Keen Kutter

After several years the Keen Kutter trademark was sold to Val-Test Distributors of Chicago, Illinois, a wholesale hardware buyers' group.

After Val-Test acquired the trademark, they removed the "Shapleigh's" leaving the top of the logo blank (Fig.

Pocket knives, hand tools, railway locks, and advertising items from Keen Kutter are of interest to many collectors.

Jerry and Elaine Heuring, authors of Collector's Guide To Keen Kutter, have documented current values and general information in their books.

The Hardware Companies Kollector's Klub founded in 1995 is another great source of information for Keen Kutter collectors.

Figures 1 through 4 are examples of logos used by Simmons Hardware Co. prior to 1900. The common trademark (Fig. 5) was first used around 1900. It represents the tooth of a saw through a piece of wood.