What do I have here Keen Kutter?

[Oregon rock crusher]

HA! I Found it! I just ordered an old paper add from e-bay but stole a pic for now. Description says the add is from 1921 but zoomed in I think it is from 1901. A K25 chest. That seals the deal for me!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice!

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

One thing that strikes me from the add above is the prices that Simmons has listed. I used one of the inflation calculators and that $288 for a chest with tools in 1901 would amount to well over $8000 in today's dollars. At a time when average wages were under $.50 hr not many working men could do more than dream of owning a full KK set. I looked at some of the wall cabinets in four.cycles post on page 1 of this thread also and those too are priced very high. The Oak Leaf line is priced significantly less. Probably explains why so few KK chests and cabinets turn up. A few more early adds. Ed.

 

[4xdog]

Here's a photo taken last Friday of one of the old Simmons Hardware Company warehouses in downtown Saint Louis. You can still see the faint Keen Kutter logo painted on the upper right.

 

[Marvin Hagen]

I have 3 cabinets from one of the stores from STL. They came out of a old True Value hardware store. I do a lot of Flea markets and ran into a couple vendors the bought collection from people they used to sell to and the passed away or were in a nursing home and there kids didn't want any of it. I always have Keen Kutter to trade.

 

[Plombob]

I recently found a Keen Kutter pocket knife, model 879. Anyone know what vintage it might be? Or the value? It's a really well made knife, and my current daily carry

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found 8-inch shears yesterday at the flea market. The large finger guard has some stubborn box rot stains, but the overall condition is decent, and the markings are very good. It has a "45" on it near the pivot that looks suspiciously like a date code, but I don't know enough about Keen Kutter collecting to know if that's the case. That would be some icing on the cake if so.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here is my entire meager collection, all found in the wild.

 

[RTM]

It has a "45" on it near the pivot that looks suspiciously like a date code, but I don't know enough about Keen Kutter collecting to know if that's the case.

I'm gonna guess probably not a date code. I fished my two pairs out, and they were 63 and 75. Unfortunately KK went out of business in the 60's, per these guys, tho someone still owns the name. THCKK has some good info on Midwest hardware store brand names

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

Just for giggles, I looked at a bunch of my vintage scissors. Almost all my US made had numbers like that, ranging from 17 to 75, all stamped on both jaws, making me think fitting match numbers. One pair of Wiss, and a ?newer? pair of Clauss did not have the numbers. My Italian and German ones did not have the numbers stamped.

And interestingly, after cleaning and sharpening many of these, I never noticed the numbers before. The Wiss pair without numbers needed a LOT of work, and was the last pair I looked at, so I was going to be really disappointed in my powers of observation if it had numbers.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I found 8-inch shears yesterday at the flea market. The large finger guard has some stubborn box rot stains, but the overall condition is decent, and the markings are very good. It has a "45" on it near the pivot that looks suspiciously like a date code, but I don't know enough about Keen Kutter collecting to know if that's the case. That would be some icing on the cake if so.

I just checked a pair of 7 inchers I picked up a while back Lugz and it too has a similar stamp on both halfs. The stamp is oreinted differently than your pair but interestingly stamped 44'. I hadn't noticed that before. Also a couple pics of a KK handsaw I pulled out of a Restore that is pretty klean....All their handsaws were marked $4. Ed.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Based on RTM's input, I guess they're just cast marks, Ed. (I hate it when people disabuse me of my pleasant illusions! )

 

[RTM]

Hey all

I picked up these KK cutters at an antique mall, not a great price, but an interesting looking tool. I think they are a TB K8, 1" blade width, as seen here

E. C. Simmons Keen Kutter Cutlery and Tools : 1939 Catalog [Part] : Simmons Hardware Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

686 p., illus., 27.6 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

I was pleased by the adjustable and resharpenable cutters. After I walked out, I looked closer at the cutters, and realized I probably had another pair of cutter blades at home, in a much larger size, 1-9/16 wide, with 2 screws, that I'd bought as a gamble in 2016. Was thinking they might have been for a small power planer, or other such tool





So I am guessing these are probably ok for copper wire and nails, and not much else. Thoughts?

