Cardboard boxes at work

[coop1957]

I love to cut up boxes and get my knife dull. Then I have something to look forward too. Going home and making it sharp again. Isn't this what makes the world go round?

 

[Let It Bleed]

The impression I'm getting is most who use their knife at work do so because it's either use their own or use junk.

I was just curious b/c the ability of a knife to withstand breaking down boxes is frequently listed as a requirement that many deem necessary in the knife they choose to carry.

Personally, I have no need for a knife at work and frequently must go where knives are strictly verboten. I do use all the knives I own, but truthfully most are far more knife than I actually need. I enjoy using quality knives but confess that I don't find sharpening them to be anything resembling a pleasure. I suppose it's analogous to firearms - love to shoot 'em but hate to clean 'em.

 

[AMRaider]

Even if I were provided with a boxcutter at work, I think I would still bring and use my own knives. They are more comfortable in the hand than a boxcutter and are well suited for other tasks besides opening/breaking down boxes (letters, loose threads, cutting food, etc). Also, I have too many "guarding" the safe as it is... so I may as well get my money's worth out of the ones I do carry .

 

[donny bee]

I guess there are a few arguments for using box cutters, like if your knife blade won't stay sharp for a whole day of work. (I would argue that you need to buy a better knife, but i digress).

My comment wasn't entirely serious. I just thought that enthusiasts would prefer to use a real knife as much as possible.

Reading this thread made me feel like I would if I found out Mario Andretti drives a Camry

he does drive a camry, and doesnt race around like an idiot when driving it.

 

[tirod3]

And like Mario, responsible knife users don't race around the office/store/shop floor flipping their knives to impress the sheeple.

They know it's just a tool, and those who play with their knives in public are one, too. That's how they rat themselves out and get issued box knives.

 

[gazz98]

I work at Home Depot (dont ask, got laid off ) and they supply utility knives for breaking down boxes. Personal knives are a no-no in the store. Cardboard boxes are definitely hard a on blade. I'll continue to dull their stuff rather then mine. Not that I would hesitate to use mine if I could.

 

[Guerrilla Sauce]

I did take a SOG Flash II and a Spyderco Delica to work one day because we'd run out of replacement blades for the Stanley knives... both were as blunt as a blunt thing by lunchtime! Plus there's all the adhesive gunk from packing tape that manages to work its way into every crevice. When working with a lot of cardboard, anything with disposable blades is the way to go IMO. Now I have my own spare blades so I don't have to blunt my knife (which I still use for most odd-jobs; just not cutting down boxes) when the boss forgets to order more!

 

[stabman]

Wow, these are some disappointing posts to read.

In case you run into some zombies on the way home before you get a chance to sharpen your knife?

Maybe you guys should leave your knife at home in the safe.

For sure.
If breaking down boxes isn't a valid knife use, what IS?
Fondling?
Reselling?
Cutting imaginary air ninjas?
Makes no sense.

 

[Bushman5]

- self employed
- use my knife, usually a fixed blade because i cut thru 1" - 2" thick cardboard crates
- I also chop at work, tree limbs, construction wood, pallets, so it will fit into the roll off bin on the truck
- i use my heavy fixed blade for breaking plexi windows, glass windows and other cast off materials

the knife getting the most use right now is my Becker/Kabar BK2

EDIT: yes it gets dull after hacking thru construction debris all day - thats ok, its a kinfe, thats its job. I go home, open a case of beer and sharpen my knives. Life is good.

 

[stabman]

- self employed
- use my knife, usually a fixed blade because i cut thru 1" - 2" thick cardboard crates
- I also chop at work, tree limbs, construction wood, pallets, so it will fit into the roll off bin on the truck
- i use my heavy fixed blade for breaking plexi windows, glass windows and other cast off materials

the knife getting the most use right now is my Becker/Kabar BK2

Nice!:thumbup:

 

[cj65]

I look for opportunities to use my knives! Costco shopping yields many boxes headed for the recycling bin. We have 5 children in our blended marriage and we go through alot of food in a week. My wife knows I do not mind being at peace slicing the corners of boxes and folding them flat. It may dull my knives, but I have many more knives than uses for them. I used to have a box cutter when I worked at Home Depot, but I prefer my pocket knife any day for form and function.

