Simmons Hdw Co adjustable wrench

[almyjmoore]

  I got this a few days ago and I'm wondering if this is the same company that sold Keen Kutter brand products. I'm not familiar with the oak leaf name. Would the 10 mean it's a 10" wrench [that's about what it is]?Thanks, Al

[Papaw]

Same folks, and the "10" does mean a 10" pipe wrench.

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."

Source- http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id42.html

[almyjmoore]

Thanks for the well informed response. I will copy and save the Simmons article. Al