Those who work in office, what do you use your knife for?

I’ll be honest, I carry one everyday, just in case something happens. I can’t pull it out to open letters or to use as a screwdriver. They truthfully aren’t welcome in my building. I carry one of my many low profile “gentleman’s carry” knives l, very discreetly.
 
Before the furlough, I sat in front of 2 monitors at a desk for 20+ years. Always had a knife in my pocket. Used it for all sorts of things. Sometimes I’d go months without using it in the office, and other times, almost daily. Really just depended on what was happening that day, week, or month.

As a small office, our IT guy knew nothing about Macs, so anytime anything needed done with one of the computers in the design department, I was the guy. Computer boxes, blister packs for cables, or just cutting zip-ties when rerouting cables were all done with whatever knife was in my pocket.

Wasn’t uncommon for me to help workout prototypes, lend a hand in setting up exhibits for client previews, etc, back in the service/production department. Knife got used for all sorts of things back there. Cutting carpet rolls, trimming plastic/wood, or cutting pallet wrap.as lead designer, I was always hands on with projects, even though most of my day was at a desk.

Even at my desk, I’d use it instead of an Exacto if I was cutting down presentation boards, making mockups or templates, or just trimming up tape. Sometimes, it was just open packages of business cards, copy paper, or samples. And of course, peeling a kiwi or slicing a bagel at lunch.

Really, i used my knife just like I would at home... basically any time I needed to cut something.
 
-Most of mine would be somewhat frowned upon by upper management in my office, too, if they knew that I had it (one does but she is from W TX so she doesn't mind). I use it occasionally to cut the various little stuff when no one is watching (use scissors if they are) and to talk with my buddy who is also a knife guy after most leave. We work from 9-6 and most are gone by 5 so we can check out the day's carry. We try to buy different knives and mess with them and/or trade if one of us gets one the other really likes.
 
As an Optician I carry a SAK Mechanic as part of my tools for work. The small pliers can come in handy. I would to prefer to have a Vic Spartan with pliers. :)

I also have a Gerber EAB that I use for cardboard.

Most of the time I just reach for what is in my pocket. We get small packages in daily from the labs that we use. A thin blade works best for them.
 
I've got years of office work under my belt. I've carried a knife through all of it. Usually, my knife use entailed opening mail, opening packages, random cutting like a loose thread on some garment, and occasionally breaking something down for a small trash can. That last one is an example of sufficiency versus making the trip to a bigger trash receptacle or calling someone from maintenance to come by and get rid of it. (I'm no Ron Swanson but yes, I liked to solve minor maintenance problems myself when it was convenient.
 
Personally, I use the living Shih Tzu out of my knives working construction, but if I were to change positions or careers to an office setting, my love for knives wouldn’t change at all regardless of how much they got used.

My good buddy @Quiet can tell you all about his vast collection of unused office folders :eek::D:D:D Seriously though, we all have our own way to enjoy this hobby.
 
For most of the time nothing really, Occasional string, pastry etc. cutting would really not need anykind of edc blade in my office setting. Rather, I do it beacause I can ;)
 
I cut the occasional zip tie, open the occasional box, fold up the occasional box, and occasionally cut the cheese (we used to do a whine and cheese thing every Friday).
 
At first there was some trepidation about knives in my office but I just started saying things like (it’s just a tool, and, no different than a steak knife or scissors when you think about it) and being careful how I opened it around them and they started being a lot less nervous, people now asking to borrow my super sharp knives which I’m happy to do (they’re just pretty sharp but most people are so used to knives being dull that using sharp ones is a treat), and one wonderful person went from being really concerned people would be afraid to actually carrying one of their own! I’m happy to report that attitudes can change and fear can be driven out
 
When I did work in a office setting (big tech) it was not a super knife friendly. I still used my Vic Cadet a lot. Cutting up lunch/fruit, opening boxes, cutting zip ties, tighting/loose screws and opening bottles. Because the lack of bassic tools was such a problem people would frequently borrow my knife. The Cadet is so usefully and not scary at all it is great for environments like this.
 
