Why is everyone cutting so much cardboard?

Why do you cut cardboard?

  • It's fun

    Votes: 28 17.6%

  • I enjoy sharpening my knives

    Votes: 4 2.5%

  • To justify buying a super steel

    Votes: 10 6.3%

  • Some box designs are difficult to break down

    Votes: 29 18.2%

  • I rarely cut cardboard

    Votes: 88 55.3%
  • Total voters
    159
M

MBG

Joined
May 21, 2020
Messages
167
One thing that I see coming up over and over in knife forums is cardboard cutting. I really don't understand why people talk about it as a significant EDC task. I once had a job where I would break down 50-100 boxes every day. I don't work with cardboard much these days but we get a couple of packages every day. It is almost always easier to cut the tape and fold the box instead of cutting them up. So every time I see a discussion about blade steel and someone starts talking about how much cardboard they cut every day, I just have to wonder why they are making extra work for themselves (cutting and sharpening).

It doesn't bother me if people do it for fun. It's just that some people act like cutting is the most efficient way to deal with cardboard and that hasn't been my experience. Also, I know that many people use cardboard as a medium for edge retention tests, but that isn't EDC use.
 
glockfire said:
I hardly ever cut cardboard, but I do cut the tape preventing me from breaking it down...
Click to expand...
Same as above, cut the tape and fold it to fit in trash can. Once in a while, may need to cut a big box smaller to fit receptacle. If I really need to tackle some cardboard, box cutter is approved tool with multiple replaceable blades. I went to town on my new lawn mower box, enjoyed using my knife.
 
Last edited:
..because wild boars are expensive!
Ryur6gnt.jpg
 
I voted for "it's fun". There should have been another choice;
-There's nothing better to do under Covid19 lockup and since I don't go out the mail order boxes keep piling up.
 
Last edited:
Voted 'rarely...'. However, I must admit that there is some fun to be had cutting cardboard
 
I cut boxes quite much in my work but I’ve sorta moved to box cutters if I need to cut them. Most of the time however I toss them on the floor and kick the corners so they break down. Much more time efficient.
 
I voted rarely but like Rhino said, cardboard is free, is universal, and it was/is a popular test for edge retention.
 
Every once in a while a box is large enough to need cutting, and cereal style boxes are often easier to just cut open.
That's it though, usually I'm just cutting the tape and folding them up.


I do not understand testing a knife on a bunch of cardboard either.
#1 you can see if a knife has a good slicing geometry.
#2 just carry the damn thing and keep it touched up as necessary.
 
Cardboard is an easy “reference” material for benchmarking the edge retention of different steels

for sure it is a trend.
Some ears ago it was all about stain resistance.
At some point it has been sharpen ability
it has been a big issue with HRC also.
Nowadays it is about edge retention
One can guess that at some point it will be about toughness ;)

But if you are not interested in some steels performance (in this case, edge retention), then all this cardboard violence () looks pointless
 
Our trash pickup won't accept boxes just thrown in the dumpster. Don't ask me why, but one time they took the bags and left the cardboard, so I called them and that's what they said. Stupid rule, but whatever. So now I cut up the boxes and put it in bags. I mean, cardboard will break down, plastic not so much. So it's really a waste, but I live in Mississippi so what do you expect.

However I did find out my 14c28n Bareknuckle will go through a 50" TV box, and a couple mushroom chair boxes and still cut just fine. Impressive considering it is a "budget" steel!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top