Pain-in-the-butt thing to cut?

fulloflead said:
The ONE thing I HATE to open are those darn plastic clam-shell packaging plastic pieces of crap that they package things like electronics in.
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Just like anyone else here - I love knives and probably will find any excuse to use a knife.

But those clam-shell plastic packs are much easier to open using a pair of scissors -

cut along the edge just past the welding of the longer side would often allow one to retrieve the object of desire without much fuss or any damage to the goods or oneself. If a single (longer) side won't quite do it then cutting around (the corner) on the adjacent side should be adequate.

If I just can't wait to open the package - I do use my EDC knife - but cut through one side edge just inside the weld outward from the package and pointing the knife away from myself. Once the knife has made the initial cut (probably the most difficult manveuver) it's then easy to slip the knife blade along the edge to complete the cut on one side/edge.

Yes, I'd agree it's not that easy - but not that much of a pain in the butt though. But trying to open the package with a knife while walking away from the store - is probably asking for trouble - wait til you get back to the car - do it while sitting down in a more controlled environment and calm........

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/
 
I still have problems shucking oysters with a knife. I have an acquaintance who opens them with a pen knife in about 10 seconds and with little effort but when I try the oyster always gets stubborn.
 
That is why I always carry a Spyderco Cricket. It OWNS those types of packages. Small, easy to control blade. Same blade shape as the DoDo but 1/3 the size- very sheeple friendly too. I keep one in my Mission Wallet, clipped to some of my business cards, at all times.
 
Some of the toughest stuff to cut for me is vulcanized rubber. Like tires or mining belt. This stuff will really put some forearms on ya.
 
Planterz said:
...in case I have to return it or something...
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LOL! :D You should have SEEN some of the things I've returned! I returned a bunch of surround-sound cables one time because I got the wrong ones. The Customer Service girl looks at the butchered package reassembled with half a roll of scotchtape and looks at me like "You gotta be kidding." I just schrugged. She exchanged them.
 
I don't think the plastic packs are all THAT bad anymore. After having to open hundreds of them for other people since I'm the "knife guy", I guess I've got the hang of it.
Cut just inside the edge and hold the knife at an angle so it doesn't bind as much. Cut straight down one edge all the way, turn the pack and repeat. Don't try to cut anything but straight lines. Not too bad really, after all you get to play with a knife :D

The real pain in the ass thing to cut is the plastic security things they put on CD's. Hard plastic and no room to work between it and the case :grumpy:
 
Not only are those disgusting plastic clam shell packages a pain to cut open but if you aren't careful you can easily open a leg or arm as the plastic is prone to allow the blade to slip. I find the Spyderco Merlin or Cricket perfect for this task as the hooked tip grabs the plastic rather slips. I find these knives much safer to use for this purpose.

I also had a time cutting the nylon sheath from a bungy cord to get at the internal strings that I needed to tie something up. I had a highly polished Griptilian 440C plain edge. The blade would easily slice the skin on a finger or pop hair off but it just slid over the nylon without cutting. That is one time I really needed either a serrated blade or a blade sharpened with a courser edge.
 
THe plastic things don't dull the knife, but they are a serious PITA. Opening the sharpmaker was bad anough and that was only sealed at 4 points
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned those plastic zip ties that pull tight to hold cables or speaker wires together. They are usually pulled so tight that they leave little room for a blade, and then you can't get the edge at the proper angle. I usually use a little pair of side cutters on them, but if all you have is a knife, they are one pain-in-the-butt to cut. :rolleyes:

G.
 
Fulloflead,

As smarter folks than I have said:

Get a hawkbilled knife for such tasks. Hawkbills, s-curves, and guthooks all offer wonderful cutting control when dealing with such hinderances to urban living as electronics packaging and twist ties.

My serrated Spyderco Meerkat is a constant companion for controlled cuts and the Dodo is often my plain-edged EDC.
 
Tires. Steel-belted radial tires. Last summer, I was cutting a couple up to use as knee pads when I was working on the roof. I've never had something kill an edge that quick. :eek:
 
thombrogan said:
dealing with such hinderances to urban living as electronics packaging and twist ties.
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Get with the program, thombrogan. These inovations *improve* the quality of our lives :footinmou.

Hardest thing to cut? The latest thing has been 3/4 in. diameter, 1/8 in. thick hard plastic tubing and I had to do it in front of several people gawking over the situation under highly unusual circumstances. One observant bystander commented that I needed to sharpen my knife :mad:, to which the next observant bystander tactfully commented "OK........, let's all move along and let Craig do his thing" :cool:.
 
Gary Hudson said:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned those plastic zip ties that pull tight to hold cables or speaker wires together. They are usually pulled so tight that they leave little room for a blade, and then you can't get the edge at the proper angle. I usually use a little pair of side cutters on them, but if all you have is a knife, they are one pain-in-the-butt to cut. :rolleyes:

G.
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LM Micra or Juice both give scissors... both in my EDC gear.

I cut cable ties at work all the time(tarp factory), and the tip of my cricket gets in enough, can usually just rock the edge through.
 
Those plastic clamshell packages can also be wickedly sharp slicers when partially sliced. Push a finger between the two sliced edges and you're looking at multiple stitches. :grumpy:
 
thombrogan said:
Fulloflead,

As smarter folks than I have said:

Get a hawkbilled knife for such tasks. Hawkbills, s-curves, and guthooks all offer wonderful cutting control when dealing with such hinderances to urban living as electronics packaging and twist ties.

My serrated Spyderco Meerkat is a constant companion for controlled cuts and the Dodo is often my plain-edged EDC.
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I have a Meerkat and I love it. It dulls really fast though because it will allow you to put a LOT of pressure on a tiny area of blade and it's only AUS-6.
 
Re the clamshell packages...
Matt got it right, hold the knife at a 45 degree angle instead of 90 degree straight up and down. That'll allow the plastic to open and not bind the blade. If the blade doesn't bind, you don't have to use alot of force.
Works well with heavy cardboard too.

I think clams are the toughest to open with a *sharp* knife. One slip and it is off to the E-Room.
Clam/oyster knives are dull for a reason.
 
I recently planted 5 medium shrubs next to our garage. The root ball on each was wrapped in burlap. After planting them I went to cut the burlap from around ground level to keep the dogs from chewing on it. Let me tell you, wet bundled burlap is tough to cut. I finally got through it but it was a lot of work even for my extremely sharp Sebenza.

Jon
 
Hardest thing to cut? The latest thing has been 3/4 in. diameter, 1/8 in. thick hard plastic tubing and I had to do it in front of several people gawking over the situation under highly unusual circumstances. One observant bystander commented that I needed to sharpen my knife :mad:, to which the next observant bystander tactfully commented "OK........, let's all move along and let Craig do his thing" :cool:.[/QUOTE]Amen brother! I worked as a plumber for 7 years, and that stuff is tough. Another pain in the a$$ is 1"-1.5" black ABS pipe.
 
I always have to deal with those plastic packages at work.

Best way I have found to open those with my EDC, whether it's my BM 690, 730 or Spydie Meerkat is to: 1)
ALWAYS place my non-knife hand clear of the edge path of the blade, 2) check the cut path of the blade to make sure anything inside the packaging that counts doesn't get cut, 3) place the just the section to be cut just over the edge of a steady flat surface, like you're using a saw over a saw horse--this also prevents damage to the surface you're cutting over when the blade goes thru the plastic, 4) step back a bit from what you're cutting, just to make sure you don't give your self an unintended sex change operation :eek: , and 5) place the tip of the blade at close to a 90 degree angle to the plastic surface and then...cut safely! :)
 
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