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Laura
Ingall's visit to Keen Kutter
"We went to the Manufacturers' Building... and saw the "Keen Kutter" exhibit. In the
center of the space, which was nearly two hundred feet square... Everything about
the exhibit was worked by electricity. Above... is an arch made of glistening spoons
of different sizes. At the upper right-hand corner was a gigantic pocket knife with
four blades that kept opening and shutting and at the upper left-hand corner was
a row of seven blacksmiths standing each at his anvil with a different tool in his
hand. At stated times first one and then another would beat the tool on the anvil with
his hammer... At the center top were two windmills made of ax blades continually
turning. It was very interesting."
SEPTEMBER 29, 1915
E.C. Simmons & Co. was a wholesale hardware dealer which marked all types of tools. Although
they were not a maker per se, the company did acquire controlling interest in the Walden Knife Co. in the 1890’s and had some
of their tools made by that company. They were bought out by the A.F. Shapleigh Hdw. Co. n 1940.
Besides their best known brand name KEEN KUTTER, some other brand names they used not necessarily
before 1900 were: ARKANSAS (splitting wedges), AXTEL (horse rasps), BAY STATE (hatchets), BLACK JACK (various tools
including a wrench with a 14 JAN. 1896 patent), BLACKSNAKE (saws), Blue Brand or B.B. (squares and others),
BULL DOG (braces and tool sets), CHIPAWAY (axes, planes, hammers and other), CLAY BANK (shovels),
COLUMBIA (saws), CUMBERLAND (axes), DEFIANCE (saws), DELMAR (coffee mills), DRIVEWELL (punches),
DUCK BILL (wrenches), ESSEX (wrenches), EUREKA (rakes), FARMER BOY (scythe stones),FAST MAIL (saws), W.M. FINCH (saws), HERCULES (wheelbarrows), HOWARD (axes), KEYSTONE
(forks), KLICKER (various tools), KLINCHER (pliers), KORN KRUSHER (corn mills, LIGHTNIN, LONE STAR (hoes), H.M.
MEIER (saws), MESQUITE (axes), MOGUL (shovels), MONARCH (saws), NEVER SLIP (wrenches), OAK LEAF (various tools),OHIO BOY (rakes), OHIO FALLS (axes), OZARK (splitting wedges), POLAR (ice saws),
RED JACKET (hatchets),RED LINE (rules), RED TOP (scythes), ROYAL (axes), RUN
EASY (plows, lawn mowers), SMILEY’S (saws),SURE GRIP (braces, vises, wrenches),
SWIFT (saws and saw tools), TRUE BLUE (axes), UTILITY (saws, wrenches), VANGUARD (saws), WINNER (lawn
mowers), WOOD PECKER (axes), ZULU (axes), WM. ENDERS (various tools) information obtained from the EAIA Directory of American Toolmakers book which you can visit thier website at
this link http://www.eaiainfo.org/
Edward Campbell
Simmons and August Frederick Shapleigh founded keen Kutter.
Time line:
1847 Shapleigh
Day & Company- 1863 A.F. Shapleigh & Company-1870 Keen Kutter name chosen by E.C. Simmons-1872 E.C. Simmons &
Company-1874 Simmons Hardware Company
1922 Merger
of Simmons Hardware & Winchester- 1923 Winchester- Simmons Company
1929 Simmons
Hardware Company reverted to original status- 1940 Shapleigh Hardware Company-1962 Val-Test as to my understanding Distributors
Buying Group still existing
The Keen Kutter brand of tools was originated
in 1870 by the E.C. Simmons Company. In 1874 the organization was incorporated under new Federal corporation laws as the Simmons
Hardware Company. It was the first company to take such a step.
The company motto was "The Recollection
of QUALITY Remains Long after the PRICE is Forgotten."
A 1902 portrait of E.C.
Simmons' top 257 salesmen is included in Jack DeBoer's Keen Kutter collection. It was made to honor them for selling over two million dollars worth of
merchandise in just one month. The Keen Kutter gold axe badge, one of which is included in the
collection, was awarded only to elite salesmen. The badge was worn on the lapel and considered a symbol of great esteem. E.C.
Simmons was a pioneer in the development of the catalog as a sales tool. His catalog was the first to use color pictures
and was recognized around the world as the "hardware encyclopedia. "The 1908 "G" issue, which contained
over 79,000 items, was the largest hardware catalog of its kind in the world.
