Simmons & Shapleigh Arch Rivals.

[woody 73]

The road was rocky for Edward Campbell Simmons of St. Louis Missouri in the early years starting just before the start of the Civil War. He was a man driven to make a cheaper tool (axe) for the working man. In 1866 he came up with the Keen Kutter Trademark for high quality tools & cutlery.

Meanwhile on the other side of town Augustus F. Shapleigh got his start in 1843, and in mid 1860's he produced his famous Diamond Trademark "Diamond Edge is a Quality Edge".

When bankruptcy finally hit the Simmons Company in 1940, the Shapleigh Co. bought them out ending any hardware competition between the two. Keen Kutter and Diamond became joined at the seam and the rest is History.

-Special Notes be sure and see the links for more background information and BEWARE OF FAKES IN THE MARKET PLACE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keen_Kutter

http://www.thckk.org/history/simmons-hdwe.pdf

http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf

http://www.realorrepro.com/article/Keen-Kutter-fakes-and-reproductions

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles/article034.shtml

http://www.alaskawoodworker.com/old-tool-catalogs-and-manuals/keen-kutter-catalogs/

 

[coleman10]

I love my Keen Kutter S wrench that my grandfather gave me before he passed. It actually got me out of a tight spot recently when my other adjustables wouldn't work due to obstructions. I need to get around to cleaning it up. I wouldn't mind collecting more.

 

[woody 73]

That is so cool thank you for sharing that picture!

 

[four.cycle]

Any agricultural implement wrench experts out there?

I know I've positively identified the Wiley & Russell Felly (Felloe) Wrench at top, and I'm fairly certain about the "Miller's Patent Carriage Wrench" at bottom, and kinda-sorta confident about my identification of the Jamesway "S" wrench at center left, but that beast at center right with the 6 gullets has got me stumped.

edit 12/09/22: Eberhard made the wrench at center RIGHT:

 

[four.cycle]

woops! here's that "Jamesway" (James Mfg. Co.) unit that I believe is the model shown in the catalog illustration just above at center left:

 

[four.cycle]

Diamond Edge / see Shapleigh /

Keen Kutter / see Shapleigh /

Enders / Wm. Enders, Walden, NY (St. Louis, MO) / "Oak Leaf" tools, hardware, firearms / est. 1915 / see also E.C. Simmons, see also Shapleigh /

Oak Leaf / see Enders, Wm. /

Simmons / E.C. Simmons, St. Louis, MO / "Keen Kutter" / see also Shapleigh /

Shapleigh / Shapleigh Hardware, St. Louis, MO / http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf / see also Simmons, see also Norvell-Shapleigh /

 

[four.cycle]

Simmons Keen Kutter

 

[four.cycle]

Simmons Keen Kutter

 

[four.cycle]

Simmons Keen Kutter

 

[four.cycle]

Simmons Keen Kutter

 

[four.cycle]

Simmons Keen Kutter

 

[four.cycle]

Norvell-Shapleigh / Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO / (see Shapleigh) / "Diamond Edge" "Keen Kutter" /

Shapleigh / Shapleigh Hardware, St. Louis, MO / http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf / (see also Simmons) (see also Norvell-Shapleigh) /

 

[four.cycle]

Norvell-Shapleigh / Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO / (see Shapleigh) / "Diamond Edge" "Keen Kutter" /

Shapleigh / Shapleigh Hardware, St. Louis, MO / http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf / (see also Simmons) (see also Norvell-Shapleigh) /

 

[four.cycle]

Norvell-Shapleigh / Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO / (see Shapleigh) / "Diamond Edge" "Keen Kutter" /

Shapleigh / Shapleigh Hardware, St. Louis, MO / http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf / (see also Simmons) (see also Norvell-Shapleigh) /

 

[four.cycle]

Norvell-Shapleigh / Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO / (see Shapleigh) / "Diamond Edge" "Keen Kutter" /

Shapleigh / Shapleigh Hardware, St. Louis, MO / http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf / (see also Simmons) (see also Norvell-Shapleigh) /

 

[Fred Knox]

Here is a recent find from the Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Co. era. It is a Stanley No. 8, Type 11, plane with the company name on a composite rubber handle. The name was in use from 1901-1913, which corresponds well with the type 11 plane manufacture dates. Check out the DE logo, for Diamond Edge, on the handle. Evidently, the slogan, "Diamond Edge is a Quality Pledge", is said to have first been used in 1909, and were used for Diamond Edge's first line of edge tools (knives, razors, axes, cutlery, etc.).

 

[Cleave]

Here's my adjustable sash plane (for making windows), by Shapleigh Day & Co.
Mr. Day was a partner in the company from 1847-1863.
On of the screws was snapped and both were bowed/curved so I had to splice the broken screw, clear the gunk out of the threads, and loosen up the fit in the thread box a little... not that I'm planning to make window frames any time soon!
This was my oldest known tool for a little while until I recently picked up a rabbet plane from Randall & Cook (1835-1839)

 

[RTM]

On of the screws was snapped and both were bowed/curved so I had to splice the broken screw, clear the gunk out of the threads, and loosen up the fit in the thread box a little... )

nice plane. Those with the threaded arms always terrify me for the reasons mentioned, but the look so cool.

 

[woody 73]

Something I don't see every day, I think maybe my first wrench in 50 years of looking, so a pretty cool find I might add.

Augustus Shapleigh - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[four.cycle]

DAT says Utility was a Brand mark of E C Simmons, but for saws and wrenches. I suspect other tools as well, now that we have more catalogs to look in.

Simmons / E.C. Simmons Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO / "Bay State", "Chip Away", "Keen Kutter", "La Clede", "Oak Leaf", "Utility" / see also Shapleigh, see also Norvell-Shapleigh, see also Enders / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/simmons-shapleigh-arch-rivals.269289/#post-9881957 /

E.C. Simmons Utility

I was able to find only one listing for "Utility" in the material I have. (I didn't check ITCL yet.)