H K Porter Pointcut Pruner

[Northwoods]

I love hitting the sales, looking for old steel.  And if I can find old steel and old hickory, that's even better.

Found one of these yesterday.  Mine is about 20" long.  Traded for it-- four used railroad spikes.  Really.  They came from the previous sale where I got 20 spikes for $2.00.  Really.

I guess H K Porter decided that if they could make bolt cutters, they could make pruners.  Evidently they were not a big success.

Can't find one on the bay and not much at all on the web.  Anyone know about them?  From the 20's--40's?


https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-hkp-hk-porter-20-pointcut-1816612146 

[Bill Houghton]

Looks like a serious tool - and for 40 cents, not a bad deal, either.

[Yadda]

Great swap!

[international3414]

i have a pair very similar,w/rubber like grips,its 27" long & marked no. 2 forester boston 43 mass.

[Northwoods]

I see mine listed in the 1939 catalogue from Everett, Mass.  $5.00
Don't know when it originated.

[Northwoods]

To follow up, I have discovered, I believe why my Pointcut Pruner is rather rare.
I adjusted the fit of the blades and sharpened it, then gave it a try. It worked just fine, but it is only 20" long, is much heavier than other pruners that would have wooden handles and a much simpler blade arrangement, and, of course, it cost $5.00 in the depths of the Great Depression.  Likely it was not a big seller.
I suppose HKPorter assumed that a pruner should have a design similar to their bolt cutters.

Not so.

[coolford]

I have one also, picked it up at a garage sale some years ago, it is larger than yours, being 27 inches long.  They cut fine due to the compound leverage.

[Northwoods]

I might just keep mine as a user--even if it is not as efficient as my present one.  It is gismotic cool.

[Yadda]

It is gismotic cool.

+1