Anyone seen these by another mfg? My other blades are not marked KK, even after removing some of the rusty patina. Wondering if these go on the TB K12, need to poke through another catalog.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That is a terrific find. The only other tools I have seen replaceable cutters like that on are my Neverslip linesman pliers and those famous hard-to-find Starrett bolt cutters. Very admirable. They sure stamped the heck out of it, which is cool.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Scrolling back, it looks like I never posted that seat I cannibalized off that broken-down grinder this summer.

 

[RTM]

That is a terrific find. The only other tools I have seen replaceable cutters like that on are my Neverslip linesman pliers and those famous hard-to-find Starrett bolt cutters. Very admirable. They sure stamped the heck out of it, which is cool.

That immediately jumped to mind that replaceable cutters were rare, but couldn't think of your brand at the time. When I found a better light source, and realized they were KKs, they were going home with me. Will work on sharpening them some time this month. Liked that they are double sided, and have an edge to protect the spare edge.

 

[Fred Knox]

My second Keen Kutter (can't find the first one right now!) is this 6" long, open-end S wrench. It is marked K380, with sizing 1/4 USS and 3/16 USS on the rear. It is in pretty nice shape, so you can't help but pick that one up for the collection!

 

[RTM]

Hey all

I picked up these KK cutters at an antique mall, not a great price, but an interesting looking tool. I think they are a TB K8, 1" blade width, as seen here

E. C. Simmons Keen Kutter Cutlery and Tools : 1939 Catalog [Part] : Simmons Hardware Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

686 p., illus., 27.6 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

.....

Anyone seen these by another mfg? My other blades are not marked KK, even after removing some of the rusty patina. Wondering if these go on the TB K12, need to poke through another catalog.

So, following up on this, I was at another antique mall this past week, and found another pair like these, but not the same design. This led to a rabbit hole of who might have made them, and a bit of DATAMP searching.

This looks to be the patent for the KKs, by Joseph Nettleton, and made by the Nettleton Mfg Company. (On four.cycle's tool mfg list, of course)

US821183A - Nippers. - Google Patents

My new one is a Todd's Patent, with an A in a hex mark, but I won't sully this thread just yet. And of course four.cycle has Todd's 3 times in his list of Mfgrs, so well covered there.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Don't get me started on Nettleton Nippers. I spent a couple weeks sorting those out with Stan. The information that is in the list should be accurate (as far as we were able to determine.)
There were some questions about one maker - Todds, Carew, Hotchkiss - (I can't remember now) that Stan chased down.
Download the list in *.txt format, and use the "find" function and just search "nipper" and you'll see all the connections between those makers.
The "Nipper" rabbit hole is one crazy ride.

 

[RTM]

Here is one link you may have missed. Starr-Nettleton, from a 1891 listing. Looks like they used it til 1915 possibly.

 

[four.cycle]

^ did NOT come across that one.

That was a bit over a year ago when I went down that rabbit hole on "nippers", so my memory is a bit fuzzy. All I can recall off the top of my head is that there were only a handful of patents issued, but there were multiple makers on the more popular designs.

I just downloaded that volume I'll have to pick through it.

 

[Mintgrun]

I found these eight inch dividers today. At first glance I thought it was a Miller's Falls logo.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice snag!

 

[Mintgrun]

Thanks, Lugz. It seems like a sturdy tool.

I'd been meaning to share this pair of pliers and the dividers reminded me of them.

They're only marked on the grips, with KEEN KUTTER on one and PATD FEB 5 01 on the other one.











"The patent is for a groove in the inside face of one half of the tool, and a ball stop on the inside face of the other half, positioned so that the stop aligns the wire cutter notches fully open and ready for use. The pliers jaws are incidental and not part of the patent claims. Vaughan & Bushnell added "Button's pattern pliers" to their product line starting in 1901."

(Taken from here https://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?pn=667411&id=15662&set=13 )

Apparently, it was William L. Peterson 's only patent, but Sanford S. Vaughan has thirteen to his name. Mostly hammer and axe related.

 

[four.cycle]

^ wow.

see:

"Cronk's Patent": patent 344769 Jun 29 1886 & 597896 Jan 25 1898 & 632835 Sep 12 1899 William Cronk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

They're only marked on the grips, with KEEN KUTTER on one and PATD FEB 5 01 on the other one.

Love the little Keen Kutter logo just to the left of the branding.

