Decent Quick-Change Utility Knife?

[anythingyoucanimagine]

I have several old Stanley utility knives that are going strong after 20+ years. But now that I've used a quick-change knife...

A couple months ago I bought a DeWalt utility knife (model DWHT10319). It felt a bit crappy from the start but ironically, the stuff that "felt" crappy and what I thought would fail first has been fine. Other than that, the thing has been junk. The heel/**** end is splitting open, the blade button sticks and jams, the little plastic spare blade holder thing has always needed a screwdriver to poke/prod open, etc.

This DeWalt utility knife came from Home Depot with Stanley #1992 blades. To me that doesn't compute: DeWalt sells their own brand blades so either someone screwed up at the factory or someone in the DeWalt marketing department screwed up... Either way the manufacturing/supply chain for DeWalt and Stanley are closely related and that doesn't give me much confidence in either brand.

Does anything decent exist? I want something that'll cut drywall, not hang up on pink insulation, cut cedar and asphalt shingles... and last more than 4 months.

 

[JDotson]

I have a Milwuakee Fastback compact that I like pretty well. 8 dollars, and it hasn't broke or anything so far. Blades come out quick and easy and stay put when you want it to.

 

[jshailor1871]

I have a Milwuakee Fastback compact that I like pretty well. 8 dollars, and it hasn't broke or anything so far. Blades come out quick and easy and stay put when you want it to.

+1 for Milwaukee Fastback. I've had mine for a few years now and it hasn't let me down.



John

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[KBigg]

I just get the ace 2 packs. They've been known to be MIA after a bike ride. I dont suggest the Gerber ones at all. Standard blades dont fit and will fall out in your pocket.

 

[crerus75]

+2 for the Milwaukee. I bought it because I needed one in a hurry and the only other option was a 2-pack of the garbage aluminum folding utility knives that everyone sells (and that I wore out). I expected it to be a throwaway, but I've been pleasantly surprised.

At first I hated the flick open/flick closed blade-- I really wanted a thumb opening blade-- but I got used to it fairly quickly. Now I don't even think twice about it. I have Stanley carbide blades in mine, and they seem to last a fair bit longer on cardboard (dunno about drywall). For $8 it's a winner.

 

[sberry]

I thrive on utility knives. I sort thru them and try to toss any ACE or anything non retractable Stanley and Stanley blades out. 99% of the time a problem with the knife is the wrong blade. I have several so its like tape measures but can get by with a 4$ one even though its not quick. I keep a couple models up and a quick or 2 around for hi use but the other trick is to keep the pack of blades handy and be disciplined enuf to change.
I am not familiar with Milwaukee, I have had the same standard for 30 years but I doubt they use a Stanley blade. Most of the knockoff stuff uses the ACE type blade and they are not the same.
So,,, in conclusion,, look on the rack at Walmart or a box store that is a Stanley dealer and buy 3 or 4 knives are 4$ and a couple that are 8 for quick change task and 100 blades.
The retract feature is a reflex now, I do it for so long its automatic. I can make a hundred cuts in a day and not sit it down without retraction.

 

[Tallpilot]

I have both the compact and regular Milwaukee fastback. I can recommend both.

 

[kctyphoon]

Milwaukee Fastback.. There is no substitute..

 

[DFB]

There two notch blades and 3 notch blades and lot of knives won't fully retract the 3 notch ones. I get people come looking for different blades all the time at my flea mkt tool table.

I have more utility knives than a man probably should have but my jobs demand them, and I just pulled these from my tool pouch

The only quick change I have is this ergo designed silver and blue WorkPro...push the button and blade releases. Also has wire stripper

The others are nice though, the the Hi Viz Orange Lutz very solid and a good heft, the Green Stanley a just little lighter but still they are both the old screw style. The yellow and black one I have 2 of them (well actually 3 but my GC bud commandeered one) believe it or not were sourced thru HF mail order, Love the quick turn dial to release the halves.

I sell cheap ones on the tool table by the case we also use them at the orchard farm work for slitting plastic mulch greenhouse film and landscape fabrics

 

[driftpin]

I have a few standard aluminum hobby knives, some are probably 30 years old. My newest is this Milwaukee I found in the middle of the road about a week ago. I like it.