E.C. Simmons loved sales gimmicks. The firm
promoted its products with moving figures for display windows, such as a large, electric powered pocket knife which slowly opened
and closed.
The Keen Kutter puzzle was perhaps the most famous company promotional gimmick. One boy and one girl would be allowed to sit
in a store display window while competing to complete the puzzle in the least possible amount of
time. Victorious boys received a pocket knife; girls received a pair of scissors.
Built as a distribution center for the company's line of "Keen Kutter" products, the building was reported to have contained more floor space than any other building in Wichita,
80 thousand square feet. Designed by the St. LouisFirm of Mauran, Russell and Garden, the
architecture of the building incorporated both the Italianate and Romanesque styles. The four-story, nine bay red brick building
boasted an automatic sprinkler system that included a 20 thousand gallon water tank located 20 feet above the sprinkler heads
"hidden" in the cupola portion of the building. The heart of a state of- the-art fire extinguishing system. The building itself was constructed to be fire resistant.
Its floors were water-tight,
and its walls cobbled at each level to retard air currents. Cracks and seams were sealed with oakum and pitch to render them
air-tight. The massive wooden beams which formed the building's
frame were built into the brick walls. In case of fire, this design would prevent a burning or collapsing beam from pulling the surrounding
wall down with it. The Keen Kutter warehouse was said to be
the strongest building in Wichita
and the largest
warehouse in the world in 1906. Its design is identical to that of the CupplesBuilding in St. Louis.
The 40-foot high square cupola features a hipped roof with pairs of brackets flanking circular
window openings. Construction of the Keen Kutter warehouse began
in 1905 and was completed in the spring of 1906. The four-story, all-brick building encompasses 80,000 square feet of space
and cost $250,000 to build. Nine shipping bays received goods from all over the world
An E. C. Simmons Hardware Company Logo Trade Mark. E.C. Simmons operated in St. Louis MO
between 1868-1940 with distribution points in at least 8 major U.S.
Cities.
Pocketknives: Keen Kutter was the Simmons premium
brand, used mainly on American-made knives.
Lower priced knives, most made in Germany were
tang stamped Simmons or Simmons Hardware Co. Some of the latter have a picture of a hornet stamped on the reverse tang
Simmons Hardware had begun as a regional hardware
wholesaler in Saint Louis after the Civil War, much like hundreds of other similar firms all over the United States.
Unlike most hardware
wholesalers, however,
Simmons had grown and expanded aggressively in pursuit of a national market. The Simmons "Keen Kutter" brand had become known
all over the country
Below is a complete 1950's era Keen
Kutter catalog (I have found dates from around 51-59. My husband carefully scanned every page from front to back,
this catalog is huge, about 10" thick and it took him awhile and I want to thank Joe for this awesome catalog for
everyone to share. I am in the process of describing each sections contents this is taking awhile so please bare
with me.
This section includes Index of Keen Kutter catalog, order information, pricing code, adds on the following items: aladdin,
grand slam golf clubs, ash tool handles, Glasbake, Concord milk glass, Aztec punch sets, Arbor Leaf tableware, Frost pine
tableware, Jeannette pink glass, westcraft planter boxes, roadmaster silver streak, pacemaker, flying falcon, jet pilot, pleasure
liner, luxury liner bicycle, Koroseal pools, lone ranger tents, wenzel play tents, Richmond cedar works ice cream
freezers, hostesswares tablewear, Vogue royal chrome hostesswares. Assorted pages of miscellaneous items from tools to
rubbish burners.
This section contains various items on each page some of the items include: Hahn gas revolvers and holster,
plastic ware, Keen Kutter friction tape, arrow tacker kits, Tennis rackets by Wilson, keen kutter auger bits,
Remington model 66 rifle, clotheslines, Gas revolver Crosman, Telescope sights Mosseberg, clocks by Westclox and General
Electric, Hog weigher scale by Hanson, Dazey electric can opener, door hardware, Jackmaster knives by Imperial, Keen
Kutter flashlights and batteries, Kitchen ware by Gardner, polly flex plastic ware, estwing axes and hammers, Fruitcake, rubber
hose, radios, cosco bar stools, Morton sling shot set, Hi-Standard automatic target pistols, dry wall tools by sands, Oster
massage pillow, Daisy air rifle, Black & Decker electrit utility tools, Keen Kutter gasoline can, wooden ware chopping
blocks, electric heaters, Delta homecraft woodworking tools, Duck calls by Faulk's, Barbecue grilles by Weber.
