<PAGE>   1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 11, 2001

                                                Registration No. 333-___________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON D.C. 20549

                             -----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             -----------------------

                                 KENNAMETAL INC.

                PENNSYLVANIA                         25-0900168
         (State or jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
       Incorporation or organization)             Identification No.)

                               1600 TECHNOLOGY WAY
                                  P.O. BOX 231
                           LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA 15650
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                             -----------------------

                KENNAMETAL INC. 2000 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                             -----------------------

                    DAVID T. COFER, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY
                               AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                                 KENNAMETAL INC.
                               1600 TECHNOLOGY WAY
                                  P.O. BOX 231
                           LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA 15650
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                                  724-539-5206
                     (Telephone number of agent for service)

                          COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS TO:
                              RONALD BASSO, ESQUIRE
                   BUCHANAN INGERSOLL PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
                                ONE OXFORD CENTRE
                          301 GRANT STREET, 20TH FLOOR
                            PITTSBURGH, PA 15219-1410
                                  412-562-3943

                             -----------------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
     Title of Securities to be           Amount to be      Proposed Maximum     Proposed Maximum         Amount of
           Registered(1)                  Registered        Offering Price     Aggregate Offering   Registration Fee(2)
                                                              Per Share              Price
------------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
<S>                                     <C>                <C>                 <C>                  <C>
Capital Stock, par value $1.25 per        1,500,000             $28.75            $43,125,000            $10,781.25
share
------------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
</TABLE>

(1) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of any
interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described
herein.

(2) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant
to Rule 457(h). Such price, which is the average of the high and low sales
prices for the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in The
Wall Street Journal, Midwest Edition, on January 10, 2001, has been determined
in accordance with Rule 457(c).


<PAGE>   2


                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS


         ITEM 1.  PLAN INFORMATION.

         The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this
Registration Statement will be sent or given to employees as specified by Rule
428(b)(1). Such documents are not required to be and are not filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as a part of this
Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to
Rule 424. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Form S-8, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


         ITEM 2.  COMPANY INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.

         Upon written or oral request, any of the documents incorporated herein
by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement (which
documents are incorporated by reference in this Section 10(a) Prospectus) and
other documents required to be delivered to eligible employees pursuant to Rule
428(b) or additional information about the Kennametal Inc. 2000 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan and its administrators are available without charge by contacting

                                 Kennametal Inc.
                               1600 Technology Way
                                  P.O. Box 231
                             Latrobe, PA 15650-0231
                                  (724)539-5206
       Attn: David T. Cofer, Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel




                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         Kennametal Inc., the "Corporation", hereby incorporates by reference
into this Registration Statement the documents listed in (a) through (c) below.
The Corporation also incorporates by reference, from the date of filing of such
documents, all documents subsequently filed by it pursuant to Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the
"Securities Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
all securities then remaining unsold:


<PAGE>   3

                  (a) The latest annual report of the Corporation filed pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) under the Securities Exchange Act;

                  (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
annual report referred to in (a) above; and

(c) The description of the Capital Stock of the Corporation contained in the
Corporation's registration statement filed under Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         Buchanan Ingersoll Professional Corporation ("BIPC"), counsel for the
Corporation, is issuing an opinion to the Corporation in connection with this
Registration Statement regarding the legality of the securities being
registered. Mr. William R. Newlin, the Managing Director and a shareholder of
BIPC, is the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation. As of January 10, 2000,
BIPC, and all attorneys of BIPC who may be deemed to be substantively involved
in this Registration Statement, didn't beneficially own any shares of the
Capital Stock of the Corporation.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Pennsylvania statutory law regarding directors and officers insurance
and indemnification is embodied in Subchapter D (Sections 1741 through 1750) of
the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended (the "PBCL").
Section 1741 (relating to third party actions) and 1742 (relating to derivative
actions) of the PBCL provide that, unless otherwise restricted by its bylaws, a
business corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who is made a
party to a third-party or derivative action, respectively, by reason that such
person is or was a representative of the corporation. The PBCL defines
representative to mean a director, officer, employee or agent thereof (a
"Representative"). The sections further state that the corporation is authorized
to indemnify the Representative against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by him or her in connection with the action. However, the Representative must
have acted in good faith and with a reasonable belief that his or her actions
were in the best interests, or not opposed to the best interests, of the
corporation; and with respect to any criminal proceeding, the Representative
must have had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

         Section 1743 of the BCL provides mandatory indemnification for a
Representative if he or she succeeds on the merits or otherwise in the defense
of any claim or action. The corporation must indemnify him or her to the extent
of his or her actual and reasonable expenses (including attorney's fees) in
connection with the claim or action.



