Keen Kutter
Encyclopedia
Keen Kutter is a trade name
first used by Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri
in 1866. The name was adopted as a trademark
by Simmons Hardware Company in 1870 and was used on their highest quality tools and cutlery.
Simmons Hardware Company was purchased by arch rival Shapleigh Hardware Company (also of St. Louis) in 1940. Shapleigh Hardware Company was known for their premium brand Diamond Edge. After Shapleigh acquired the Keen Kutter trademark it was modified by replacing the "E.C. Simmons" in the top of the logo with Shapleigh's (Fig. 6). Shapleigh continued to use the trademark on products until they went out of business in 1960.
After several years the Keen Kutter trademark was sold to Val-Test Distributors
of Chicago, Illinois, a wholesale hardware buyers group. Val-Test allows smaller wholesale hardware companies to order goods. The orders are combined with orders from other hardware companies allowing for quantity discounts from manufactures. After Val-Test acquired the trademark they removed the "Shapleigh's" leaving the top of the logo blank (Fig. 7). Val-Test discontinued the Keen Kutter line of goods during the 1990s. Also during the 1990s limited use of the Keen Kutter trademark was authorized for a line of pocket knives distributed by Frost Cutlery Co.
The Keen Kutter trademark is currently privately held.
Trade name
A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....
first used by Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1866. The name was adopted as a trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
by Simmons Hardware Company in 1870 and was used on their highest quality tools and cutlery.
Simmons Hardware Company was purchased by arch rival Shapleigh Hardware Company (also of St. Louis) in 1940. Shapleigh Hardware Company was known for their premium brand Diamond Edge. After Shapleigh acquired the Keen Kutter trademark it was modified by replacing the "E.C. Simmons" in the top of the logo with Shapleigh's (Fig. 6). Shapleigh continued to use the trademark on products until they went out of business in 1960.
After several years the Keen Kutter trademark was sold to Val-Test Distributors
Val-Test Distributors
Val-Test Distributors, Inc. is a cooperative that supplies over 100 wholesalers who distribute to 22,000 hardware, sundries, plumbing, electrical, variety and marine retailers. It was founded in 1962 and has sales in excess of $2 billion per year. It markets Keen-Kutter private label products.The...
of Chicago, Illinois, a wholesale hardware buyers group. Val-Test allows smaller wholesale hardware companies to order goods. The orders are combined with orders from other hardware companies allowing for quantity discounts from manufactures. After Val-Test acquired the trademark they removed the "Shapleigh's" leaving the top of the logo blank (Fig. 7). Val-Test discontinued the Keen Kutter line of goods during the 1990s. Also during the 1990s limited use of the Keen Kutter trademark was authorized for a line of pocket knives distributed by Frost Cutlery Co.
The Keen Kutter trademark is currently privately held.