 

[jay2pointoh]

I totally agree, why use a knife when a box cutter will work just fine. I save my knife blades for when I really need them.

And when would you really need them? I carry a Tenacious, a Drifter, and a victorinox. The $17 I paid for the drifter is worth the use and I keep my primary blade sharp and my backup backup super sharp.

 

[shecky]

For sure.
If breaking down boxes isn't a valid knife use, what IS?
Fondling?
Reselling?
Cutting imaginary air ninjas?

All of the above, and more.

Boxcutters are knives. They make lots of sense for lots of people. There's no reason a knife nut can't like them. I know I do, and actually sample different brand blades all the time.

 

[stabman]

Boxcutters are knives.

So are knives.
So, if a boxcutter knife can cut boxes, why can't a knife-knife cut boxes?
If it's a valid use for one knife, then it should be for another, as long as we're not talking 1/4 inch sharpened pry-bar type knives, in which case I'd take the boxcutter.
I've used box-cutters and regular pocket-knives to break down boxes(used to work stock at Urban Planet), and a good knife doesn't need sharpening till the end of the day.
The annoying part is getting the tape gunk off, but that's easy since I found out about the miracle of acetone.:thumbup:

 

[Fox Creek]

Years ago. I used to work in a big Dept. store. Youse who think the sales clerks standing around don't do anything..well, it was one of the most physically stressful jobs I have ever had. We had to sweat-flinging hump stock from subterranean stock rooms like mad people, unbox and display endlessly, then it was always a SALE on too. Endless cutting down of corrugated cardboard to haul to the compactor on the dock where the mad Russion kid hung out. I had an Old Timer single blade trapper, the one with the liner lock; honed it a bit every night and used it every day. You could cut a double walled box OFF a pallet, snicker snee! I had the private joy one day, in the midst of a madhouse SALE, to zipp a carton around, ZSSSIIPP. ZSSSIIP. ZSSIIPP, and ZSSIIP and actually have a "customer" straigten up, shiver and squeek, "Oooh, you scared me!." :yawn: The replaceable blade box cutters never were to be found, there were never enough of them, always stolen, bladeless, dull, etc. I MUCH preferred to use my own knofe. (Of course there WAS that that "cutting scrape" I got into, but that is another story.

 

[csshih]

ok.. I'm intrigued.. Fox, what happened?

personally, I would use them, no matter. A quick trip to the whetstone makes everything better

 

[theonew]

I have two knives that slice up cardboard effortlessly, a Benchmade 530 and a Spyderco G10 Delica4. I love cutting up boxes with them

Unfortunately, I don't have many to cut up :grumpy:

If I had to cut boxes all day I would look into getting a blade in ZDP-189 or S90V.

 

[Bushman5]

So are knives.
So, if a boxcutter knife can cut boxes, why can't a knife-knife cut boxes?
If it's a valid use for one knife, then it should be for another, as long as we're not talking 1/4 inch sharpened pry-bar type knives, in which case I'd take the boxcutter.
I've used box-cutters and regular pocket-knives to break down boxes(used to work stock at Urban Planet), and a good knife doesn't need sharpening till the end of the day.
The annoying part is getting the tape gunk off, but that's easy since I found out about the miracle of acetone.:thumbup:

well now holdon a gull dern minute there my feller Canuck.......my BK2 is a 1/4" thick and its the only thing (besides my SY SOD) that CAN handle the 1 - 2" thick packing boxes i sometimes tear dow. That stuff will snap a thin blade.

 

[AMRaider]

... yes it gets dull after hacking thru construction debris all day - thats ok, its a kinfe, thats its job. I go home, open a case of beer and sharpen my knives. Life is good.

+1! :thumbup:

 

[Mitchell Knives]

I wouldn't use any quality knife to cut cardboard; it's too abrasive and a box cutter works better.

I would not use any of my personal tools to perform tasks at work. My employer can purchase their own tools.