 

[xman_charl]

use this folding box cutter

compartment for spare blades

folds up, belt clip, other side

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Charl

 

[PugetDude]

Haven't found anything I like more than these..I always seem to manage to bump the locking mechanism at the most inopportune moment on retractable knives.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQSSRK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[6PTsocket]

I have several old Stanley utility knives that are going strong after 20+ years. But now that I've used a quick-change knife...



A couple months ago I bought a DeWalt utility knife (model DWHT10319). It felt a bit crappy from the start but ironically, the stuff that "felt" crappy and what I thought would fail first has been fine. Other than that, the thing has been junk. The heel/**** end is splitting open, the blade button sticks and jams, the little plastic spare blade holder thing has always needed a screwdriver to poke/prod open, etc.



This DeWalt utility knife came from Home Depot with Stanley #1992 blades. To me that doesn't compute: DeWalt sells their own brand blades so either someone screwed up at the factory or someone in the DeWalt marketing department screwed up... Either way the manufacturing/supply chain for DeWalt and Stanley are closely related and that doesn't give me much confidence in either brand.



Does anything decent exist? I want something that'll cut drywall, not hang up on pink insulation, cut cedar and asphalt shingles... and last more than 4 months.

DeWalt is a brand of Stanley Black & Decker. Why would they not use Stanley blades? DeWalt blades undoubtedly come from the same place as the blades for any SB&D product. It would never even think DeWalt actually has a blade production line. On the other hand, Stanley has been in that business forever. The Stanley division probably makes the knife, too.

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[FSrepair&fabrication]

Lenox makes the nicest knives and sharpest blades ive used. even a good ade in a cheap knife will do.

 

[Indexmill]

Fixed blade utility knives are a real hazard. Bad habit to get into.

Keep one locked away safe and pull it out only for those times that you need to beat on the knife with a hammer.

 

[Farmall450]

I have had good luck with this one.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...SxC0t47zLe4xjGJUDUbf4axEgK1gdRycaAtVFEALw_wcB

It looks like every negative review was someone who probably shouldn't have been using a knife unsupervised in the first place.

 

[PugetDude]

Fixed blade utility knives are a real hazard. Bad habit to get into.

Keep one locked away safe and pull it out only for those times that you need to beat on the knife with a hammer.

Hard to take a lecture about safety seriously from someone who advocates beating on a utility knife with a hammer.

 

[DFB]

I've been flipping these on my tool table...still have a few of them. Come with belt holster

Tekton #6930 2 n 1

I have some mini ones too... the #69101

Hahah searching for for the photos I see tekton also had the same sliding blade razor knife as my yellow and black ones with the finger screw but in red under their name branding #96914

Cant say enough how I really like those, they are my fav's. Mine has had more shingle tar stuck to it than you can imagine, still it cleans up good.

 

[mfewtrail]

I prefer my Kobalt folding utility knife that's similar to this style: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-11-Blade-Folding-Utility-Knife/50109012 They make others similar to it, but that hold extra blades as well.

 

[DFB]

These I like also, I have had the two of for a very long time...they came in a pack of 5 (from TSC or Home Depot???) we split them up at work quite a few years ago

Super lightweight and with a clip but still very strong, Many times I even forget its hooked to my pocket. Mostly used around the orchard's packing house, lots cardboard and nylon straps but I keep it in the cargo tray of my SUV all the time.

One quick push of the button and the blade comes out.

 

[DFB]

I have had good luck with this one.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...SxC0t47zLe4xjGJUDUbf4axEgK1gdRycaAtVFEALw_wcB

It looks like every negative review was someone who probably shouldn't have been using a knife unsupervised in the first place.

17 out of 22 people gave it a one star rating WTF is up with THAT

 

[Farmall450]

17 out of 22 people gave it a one star rating WTF is up with THAT

B/c they couldn't figure out how to put a blade in...
If you Google it the DeWalt/Amazon ratings are bigger.

 

[MTNSleder]

Milwaukee Fastback.

 

[IndyGarage]

I haven't found one better than the Milwaukee Fastback and I've tried a bunch of them.