This section contains hand tools which include: Keen Kutter Shapleigh and Stanley planes, little gian razor plane,
stanley open throat router, stanley surform cutting tools, stanley irons and handles, Scrapers by red devil and stanley,
Clyde wonder tool, Keen Kutter and shapleigh Draw knives, stanley spoke shaves, Keen kutter fuller stanley chisels, wood
turning tool set by Disston, Stanley handyman cold chisels, Keen Kutter Machine punches, all steel wood chisels, keen kutter
alloy punch and chisel silent salesman display, masonry drills, center belt prick starter machine pin punches, ticket punches
and spring punch by Bernard, Nail sets letter and number sets, keen kutter screwdriver silent salesman display, fullers screwdriver
advertisement, BernzOMatic kits, spiral ratchet screw driver yankee mansco and stanley handyman
This section contains hand tools which include: yankee and mansco push drill and points, yankee boring tools and
screwdriver attachment bits, fuller and yankee drill attachments and points, fuller and yankee offset screwdrivers, fuller
nut drivers, How to read a square, Keen Kutter sargent nicholls framing and steel squares, stanley shapleigh defince
twix try and miter also combination and southington squares, stanley sliding t bevels, stanley trammel points, calipers and
dividers by Kastar standard general, Keen Kutter and fuller scratch awls, vernier caliper by general, depth gauge center
guage wire guage by General, General reference table, General and stanley butt guage, shapleigh stanley marking gauges, Standard
yard stick, lufkin and stanley caliper rules, Lufkin Evans Master and stanley extension folding zig zag rule, Lufkin
Keen Kutter Walsco Evans and Stanley tape rules, Keen kutter plumb bob, cedarburg Evans Diamond Edge and strait-line
chalk line reels, stenceil brushes, shapleigh's Simmons Dixon lead pencil, Scripto Keen Kutter Diamond
B&S Dixon lumber crayons, Pencil sharpeners, Liquid solder, plastic rubber aluminum and steel, glue, keen kutter peerless
sands plumbs and levels, tool boxes union kennedy bighorn walton national, tool holders carpenters keen kutter aprons, Leveling
instrumbents by Bostrom, S&A Stanley level sights,
This section contains hand tools which include: Clayton Lambert Turner Bernzomatic Supreme Prepo blow torches, Drake
Lenk Wen Weller soldering irons and guns, Solder and supplies, General Tap information, Ace Greenfield Taps and also reamer wrenches,
Rigid Pipe tool power drives, Ridgid pipe and bolt threading machines and tools, Stanley hand drills, Yankee Shapleigh Klicker
bit braces, Jacobs chucks, Clark and General circular and hole cutters, Keen Kutter Clarks Stanley Connecticut Valley expansive
bits, Irwin Keen Kutter Shapleigh auger bits, Pratt auger handles, Countersink bits by stanley deuse, gimlet bits, screwdriver
and countersink silent Keen Kutter salesman bits, Greenlee machine bits, Keen Kutter Cleveland drill bits and sets, Irwin
Greenlee Cleveland electric drill bits, Drill cabinets by Cleveland, Reamers and extracors by Cleveland
This section contains: Shapleigh Keen Kutter Klicker gasoline power lawn mowers, Pennsylvania power mowers, blades and
accessories, walk behind lawn mowers, springfield riding lawn mowers and attachments, electric lawn edgers and trimmers, lawn
rollers, spike disc cultivators, grass catchers, Grass hooks by Keen Kutter Shapleigh old hickory klicker Little Giant, True
temper grass cutter, klicker grass whip, Keen Kutter Wiss grass shears, grass busch and weed scythes, weed hook,
weed cutter, Collins machetes, bush hooks, ditch bank blades, scythe snaths, water hose, rubber and plastic hose, hose
hardware, hose nozzles, lawn sprinklers, Starline hay tools and accessories, cotton and hay hooks, hay fork pulleys, corn
planters, seed sowers, corn knives, work gloves, bottle cappers by indestro, corks, bottle caps and wooden kegs
This section contains: Keen Kutter Disston Shapleigh Atkins pruning saws, Keen Kutter Klicker pruners, Forester True Temper
handled pruners, Keen Kutter Klicker Seymour Smith Wiss Pruning shears, electric trimmers, hedge shears, Mule and sheep shears,
emasculatomes by Wimco, Oster Stewart Clipmaster clipping and shearing tools and parts, Dehorners by Newton & McGee Seymour,
