Why is everyone cutting so much cardboard?

[Motega]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that feels cutting cardboard for testing knives or just to cut something is silly.
For packages, you cut the tape- RARELY, you'll need to cut it to fit, but I think if most people were honest about this as a home (as opposed to professional) task, it's probably only actually necessary half a dozen times per year.

I don't think most people consider that cardboard has no objectivity to it. There are so many different types, you can't really equally compare unless you are testing your knives on the exact same piece of cardboard.

Also, I don't think that a lot of people consider cardboard is nasty stuff- there is not just wood pulp, but all sorts of clays and adhesives and binders which do nasty things to edges.
Testing anything- but especially knives- without remembering our grammar schools rules about experiments bugs me.
My wife rolls her eyes every time I put on "Forged in Fire" and yell at the TV how when they do the torture tests because the way the knives are tested are so hokey.
Even putting aside the fact they do things that no normal user would ever do , when you test a knife on 2 different animal carcasses, obviously the animals are going to have different levels of bone density, fat, muscle, etc.
The only materials I have seen that even make an attempt at objectivity are tatami mats (Japanese katanas usually tested using these), and at one point there was a specific rope that was used in certain competitions.

 

[22-rimfire]

I’ve asked this exact question many times. Cardboard cutting seems to be the job the current crop of knife cognoscenti want their blades designed to perform, but I don’t know why. As a retired soldier who had all his earthly possessions boxed and unboxed over a dozen times I’ve had to break down thousands of boxes, but I doubt I’ve cut through 20 feet of cardboard in my entire life.

I understand *some* folks do indeed live or work in places where they have to routinely slice up cardboard to fit in a small container, but I think if I was in such a situation I’d probably buy a nice box cutter.

To each his own.

Pretty much how it is for me. I probably cut cardboard about once a week on average. I recycle mine now and save it up inside my garage until I make a trip to the recycle center. This happens about once a month. The only card board I cut regularly with a knife is to open the top of a case of Coke or similar soft drink for easy access. That isn't heavy use. I would grab a utility knife if I have more than a couple boxes to break down.

 

[sharp_edge]

There is nothing wrong to cut cardboard to TEST and COMPARE the edge retention of blades as cardboard is easily available and disposable. It would be more costly and messier to cut boar carcass, and you won't be able to tell the difference between 8cr13mov and m390 if you are slicing phonebook paper.

There is also nothing wrong to cut down cardboard boxes so that more can be stuffed into the recycle bin. Yes you can use a dedicated $5 box cutter but then again most people can live normally without even having any knife.

By the way, this is my dedicated box cutter

 

[22-rimfire]

What about those big boxes that are both glued and stapled? To break down you either cut them with a knife or use a pliers and a knife. This is an apt use for a pliers-based multi-tool and a pocket knife.

I guest I need to ask the question what "rarely" is for most of us? Cutting a box once is a week is not rarely for me, but I answered "rarely" as it seemed most consistent with the survey.

 

[Frailer]

...I think the moral of story is that if you don’t cut a lot of hard / abrasive materials, there probably is no tangible benefit to buying high wear resistance steels...

I agree completely. And yet it seems many in the “knife community”—especially those who have joined in the last 5-10 years—consider steels that favor edge retention above all else to be objectively “better.”

 

[me2]

How can people recommend a box cutter and also be active members of a knife forum?

I used to cut a lot of cardboard for comparing my knives. After getting to 3300 feet with a $10 knife, I came to the conclusion most any steel was adequate. I started working on my sharpening more after that.

 

[Frailer]

How can people recommend a box cutter and also be active members of a knife forum?

A box cutter *is* a knife. Furthermore, it’s the right knife for this particular job.

I had a pocket knife on me when I carved a turkey breast an hour ago, but I used a chef’s knife for that task.

 

[Dogdrawz]

Cuz it ain't gonna cut itself.

 

[me2]

Wrong knife then. Should have been a carving knife. Chef knife is for cutting chefs.

