🪓 HEAVY-DUTY ANTIQUE KEEN KUTTER KK13 MEAT GRINDER – PAT. MAY 29, 1906 – USA MADE
This antique E.C. Simmons Keen Kutter KK13 meat grinder is a true example of early American cast iron craftsmanship. Patented on May 29, 1906, and clearly marked with both the patent date and the Keen Kutter shield logo, this grinder features a clamp-on base, a smooth-turning hand crank with a wood handle, and its original removable grinding plate. It measures 12.75 inches tall, 4.75 inches wide, and 8.25 inches deep, weighing in at 7 lb. 7.7 oz. All parts appear original and function properly. There are no cracks or chips, and the embossed branding remains bold and legible. A heavy-duty, display-worthy kitchen relic from the golden age of American hardware.
🔩 The Keen Kutter Legacy – E.C. Simmons and the Golden Age of American Hardware
🔨 Built from Grit – The Origins of E.C. Simmons Hardware
The Keen Kutter story began in the late 19th century, when E.C. Simmons founded his hardware empire in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally a hardware wholesaler, Simmons set out to create a brand that would symbolize the highest standard in American tools. That brand became Keen Kutter—a name chosen to reflect sharpness, precision, and dependability. The company started with axes and cutlery but rapidly expanded into saws, planes, hammers, and kitchen equipment, all unified under the same guarantee of excellence.
⚙️ The 1906 Breakthrough – Expanding into the American Home
By 1906, Keen Kutter products were not just found in workshops—they had entered American kitchens. Patented on May 29, 1906, the KK13 meat grinder was one of several heavy-duty home tools marketed to homemakers and butchers alike. These grinders were designed with both utility and durability in mind, using thick castings and precision-fitted parts that could last generations. E.C. Simmons understood that household tools needed the same reliability as hand tools—and he delivered.
📚 Catalog Culture and Nationwide Reach
Throughout the early 1900s, Simmons Hardware issued large, illustrated catalogs that made the Keen Kutter brand a household name across rural and urban America. Every tool was backed by Simmons’ personal guarantee of quality. With its bold shield logo and distinctive cast markings, Keen Kutter became one of the most recognizable names in hardware by the 1920s, rivaling brands like Stanley and Winchester.
🏆 Lasting Impact and Collector Demand
Following Simmons’ merger with Shapleigh Hardware in the 1940s, the Keen Kutter line continued production for a time but gradually faded—only adding to the brand's mystique. Today, Keen Kutter items—especially those bearing early patent dates and E.C. Simmons markings—are among the most collectible American tools and kitchen implements. The KK13 grinder, with its sharp design and embossed branding, remains a symbol of the rugged utility and design that defined the Keen Kutter legacy.