All About Pocket Knives

Thanks Jay.
I have just finished paging thru the American Cutler magazine issues from 1919 to 1923 inclusive. The letterhead Mike posted, where Walden says they are the sole maker of Keen Kutter pocket knives, was first used as an ad in the November 1922 issue of the magazine (after the Winchester/Simmons merger). All Walden ads in the 1919 thru to October 1922 issues are the same as the letterhead Mike posted, except they say they are the sole makers of the Press Button knives.

http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/common/nysm/f ... vol1_0.pdf
Dan, check this out. It’s a lot of info to digest but I think you will find it interesting. There are many things that pertain to what was happening at Walden knife. Specifically the capital investment NYK made around 1905. At this time NYK went to Drop pressing their blades and you can see production went up as the number of employees fell. At the same time Walden’s employees went up. This is during the time Simmons touted their knives as being hand forged from the finest Sheffield steel. Their is a lot there but the numbers are pretty fascinating to me. Check it out.

Thanks Jay, looks interesting.

Simmons Hardware Co.,big heavy jack.

E.C.Simmons Keen Kutter,4408 pattern.

A couple of nice ones, Roger! Certainly a massively thick blade on that Simmons jack.

Thanks Dan.Don't know the exact time frame,but it is early.

That jack is one hefty looking knife Roger.

I just rehandled this old Keen Kutter. Here is a link to part of how I rehandled it.
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=62846


I believe it's near 100 years old. I've done a lot of research and still have some questions about dating it.
I've only seen one other knife, like this and it happens to be in this thread (page 14): knife7knut posted his, on July 17th of 2015. I wish his had my blade and I had his handles. I've looked through numerous catalogues. The only place I saw one like it is in the 1917 Simmons catalogue.
Note how the Keen Kutter logo, is not italicized. The logo appears like this in the 1890 catalogue; however, I could see no barlow knives. The following was the only thing I could find...in the 1917 catalogue. Although the picture shows a spear point...the option for the clip point is listed. I did not see anything with the upright logo in the 1910, 1912, 1936 or 1939 catalogues. That leaves a lot of gaps. So, I'm thinking between 1917 and 1936. If anyone has a copy of Sellen's book, on Keen Kutter identification and could provide any additional info, I'd greatly appreciate it.

VERY nice Doc B! Those handles look like they could be used as files.

One and only. Danno50 says it's a 1905-1920. I'll go with that. And decent shape overall, with a lot of blade and life left in it.

Ivoryman wrote:One and only. Danno50 says it's a 1905-1920. I'll go with that. And decent shape overall, with a lot of blade and life left in it.

Love this one I man

Nice old granddaddy (daddy?) barlow, DocB! From Sellens, it could be either a K601 or K1771 3/4. The illustrations for either of those in Sellens have the italized font on the bolster. However, there were two daddy barlows posted over on Blade Forums with the block font just like yours. This is a catalog page from 1912 with the K601 on it.

Both patterns were in the catalogs from 1905 to 1920 (from Sellens) and I am sure there were variations within those years. Sellens probably just picked the most common illustration to include in his book? Nice job on the rehandle.


That is still a nice one, Ivoryman!

danno50 wrote:Nice old granddaddy (daddy?) barlow, DocB! From Sellens, it could be either a K601 or K1771 3/4. The illustrations for either of those in Sellens have the italized font on the bolster. However, there were two daddy barlows posted over on Blade Forums with the block font just like yours. This is a catalog page from 1912 with the K601 on it.


simmons-1912-no-776-404.jpg
Both patterns were in the catalogs from 1905 to 1920 (from Sellens) and I am sure there were variations within those years. Sellens probably just picked the most common illustration to include in his book? Nice job on the rehandle.


That is still a nice one, Ivoryman!

Thanks, Dan! I was hoping you would see the post and comment. I definitely value your expertise and opinion!

wlf wrote:

1967redrider wrote:

wlf wrote:Good job John, I had asked for pics of the dogleg, even though it’s not a farmers jack. Glad you got it.

I'll split it with you buddy.

Just find me another farmers jack, Solomon.

Stealing your reply for another thread, Lyle, hope you don't mind.

