Lower priced knives sold at big box stores sealed in plastic.

USMCPOP said:
I bet more people have been cut trying to get the merchandise out of the damned clam shell pack than from a loose or boxed knife.

On the other hand, how many people have checked out a couple boxed knives, then put the expensive one in the cheap box and had that one rung up? Or they play around and drop the knife and mess it up.



No, that's an abrasive. Like aloominum boxide or granite or silicon crabide.
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Ditto on getting cut trying to get the thing out of it's plastic coffin.
 
bobobama said:
I think we all agree- Clamshells suck!

To me it just cheapens the product, and like it's been mentioned, you can't get a feel for what you're buying. Nothing beats going into a brick and mortar and playing with the merchandise.

Hope it doesn't become the wave of the future.
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Unfortunately, it seems to be the wave of the present.
 
The day Microtech Benchmade and many of the other major quality knife Mfg.s, put their top products, in clamshell plastic i will no it's the end of something that was good.
 
They used to have display model that everybody could inspect and if you decided to purchase they would get you an untouched one from behind the counter. They would then have to sell one as a used/display model at no profit or a loss. The clamshell method eliminates that which in addition to the other reasons is why they probably do it.
 
I agree, clamshell packs suck and are a safety risk. I have seen on the news that emergency rooms need to have extra staffing on Christmas morning to handle all the folks who cut themselves trying to open clamshells. I bet half the time they are using some crappy steak knife and things go horribly wrong from there.
 
Some clamshell packs have a perforated section that can be pushed in by hand, I has an sak clamshell the other day, I was not so lucky.
 
Back in 2016 when working at a local sporting goods store, that sold many really quality costly knives, we had display knives the customers could handle.

When one was sold i would find a new one in it's box, and many times the box would have a lower price then was on the display knife, as the store received new knives and put new prices they would get put with all the older knives.

When i would get the box out and i always inspected the knife along with the customer, the customer many times said that box has a lower price then the one from the display, i would reply today is your lucky day what the box is marked is the price you will pay.

And that is the way it should be i felt and still feel.
 
I noticed one of the big box stores in my area is carrying the Ontario Pilot's Survival knife in a plastic clamshell. It does make a knife look real cheapie to me when in such packaging. It's likely just all in my head, but it really turns me off on purchasing what I would otherwise consider if they were in a classic box.
 
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with the war going on with plastic straws and bottles etc.......these clam packs are low on the totem pole right now but eventually will go away for paper packaging again....aka boxes or the like. course might use a paper sleeve....:)
 
How about the "adult-proof" medicine bottles? Some are so hard to open, you have to call a kid to help.

My favorite clam shell weapon is an old pair of 12" tin snips.
 
USMCPOP said:
How about the "adult-proof" medicine bottles? Some are so hard to open, you have to call a kid to help.

My favorite clam shell weapon is an old pair of 12" tin snips.
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that's what I use a pair of straight cut sheet metal snips left over from my days in the field pounding and hanging metal ductwork. scissors and using a knife on some of these thicker plastic clam shells is hard work.
 
Bugdoc said:
Umm, I take out my knife and slice the thing open. Isn't that why we carry sharp knives?;)
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I'm not a surgeon. With a knife, I would cut the plastic, any paper/manual and probably gouge or slice the product as well as a bit of myself.
 
Bugdoc said:
Umm, I take out my knife and slice the thing open. Isn't that why we carry sharp knives?;)
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guess ya never owned a pair of straight cut sheetmetal snips.:)

they cut through about anything.......including sheetmetal. much faster, safer and easier.
 
Thanks guys. I had to say something given the irony of the situation. I agree it can be tricky. A clip or Warnie to get it started are best. I also prop the package against a workbench or something else stout.

I do have snips, an old set of 'tin snips' that my dad had, and a newer Wiss articulated snips. (The latter runs rings around the old one but I still keep it around for the memories of cutting ducting with my Dad.) I'd use them on a blister pack but they're usually in the workshop, while I'm trying to open the thing somewhere else.
 
Anyone remember a commercial in the '80s with some corporate bigwigs, Sony I think, trying to get some of their products out of blister packaging and getting all cut up along the way. Pretty hilarious. I think they were rolling out some easier to open packaging. I looked on YouTube but no luck.
 
I'm willing to put up with the plastic packaging since it staves off some of the thievery. However, straws, I will never give up.
 
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