Keen Kutters.

[lenny357]

I looked briefly but didn’t see a Keen Kutter thread so I thought I would start one. Just came into a bunch of them. Any info, comments and pictures would be great. Don’t know much about this company at all.

K828 I think this one the last pictured is NEW a Repro???? The other 2 look old. Again I just have pictures for now soon they will be at my door step

[johnnierotten]

I like that sleeveboard,she's got some pretty scales!!

[peterforce]

the top 2 knives i have actually seen both before.

the one on the pic says rosewood. but i belive u=its ebony. keen kutter used ebony on alot of blades dont remeber so much rosewood. i could be wrong
the sleeveboard scales are awesome.
i had seen the same exact knife on the bay a few months back but iy had patch work on the scales so i let it go.

heres my only keen kutter.

lenny you like this...dont cha..

what i love about even the new keen kutters made by bear and son is that all materials ,even the nmammoth is USA made. the mammoth is from alaska.

2006 keen kutter interior mammoth swinguard with keen kutter cigar band. i love that band. the mammoth is beautful to.

[johnnierotten]

I like that cigar band swing guard!! I was tempted to buy one and didn't....wish I had now!!

[upnorth]

Here's two; a Jack and a Hawk, old style.

[upnorth]

And here is a nice set of old Keen Barlows!

[peterforce]

the main blade on that bottom barlow is awesome.

[jonet143]

someone used this one! k882

[lenny357]

Upnorth, that Hawk is very MINT nice one.

That Barlow was more than used it was well loved. Heres another one Simmons Co. I think this one was made in Germany. So Far this is what I have on Keen info....>

The Simmons "Keen Kutter" Brand had become known all over our gret country around 1922. As for Pocket cutlery Keen Kutter was the Simmons premium brand, used mainly on American-made knives. The lower priced ones were mostly made in Germany. These German one's had a Tang stamp on "Simmons Hardware Co." Now the most collectable of the 2 (Keen Kutter/Simmons Hardware Co.) are the latter Simmons Hardware Co. knives that have an additional tang stamp with a Hornet stamp.

Now What I need is a Tang Stamp DATE sheet would anyone have one of those??

[knife-nut]

Hey Lenny357, did you get them keen kutters at the Simmons auction? I got their flyer, but could'nt go. Mark.

[lenny357]

Yes, great prices I'm happy

Ow heres a Hornet one I got

[upnorth]

Nice bunch of old knives Lenny!!

[johnnierotten]

A sweet haul,Lenny.

[peterforce]

someone correct me if im wrong but isnt the newest knives to wear the KeenKutter tang stamp made by Bear...

[philco]

someone correct me if im wrong but isnt the newest knives to wear the KeenKutter tang stamp made by Bear...

I kinda think maybe SMKW has bought up the rights to the Keen Kutter brand and are having the new ones produced by Bear and Sons. They sure push them on the TV show like they own the brand. I believe they have bought up several old brands and are having knives produced for them such as Robeson and Marbles.
Anybody know for sure?

Pete,
Is that where you bought that ivory swing guard?

[knife7knut]

Not exactly a knife but rather a place to store them.This was my first e-Bay purchase several years ago and I can't believe no one bid on it.A salesman's sample case with 16 compartments.Case is pasteboard with a steel base and aluminum shelves.There is a date on the logo;1941.Came from an antique shop in Saint Louis.Have never seen another like it and neither has the gentleman who wrote the book on Keen Kutter products.

[jonet143]

too cool! how many knives do you think it would hold?

[peterforce]

nope. i never bought a knife through smokey mountain. i do get SMK catalogs though .im gonna check to see if i see them in there.

mine was made by bear though and is a beauty. it actually put me on a bear kick.i think bear makes some awesome knives with a great price.

regardless of whos paying who to make what -Bear has some nice knife makers working for them.i love the history of knives and their companies and so forth. but i try my hardest to not judge the company they are coming from and just enjoy the work of the knifemakers employed by them. smoky mountain might sell some crap china. but they also sell some awesome CASExx.

i actually have one small bear catalog. where they advertise keen kutters in a section.its actually the only bear catalog i have and i grabbed it at a dicks sporting goods. they didnt have a single bear made knife though! go figure.

im gonna look at smoky mountains catalogs tonight. i have some pics to take and im gonna spend some time hitting the knife books.

smokey mountain tends to offer all kinds of brands. i dont know the facts totally but arent they like russell. they just order SFOs from all different companies and then resell. i know russells catalogs look nicer and tend to have better knives but same thing in theory,right?

[msteele6]

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Lenny357,

I collect the Keen Kutter knives (mostly, but not exclusively, the E.C. Simmons ones) and I have found the Alvin Sellens book on Keen Kutter knives to be invaluable. The book has not only the pattern numbers but includes the approximate dates of manufacture and fairly realistic (for a price guide) prices.

This book is readily available for about $18, if memory serves.

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[lenny357]

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Lenny357,

I collect the Keen Kutter knives (mostly, but not exclusively, the E.C. Simmons ones) and I have found the Alvin Sellens book on Keen Kutter knives to be invaluable. The book has not only the pattern numbers but includes the approximate dates of manufacture and fairly realistic (for a price guide) prices.

This book is readily available for about $18, if memory serves.

-

Thank you, and peterforce sent me a link http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0102912575 can never have to much info. this is what I enjoy the most about collecting knives, lookin them up.

[jonet143]

harness jack - k72286 - ebony - steel bolster - 1921-1934

[lenny357]

Nice harness jack almost had one but they be in the $100 and above range

Heres something close thats coming but no dice like yours Jonet

[jonet143]

cool one chris!
here is a k 53 3/4. second cut stag, well used but still a purty one to me. nickle bolsters make this a late one, 1939-1942

[knife-nut]

I've got a few Keen kutters to show you. The first one is a Simmons Hornet lockback folding dirk in stag. The fancy bolster is round on the bottom so it can swivel to unlock the blade. I think its from the turn of the century. Notice how small the nail nick is.

[peterforce]

ok i reserached this a little more and the keen kutter logo now belongs soley to bear and son.

at least since their most recent fall 2008 catalog. last night i read the fine print in the catalogs and in the fine print where it talks about logs and trademarks.it clearly says that the bear and son company is the sole owner of the Keen Kutter emblem.

now with that said. of course it doesnt mean they cant lend it out.

once again as far as SMKW i thin if they were selling a boat load of keen kutter if anything they purchased overstock from Bear and then turned it over on a resell. SMKW like russell openly says in their catalogs they buy up old stock.

hope this info helps.

THAT TRUNK IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS COME OF THIS POST.

RESTORED THAT TRUNK WOULD BE AN AWESOME DISPLAY.

i was thinking do you think that trunk was made by simmons to store tools,knives and other goodies? it seems pretty large and heavy to be a salesman sample piece.

EDIT- i didnt see the razors. they are freakin beautiful. the 2 razors on the right side of the picture.those handle materials must have been very common. all 4 of my razors from different periods 3 have the handle material furthest to the right and one really nice wester bros i own has the black handle.i had to stop myself with razors. i started to get ebay madness over them fast. if i didnt stop at 4 i would probably have a bigger razor collection then anything else.