Keen Kutter 36" Tack Hammer

[pwberndt]

Hi All,
I have this tack hammer that I picked up at a garage sale about 35 years ago because it was different. It has a 36" handle that unscrews in the middle. It has a couple of spring clips on the handle, one with a V notch that rests against the side of the head and the other a few inches down the handle. The S.C. Simmons Keen Kutter symbol is the sawblade. This looks to be a factory made tool for a special use. The magnet is still good and the condition is as I found it.

Can anyone shed some light on this hammer and the intended use?
Thanks,

[Branson]

I think it's a poster hanger's hammer.

[Papaw]

I agree. One shows up om Ebay UK.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTIQUE-HAMMER-TACK-POSTER-Hanger-Bill-Posters-HAMMER-Vintage-Rare-/390577527140?nma=true&si=Sa40QIu%252BcLZHBkuFuuwExG%252FuNnA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[pwberndt]

Thank you, this solves the mystery.

I think I've figured out how to use it. Put a tack in the V clip with the tack head a against the hammer, put a poster under the lower clip and push the tack through the poster. Tap the poster to the pole and drive the tack with the hammer. Put in another tack and you are good to go.

Nice tool,

[scottg]

Wow! These are soooooo rare to see. And in good condition no less.
 Drooool!
  yours Scott

[Bill Houghton]

You may know this already, but in case you didn't: the face/poll of the hammer that's divided, with a tear-drop-shaped "slot" running back toward the eye, is a horseshoe magnet.  These often lose their magnetism after a while and need to be revitalized.  Your explanation of the clips makes sense.  Perhaps the magnetic face was for the tacks after the first one; might have been faster to put a tack on the magnetized face than under the clip.

That's pretty cool.  I've seen drawings, but never photographs; and never one in the wild (if I had, I'd probably own it).

[pwberndt]

You may know this already, but in case you didn't: the face/poll of the hammer that's divided, with a tear-drop-shaped "slot" running back toward the eye, is a horseshoe magnet.  These often lose their magnetism after a while and need to be revitalized.  Your explanation of the clips makes sense.  Perhaps the magnetic face was for the tacks after the first one; might have been faster to put a tack on the magnetized face than under the clip.

That's pretty cool.  I've seen drawings, but never photographs; and never one in the wild (if I had, I'd probably own it).

Hi Bill,
I am aware of the magnet and this one will still hold a tack. I believe you are correct about using the magnetic end to set the second tack, I don't think the clip would work that good without the poster to help hold it in place. I agree that it is rare. After I got it ~1975-78, I've asked many people if they knew its use and have drawn a blank. I had one elderly man suggest it may have been used to tack upholstery inside a piece of furniture but that didn't explain the clips. The people that sold it weren't sure where they got it and didn't have a clue what it was. I probably saved it from hanging in a Cracker Barrel.

If I ever decide to part with it, I'll post it here.

[mikeswrenches]

I believe this was made by the A. R. Robertson Co. under a patent issued on Nov. 2, 1886, no. 352,070.  They were also made in a rare 3-section version.

If you look up the patent you will see that it is for a horse shoe shaped tack hammer head rather than the actual bill poster's hammer. 

On the two examples I have seen, I didn't notice if they were stamped with a patent date.  However, Comerford & Baird in the Hammer book, claim that this patent belongs to this hammer.

Perhaps the actual hammer function and form was never patented.

Mike

[john k]

I saw one with 3  handle sections, in the bill poster display at Baraboo, Wisconsin.  The Circus World Museum, they had the glue pot, and printer for making the (Circus IS Coming!) posters.   With an armful of posters, and this hammer, a man could canvas a town rather quickly by not having to lug a ladder around.

[pwberndt]

I believe this was made by the A. R. Robertson Co. under a patent issued on Nov. 2, 1886, no. 352,070.  They were also made in a rare 3-section version.

If you look up the patent you will see that it is for a horse shoe shaped tack hammer head rather than the actual bill poster's hammer. 

On the two examples I have seen, I didn't notice if they were stamped with a patent date.  However, Comerford & Baird in the Hammer book, claim that this patent belongs to this hammer.

Perhaps the actual hammer function and form was never patented.

Mike

Hi Mike,
I looked at the patent and found an A.R Robertson on eBay. The one on eBay was only the hammer section and had the tack clip missing. The head was a different shape and had a patent stamp and the poster clip was stamped A.R Robertson. I took another look at mine and could not see anything else and the difference in the shape of the head leads me to believe it was manufactured by E.C. Simmons Keen Kutter name.

While doing different Google searches, I found a story about a young man going around to different towns and using one of these hammers to hang posters. Like John K said, a young man could cover a town and move on before he was noticed. This had to be a very handy tool and if I were not afraid of breaking it, I'd use it to hang garage sale signs.

Thanks for the research

[john k]

This hammer, and its use, caused many towns to post signs on their power poles, Post NO BILLS, as the tacks would stay, long after the poster blew away.   Then the power company guy could try to climb the pole with his spike climbers, hit a tack head, and slip down getting a mouthful of splinters.  Made them upset for some reason. 

[Conductor562]

E.C. Simmons had a pretty interesting history and a rivalry with Shapleigh Hardware Company that eventually bought them out. Plays out like sprocket rivalry on the Jetsons.