Lets see your Keen Kutter knives!

[Hawke]

I posted this one in another thread, but its on the web so wont take up more space on the server here. I'd like to see some Keen Kutters.

Also is there a "chronological order of shields" Keen Kutter used someone can post.

My fav KK. (btw thats a Keen Kutter 36" four fold rule there too)

[Codger_64]

Here is my favorite Keen Kutter, their #K911, a SFO Schrade Walden pattern 138L Bowie Hunter. The blade is faintly etched "Keen Kutter K911". I don't know what year it was made, but the regular production 138L Schrades date from 1957-1973.


It is a 9 3/4" overall length, a saber ground carbon steel 5 1/8" clip point blade, leather washer handle with spacers, curved aluminum bowie style guard, and aluminum flat pommel. This pattern was a varient of the H-15. It was first cataloged in 1957, two years before the introduction of the H-15. It listed for $3.95 in 1962. 1973 ½ was the last year for this pattern, and it listed for $8.00.

If you are familiar with the regular prouction Schrade Walden knife, you will note the presence of additional red spacers, and fiber spacers which changed the leather washer handle profile. It has the stock Schrade Walden tangstamp, as did many of the SFO knives from those years for Keen Kutter, Sears, etc.
Here it is pictured with the standard 138L.


The pommel is also riveted, not wedged or pinned as was usually used on this pattern.


Codger

[Mossdancer]

Thanks Hawke;
Been waiting for a good place to post this guy. Codger if you peek the 143 above has a dog chewed handle, is it a full tang, would it take a guard and stag handle or is it worth it?
W.B.

[Hawke]

I think I read that the Keen Kutters with tang stamps on all blades were older than single stamped KK's

[Codger_64]

... Codger if you peek the 143 above has a dog chewed handle, is it a full tang, would it take a guard and stag handle or is it worth it?
W.B.

Worth is a relative term. As in resale? As in a user? I bought a pile 'o Safe-T-Grip knives and reworked some for kitchen duty by regrinding the blades. They are good steel and take a keen edge with a bit of work.

They are full hidden tang, and could be reworked to take a guard, and a stag handle without too much trouble. Your work would be easier with a broken parts knife (or used dog) like a 153OT, which already has the butt plate, drum and screw, and guard you need. The drum goes thru the hole in the tang, and the screw goes thru the butt plate into the drum via a slot cut in the end of the tang. The screw holds the guard, handle, and butt plater in compression. Yes, a very doable project. Drill the chamfers of the thong hole bushing on the 143 to remove the handle.

Here is a Safe-T-Grip fillet blank so you can see the tang shape..they are common to the whole series as are the handles. Let us see what you come up with!


Codger