I do have the clip blade version of this dogleg (#2726 3/4), it was part of an antique store $7 grab bag that I picked up back in June. It is pretty beat blade wise, but the scales and bolsters look nice enough to EDC it, so I do. It holds an edge and is sharp, what more do you need in a user knife?

No problem Solomon my friend.

I think it’s fitting to carry what you collect, especially if you have a niche. I carry a Lockwood Bros farmers jack given me by Paul Hilborn on BF. I’m monogamous as to carries, I don’t switch around, I’ve carried this one for a couple years.

wlf wrote:No problem Solomon my friend.

I think it’s fitting to carry what you collect, especially if you have a niche. I carry a Lockwood Bros farmers jack given me by Paul Hilborn on BF. I’m monogamous as to carries, I don’t switch around, I’ve carried this one for a couple years.

I've got both of them today, Lyle. I left my usual carrying knife, a Case 6202 1/2 at home, it's probably feeling jaded and jilted at this point.

Easy to tell which is which. The spear is 3 1/2" in Cocobolo and I believe it is a 7725/C, the pattern number is worn off. But the E.C. Simmons tang stamps are perfect and there's little to no blade loss on this one.

Picked up this Keen Kutter K28811/2 recently. Does anyone have any info on possible age?

JAMESC41001 wrote:http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/common/nysm/f ... vol1_0.pdf
Dan, check this out. It’s a lot of info to digest but I think you will find it interesting. There are many things that pertain to what was happening at Walden knife. Specifically the capital investment NYK made around 1905. At this time NYK went to Drop pressing their blades and you can see production went up as the number of employees fell. At the same time Walden’s employees went up. This is during the time Simmons touted their knives as being hand forged from the finest Sheffield steel. Their is a lot there but the numbers are pretty fascinating to me. Check it out.

This was a fascinating read. These lines from page 77 got me thinking:

"The economic decline of the New York Knife Company factory was caused by increasing competition with a number of knife factories that had continued to modernize their machinery and manufacturing process after World War I."

I recently got a well preserved "Stainless Cutlery" (Camillus) "Stainless Sportsman". These knives went for $21.50 a Dozen in 1926 and scream "modern machinery and manufacturing process". It appears as if all the little imperfections found on most knives of the era due to human hands still performing some of the manufacturing tasks are gone. The standard, carbon blade NY Knife Company #177 Tickler went for $25.20 a dozen in 1925. In 1929 The "Stainless Sportsman" went up to $23.90 per doz. while the NYKco #177s dropped in price to 16.80 per dz. The next listing I found for the #177 was $15.00 per doz, but this was in 1932, sadly, a year or more AFTER the company went belly up. I've only seen one example of a Wallkill River Works toothpick in Richard Langston's book. These, as you probably know, were a last ditch attempt by NYKco to put out a cheaper line of knives, But from the looks of this one, the machinary and manufacturing process hadn't changed only perhaps the gauge of the steel, etc. used.

I'm not making a scholarly analysis here, just a small observation having studied the catologs and purchased some of the knives. But it seems that the authors/historians who made this study are correct saying: he who modernizes his machinary and manufacturing processes (Camillus)-- lives to see another year. He who doesn't modernize--despite continuing til the end to make superb cutlery like NYKco did--doesn't survive.

Nice pair of doglegs, 1967redrider!
Woodwalker, your KK barlow would be made after 1940 for Shapleigh. Good find!

danno50 wrote:Nice pair of doglegs, 1967redrider!
Woodwalker, your KK barlow would be made after 1940 for Shapleigh. Good find!

Thanks.

I just wish the larger clip blade knife had better blades, but it still cuts.

danno50 wrote:Nice pair of doglegs, 1967redrider!
Woodwalker, your KK barlow would be made after 1940 for Shapleigh. Good find!

Thanks Danno!! Appreciate you letting me know!!

Hi Woodwalker, I just noticed I had given you a thumbs down in my post, sorry, it should have been a thumbs up!, I hit the wrong icon button. I edited it to make the change.

danno50 wrote:Hi Woodwalker, I just noticed I had given you a thumbs down in my post, sorry, it should have been a thumbs up!, I hit the wrong icon button. I edited it to make the change.

No problem Danno! I knew what ya meant!! I've done that myself. Thanks for all you knowlege and help. You are appreciated!!

E.C.Simmons
Keen Kutter