<PAGE>   4


         Section 1746(a) states that the statutory rights of indemnification
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a person might be
entitled under any bylaw, agreement, or otherwise. However, 1746(b) forbids
indemnification to be made in any case where the act or failure to act giving
rise to the claim is determined by a court to be willful misconduct or
recklessness. A corporation may not provide indemnification in the case of
willful misconduct or recklessness.

         The BCL, in Section 1747, also authorizes corporations to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of a Representative, whether or not the corporation
would have the power to indemnify him or her. Such insurance is declared to be
consistent with Pennsylvania's public policy.

         Article IX, Section 1 of the Corporation's bylaws provides that a
director shall not be personally liable for monetary damages for any action
taken or failed to be taken unless the director has breached or failed to
perform the duties of his office and such breach or failure to perform
constitutes self-dealing willful misconduct or recklessness. A director's
criminal or tax liability is not limited by the foregoing provision.

         Section 2 of Article IX of the Corporation's bylaws requires the
Corporation to indemnify any director or officer who is involved in any action,
suit or proceeding, whether, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
unless a court determines that such director or officer's conduct constituted
willful misconduct or recklessness. However, the Corporation will indemnify a
director or officer who initiates an action only if the action was authorized by
the board of directors. The right to indemnification conferred by this bylaw
includes payment of all reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, and any
liability and loss. The bylaws further provide that any director or officer who
is entitled to indemnification but is not paid in full by the Corporation within
forty-five (45) days after a written claim, may bring suit against the
Corporation; and if the director or officer succeeds, in whole or in part, he or
she shall be entitled to also be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim.

         The Corporation has entered into indemnification contracts with
directors and officers of the Corporation which entitle them to full
indemnification in accordance with the BCL and the Corporation's bylaws. Also,
pursuant to the indemnification contracts, the Corporation is obligated to
purchase and maintain directors and officers' liability insurance. Accordingly,
the Corporation provides insurance contracts which insure its directors and
officers, within the limits and subject to the limitations of the policies,
against certain expenses and liabilities which have been incurred by, or
resulted from, any actions, suits or proceedings to which they are parties by
reason of being or having been directors or officers of the Corporation.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

         The following is a list of exhibits filed as part of this Registration
Statement, which are incorporated herein:


<PAGE>   5

                  4.01     Rights Agreement, effective as of November 2, 2000
                           (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 of
                           Form 8-A filed on October 10, 2000)

                  5.01     Opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
                           Corporation

                  23.01    Consent of Independent Public Accountants

                  23.02    Consent of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
                           Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.01)

                  99.01    Kennametal Inc. 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         (a)      The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (i) To file during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include
any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such
information in this Registration Statement.

                  (ii) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (iii) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6 of this
Registration Statement, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.




<PAGE>   6


                                   SIGNATURES

         The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Unity Township, Westmoreland County,
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 9th day of January, 2001.

                                            KENNAMETAL INC.


                                            By: /s/ David T. Cofer
                                               --------------------------------
                                            Authorized Officer
                                            Vice President, Secretary and
                                            General Counsel

         The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities indicated on January 9, 2001.


Signature                                         Capacity
---------                                         --------


                                                  Chairman of the Board
---------------------------------
William R. Newlin

/s/ Markos I. Tambakeras                          Director, President
---------------------------------                 and Chief Executive Officer
Markos I. Tambakeras


<PAGE>   7

/s/ F. Nicholas Grasberger, III                   Vice President
---------------------------------                 and Chief Financial Officer
F. Nicholas Grasberger, III

/s/ Frank P. Simpkins                             Corporate Controller
---------------------------------                 and Chief Accounting Officer
Frank P. Simpkins

/s/ Richard C. Alberding                          Director
---------------------------------
Richard C. Alberding

/s/ Peter B. Bartlett                             Director
---------------------------------
Peter B. Bartlett

/s/ A. Peter Held                                 Director
---------------------------------
A. Peter Held

                                                  Director
---------------------------------
Timothy S. Lucas

                                                  Director
---------------------------------
Kathleen J. Hempel

/s/ Aloysius T. McLaughlin, Jr.                   Director
---------------------------------
Aloysius T. McLaughlin, Jr.

                                                  Director
---------------------------------
Larry Yost


<PAGE>   8


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


    EXHIBIT NO.                          DESCRIPTION
    -----------                          -----------

    4.01               Rights Agreement, effective as of November 2, 2000
                       (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Form 8-A filed
                       on October 10, 2000)

    5.01               Opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional Corporation

    23.01              Consent of Independent Public Accountants

    23.02              Consent of Buchanan Ingersoll, Professional Corporation
                       (included in Exhibit 5.01)

    99.01              Kennametal Inc. 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "j8589401s-8.txt", "description": "KENNAMETAL, INC.", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19347}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "KENNAMETAL INC", "cik": "0000055242", "assigned-sic": "3541", "irs-number": "250900168", "state-of-incorporation": "PA", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-53562", "film-number": "1507295"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1600 TECHNOLOGY WAY", "street2": "P O  BOX 231", "city": "LATROBE", "state": "PA", "zip": "15650", "phone": "7245395000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1600 TECHNOLOGY WAY", "street2": "PO BOX 231", "city": "LATROBE", "state": "PA", "zip": "15650"}}
1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 11, 2001

                                                Registration No. 333-___________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON D.C. 20549

                             -----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             -----------------------

                                 KENNAMETAL INC.

