Work knife

I work at a grocery store in the meat dpt. Im pretty much cutting same cardboard and plastic straps as you are. In my exsperience my spyderco delica 4 has worked pretty good. Benchmade mini griptilian also.
 
Someone mentioned that blade thin-ness is extremely important when cutting cardboard. That is absolutely right, and most pocket knives are thicker than you would want. I'm tempted to recommend an Opinel (#7, 8, or 9), which has a very thin grind and will cut through stuff like butter. The big problem is that you need to use two hands to open and close them, which is a drag if you are cutting stuff all day. I'd still get one just to see how you like that thin blade, since they are only $10.

For a one-hand opening pocket knife, I can recommend any of the full-flat grind Spydercos. An S30V Para2 would be great for keeping a nice working edge for a very long time, but will run you $100. A FFG Tenacious will have similar edge geometry, for about $30. Really, any knife with a thin flat or convex grind will cut carboard very well. I'd personally stay away from thick saber grinds or anything with a deep hollow grind, as these will tend to bind while cutting thicker materials. That seems to eliminate 75% of the knife market (especially the sub-$50 market).
 
I filled the same need with a Dragonfly 2 in ZDP-189. Our security sheeple need the "vapors" if you "whup out" anything bigger!
 
Ever look at one of these? You could use the pry bar end if you have to open crates with wire ? CRKT Tabor Ta-Bar Tool

CRKT Tabor Ta-Bar Tool is constructed fully of 5Cr15MoV stainless steel and features a very sharp wharncliffe blade. The ta-bar tool also features a pry bar/nail puller, bottle opener, ruler scales and phillips/flat tip screwdriver within molded handle & sheath. Doesn't look too bad for under $20.
 
i got a classic stanley today for a few $ until i can find something else, for a few $ and that solid reliability it will do for a week or so until i can find something more suited to what i need, im still open to suggestion, and about the opinels, where do you go bout buying them?
 
you're over-thinking the problem; it's not that hard...just go to your favorite store and choose a kershaw/gerber/buck knife model...they have plenty of styles to fit your needs and budget...you should find what you need anywhere from $12-30...

...now if i had to cut cardboard and ties as a normal part of my job i'd carry my combo edged zt200; something with a big handle...but definitely part serrated edge
 
Last edited:
I work as a floral designer at a supermarket and personally for cutting flowers (roses dull blades surprisingly quick) and boxes I use a boker anti-grav ceramic. At my job they provide me with victorinox slipjoints which work okay for opening up boxes but, using them for cutting stems was making me sharpen them on a weekly basis. So I picked up an boker ceramic and haven't had to sharpen it since I got it many months ago.
 
so this is what i ended up getting, works great

Stanley Pocket Knife
120420_0000.jpg

120420_0001.jpg
 
Do you know how to sharpen relatively well? I ask because the blade will dull with a lot of use when used on cardboard because cardboard is a rough medium on blades. Which is why disposable blades are popular. I work in the receiving dept. of my company and the best knife I've found other then disposables is the SAK. I use the ALOX electrician but the farmer or harvester would also work. Here's how I use it;

For opening and breaking down boxes the best thing in the world is the SAK awl. Yep not the blade. It slices through tape better because of the sharp tip, doesn't collect tape glue like a flat blade does, and doesn't intrude on the contest as much as a knife blade does. Which is good because no matter how careful you are you will eventually cut into the contents with a blade. Just a hazard of the job. I only use the main blade if I'm actually cutting cardboard. I've found that in this role it's better then any tactial folder I've used and the key is the blades thin-ness. SAK blades a have distal taper that goes from about 3/32" thick to basically nothing. And a thin knife will always perform better on cardboard. All for about $25 shipped to your door from a river site. :D
 
dark impaler said:
I carry a Dewalt folding utility knife with Irwin blades, on my tool belt- for carpentry. Retractable blade with spares and it holds the blades securely. Cut through the wrong side of roofing shingles and blades stayed in place. Now it is folding, so it might be a bit thick. I imagine it would work fine in a grocery store.

Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for.
Click to expand...

+1 I bet you would have a hard time finding something that would beat this for what you want (strong, safe, inexpensive but top quality, tested etc.)

It sounds like you have the pros giving up their tips, but the thing that I have come to know about things in general is to spend a little more and get the medium to top quality item and you'll have a better experience. Same things goes for those replaceable blades that snap off to reveal a new tip. The ones that I got issued at a job were so thin that they were almost dangerous, but the replacement ones I got for the same blade holder, you would want to have on safety glasses while using channel-locks to break the blades off.
 
Last edited:
Eh For Utility Use, I Would Go Spyderco Delica Or The Little Larger Endura.

Since You Don't Seem To Want To Spend That Much...

You Can Get A Leek(Many Color Choices) For $25 As a Blem From Kershawguy. Or You Can Get A new One In Many Different Styles From $30 - $40. The Leek Is An Excellent Box Cutter.

Also The Spyderco Persistence And Tenacious - I Have Both And Have Used Them Both. They Are Great Knives. My Persistence Is My Beater.
 
I once had a job where I had to open cardboard boxes all day. I experimented with many different knives and I actually found that a Karambit style knife is the best shape for that type of "dragging" slicing that you have to do all day. And if you can find a blade that is partially or fully serrated then even better. Serrations are what you need to really get through cardboard.
Maybe the Spyderco Civilian, or Matriarch FFG?
Or even an Emerson Police Sark. mmmmmmmm... wave
 
Shotgun said:
Do you know how to sharpen relatively well? I ask because the blade will dull with a lot of use when used on cardboard because cardboard is a rough medium on blades. Which is why disposable blades are popular. I work in the receiving dept. of my company and the best knife I've found other then disposables is the SAK. I use the ALOX electrician but the farmer or harvester would also work. Here's how I use it;

For opening and breaking down boxes the best thing in the world is the SAK awl. Yep not the blade. It slices through tape better because of the sharp tip, doesn't collect tape glue like a flat blade does, and doesn't intrude on the contest as much as a knife blade does. Which is good because no matter how careful you are you will eventually cut into the contents with a blade. Just a hazard of the job. I only use the main blade if I'm actually cutting cardboard. I've found that in this role it's better then any tactial folder I've used and the key is the blades thin-ness. SAK blades a have distal taper that goes from about 3/32" thick to basically nothing. And a thin knife will always perform better on cardboard. All for about $25 shipped to your door from a river site. :D
Click to expand...

Yea i can sharpen decently, not like pro but good enough, and you can actually replace the blades in that too, there like 3$
 
A Kabar TDI Law Enforcement could work for you. I EDC carry that and it would work nicely with the ways you want to use it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top