Need a work knife.

KamSingh

KamSingh

Joined
Jan 9, 2006
Messages
790
Would be grateful for some suggestions.

Need a folder for cutting thick cardboard and heavy duty cable ties.

Would prefer a large blade 3.5"+ but it needs to be fairly light with a slim profile.
Has to be cheap, under $50.

What do you guys think would work best, serrated or plain edge?

Thanks,
Kam
 
I used to do those very same tasks at work. I used a heavy duty box-cutter/utility-knife (disposeable blades) for the cardboard (thinner blades cut best) and a pair of side-cutting wire-cutters for the zipties. If you need to perform these tasks at your job perhaps your employer could provide you with the tools you need.

If you use a regular folding knife to cut a lot of cardboard you're going to have to sharpen it frequently, especially if it's a $50 or less folder. Also, many folders aren't very comfortable for all-day cutting. But there are a variety of box-cutter/utility knives that are specifically designed for all-day comfort. After all, unlike most folding knives, utility knives are often made for professions that require a lot of cutting.

By the way, the disposeable blades used in box-cutters can easily be resharpened. So if you absolutely have to buy your own, you don't have to look at them as throwing money away. I use box-cutter/utility-knives at home all the time and I haven't bought new blades in years. I bought one small package of blades years ago and I haven't used all of them yet. I just keep sharpening them and only replace them when the tips break off.
 
Sorry guys, this won't be for all day cutting, maybe just 3-4 times during the day.
 
They may not be sexy but a good box cutter knife is a great tool, and for a long time I EDC'd one more often than a Spyderco. But with that said, I carry both a box cutter knife and a folder at/for work.

Like most of you out there I have and rotate several knives...

Rat 1 folder, its my best modern one hand knife...I have nothing bad to say about it Its a great knife and after convexing the blade it really eats up cardboard. (cost a little over $20)

Opinel #10, about the same size as the rat 1, but much lighter, lacks one hand ability but has no problem giving the rat 1 a run for its money. Also no clip, but fits in a special pocket of my work pants about perfectly. (under $20) *Have also used my #8, but for "work" the larger #10 is better for me.

Svord peasant, works pretty well, is also a one hand knife which is always a good thing, but its handle to blade ratio always seems "off" to me. The main problem is the blade profile, its hard to explain but the "notch" at the base of the blade where it is tapered to contact the stop pin, often grabs material while trying to cut stuff and stops you.
(cost was in the low teens)

OHO swiss army trekker, a good all around knife, larger enough, gets a great edge, and also has other tools and tweezers. Splinter find me often, and having tweezer on me is always a plus. The only down side is the backwards liner lock, and I find single bladed folders easier to clean than multi bladed knives...I need a hip sheath for it to keep it clean. (cost was $40+)

Douk Douk. super slim, and has a great blade. For the most part I have rated it more as a knife I carry on weekends, but from time to time I EDC it and have been doing so about a week now (again) and it does fine. The down side is its the slowest to open/close and is not a one hander. Also, it would not be the best choice for outdoor winter use. Cold and wet fingers will not like opening this knife, and I could see how closing it in such conditions could also leave you bloody. Its the knife I am most careful with opening or closing, as it has the highest potential to bite me in my mind) (cost about $25). *This is pretty much the same size as an Opinel #8 but for whatever reason feels larger.

spyderco tenacious full serrations. The worst knife of the above for work in my experience. The serrations don't like a lot of cardboard it seems. Its a good knife, but not for work.

I like all these knives for different reasons, the order of what gets used the most for work is this, Opinel, rat 1, OHO trekker, Douk Douk, svord and last is the tenacious.
 
If you're cutting tough cardboard, then box cutter, as the others have mentioned. That kind of cutting causes side play at the pivot of folding knives.
 
best knife for cardboard ive used is a Case CV sodbuster, thin profile, cheap, toughm, and you cna strop it on cardbourd
 
Kershaw Blur save up the extra 20 bucks and get the s30v bladed one, cardboard can actually dull a lower end steel petty fast and the s30v will, and some of the non-china made cable ties are strong as steel and have been the end of many a knife edge so get the best steel you can afford for your tasks.

I'm also a big ran of the RAT 1 thos are solid power houses of knives.

Also as noted above your classic Utlilty type knife I like the Lutz file and Tool Co. ones that are Heavy and do not have some kind of gimmicky blade change method, and the bulk pack of Stanley Made in the US blades and your set. I like to reuse some of the utility blades that are dull I just soak them in some acetone thinner to remove any tar or gunk and give em a quick sharping on my edge pro using the 400 grit stone. I also have some real nice hand made ceramic Stanley style utility blades that I use I need to cut fiber glass insulation or fire proof ceiling tiles that stuff will dull the best steel in a few cuts.
 
You could keep your eye out for an Endura4 FFG on the exchange. They retail for just a hair over $50, but they can be commonly found on the secondary market for less. It's got a 3.5" blade (VG-10 steel), is lightweight, slim, and has a tapered tip that works well for sneaking under zip ties to cut them off. The full SpyderEdge (serrations) version might suit your needs as well, but I think those only come in the saber-ground version (not FFG).

The RAT-1 is a good knife, and it comes in at around $30. But, it's neither slim nor light. You could also look into a blem Blur w/ S30V steel. I think kershawguy sells those for a little over $50. It's a little smaller and lighter than the RAT-1. The recurve does feel like it gives you a little extra bite when cutting into cardboard (breaking down boxes), although it can be a bit tricky to sharpen.
 
How are you at sharpening? the steel type doesn't really matter if you can restore an edge. I can sharpen ok, enough to keep my folders useable. With that being said, I second the recommendation for the endura. Also, there are a lot of cold steel knives in your price range. The aus8 steel isn't the best, but it is easy to keep very sharp. The cold steels have the very strong tri lock too.
 
This is the knife I've used at work for the last couple years. It's stainless and holds up better than the aluminum version by the same brand.
utility knife.jpg
 
My favorite in that price range is the Endura 4 FFG. An alternative that is even cheaper but won't hold and edge quite as well is the tenacious.
 
My favorite knife for breaking down cardboard was the sheepsfoot blade on a medium stockman. it worked well plus I had two other sharp blades in the same package for other jobs.
 
I have purchased a few Cold Steel American Lawman folders on the exchange here and I love mine for work .I cut cardboard and lumber banding (plastic kind) and anything else that comes along because I sometimes don`t have my tool belt on(where I carry a utility knife). The Lawman is more comfortable than the Spyderco tenacious (a great knife really) .The RAT1 I found to be pretty slippery and not nearly as ergonomic as I had hoped and dulls too easily, many people love them but they are just not for me. I did carry an Spyderco Endura for a long time but I like G10 for grip and a slightly shorter blade but the Delica is too small. Good luck on your search ,by the way don`t forget about a Leatherman Skeletool as it has more tools and still opens with one hand.
 
The Buck Vantage Pro in S30V. It may be a little over your price range, but the extra $5-$10 is worth it.
 
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