                PENNSYLVANIA                         25-0900168
         (State or jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
       Incorporation or organization)             Identification No.)

                               1600 TECHNOLOGY WAY
                                  P.O. BOX 231
                           LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA 15650
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                             -----------------------

                KENNAMETAL INC. 2000 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                             -----------------------

                    DAVID T. COFER, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY
                               AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                                 KENNAMETAL INC.
                               1600 TECHNOLOGY WAY
                                  P.O. BOX 231
                           LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA 15650
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                                  724-539-5206
                     (Telephone number of agent for service)

                          COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS TO:
                              RONALD BASSO, ESQUIRE
                   BUCHANAN INGERSOLL PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
                                ONE OXFORD CENTRE
                          301 GRANT STREET, 20TH FLOOR
                            PITTSBURGH, PA 15219-1410
                                  412-562-3943

                             -----------------------
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
     Title of Securities to be           Amount to be      Proposed Maximum     Proposed Maximum         Amount of
           Registered(1)                  Registered        Offering Price     Aggregate Offering   Registration Fee(2)
                                                              Per Share              Price
------------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
Capital Stock, par value $1.25 per        1,500,000             $28.75            $43,125,000            $10,781.25
share
------------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
(1) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of any
interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described
herein.

(2) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant
to Rule 457(h). Such price, which is the average of the high and low sales
prices for the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in The
Wall Street Journal, Midwest Edition, on January 10, 2001, has been determined
in accordance with Rule 457(c).
2

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         ITEM 1.  PLAN INFORMATION.

         The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this
Registration Statement will be sent or given to employees as specified by Rule
428(b)(1). Such documents are not required to be and are not filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as a part of this
Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to
Rule 424. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Form S-8, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         ITEM 2.  COMPANY INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.

         Upon written or oral request, any of the documents incorporated herein
by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement (which
documents are incorporated by reference in this Section 10(a) Prospectus) and
other documents required to be delivered to eligible employees pursuant to Rule
428(b) or additional information about the Kennametal Inc. 2000 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan and its administrators are available without charge by contacting

                                 Kennametal Inc.
                               1600 Technology Way
                                  P.O. Box 231
                             Latrobe, PA 15650-0231
                                  (724)539-5206
       Attn: David T. Cofer, Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         Kennametal Inc., the "Corporation", hereby incorporates by reference
into this Registration Statement the documents listed in (a) through (c) below.
The Corporation also incorporates by reference, from the date of filing of such
documents, all documents subsequently filed by it pursuant to Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the
"Securities Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
all securities then remaining unsold:
3

                  (a) The latest annual report of the Corporation filed pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) under the Securities Exchange Act;

                  (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
annual report referred to in (a) above; and

(c) The description of the Capital Stock of the Corporation contained in the
Corporation's registration statement filed under Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         Buchanan Ingersoll Professional Corporation ("BIPC"), counsel for the
Corporation, is issuing an opinion to the Corporation in connection with this
Registration Statement regarding the legality of the securities being
registered. Mr. William R. Newlin, the Managing Director and a shareholder of
BIPC, is the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation. As of January 10, 2000,
BIPC, and all attorneys of BIPC who may be deemed to be substantively involved
in this Registration Statement, didn't beneficially own any shares of the
Capital Stock of the Corporation.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Pennsylvania statutory law regarding directors and officers insurance
and indemnification is embodied in Subchapter D (Sections 1741 through 1750) of
the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended (the "PBCL").
Section 1741 (relating to third party actions) and 1742 (relating to derivative
actions) of the PBCL provide that, unless otherwise restricted by its bylaws, a
business corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who is made a
party to a third-party or derivative action, respectively, by reason that such
person is or was a representative of the corporation. The PBCL defines
representative to mean a director, officer, employee or agent thereof (a
"Representative"). The sections further state that the corporation is authorized
to indemnify the Representative against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by him or her in connection with the action. However, the Representative must
have acted in good faith and with a reasonable belief that his or her actions
were in the best interests, or not opposed to the best interests, of the
corporation; and with respect to any criminal proceeding, the Representative
must have had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

         Section 1743 of the BCL provides mandatory indemnification for a
Representative if he or she succeeds on the merits or otherwise in the defense
of any claim or action. The corporation must indemnify him or her to the extent
of his or her actual and reasonable expenses (including attorney's fees) in
connection with the claim or action.
4

         Section 1746(a) states that the statutory rights of indemnification
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a person might be
entitled under any bylaw, agreement, or otherwise. However, 1746(b) forbids
indemnification to be made in any case where the act or failure to act giving
rise to the claim is determined by a court to be willful misconduct or
recklessness. A corporation may not provide indemnification in the case of
willful misconduct or recklessness.

