Folding utility knives?

[sgt1372]

How old are utility knives? I thought utility knives with their replaceable blades were a relatively new idea.

The knife in this picture looks very old.

Just looking at it, I'd guess sometime during the 50's. Must be a great design because they're still selling it and it only costs $5-6.

See: The Classic 199 Fixed Blade Utility Knife

As for folding utility knives, I've got a Husky that I bought at Home Depot for about $8.50. Don't know how others are designed but I like the secure back lock and the simple latched gate mechanism that makes it safe/easy to replace the blade.

 

[A.L.]

Please forgive another non-folder image, but thought this might be interesting to you guys. Found in my 90-year-old dad's kit. Must have been how ute knives used to be? A solid "grind it yourself" bladestock that stuck out the back of the handle.

That looks like craft / woodworking knife. The blade can be slided far or close depending on what kind of grip is desired or what kind of work is needed to be done. I`ve seen many Japanese chisel grind blades (kiridashi) with similar functionality.

 

[sailfish]

The Gerber EAB is an edc hall of famer, but the Milwaukee Fastback compact and Side Slide compact are a little more comfortable for me. One handed deployment is good too.
I haven't carried the Exceed Designs Ti-Rant knife yet. Version 2.0 will supposedly have a low profile deep carry clip.

That Ti-Rant looks good.

 

[Owen K.]

This is my favorite too... I like the longer handle, very comfortable.

[/QUOTE]
I had one of these for two weeks of carpentry work until it exploded. The pivot just snapped. Maybe I got a bad one.

 

[kreisler]

So, being a knife guy...I’m on the hunt. Anybody know of THE best folding razor knife?

For keychain use, my hunt is over. But re folding utility knife, i'm open to new better models than The Utilizer 2.0 or else.

So far the best i own is the Tirant Razor V3. Imho THE best @realedc folding razor knife!

 

[Sgt 127]

Oh. That’s really nice. Good materials. Looks like a perfect design. At $150. Not ridiculously priced in my opinion.

 

[Stelth]

This T&P Avis doesn't fold, but I find it very useful. Besides cutting, it can pry and is a caplifter.

 

[Michaelyogi]

 

[jjg6319]

Check out Exceed Designs Tirant Razor 3. Very nice.

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[Bolstermanic]

To my delight, I just discovered the Gerber EAB has screw-down blade retention. YES!! I really dislike a wobbly, rattly ute blade. OK, the downside is that the Gerber EAB requires a screwdriver to replace the blade, and there is a risk of losing the small set screw. But that's worth the trouble to have a solidly locked-in-place blade. Any other of the utes in this thread have mechanisms that take the wobble-rattle-shimmy out of the blade?

While I'm here, I'll report that:

• The diminutive Coast DX126 has lousy blade retention (blade rattles around like a castanet) and dulls the inward portion of the blade upon insertion.
• The Outdoor Edge also has lousy blade retention and is prone to just letting the blade loose in the middle of the cut !!
• And save me from any folding ute that requires me to unlock the blade before I can deploy it...sheesh.

 

[tiguy7]

I put Tungsten Carbide blades in the box cutters. They have a BESS Score of 120 and an HRC of 72.View attachment 2293001View attachment 2293002

 

[WValtakis]

I put Tungsten Carbide blades in the box cutters. They have a BESS Score of 120 and an HRC of 72.View attachment 2293001View attachment 2293002

Those blades are sweet, huh?

 

[Stelth]

Toongstin Caaaarbide!!!???

 

[tiguy7]

Those blades are sweet, huh?
View attachment 2293205

A pleasure to use.

 

[WValtakis]

A pleasure to use.

I broke down a double thickness box yesterday from some flat pack furniture...it was almost spooky how easy it was

 

[kreisler]

24us$ for 1 TC spare blade, avg price?

BESS 120 ... i think STANLEY can do better let's check Project Farm

 

[tiguy7]

24us$ for 1 TC spare blade, avg price?

BESS 120 ... i think STANLEY can do better let's check Project Farm

BESS 120 is razor territory and plenty useful for cardboard. The question is how long does it stay sharp. $24/ blade might be the medical grade. Mine were $18/ blade. The WC (Tungsten Carbide) knives are really expensive.

 

[kreisler]

I learned that IRL my Utilizer 2.0 is not ergonomic (comfortable) at all for hardcore-use breaking down cardboard boxes. I must question that the Hawk Shortcut can perform the following longish task without fatiguing your hand, grip, fingers, wrist:

The task\challenge is 'cutting down double-layer (double ply) cardboard, and even triple ply, fast and comfortably', as seen with the telescoping bottom of banana boxes.

I also learned that the long razor edge of The Utilizer 2.0 doesn't get (effectively) utilized during that challenge for 2 logical reasons:
1) the titanium lip (of the blade holder) would hit against the cardboard, jagging up the cutting line. the blade holder gets jammed\stuck in the cardboard.
2) if you try to cut with the full length of the razor edge, the edge exerts less pressure (because your hand force gets distributed over a bigger apex "area"), becoming less effective at the cutting, AND the knife handle position (angle) relative to the cardboard becomes awkward, unnatural, uncomfortable.

I should add these critical points to my Utilizer review (published 5 yrs ago?) but nobody asked anyway so why bother.

 

[Drop bear]

To my delight, I just discovered the Gerber EAB has screw-down blade retention. YES!! I really dislike a wobbly, rattly ute blade. OK, the downside is that the Gerber EAB requires a screwdriver to replace the blade, and there is a risk of losing the small set screw. But that's worth the trouble to have a solidly locked-in-place blade. Any other of the utes in this thread have mechanisms that take the wobble-rattle-shimmy out of the blade?

While I'm here, I'll report that:

• The diminutive Coast DX126 has lousy blade retention (blade rattles around like a castanet) and dulls the inward portion of the blade upon insertion.
• The Outdoor Edge also has lousy blade retention and is prone to just letting the blade loose in the middle of the cut !!
• And save me from any folding ute that requires me to unlock the blade before I can deploy it...sheesh.

I like the other gerber with just the spring lock.

 

[WValtakis]

BESS 120 is razor territory and plenty useful for cardboard. The question is how long does it stay sharp. $24/ blade might be the medical grade. Mine were $18/ blade. The WC (Tungsten Carbide) knives are really expensive.

The difference between the medical and industrial grade blade appears to be the mirror polished edge, worth it in my opinion with this blade material.