Rose Tools. Their website has been taken down and the catalog scans are now hosted on the blackburn tools website. The catalog scans are under the Articles tab on the home page of the website. There are catalog scans of many hardware companies besides Simmons (Bellknap, Shapleigh to name a couple I can remember right now).
I went to the website to get the reference prior to posting the 1939 catalog scans, and decided maybe I should email the website and see if they were OK with me posting them. The website primarily sells vintage tools.
I will post the 1939 catalog scans once I hear back from the website.
Dan

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:18 am

Just got an email from the owner of http://www.blackburntools.com giving me the go ahead to post the catalog scans from his website. He sells new and vintage woodworking tools on his site. This post and the three following have the pages with knives from the 1939 Simmons catalog scan.
Dan

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:20 am

Some more

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:22 am

Some more

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:24 am

and the last of the 1939 catalog scans

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:58 pm

Thanks Dan and Bt for starting this thread.

It takes a lot of time and effort to post these cuts, I appreciate it,even when they don't list a single spring double ended jack ,with a pruning blade. I grin.

Beechtree · Post by **Beechtree** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:09 am

Thanks Dan, those are great! Amongst the first batch, the top bolster on the crown jack is really fancy. Thats a pretty and rare pattern. There is a lot to look at in the second batch, Wowzers. I appreciate the website operator giving the go ahead and I appreciate your initiative to get these posted.

Here is a few more from the 1914 Richards Conover catalog. All likely Ulster made.

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:22 am

Beechtree wrote:Thanks Dan, those are great! Amongst the first batch, the top bolster on the crown jack is really fancy. Thats a pretty and rare pattern. There is a lot to look at in the second batch, Wowzers. I appreciate the website operator giving the go ahead and I appreciate your initiative to get these posted.

Here is a few more from the 1914 Richards Conover catalog. All likely Ulster made.

What was your reasoning as Ulster made,you know I'd have to agree. Grinning

Beechtree · Post by **Beechtree** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:22 am

Well, you called it with the comparison to your Ulster farmers jack.
Often when old companies presented their brand of knives in a catalog (this one being a salesman catalog) you could get the house brand or the manufacturers brand (along with other imported brands or common brands such as Russell barrows). Also used, as in this case, the house brand would make up most of the listing with just a token listing by the manufacturer. In this catalog, they offer a short section of Ulster and I would therefore surmise that the rest are also Ulster make. While this is not always the case, I would think it is in this instance.

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:48 am

Me too.
Here is an example of how beneficial catalog cuts are. Assuming the Rich Con is an Ulster,to which Bt seems to agree.First this 1884 HSB catalog shows they contracted some knives from Ulster. 1884 is the date ,and comparing Ulster farmers jacks I have shows the progression of their jigging patterns and helps me date these knives reasonably well.

The HSB shows a very early form of jigging (1884). The Rich Con shows an early form of typical jigging with many manufacturers,albeit early (1914) and Ulster's own style.

1. Matches the cut in the 1884 HSB catalog closely:

2. Shows the more intricate form of the same style jigging. Seems reasonable to say it dates somewhere between the 1884 and the 1914 Rich Con

3.Seems a little later based upon the jigging,for lack of a better analogy, less pick bone and more intricate than the Rich Con Ulster (I believe) cut. Probably a little later c 1920 .

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:58 am

These last 2 show similar jigging,and helps me approximately guess the ages of them.

A cut in an 1890 catalog showing Southington farmers jack also.

1. A Holley I bought especially because of the jigging. Might be the earliest form of this style I have. All these early ones exhibit a faded less dyed bone also. c 1880s or earlier ?.

2.Southington which seems close to the 1884's style. Notice all these makers were manufacturing knives 1876 or before,with Ulster being Ellenville Co Op previously.

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 4:39 am

Beechtree and Lyle, thanks for the kind words. I just looked back through this thread and count 7 or 8 other members who have also posted some great catalog pages. Lyle, Sellens book lists a farmers jack made by Keen Kutter between 1905 and 1920, too bad it wasn't listed in the 1912 catalog. I like the way you insert photos of your knives to illustrate the points you are making. Here are the fixed blade knives from the 1939 Simmons catalog. When I get a bit more time I will post the knife pages from the 1959 Shapeleigh catalog.
Dan

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 3:39 pm

danno50 wrote: When I get a bit more time I will post the knife pages from the 1959 Shapeleigh catalog.
Dan

It takes time Dan, and I appreciate yours. I have the Sellens book and a well used Keen Kutter farmers jack. Thanks

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:20 pm

Thanks again, Lyle. I do (now after the reminder) remember when you first got the Keen Kutter and posted it.
Dan

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:56 pm

This page and the ones following are the catalog pages with knives from the 1959 Shapeleigh catalog.
Dan

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:59 pm

Some more

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:01 pm

Some more

danno50 · Post by **danno50** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:04 pm

The last page of them

RobesonsRme.com · Post by **RobesonsRme.com** » Tue Feb 09, 2016 2:17 am

SMITH'S KEY

In 1816, a Sheffield engraver named Joseph Smith published, "Explanation or Key To The Various Manufactories Of Sheffield; With Engravings Of Each Article Designed For The Utility Of Merchants, Wholesale Ironmongers And Travellers".

That's quite a title, so it kind of got shortened to "Smith's Key".

It contained engraved plates of all kinds of tools and also contained several pages of pocketknives.

The whole thing can be downloaded from the internet at a website called, Lost Art Press".

Here are some nice plates of circa 1816 Sheffield folders or "spring knives", as opposed to knives without springs.

Charlie Noyes