 

[ktataragasi]

I would say asking why people cut cardboard would be the same as people who do cut it asking why you don't. I think it is because we all have different ways of enjoying this hobby. Some people want to use their knife as much as possible. They open mail, they cut down boxes to fit in recycling, they whittle, they cook and any number of tasks that can be performed with a knife that you enjoy. Just like there are people that have safe queens that never cut anything more than a string or only get held at home to enjoy the craftsmanship. Some people truly think that a knife is a tool and if they have it they want to use it, they want to sharpen it and they may not want to own or purchase another cutter to save their edges.

At the end of the day who cares how they choose to enjoy their knives. Just be happy that they have a similar passion for sharp things.

 

[Blackcloud]

It's complicated.

 

[000Robert]

How can people recommend a box cutter and also be active members of a knife forum?

I used to cut a lot of cardboard for comparing my knives. After getting to 3300 feet with a $10 knife, I came to the conclusion most any steel was adequate. I started working on my sharpening more after that.

You cut well over half a mile of cardboard with a cheap $10 knife? I am having a hard time believing that.

 

[ktataragasi]

You cut well over half a mile of cardboard with a cheap $10 knife? I am having a hard time believing that.

Not op but from what I remember most cut tests only go until the very small portion of blade stops cutting paper smoothly. So maybe ?

 

[MBG]

I would say asking why people cut cardboard would be the same as people who do cut it asking why you don't. I think it is because we all have different ways of enjoying this hobby. Some people want to use their knife as much as possible. They open mail, they cut down boxes to fit in recycling, they whittle, they cook and any number of tasks that can be performed with a knife that you enjoy. Just like there are people that have safe queens that never cut anything more than a string or only get held at home to enjoy the craftsmanship. Some people truly think that a knife is a tool and if they have it they want to use it, they want to sharpen it and they may not want to own or purchase another cutter to save their edges.

At the end of the day who cares how they choose to enjoy their knives. Just be happy that they have a similar passion for sharp things.

I didn't mean for my question to be offensive to anyone, though I can see how it would be received that way. I think it's an interesting topic for discussion and I have enjoyed the feedback so far.

 

[kylemiller]

Only if the box is just too big to fit in the recycling. Even then I have a dedicated Cara Cara 2 that I keep a nasty 600 grit edge on just for the purpose.

 

[ktataragasi]

I didn't mean for my question to be offensive to anyone, though I can see how it would be received that way. I think it's an interesting topic for discussion and I have enjoyed the feedback so far.

Sorry if it came across that way. I have just seen so many post that questions other people's knife usages and it all sort of came out. Sorry about that.

I for one do use my knives to break down boxes, some times prepare food, yard work and wood working. I like seeing how my knives perform for various tasks and I also like to experiment with different edge types and enjoy sharpening. I have tried to just use box cutters for cardboard but I just don't get any joy out of it and life is too short.

 

[Edm1]

If I’m breaking down a box, I usually just cut tape. I cut cardboard when I’m building smaller boxes to ship stuff in, or make panels to fill the window next to the window AC unit, or helping my son with some project he dreams up, or other stuff like that.

 

[MBG]

Sorry if it came across that way. I have just seen so many post that questions other people's knife usages and it all sort of came out. Sorry about that.

I for one do use my knives to break down boxes, some times prepare food, yard work and wood working. I like seeing how my knives perform for various tasks and I also like to experiment with different edge types and enjoy sharpening. I have tried to just use box cutters for cardboard but I just don't get any joy out of it and life is too short.

I could have written my OP better. Rereading it, I did come off as being dismissive.

I could definitely see using cardboard to compare different edge types. I would like to experiment with different grind angles but I don't have the patience for all the regrinding. To be honest, I would like to find some more excuses to use my knives throughout the day. Sometimes I work on a "try sticks" just for fun.

 

[Knives&Lint]

This may be blasphemy to some, but hell, when I get a box with paper tape like the kind they most often use at Amazon I don't use my knife at all, but just rip it open by hand .

As far as others cutting cardboard or using it as a test for sharpness/edge retention though, I can't think of one single reason why that should bother me.

 

[000Robert]

This may be blasphemy to some, but hell, when I get a box with paper tape like the kind they most often use at Amazon I don't use my knife at all, but just rip it open by hand .

As far as others cutting cardboard or using it as a test for sharpness/edge retention though, I can't think of one single reason why that should bother me.

Not me. Any excuse to use my knife is a good excuse.