Prune Big, or Go Home!

Here is a nice old Keen Kutter from 1912 to 1920 which was called the "California Pruning Knife". It's a good sized knife with a handle length of nearly 4-1/2 inches, brass liners and flat end cap, cocobolo handles, and grooved old school steel bolsters.
There is a faint but still readable etch on the blade that says "Keen Kutter Pruner".

 
Imposing and sturdy that one herder, yet it has a lot of elegance and finesse about it. Really nice original look to it as well. Lucky you!:thumbup:

Thanks, Will
 
Herder matey - I have to echo the guys comments on your KK Pruner.

What a great knife! That's such a fine Pruner!
 
Nice KK, Herder!
It is amazing that such fine artistry was embedded in tools of work. Subtle but often spot on! It's almost like the knife would guide the hand in doing the work.
I'm not even sure what I am trying to say, but so many modern tools are so butt-ugly, it's a pleasure to see such well and thoughtfully created tools!!
 
waynorth said:
Nice KK, Herder!
It is amazing that such fine artistry was embedded in tools of work. Subtle but often spot on! It's almost like the knife would guide the hand in doing the work.
I'm not even sure what I am trying to say, but so many modern tools are so butt-ugly, it's a pleasure to see such well and thoughtfully created tools!!
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Yep, I was just thinking along the same lines, when I first saw it. For a working knife, they sure knew how to how to make one that was also pleasing to the eye (and hand I bet, too). That endcap, the grain of the timber, the drawn swedge, and of course that lovely bolster are all very tasteful touches.

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I wonder if that bolster would still have been filed, as in the old days, or whether they were already drop forging them by then? Any idea what that timber might be? Walnut perhaps?

Nice composition too.
 
Thanks all, I really appreciate the nice comments on the Keen Kutter.

Enclosed is an old French Pruner with a little interesting history. The main blade is stamped "Glamonel A Chateau Thierry". There was a Jacques Glamonel listed in Nogent which was a well known cutlery city in Northern France. "Chateau Thierry" is both an area in Northern France near Nogent, and also a phrase which translates to "vine system", which was a particular way of managing grape vines for wine. Also shown is a French catalog cut from 1926 displaying the same model. The top of the ad says "Couteaux Greffoirs" which means "Grafting Knife".



 
Campbellclanman said:
Oh My..... Herder....i have NOT seen one like that!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!! You are very lucky my freind
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Thanks Campbellclanman.
There are so many incredible knives shown here and in so many other posts which are just simply overwhelming.
 
Nice "Glamonel A Chateau Thierry", Herder. What an interesting knife.
Seems very well designed for the job, and has a timeless appearance - Beautiful!
 
Cambertree said:
Yep, I was just thinking along the same lines, when I first saw it. For a working knife, they sure knew how to how to make one that was also pleasing to the eye (and hand I bet, too). That endcap, the grain of the timber, the drawn swedge, and of course that lovely bolster are all very tasteful touches.



I wonder if that bolster would still have been filed, as in the old days, or whether they were already drop forging them by then? Any idea what that timber might be? Walnut perhaps?

Nice composition too.
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I don't think hand filed but probably forged or possibly cut by machine??? The handles are listed as cocobolo in a Keen Kutter catalog, but they do look like walnut.
 
waynorth said:
Nice "Glamonel A Chateau Thierry", Herder. What an interesting knife.
Seems very well designed for the job, and has a timeless appearance - Beautiful!
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Thanks waynorth. It would be fun and interesting to catalog a group of pruners from around the world.
 
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