         The BCL, in Section 1747, also authorizes corporations to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of a Representative, whether or not the corporation
would have the power to indemnify him or her. Such insurance is declared to be
consistent with Pennsylvania's public policy.

         Article IX, Section 1 of the Corporation's bylaws provides that a
director shall not be personally liable for monetary damages for any action
taken or failed to be taken unless the director has breached or failed to
perform the duties of his office and such breach or failure to perform
constitutes self-dealing willful misconduct or recklessness. A director's
criminal or tax liability is not limited by the foregoing provision.

         Section 2 of Article IX of the Corporation's bylaws requires the
Corporation to indemnify any director or officer who is involved in any action,
suit or proceeding, whether, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
unless a court determines that such director or officer's conduct constituted
willful misconduct or recklessness. However, the Corporation will indemnify a
director or officer who initiates an action only if the action was authorized by
the board of directors. The right to indemnification conferred by this bylaw
includes payment of all reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, and any
liability and loss. The bylaws further provide that any director or officer who
is entitled to indemnification but is not paid in full by the Corporation within
forty-five (45) days after a written claim, may bring suit against the
Corporation; and if the director or officer succeeds, in whole or in part, he or
she shall be entitled to also be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim.

         The Corporation has entered into indemnification contracts with
directors and officers of the Corporation which entitle them to full
indemnification in accordance with the BCL and the Corporation's bylaws. Also,
pursuant to the indemnification contracts, the Corporation is obligated to
purchase and maintain directors and officers' liability insurance. Accordingly,
the Corporation provides insurance contracts which insure its directors and
officers, within the limits and subject to the limitations of the policies,
against certain expenses and liabilities which have been incurred by, or
resulted from, any actions, suits or proceedings to which they are parties by
reason of being or having been directors or officers of the Corporation.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

         The following is a list of exhibits filed as part of this Registration
Statement, which are incorporated herein:
5

                  4.01     Rights Agreement, effective as of November 2, 2000
                           (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 of
                           Form 8-A filed on October 10, 2000)

                  5.01     Opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
                           Corporation

                  23.01    Consent of Independent Public Accountants

                  23.02    Consent of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
                           Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.01)

                  99.01    Kennametal Inc. 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         (a)      The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (i) To file during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include
any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such
information in this Registration Statement.

                  (ii) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (iii) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6 of this
Registration Statement, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
6

                                   SIGNATURES

         The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Unity Township, Westmoreland County,
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 9th day of January, 2001.

                                            KENNAMETAL INC.

                                            By: /s/ David T. Cofer
                                               --------------------------------
                                            Authorized Officer
                                            Vice President, Secretary and
                                            General Counsel

         The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities indicated on January 9, 2001.

Signature                                         Capacity
---------                                         --------

                                                  Chairman of the Board
---------------------------------
William R. Newlin

/s/ Markos I. Tambakeras                          Director, President
---------------------------------                 and Chief Executive Officer
Markos I. Tambakeras
7

/s/ F. Nicholas Grasberger, III                   Vice President
---------------------------------                 and Chief Financial Officer
F. Nicholas Grasberger, III

/s/ Frank P. Simpkins                             Corporate Controller
---------------------------------                 and Chief Accounting Officer
Frank P. Simpkins

/s/ Richard C. Alberding                          Director
---------------------------------
Richard C. Alberding

/s/ Peter B. Bartlett                             Director
---------------------------------
Peter B. Bartlett

/s/ A. Peter Held                                 Director
---------------------------------
A. Peter Held

                                                  Director
---------------------------------
Timothy S. Lucas

                                                  Director
---------------------------------
Kathleen J. Hempel

/s/ Aloysius T. McLaughlin, Jr.                   Director
---------------------------------
Aloysius T. McLaughlin, Jr.

                                                  Director
---------------------------------
Larry Yost
8

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

    EXHIBIT NO.                          DESCRIPTION
    -----------                          -----------

    4.01               Rights Agreement, effective as of November 2, 2000
                       (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Form 8-A filed
                       on October 10, 2000)

    5.01               Opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional Corporation

    23.01              Consent of Independent Public Accountants

    23.02              Consent of Buchanan Ingersoll, Professional Corporation
                       (included in Exhibit 5.01)

    99.01              Kennametal Inc. 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan