# What are you cutting cardboard boxes from online shopping with?



## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 13, 2022)

Okay, let me paint the picture for you. Since COVID started, we’ve been shopping online more, which means more cardboard boxes being delivered. It’s now got to the point with the long backlog of deliveries that there’s pretty much a new delivery every day of one thing or another. Each delivery follows the same lifecycle: delivered to the front door, collected by my wife and transferred to the kitchen where she opens them with our longish thin paring knife and collapses the box for the recycling. I’m currently fixing yet another blunted tip on this paring knife and sharpening has become more frequent given the extra wear.

So, I’m surely not alone here. What are you using for cutting the cardboard boxes in your life, and what life hacks have you got for me to keep my wife away from my kitchen knives?
Do I need a decent pair of kitchen scissors (our current ones are shears and wouldn’t really cut butter?
I'm guessing the small size of the paring knife (and western handle) makes it most approachable for my wife. I contemplated a pocketknife, but I’m not sure my wife would use a folder? 

All suggestions welcome.......


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## tostadas (Jan 13, 2022)

I use one of these. Nothing fancy, and it takes standard disposable utility blades








FASTBACK Folding Utility Knife w/ Blade Storage | Milwaukee Tool


MILWAUKEE® FASTBACK™ Folding Utility Knives w/ Blade Storage feature a press and flip opening and tool-free blade changes.




www.milwaukeetool.com


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## Michi (Jan 13, 2022)

I have an Opinel No. 9 in a kitchen drawer for jobs like that. Sharpens up very quickly and easily, and stays sharp fairly well.


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## KilgoreTrout (Jan 13, 2022)

I always carry a pocket knife and at work (chef) I have a dedicated box knife. At work it’s a civivi praxis. And my daily carry which is home etc is either a benchmade Osborne mini 945 or my knifeart exclusive small sabenza carbon fiber show scale in tanto. I like knives. Those civivi which are on amazon or really high quality especially for the price. I recommend them highly for the $40-80 pocket knife range. Just as good or better than any crkt I’ve ever had.
Sebenza you gotta be a real knife nerd but it is buy it for life. Built like a bank safe.


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## KilgoreTrout (Jan 13, 2022)

Michi said:


> I have an Opinel No. 9 in a kitchen drawer for jobs like that. Sharpens up very quickly and easily, and stays sharp fairly well.


 I agree 100% opinel are great no frills perfect box knives that sharpen up really well and are affordable.


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## sansho (Jan 13, 2022)

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DCBOH/
box cutter with adjustable-depth cut so you don't damage package contents.
blade his hidden until you squeeze it.

i keep it by the front door. pretty much the perfect tool for opening boxes.

and don't let the starrett name fool you. it's just some taiwan crap. but it's good crap.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 13, 2022)

sansho said:


> View attachment 160294
> 
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DCBOH/
> ...




Wow that’s interesting. I’ll have to check them out. The retracting blade might be a good idea.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 13, 2022)

Michi said:


> I have an Opinel No. 9 in a kitchen drawer for jobs like that. Sharpens up very quickly and easily, and stays sharp fairly well.



That’s a good idea for testing whether a folder would get used!


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 13, 2022)

KilgoreTrout said:


> I always carry a pocket knife and at work (chef) I have a dedicated box knife. At work it’s a civivi praxis. And my daily carry which is home etc is either a benchmade Osborne mini 945 or my knifeart exclusive small sabenza carbon fiber show scale in tanto. I like knives. Those civivi which are on amazon or really high quality especially for the price. I recommend them highly for the $40-80 pocket knife range. Just as good or better than any crkt I’ve ever had.
> Sebenza you gotta be a real knife nerd but it is buy it for life. Built like a bank safe.



I’d probably be an EDC guy if the knife carry laws here in Australia allowed it….
Sounds like you’ve got some great folders.


