# The best utility knife ever!!!



## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

To the OP: This is the Stanley #199. It's old school but it's a great knife.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

http://www.tajimatool.com/products/snapblade/
I use the 2nd one RED 
this knife rocks! the blade will lock at 1/8"out or 3" out and everything inbetween! It's thin and rubber on the outside, i hold it my mouth sometimes:w00t: the blade snapes off for those quick job site surgery:no: Sometimes I need to stick the blade 3" and and have it flex to deglaze glass and it will do this fine and none of others mentioned will do that:no: yet this blade is strong enough to tap on with a hammer if needed:clap:I also have a irwin, stanly, an irwin folding that thing sucks the blade won't come out:furious: but I always use the Tajima:thumbup: and no it's not Hawaiian


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## CookeCarpentry (Feb 26, 2009)

Mike's Plumbing said:


> 14)How often do you use your utility knife outside of your trade? *I cut a pizza once with my stanley*


Reminds me of the time I used my miter saw to cut a pop tart in half to share with a co-worker.


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## gillisonconstru (Jan 21, 2006)

1)What do you specialize in? (i.e. rough-framing, finish carpentry etc.) List as many as apply. All aspects of New Construction and Remodeling- Carpentry

2)How long have you been in your trade? 13+

3)How much cross over do you have between trades? some electrical and some plumbing

4)What kind of utility knife do you use the most? http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-09...f=sr_1_15?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1296932804&sr=1-15

and 
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-12...XI/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1296933043&sr=8-28

5)What do like most and least about you current utility knife? the small ones are nice compact and almost always have one in my pants pocket and couple in my toolbelt they are also cheap. The larger knife i life for roofing especially the size and angle keep you from raking your knuckles on the shingles.

6)What do you look for most in a utility knife? quality 

7)How important is price when purchasing utility knife? not really a huge deal

8)What type of utility knife do you prefer the most? (Fixed blade, retractable, or folding, etc) Why? redtractable saves pants pockets fixed in drywall some lesser quality knifes the blades stick in the rock and come out of the nice easily.

9)How many utility knives do you own? probably 20

10)How often do you purchase utility knives? sales or in need

11)Rate how essential the utility knife is in your trade? 10

12)What other similar tools do you use? sharp chisels and hook blades in utility knife for shingling.

13)How do you use your utility knife while working in your trade? daily probably at least every 1/2 hour or so

14)How often do you use your utility knife outside of your trade? once a week or so

Thanks for your time. Your input will hopefully help us design the best utility knife possible


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

ASUDesign said:


> Hello, I'm a junior level design student at Appalachian State University, we are currently working on designing trade specific folding lock back knives and i really would appreciate your insights on what the professional tradesman needs. Below I've posted a small questionnaire please answer as honestly as possible:
> 
> 1)What do you specialize in? (i.e. rough-framing, finish carpentry etc.) List as many as apply. roofing and sheet metal
> 
> ...


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## Crawl-Dog (Dec 25, 2010)

This is an insulators knife, but best thing I ever used for other trade work as well..


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

HandyHails said:


> Best utility knife ever. Simple, smooth, reliable, easy to change, inexpensive. I own about 3 dozen.


I have one of these in every bag and in the truck. It is the best value knife. Great storage and easy to change blade. I would like a bit snugger fit on the blade so that it does not pop out when cutting through heavy material.

I also carry a folding Sheffield with me at all times.


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## Crawl-Dog (Dec 25, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I also carry a folding Sheffield with me at all times.
> View attachment 42670


I love these lil guys:thumbsup:, great all around knife..


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## jcs1984 (Jan 24, 2009)

This is the best knife I've ever used. 
And they stopped making it.
And they are almost impossible to find now.


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## ASUDesign (Feb 5, 2011)

*Great Input... Keep them Coming!*

Thanks for all the post thus far, your input is really priceless. Now regarding framers/carpenters what are your major uses for utility knives in light-construction framing specifically? And please if you have the time answer this quick questionnaire.

1) What do you specialize in? (i.e. rough-framing, finish carpentry etc.) List as many as apply. 

2) How long have you been in your trade? 

3) How much cross over do you have between trades (Such as framing to electrical or carpentry to drywall)? 

4) What kind of utility knife do you use the most? 

5) What do like most about your current utility knife?

What do you like least about your current utility knife? 

6) What do you look for most in a utility knife?

7) How important is price when purchasing utility knife? 

8) What type of utility knife do you prefer the most? (Fixed blade, retractable, or folding, etc) Why? 

9) How many utility knives do you own? 

10) How often do you purchase utility knives? 

11) Rate how essential the utility knife is in your trade? (1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 )

12) What other similar tools do you use? 