cattle leaders, bull rings, anti cow kickers, Bevin Kentucky cow bells, Sheep and turkey bells, weaners, barn equipment, hill
stewart and perfect blaif hog ringers and rings, ear notchers, brooder lamps, pultry fountains and feeders, Hudson tanks,
hog troughs and feeders, tank heaters, hog waters, hudson sprayers, insecticide dusters, compressed air sprayers, insecticide
spray and repellent, D-con, grass killers, nicotine sulphate, acme insecticides and fungicides, spraying guide what and when
to spray, grass seed, plant food, fertilizer spreaders
This section contains: Catalog index, Builders hardware contract department, Technical terms applying to locks and builders'
hardware, Note keying alike and master keying locks, how to measure locks, kwikset tubular locks and latches, Dummy knobs
and Rosettes, Sargent locks and latches, accessories for sargent aligna locks, corbin cylindrical locks and latches, Schlage
cylindrical lock, ornamental escutcheons, yale & town locks and latches, sectional front door lock sets by corbin shapleigh
earle, rim lock sets and strike plates, mortise lock cylinders, dead locks, rim dead lock latch, padlocks by master and bicyle
locks by yale gossner, combination padlocks, miniature padlocks by yale walsco slaymaker, drawer locks, suit case catches,
key cutting machines, key blank assortments by Ilco Yale & Towne shapleigh clinton sargent master corbin dexter briggs
& stratton, barrel keys flat blank keys and bit key skeleton blanks, push and pull plates, thresholds and weather
strip, floor hinges and door checks, forged iron colonial door hardware, exit devices, door closers, spring and chain door
stops and holders, door pulls hinges and bolts, chain door fasteners
This section contains: Mail boxes, lettering and numbers for hoses, screen and storm door locks and latches, hinges, screen
window, hardware, window locks and lifts, aluminum hardware, window cranks, sash chain and cord, cabinet hardware, wood knobs
and pulls, furniture trim display, box hardware
This section contains: porch swing chains and hooks, eye bolts, screw hooks and eyes, cup and shoulder hooks, pulleys,
tackle or awning pulleys, casters, truck locks, furntiure rests and glides, merchandiser accessories, perforated board fixture
number comparative chart, perforated board fixtures, peg board and hook merchandisers and fixtures, folding door hardware
This section contains: steel basement sash, metal building corners, foundation grates, cornice ventilators, clean out or ash
pit doors, louvers, roof and ceiling ventilators, clothes dryer vents, awnings and canopies, aluminum shutters, closet shelves,
Shapleighs adjustable porch and stair railing, barn door hangers and brackets, barn door track, garage door hardware, gate
and thumb latches, rung fasteners, corruated fasteners, wood dowels, masonry drills, molly screw anchors, jack nut and wrench,
masonry anchors and drivers, expansion shields, toggle bolts, cotter pin, rivets, Rex hand riveting machine, rivet sets and
headers, woodruff keys, screws, bolts, wood screw information
This section contains: faucets, compression stops, brass valves, range boilers, Keen Kutter gas water heaters, electric
water heaters, pipe fittings, copper pipe solder sweat fittings, wrought steel pipe, pipe fittings, sinkk collars and
floor drain stoppers, roof flanges, melting pots, twisted jute, plumbers spun oakum, joint compound, patching cement, force
cup plungers, septic tanks, hydrants, selecting the size of pumps and tanks information, water systems, pressure switches
and gauges, paint and varnish remover, white lead by dutch boy, muriatic acid, sump pumps and jacks, high pressure pumps,
well pumps, pump leathers and float valves, drive well points, pump chain and foot valves, well wheels and bored well buckets
This section contains: paint brushes, artist's brushes, bucket grids, paint pots and pans, paint rollers and trimmers,
kalsomine brushes, whitewash brushes, stucco cement dashers, roofing paper hangers brushes, paint cleaners and scrapers,
Red Devil paint and glass scrapers, scraper brushes, red devil fletcher glass cutters, paint sprayers and guns, ladders, keen
kutter paint varnish and enamel, paint color system selling aids, paint color cards
