Keen Kutter Medallion

[Chris Vandiver]

Does anyone happen to know the circa of the Keen Kutter medallion pictured in the photo below?



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[Marv Werner]

Hi Chris,

The only thing I have to go on is to compare it to the Disston medallions. It appears to me to compare to either the 1896 to 1917 or 1917 to 1942 medallions. Disston medallions used during both of those two time periods are very much the same. Both period medallions are 1" dia. if on a full size handsaw. The shaft size is of the larger style, close to a 12-24 thread.

[Chris Vandiver]

Marv,

I'm thinking it's from the 1896-1917 era. It is on a straight back saw with a nib that looks to be a Disston #16, made for Keen Kutter. I haven't received the saw yet, so I don't know for sure what it is. The medallion is brass(as opposed to nickel plated brass)which leads me to believe it is an earlier saw. Also, the medallion is different than those I've seen on a later Keen Kutter K88 skew back saws. There's not a whole lotta information out there on Keen Kutter saws, unfortunately.

[Mark Wyatt]

Chris, I can offer no help. I'm interested in what the picture in the medallion may be intended to represent.

[Chris Vandiver]

Hi Mark,
I'm not sure that I understand your question. The photo is of a saw medallion, if that's what you mean.

[Marv Werner]

Mark,

It appears to me to be an axe head or something similar, hence the name Keen Kutter.

[Chris Vandiver]

Marv and Mark,

That is exactly what the image is within the medallion, an axe head. Now I understand what Mark was asking. Thanks for the clarification Marv.

[Daryl Weir]

Hey Chris,

Not a Keen Kutter collector by any means but I've seen & have a few of their saws. I would say your medallion is probably from around the late 1890's to early 1900's.

Here's some pics of the few I have. The first, I believe is from around the 1920's era, the second from around the 1910 era and the last one from around the 1880 era. I have one like yours somewhere and think it falls between the last two I've shown pictures of.







If the handle on yours looks like a Disston No.16 (minus the wheat carving on the body, grip only) and has a straight back with a nib it's more than likely a No. 816 or No. K816 depending on the vintage.



Hope this helps!

Take care,
Daryl

[Jonathan McCullough]

Chris, I've got a really really old Keen Kutter with a very unusual etch that resembles the saw you describe, but the ruined handle resembled and felt like a Disston No. 7, and the blade itself seemed more like a No. 16. Unfortunately, the medallion was missing. Let us know what kind of etch you find. Although all the Keen Kutter saws I've handled seem to be really good saws regardless of pedigree, who made any particular one is a bit of a mystery. I think the best clues actually come from the etches, because a saw company's in-house designers would more likely use similar or already-available typefaces. Anyone can dispute it if they want to, but the etch from the saw on the image I've attached here seems to me like it came from the Richardson Bros. graphics department. The sans serif typeface on your medallion there looks a lot like something Disston would put together; I'd use that as a dating reference.

[Chris Vandiver]

Thanks everyone,

As soon as I have the saw in hand, I'll check the etch. Hopefully there will be some to see!

[Chris Vandiver]

I have the saw in hand now and did a light cleaning of the plate and the handle. I checked the plate against a Disston #16 that I have and the Keen Kutter is identical in every way, including the bolt holes and the plate taper thickness. There is no doubt in my mind that it is made from a Disston #16, just as Daryl had mentioned. What vintage the saw is, is another matter!

[Jonathan McCullough]

Things that make you say hmmm. . . . here's a Simonds 71. I think they made these to Disston No. 16 specs. Either way it's a beautiful saw that anyone would do well to get. I haven't seen a Keen Kutter saw yet that I didn't like.