Keen Kutter Questions

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:56 pm

Here is an old E. C. Simmons Keen Kutter, Serpentine Jack?
Does anyone know the model number and approx date of manufacture?
The knife measures 3-1/2" closed, 6" open. Both Tangs stamped E C Simmons, Keen Kutter, St Louis MO
No model number stamps.
Sometimes I think I should buy some books but this is much more fun.
Thanks in advance!

knife-nut · Post by **knife-nut** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:41 pm

I think it would be a k2726 made between 1921 and 1926. That is a really nice knife by the way.

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Tue May 29, 2007 3:04 pm

Thanks Knife-nut !
It is one of my favorite knives, the shape of the Spear tip is awesome.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:15 pm

Paul,
Here is a pic I found in a copy of a 1924 Winchester-Simmonds catalog.
The K7725, the same knife but with Cocobolo handles, looks like it might be yours.
What do you think?
Is your knife 3-1/2 inches long when closed?

That is a real nice knife Paul. I love that main blade!

Wow, at $16/dozen, I think I will take three dozen in stag & three dozen in Cocobolo!

Or...........make that 12 dozen of each for a mere $384.......plus shipping I am sure.

Dale

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:39 pm

Dale,
Looks dead-on to me! The knife is 31/2" closed.
Many thanks for the pic!
Did you see my "Old Schrade Walden, How Old?" posted in the Knife Lore section? Up North has been after me for it.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Thu May 31, 2007 2:14 am

I just did, nice knife.

I have had company the last week & haven't been around the forum much. It looks like I have a days worth of reading to catch up, but I have too much work in the shop & yard work to do that anytime soon.

Dale

knife-nut · Post by **knife-nut** » Thu May 31, 2007 10:04 pm

Thats what I get for tring to make sense of keen kutters pattern numbers. The K2726 3/4 is the same knife with a clip blade instead of a spear. The 3/4 is used with a clip master blade. I wish they would have made it simple like Case did with their pattern numbers.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Thu May 31, 2007 11:05 pm

knife-nut wrote:Thats what I get for tring to make sense of keen kutters pattern numbers. The K2726 3/4 is the same knife with a clip blade instead of a spear. The 3/4 is used with a clip master blade. I wish they would have made it simple like Case did with their pattern numbers.

Don't feel bad, I wouldn't have known without the old catalogue. I don't have a key to their numbering system. Maybe LT knows as they were made by Walden Knife Co.

Here is some more info from the catalog that some of you Keen Kutter Kollectors might like. I included the first page of the knives too. These are the only pages I have cleaned up because of the bad copy bleed through, and the fact that the copy these were taken from are several generations old (copy wise), so there is an hour+ of cleanup to do on each page with Photoshop.

Dale

9ball · Post by **9ball** » Thu May 31, 2007 11:31 pm

I am sorry to butt in here but.......

Do you Folks have any info or know anything about Keen Kutter/Simmons straight razors?

9ball

BTW: That is a nice old knife in my book and catalog also. They sure make research easier.

knife-nut · Post by **knife-nut** » Thu May 31, 2007 11:44 pm

can you post a picture?

9ball · Post by **9ball** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:22 am

Here is a couple I shot quick. It looks better in hand and appears un-used, still tight. The Keen Kutter on the face is a deep etch/stamp. The tang is stamped:

SIMMONS H'DWRE CO
GERMANY

with 1026 running sideways to the stamp. Oh.......and its handles/scales are aluminum and embossed with what you see, very ornate.

If you need any other photo's, it may be tomorrow before I can get them together.

Thanks for looking this over for me.

9ball

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 4:33 pm

One place you might start looking is The Hardware Companies Kollectors Klub http://www.thckk.org/
They have all sort of things to do with Keen Kutter. I didn't see anything about razors, but if you sent them an email they might direct you to the right person.

Dale

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:26 pm

Dale,
Again many thanks for the pics from the old Remington Simmons catalog! Are there any Remington Knives listed in it? The reason I ask is
I have this little 3" jack knife with a tang stamp "Quick Point, St Louis"
and on the other side "Made by, Winchester, Trade Mark" I was wondering if it is from that era when the 2 companies were together?
I will take some pics of the tang stamps and post later.
Thanks Again, Paul

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:37 pm

Let me correct myself,
Winchester Simmons Catalog

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:10 pm

I think Winchester-Simmons was the name of a hardware store. Most of the other catalogs in this book are old hardware store catalogs.

One of them has Remington in it, but sorry, no Winchesters.

Dale

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:12 pm

hey paul, my info shows quick point as an adv. specialty co. and had knives made by remington and winchester. 1928-? sold knives in the 30s and 40s.

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:24 pm

Here are the tang stamps on the main "Spey" type blade.
The knife is 3" long and is missing most of the scales, seems like they were sort of a cracked ice cell. Maybe something for Muskrat Man

knife-nut · Post by **knife-nut** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:23 pm

Winchester Simmons was the Name of the Winchester Co. and Simmons Hardware Co.when they merged in 1922. In 1929 they split up and went there own ways. The Keen Kutter razor should be worth between $150.00 to $175.00.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:21 am

Thanks knife-nut.

I was not aware of that.

Dale

9ball · Post by **9ball** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:29 pm

Hello Folks

,

Thanks for the info

.
I emailed the Hardware Kollectors with the photo's, I will update this when/if I hear back.

I always look over old farm equipment, tools, etc. when I am out on the hunt and have several old catalogs, just never seen one of their razors like this before. I have a couple of other KK's, but not like this. I have also watched jiveBay over the years and no luck.

I have seen one other aluminum KK razor, but it had a different handle and blade design both. I assumed this may have been a certain 'Line' of their's, just have not confirmed.

Thanks again

,

9ball

BTW: I did see where an old Keen Kutter shaving brush sold for $160 at auction on their site.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 6:01 pm

9ball wrote: BTW: I did see where an old Keen Kutter shaving brush sold for $160 at auction on their site.

I noticed that they pay a LOT of money for Keen Kutter items.

Dale

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:38 pm

Paul M wrote:Here are the tang stamps on the main "Spey" type blade.
The knife is 3" long and is missing most of the scales, seems like they were sort of a cracked ice cell. Maybe something for Muskrat Man

You are indeed a professional photographer, Paul! Nice pics! Plesae show us the deteriorated cell, as this can be instructional to all us knowledge seekers.

QuickPoint was still in business in 1998 when Goins last reference book was published. It may be they stopped selling advertising knives at the advent of WWII, very likely due to limited availability. Winchester and Remington of course turned their efforts to war production.

Paul M · Post by **Paul M** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:36 pm

Charlie,
Here are the photos you requested. There are 2 small Cell peices left on the other side. With my limited knowledge I thought that there might have been some connection with the Winchester-Simmons Co.

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:04 pm

Well, there is no question that the liners are steel!
As you have probably figured out, your knife was probably made after Winchester and KeenKutter split up again.
Thanks for the pics, Paul! It's sort of like an anatomy lesson!
A few years ago, I bought two cell-handled Case knives from the USA period (65-69) that were mint, except for the handles which looked much like yours. The difference was, they had stainless blades, and brass liners, so after Case rehandled them they again looked mint.

knife-nut · Post by **knife-nut** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:00 pm

9ball wrote:I am sorry to butt in here but.......

Do you Folks have any info or know anything about Keen Kutter/Simmons straight razors?

9ball

BTW: That is a nice old knife in my book and catalog also. They sure make research easier.

A razor like yours closed on ebay today. http://cgi.ebay.com/Keen-Kutter-Diamond ... dZViewItem

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