 

[ChrisLS8]

If you are doing drywall you are wasting your time with quick change knives or fast backs. The guys that know their stuff use the Grabber or Walboard fixed blades. The blades extend further out

 

[kctyphoon]

17 out of 22 people gave it a one star rating WTF is up with THAT

I have that one too.. i dont find it to be anything special. Other than it folding in half to keep in a pocket, its just your standard utility knife

 

[Jacksonsman]

No love for Olfa's??? Made the switch and haven't looked back a couple years ago. Have a couple 25mm and an 18. Love them all.

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[redwrench60]

I use a utility knife a lot and I've always used regular Stanley thumb sliders but I picked up the Milwaukee fastback utility knife two pack at home depot to try out since they get so much love here and they're pretty nice but both are too tight pivoted to fall open or flick open one handed. You have to use two hands to open or close them so that kind of ruins the whole one handed convenience thing. Did I just get a couple of duds or are they all like this?

 

[Yarpo]

I use a utility knife a lot and I've always used regular Stanley thumb sliders but I picked up the Milwaukee fastback utility knife two pack at home depot to try out since they get so much love here and they're pretty nice but both are too tight pivoted to fall open or flick open one handed. You have to use two hands to open or close them so that kind of ruins the whole one handed convenience thing. Did I just get a couple of duds or are they all like this?

I'm not going to say duds, because I doubt manufacturers design them to be operated with a flick(Do they? I dunno?) but my Fastback flicks open fine and has since I got it, tho its a few years old. Great knife

 

[MTNSleder]

I'm not going to say duds, because I doubt manufacturers design them to be operated with a flick(Do they? I dunno?) but my Fastback flicks open fine and has since I got it, tho its a few years old. Great knife

There designed to flick open that why it called a fastback. The op dose indeed have a dud because it’s designed from Milwaukee to open with one hand.

 

[DFB]

Which is the better one...

The original 1901 Milwaukee Fastback or the 1903 model with blade storage (how does that open)

What about the 1906 compact fastback

 

[unknownroad]

I've tried a couple different folding knives and I'm not a fan- more fiddly when wearing gloves, and they always seem to get lost in the pockets of my tool belt. I've had good luck with the Stanley quick-changes. I should really buy a few more to replace my screwed-together versions... always end up using dull blades longer than I should on those.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Quick-Change-Retractable-Knife-2-Pack-STHT10274/205074559

 

[measuredtwice]

I have an original Superknife that I got for free with a tool purchase many years ago. I searched for a link but it appears that the company is no longer around. According to one hit on a Google search, Fiskars/Gerber swallowed up the company in 2005.

Gerber is making them now but I haven't tried the Gerbers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042285HW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Not sure why Gerber bothered to buy the company since it seems like everyone else is copying this style.

 

[6PTsocket]

Lenox makes the nicest knives and sharpest blades ive used. even a good ade in a cheap knife will do.

Another SB&D company.

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[Tallpilot]

Which is the better one...

The original 1901 Milwaukee Fastback or the 1903 model with blade storage (how does that open)

What about the 1906 compact fastback

I like the compact for my pocket since it doesn’t have the gut hook. I bought a 2 pack with both 1906 and 1901.

 

[Farmall450]

I have that one too.. i dont find it to be anything special. Other than it folding in half to keep in a pocket, its just your standard utility knife

The difference being you were able to figure out how to install the blade, which is the step that caught most.

 

[Yarpo]

There designed to flick open that why it called a fastback. The op dose indeed have a dud because it’s designed from Milwaukee to open with one hand.

Huh thanks for the info! TIL! I figured its a dud based on not opening with a flick but didn't know they where designed that way. Is that term (fastback) synonymous with all flick-able knives then or just what milwaukee decided to call theirs?

 

[PartsGuy]

I picked up a nice folding type off the MAC truck about 15 years ago, but it cost me about $200. It did come with a free set of impact sockets, though....

 

[derosa]

I've used both the stanley 10-499 and 10-788 The both held up decent for drywall and common usage though the 10-499 could jamb up with drywall dust. Neither held up well with asphalt shingles, probably would have done fine with 3 tab but when they hit the thicker spot in the middle on an architectural the blade would rip right out. I keep a 10-788 in the electrical bag as it holds 5 blades in the knife, easy to change and cost 5 bucks, but that tends to be light duty.

 

[Steve_P]

I have a workpro and Sheffield- both are nice, check Amazon.