I need a new knife to cut boxes

buy a mora or an opinel. That way, when you destroy it cutting cardboard, you won't be out much money. :D
 
Gonna have to side with the guys mentioning ZDP-189. Pick yourself up a Spyderco doublestuff while you're at it. Put that in your pocket and when you start to feel the edge dulling, just pass the knife over that a couple times and you're good as new.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I don't need a new knife, but why pass up an easy way to rationalize the expense? Sure, I just got a new Izula 2 and ZT 0561 but a good excuse to buy another knife can't be wasted.

I also don't want to dull up one of my common EDCs--a variety of GEC slip joints, the ZT, or my Gail Bradley Air. My wife gave me a lovely little GEC Easy Open Jack that I used on my last packing/boxing chores. While I loved using the little knife, it just didn't hold an edge that long. It's great for my daily use needs but I want more edge holding if I'm going to be doing a lot of box cutting.
 
Your Gayle Bradley Air would be the perfect box cutter.
M4 holds a great edge, sharpens up easy, and takes a great edge.
You should use that.

But if you really want another, I say try and pick up the Titanium Spyderco Chaparral in CTS-XHP.
 
It's hard to beat the Spyderco Military in S30V as a cardboard knife, that's what I use at work.
 
Some one here mentioned the G10 S30V leek, that would be a good option. Nice fine tip, thin blade, and S30V is very decent with edge retention in cardboard. Kershaw is pretty good with sharpening too so it should be just fine out of box. The random leek has s30v as well I believe. They also made a composite one with the 13c26? back and a d2 edge. It is thin but it seems to be pretty comfy. I just got an all black one and I've been using it pretty hard with yard work the past few days and I haven't thought it was uncomfortable yet. I even spent the time to cut up an old fence board with it just to use my knife. It was only about a foot long and 1/4 inch thick. I had to sharpen it though, there was a hidden nail in that board. Flush with both ends it rotted off but there was still enough of a piece in there to find my edge and chip it.
 
OHALLUM said:
Get a Cold Steel mini tuff, about $30 and will be a great box cutter that will be useable for other knife duties after the move. Take the other $125 bucks and buy some adult beverages and some aspirin. Should take care of the day.

Blessings,

Omar
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Strigamort said:
Agreed 100%. I tried (really I did) not to use my tuff for anything but carving wood, but I just couldn't help it. I truly believe that all knife nuts should grab one. They are amazingly thin behind the edge (way thinner than anything else I have) and just excel at things like cutting cardboard. The steel is only aus8, but it's such a good and thin cutter that it doesn't matter. Really. I used mine extensively at work the last three 13 hour shifts and it's still razor sharp.

The only thing I'd change about Omar's recommendation is to get the bigger one instead of the mini. Unless it's thicker behind the edge (I doubt it, and btw it's a very deep hollow grind) then I'd go with that. The mini is a fantastic knife, especially for the $24 (shipped) that I payed for it, but at just over 1" the blade is a tad short for hard work. Otoh that's about the same length as a boxcutter blade so it would depend on your preferences.

Even if you choose a different knife I'd still pick one of these up. :)
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G. Scott H. said:
The regular Tuff Lite is similarly paper thin behind the edge. The secondary bevel from the factory (on mine at least) was also only around 25* included. Nice slicer.
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I'm with them, for chopping up cardboard a full size CS Tuff Lite will slice like a champ. Small in the pocket, but with the choil you have a comfortable grip and a great shape, with a small straight blade that is definitely thin and slicey (why aren't slicey or stabby real words?). Locks up like a little tank and costs less than $25 as well, so it's pretty hard to go wrong with it.

I liked the ones I use to carve wood so much that I bought a pair for other work uses. Great little knives . . .
 
Speaking of cutting boxes, we just had this bit of artwork delivered to my house today and I had to take-down the box. The outside box was 4'x5' with 2 additional boxes nestled inside. This cardboard appliance box grade and really heavy stuff. When all the cutting was done, I had filled our 96gallon recycle bin with cardboard.

I chose a box cutter, my Spydie Tasman Salt, Muskrat Man Puukko and my Mora #1 for the work. Of course the box cutter was easiest to use and just zipped through the cardboard, even when cutting against the corrugation. Second was the Tasman Salt, which cuts well because the hooked curve always put the cutting edge against the material -and I think that the work-hardened H1 steel probably keeps a better edge than the other steels. Next was the Puukko followed by the thinner Mora #1, probably because I had just stropped the puukko and the Mora probably needed a touch-up before I started.

If you want a new folder, consider a hookbill, if you just want to cut boxes, go with a boxcutter.

4x5 box.jpg4 knives.jpgcutting.jpg
 
Cyo said:
Soon I expect to be helping a couple of friends move. This will involve lots of box cutting. While I could use any number of my current knives, that's certainly less fun than buying a new knife. I could also just get a box cutter, but waste a perfectly good opportunity to buy a new knife.
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Why not just do both? Get a folding utility knife like a Super Knife, Gerber EAB, Bessey, etc. Drop a premium blade like a Lenox gold or Clauss titanium into it and you're good to go.
 
Three that come mind in that price range:
Caly 3.5 zdp
Zdp endura ffg
Chokwe.

I re-ground my s30v military and PM2 to .008 inches and caly 3.5 vg-10 to .003. And they glide through cardboard like butter. For slicing cardboard the edges seem to be holding up longer then stock geometry, I guess because there is next to no resistance.
I think cardboard is my favorite material to cut!
 
michaelm466 said:
Yep, I think a ffg delica in ZDP-189 would work the best
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I second this. And since you said box cutter, I would get something like a Lansky Diamond sharpener kit. At the end of the day with heavy box butting, maybe 3-4minutes of work will be perfect. Some will come back and say they do it free hand and get sharpness that cuts air in half with less than 5 min of work. I just say what has been my experience.
 
I'd go with the ESEE Junglas here.

JUNGLAS.jpg
 
I wouldn't buy a nice knife for box cutting.

I use either a Gerber, or a Greenlee Heavy-Duty Folding Utility Knife. Folding utility knives are fantastic 'throw aways' that feel like a real knives. I carry one of these and a BHK all the time at work. The BHK for tasks more appropriate to a nice knife, and everything else (large gauge wire stripping, box cutting, insulation cutting etc etc, I use my utility knife. )
 
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