 

[Garcky]

HA! I Found it! I just ordered an old paper add from e-bay but stole a pic for now. Description says the add is from 1921 but zoomed in I think it is from 1901. A K25 chest. That seals the deal for me!

Terrific. Now, all you have to do is find all the tools shown in that ad.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Terrific. Now, all you have to do is find all the tools shown in that ad.

Slowly working on it but it's likely one of those lifetime achievement goals. I'm about 5-6 items in so far but haven't really applied myself yet. I'm sure utilizing online auctions would speed up the process but I'm not there yet.

 

[Modern Garage]

They're certainly vintage and they're sort of tools: moving items out of my mom's house I found this set. I have no need for it but I brought it home anyway just because I like the box and because of the brand. My best guess with very little research is that this dates from late twenties.
Were trading stamps a thing then? I remember helping stick S&H Green stamps into books after every grocery trip and a lot of this sort of thing came into our house from those little saliva contaminated books.
Joe

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very cool. If I ran into that empty box it would be neat to keep smalls in. All the KK things I have would fit!

 

[four.cycle]

@Modern Garage -

That is an incredibly fabulous "Keen Kutter" cutlery set. I'm not sure when they were produced. I saw one on ebay a year or so back that went for an astounding price. It looks like yours is complete.

You found some serious treasure there, sir.

 

[3baygarage]

I just took a picture of one of those silverware sets for sale in an antique/resale shop. It’s been there a while. Had some high price but I don’t remember how much.

 

[RTM]

Might be able to find it here, several pages following this one.

E. C. Simmons Keen Kutter Cutlery and Tools : 1939 Catalog [Part] : Simmons Hardware Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

686 p., illus., 27.6 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[four.cycle]

1908 Simmons Hardware Co. catalog Keen Kutter Tool Cabinet ad pp 148A

1908 Simmons Hardware Co. catalog Keen Kutter Tool Cabinet ad pp 148B

1908 Simmons Hardware Co. catalog Keen Kutter Tool Cabinet and Work Bench pp 146E

1917 Simmons catalog Bay State Oak Leaf Keen Kutter ad pp 139

1917 Simmons catalog Bay State Oak Leaf Keen Kutter ad pp 140

1917 Simmons catalog Keen Kutter ad pp 3358

1921 Simmons catalog Keen Kutter ad pp 103

 

[four.cycle]

1921 Simmons catalog Keen Kutter ad pp 104

1921 Simmons catalog Keen Kutter Oak Leaf ad pp 109

1921 Simmons catalog Keen Kutter Oak Leaf Bay State ad pp 113

1921 Simmons catalog Keen Kutter Oak Leaf Bay State ad pp 114

1938 Jensen-Byrd Co. catalog Bay State Keen Kutter Oak Leaf ad pp 139

 

[kshillbilly]

Who made Simmons wooden toolchests

 

[kshillbilly]

I had this box stolen from me and the Simmons auctioneer said he’s never seen one in 32 years so I thought id post a description of it with the picture.

Mine was brown. Its handle is leather. The inside has a wooden bottom with a skinny metal cage to keep its form. There was a small flap on the front that had the handle. There was a large flap from the back that folded over it all with leather belt style straps. The handle came through the top flap from the bottom flap through a hole. It was about 1 by 6. It was gorgeous and it was stolen or I’d have pics

It took 3 weeks of research to find it. I didn’t even remember it till my wife was helping me describe my cantilever tombstone with 2 large carry bars across it. and it was like I seen it yesterday as soon as she said it was soft. I used to pull up on the lids to shake the tools down.. I used to just use the handle to carry it cause it was annoying to use the belt straps to carry it 5 feet. I am so glad I fount it . It was driving me insane

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Here is a Keen Kutter 412 vise I recently found and cleaned up. Last patent date was in 1914 but the model was still around in the '21 catalog. A rebadged Reed it is a very solid vise. Ed.

 

[Mintgrun]

18 incher.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice find!

 

[Mintgrun]

Thanks, Lugz. It was a brand-name buy. I didn't need another pipe wrench and don't intend to use it. I decided to do some heavier cleaning, to celebrate the branding, since the paint and crud made it look crude. Some Simple Green and wire scrub brushes uncovered some nice crisp lettering. So much for that old red paint.


The only other factory mark I see is the number 18.



Aside from Drop Forged on the other side. I’ll go ahead and clean those up too.