13) How do you use your utility knife while working in your trade (What specifically are you cutting and what techniques are you using as a framer specifically)?

14) How often do you use your utility knife outside of your trade (at home or in another trade such a plumbing)? 

Thanks for your time. :thumbsup:


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## Bradracer18 (Dec 14, 2005)

1. Rough Framing
2. 5 years
3. Some electrical for myself. Some plumbing. Quite a bit of drywall cutting. Quite a bit of shingling.

4. This is mine, you press a black button in the back, and it switches open to reveal blade storage and blade replacement.

http://www.acetoolonline.com/Stanley-Hand-Tools-10-989-Retractable-Knife-p/stt-10-989.htm

5. Blade Storage, Easy/Quick blade replacement, durable, bright color=easy to find if dropped, fits my hand well, safe (hasn't failed on me yet)

6. same as above #1 is ease of blade replacement (while still remaining a durable feature)

7. Very, they are expensive enough as it is....and blades are too. Seems I lose mine a lot (even with the bright color!)....so replacement needs to be cheap.

8. see link.

9. 4-5
10. whenever I lose one....probably 2/year

11. 8
12. pocket knife, tin snips
13. pencil sharpening I use mine for cutting into wood, say if I can't get a nail out (like a chisel), opening plastic items, tar paper & shingle cutting, and lastly cutting drywall (especially the fiber board that you see hung on exterior of buildings now-a-days). 

14. Quite often. I keep one in my garage/tool shop and cut stuff open all the time. 


***A big point I'd like to make, is I'd like one that when you cut drywall or shingles and material builds up on the blade, it will scrape the blade off when you pull the blade back into the knife. Otherwise, I seem to pull the blade in, and then it gets stuck in the knife and I end up bending the blade holder and ruining the knife. I'm sure others have had this problem. Obviously an easy fix would be to clean my blade off prior to retraction.

Brad


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

ASUDesign said:


> Thanks for all the post thus far, your input is really priceless. Now regarding framers/carpenters what are your major uses for utility knives in light-construction framing specifically? And please if you have the time answer this quick questionnaire.
> 
> 1) What do you specialize in? (i.e. rough-framing, finish carpentry etc.) List as many as apply. Finish Trim, Framing, Tile, Windows/Doors, and many other
> 
> ...



http://lutztool.com/utility_88.asp


that is the knife I have been using for 15 years, they are under 10 dollars, and the last time I bought a few they were around 6-7 dollars max.
They hold a bunch of blades and are built very solid.

I did WIN this Double blade Bostich knife that is pretty quick at changing blades too and it's nice to have TWO blades, when one goes dull, just use the other. and below the handle it stores probably 6-8 blades.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

jcs1984 said:


> This is the best knife I've ever used.
> And they stopped making it.
> And they are almost impossible to find now.


I have one of these with the fixed blade and wish it was retractable - great knife for serious cutting but too big for the pocket - older stanleys with the metal button up front (retract type) over their newer plastic button type anyday for me


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

it's hard to beat the Lutz 88, I'm surprised they aren't in more locations. I hit mine with a hammer and it takes a while before you can't even use it anymore.
I have a few in rotation, a few are just for drywall, as they can get gummed up and need to be cleaned out.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm fine with my 99.

I've found that anything that I break a blade on from force, I probably shouldn't have been using a utility knife to try and cut anyway.

Somebody left a Sheffield in my car once. Asked around and nobody claimed it. It's mine now, and I like it. I never use it for work since I haven't found a good way to hook it on or put it in my belt, but it's always in my glovebox.


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## jcs1984 (Jan 24, 2009)

superseal said:


> I have one of these with the fixed blade and wish it was retractable - great knife for serious cutting but too big for the pocket


The size is one of the main reasons I like it, it never gets lost in a pocket. Sticks out just enough in a back pocket.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Okay, out to the garage and rounded up a few - definately like the stanley 10-499 "older version" blade just doesn't pop out like the new ones. 

I also bought the irwin (lasted one day before i bent the blade holder - total junk -was eyeing up the lenox, shoulda bought one, looks nice. And i like the look of the lutz. Still gonna look for a retact Stanley 10-816

Wonder when Lone is gonna show up with his collection :laughing:


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

Mike's Plumbing said:


> To the OP: This is the Stanley #199. It's old school but it's a great knife.


 
thats my knife:thumbsup:


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## avguy (Feb 8, 2010)

I really like the Lutz 357.
However, I will no longer use one since I cut the end of my finger off with one a few years back.

I got this Craftsman as christmas present several years back, I use it the most out of the several in my toolbox.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

I have two of those craftsmen ones that I got as gifts. I can't stand them. I keep one in the shed for when I need a blade and don't have my lutz88.


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