Before working at home ( since March) , I worked in a NYC office. The local laws dictated what I can carry , not my employer.

So I mostly carried a multi blade slipjoint. I have a locking blade knife, box cutter and a Leatherman in my desk drawer.

I head the IT group so I sometimes help break down boxes , cut plastic ties , take CPU's apart etc.

The real irony is that I order tools for the IT dept , which includes box cutters and flashlights.
Needless to say we are all well equipped. ( but still can't justify a Sebenza on an expense report);)
 
To turn things that are big into smaller pieces. Or part something so that I can access whatever is inside. Aka. Cut stuff.
 
More consistently than anything else, when in the office I use it for food prep, so a small folder that can slice effectively is my ideal. Various other things would be the removal of stray threads from suits and ties, opening packages and boxes, cutting paper, zip ties, hang nails, and non-tearable tape (as I'd look a little barbaric doing it with my teeth and scissors have a tendency of disappearing), and of course self-defense against the occasional polar bear attack.
 
+1 for lunchroom use. if there's a snack or a packet of tuna I can't get open with my fingers, the knife will do it. cutting up protein bars into little bites for munching between calls also happens.

plus, having a knife in my pocket that I saved up for and really enjoy reminds me of why i am there.
 
My office is my truck. I tried desk work a while back for a decent engineering job, couldn't handle sitting longer than 15 minutes. I'm a Hybrid Fiber Coax field tech. Company I work for has thousands of miles of long haul fiber to remote areas service rural Utah and Nevada. Fortunately I get to see some beautiful places, and get to an occasional mountain top or two.

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This was taken last month while at work. Have to drive through portions of Zion National Park to get to one of our areas:

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The last 20 yesrs of my career were mostly in an office. I could open the occasional box or cut lunch but mostly my knife was a desk ornament or fidget toy. Even in my retirement I have little use for anything beyond a Swiss Army knife but always have one or two on me. I consider them carried collectables now.
 
Any tips on cutting your nails with a knife? I usually use a nail clipper, using a knife seems a little scary :O
Do it carefully, very, very carefully, whittle them down a little at a tyme, not all at once like with clipper or scissors.

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I'm retired now. My last "office" job was at a small independent TV station, in Idaho, where I was (among other things) Receptionist (IMHO, quite possibly the ugliest receptionist in pre-recorded and recorded history), Assistant Broadcast Engineer, Traffic Director (I interrupted the regular programming to run the ads when they were supposed to run, and in the correct order), Executive Secretary to both the station manager, and the station's owner, Assistant Station Manager, Assistant Sales Manager, Custodian, Groundskeeper, VP of Security, Night Watchman, Chauffeur, Truck Driver, vehicle mechanic, and Web Master (among other things) for the boss' vacation rental property, in the Florida Keys.
My most used knives were a three layer SAK Huntsman, and a Schrade (USA) Old Timer 7OT or 6OT, depending on which was on my belt at the time.

I trimmed and cut electrical wires and co-ax cables, vacuum, heater and radiator hoses, opened packages (including those accursed clam packs) and boxed assemble-it-you-self office furniture, removed the cellophane from the DVD' with the new ads for broadcast, trimmed the odd bush branch (using the Huntsman's saw) cut wire ties and plastic banding, carved/whittled inletting for locks on wood cabinets and drawers, slice my pizza, open sausages, frozen nuggets, tater tots, and other bagged frozen food, bags of rice (using the Huntsman's scissors) ... just the "normal every day" stuff. :)

yes. There was no such thing as "over-time"; I was salaried. I got paid the same if I worked my normal 120~130 hours a week, or only just 40 hours. (I'd need a excellent excuse if only 40 hours, though.) ("Social Life" What's that?)
 
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