Cardboard cutting champion

I keep a Kershaw Compound at the ready for processing cardboard - its sole function in life. Our garbage company requires that all cardboard be flattened, put into a garbage bag and then into the pickup container (they don't do recycling) so all big boxes have to be cut up. My compound does a decent job and, surprisingly, the 8CR13MoV steel hasn't required more than a light stropping from time to time.

Cheap knife, but does the job well.
 
Sulaco said:
I just cut the tape on both ends of the boxes, flatten them out and stack them up. If I had to shove them all in a container I wouldn't recycle them.
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+1 :thumbup:

Also no knife needed for the tape. Just hit through the box (where the flaps are joint by tape) with a hammer fist and most tapes will separate from the cardboard. --> fold them --> stack them
 
I don't always cut cardboard, but when I do, it's with a freshly sharpened BM Griptillian w/ cpm-m4 blade, oh yeah!
 
Mini barrage 586 in m390, but i suspect i wont need it this year. Most of the cardboard is really thin and will flatten easily.
 
To me, I would have to say box cutter. Yeah, why own knives and not use 'em you might ask. Well, I suck at sharpening. I'd rather switch out a razor blade than have to resharpen a knife. Guess I'm just lazy. Besides, I'm saving the knife to cut my sandwich! ;)
 
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Very thick cardboard, I cut bevels into cardboard to see sharpness (dull edges can't carve bevels in cardboard).
 
I cut up boxes that hold car hoods, truck tailgates, quarter panels etc my Delica makes quick work of it. VG-10 holds up amazingly well, I only had to do a few swipes on the fine stones of my sharpmaker to get it shaving sharp again after doing several of the large boxes. Spyderco really knows their VG-10 its easily one of my favorite steels.
 
I'll usually start out with my Craftsman folding utility knife, but I like to keep a Stanley #299 in my pocket in case things get tricky (I have to cut more than one or two boxes, more boxes show up out of nowhere, you know, tricky).

And of course I have my trusty Garvey Jiffi Cutter hangin on my neck just in case I think I'm all done and fold my utility knife away into its utilipouch and some last minute gift giver shows up and I need to split that wrapping paper wide open with the quickness.
 
A box cutter is probably the smart/easy way to cut up boxes but its not nearly as fun as using a Spyderco or Benchmade:)
 
Barabus said:
wow, that is some thick cardboard!! Never seen two layer stuff like that.
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They have triple layer cardboard, too. That will loosen the pivot on your knife if you're not careful. That's where a box cutter outdistances these thick blades.
 
I just cut some up the other day using my cheap Sog Blink. I was surprised that it didn't get dull!
 
Not the best and I definitely need to sharpen it once I get the tools and learn how... but I just cut up a bunch of Amazon boxes this afternoon with my super old Swiss Army knife.

Hoping to gift myself a nicer knife, but indecisiveness and funds are keeping me from picking something up.
 
shqxk said:
That was a common story with ZT's Elmax. Even a cheap chinese steel do better than it.
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Apparently it has to do with over-heating during the heat treat, "burning it" if you will. People say that after considerable sharpening there is "good" steel under the burnt stuff. Good luck...
 
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