All About Pocket Knives

Just got this one recently, it didn't see much use, nice, tight and snappy

Rob, very nice KK Barlow Beautiful Saw Cut honey brown handles and the SF and Pen blades look full and nice!

Duffer wrote:Rob, very nice KK Barlow Beautiful Saw Cut honey brown handles and the SF and Pen blades look full and nice!

Thanks Lloyd! The sheepsfoot has a half stop but the pen doesn't. I found that interesting. I'm on the fence on whether or not to sharpen it and put it in the daily rotation or not. The SF is so thin it's going to be hard not to make if a user.

Is this an E.C. Simmons Keen Kutter ?
If not can you tell if it is a Shapleigh Hardware knife or a knife made by Schrade-Walden for 'True Value' hardware ?
I have not yet got the Keen Kutter branded knives figured out.
kj

The diamond on the tang only says keen kutter. I'm sure that it's not ec Simmons but once Shapleigh took over I'm fuzzy on what stamps were used.

Lovely knife, Rob, ditto what Lloyd said!
Pretty sure it is a Shapleigh knife, not an EC Simmons. Could not find a barlow with a sheepsfoot blade in Sellens. However, Sellens only had 3 Shapleigh catalogs to go on: 1940, 1942 and 1958.
Dan

Thanks Dan! The pre Shapleigh knives have EC Simmons at the top of the diamond but I wasn't sure if the post Shapleigh had their name included or not.

Well I finally made it though the entire thread in hopes that my inquiry may have already answered here.... and WOW!.... what a great thread! Very informative & fantastic photos! ....but I didn't get full resolution to my quandary.

As a collector of knives originating from Walden, NY.... sometime, hopefully in the near future, I would like to obtain a Keen Kutter that is from there. Therefore, my question is.... is there a definite way of telling which Keen Kutters were made in Walden?

Ken, according to at least two sources (Sellens and Collectors-of-Schrades_R.us) all Keen Kutters made between 1905 and 1922 were made by Walden. Sellens looked at all available Simmons catalogs and his book documents the dates each pattern was in the catalogs. Catalogs were not put out every year, so it is not perfect. For example, there was a 1921/1922 catalog, but no 1923 catalog. Sellens lists many patterns as being in the catalogs from 1905 to 1923. I assume when he says in the catalogs up to 1923 that the pattern was in the 1921/1922 catalog, but not in the 1924 catalog.
If you find a Keen Kutter knife, listed by Sellens as being made sometime prior to 1923, it should be Walden made. Not 100% definite, but I don't believe you will get any more definite method.
Please note that my Keen Kutter knowledge comes mostly from the book, as many catalogs as I can find online and paying attention to what others more knowledgeable than myself post. I personally have only about 30 Keen Kutters, and have handled maybe another dozen at the one knife show I have been to.
Dan

So in other words.... I should get the book.... or perhaps I can find a library where I can borrow it....
Thanks Dan for your helpful input.

KAW wrote:So in other words.... I should get the book.... or perhaps I can find a library where I can borrow it....
Thanks Dan for your helpful input.

Here is one pretty cheap on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Keen-Kutter-Poc ... SwhMpZoRXm

If you don't want to buy the book, there are many AAPK members who do own the book. I am sure if you posted a prospective Keen Kutter purchase that someone would be willing to look it up for you to see if it may be Walden made.
There is an AAPK member with a large Keen Kutter collection. He has posted tips for distinguishing Winchester and Camillus made Keen Kutters. However, I have not seen any posts mentioning any things to look for in a Walden made Keen Kutter? I have looked through the book extensively and am unable to determine any distinguishing characteristics of a Walden made Keen Kutter.
There was a post in the Counterfeit forum in which ea42 stated that for two blade jack, the pen blade should always be in front of the master blade for a Walden knife. I assume this should also apply to a Walden made Keen Kutter? Maybe just one thing to look for??
Dan

Saw this on the Bay & was wondering if anyone can tell what period of their history this box is from... maybe what knife?

KAW, according to the number on the box end, 02074, it is a 3 3/8" pen knife, with one spear and one pen blade. In the catalogs between 1927 and 1934. I have attached a pic from the 1930 catalog reprint. Just noticed, is stainless steel. There are two pages (16 knives) with stainless steel in the 1930 catalog.
Dan

Dan....Thanks so much for that excellent info.... its like having the Keen Kutter wikipedia

Just got this one. K4063, 3 1/4". Etched pattern number still visible, but difficult to photograph. Coined backs on the scales. The crack at the front of the shield was not there when I received the knife. I dropped it on the garage floor.
Dan

Nice pattern Dan.Too bad about the drop . Concrete isn't very forgiving when it comes to pearl.

Nice one!

Thanks Roger and msteele6. Just got this one today. Has been cleaned and buffed. Did look cleaned in the seller's pics, but not quite so buffed. Main blade down quite a bit. Punch is quite a bit a bit short and reprofiled. Still, I think quite a rare pattern? (sleeveboard cattle knife with blades in a whittler configuration??) Included a pic of the entry from Sellens. Seller's shipping costs to Canada seemed excessive, so Kootenay Joe was kind enough to bid on it for me and have it shipped to his US post office box.
Dan

Nice old jumbo whittler, definitely a rare pattern.

Very nice Dan! I have been looking for one of these Whittler pattern sleeve board Cattle knives and they are hard to find. Nice of KJ to help mitigate the shipping/postal charges. Another wonderful find and rare example to add to your growing ever expanding KK collection

thank you for the kind comments, msteele6 and Lloyd.
Dan

Picked up a small collection a while back and in it were several nice Keen Kutters.I will start off with a Schrade made pattern 852 stockman.

Next is a French Ivory K2022 jack.

Next is a K28 Master Stockman.

Next is an pattern 853 stockman in water fall.