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## IsoJ (Jan 13, 2022)

Whatever sharp object is the nearest.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 13, 2022)

Utility knives are a safety hazard, if interested look up the emergency room statistics on them....or visit the ER on a Saturday morning with a hand wrapped in a bloody towel and say your name at the desk, after that the clerk likely will say 'and you cut yourself with a utility knife' before you can


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## Luftmensch (Jan 13, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> collapses the box for the recycling



Thats awesome!

In of our previous rentals the recycling bins always filled up three times faster than they needed to. The residents wouldn't collapse their boxes. It was _really_ frustrating. Some jerk would also just dump anything in the paper bins... cans etc... ... but that is another story




NameAlreadyTaken said:


> What are you using for cutting the cardboard boxes in your life



I have a few too many auction site kitchen knives. I use these for slicing boxes up. I dont mind if they get roughed up. A gyuto will break down boxes quickly. It is quite satisfying! But cardboard is blunting... I dont think there is a remedy for that.




NameAlreadyTaken said:


> what life hacks have you got for me to keep my wife away from my kitchen knives?



Depends how you guys break down boxes? Do you guys just cut the tape and collapse them flat? Or do you actually cut the cardboard down into smaller pieces?

A cheap utility knife is fine for cutting tape... they are small enough to keep in a kitchen draw. For breaking down boxes, I like the rigidity of a gyuto/chef knife. Having a beater knife in the same location as the good ones is a useful decoy. Since the beater knife is next to the good ones, there is no reasonable excuse to use the good ones for compromising tasks!


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## Benuser (Jan 13, 2022)




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## Brian Weekley (Jan 13, 2022)

The pink handled parer is for cutting tape, plastic wrapping and opening small boxes (uncorrogated). The center knife (parer) is my Newham Knives paring knife … loved and used daily as a paring knife on food only. The small utility knife is an early Carter. It’s very easy to sharpen and can be used for cutting corrugated cardboard when required, but a dream for small jobs on the board that are too big for my paring knife but too small for the Kurosaki bunka to its right.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 13, 2022)

I usually leave boxes out of the paper recycling bin to get them soggy and squish them into the crappy far too tight and small container that is only emptied every fortnight, luckily it is a 'private use' waste bin.


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## Vionlad (Jan 13, 2022)

This is what I have been using lately. The serrated blade.


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## valdim (Jan 13, 2022)

Brian Weekley said:


> View attachment 160309
> 
> 
> The pink handled parer is for cutting tape, plastic wrapping and opening small boxes (uncorrogated). The center knife (parer) is my Newham Knives paring knife … loved and used daily as a paring knife on food only. The small utility knife is an early Carter. It’s very easy to sharpen and can be used for cutting corrugated cardboard when required, but a dream for small jobs on the board that are too big for my paring knife but too small for the Kurosaki bunka to its right.


OFFTOPIC: @Brian Weekley I wonder why you keep the sticker on the TF...Let it go, man! You would never resell such a diamond, so what's the need to keep it?!?
I would even go further and challenge you - remove it ritually and show us how you do it...


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 13, 2022)

I use pocket knives. If you do decide to test those waters, I highly recommend keeping it simple. Stay away from liner locks and such and look to a good ole mid-back lock. They lock up solid, feel secure, and are easy and safe to operate. The Spyderco Dragonfly2 Wharncliffe would be excellent here (and was partially designed just for this) provided you can have a locking folder. Very small and approachable.

Other than that, I'm actually not a big fan of box cutters for, um, cutting boxes... Of course the thin blades work great for it and if you're on a table or something then it isn't as much an issue but people naturally tend to cut in an arc and that short blade isn't very forgiving. If she's putting some force behind it and the short blade slips out, that's not good.

Cardboard is highly abrasive and will dull even the highest edge retention steel with some regularity so I just choose not to fight that part of it. A good thin blade is your friend here and I like the inexpensive pairing knife idea. You can often find them in multi-packs.

I'm not advocating this particular site just using it as an example:


https://www.webstaurantstore.com/choice-3-1-4-neon-straight-edge-paring-knife-pack/220KNPARPK5.html



Put a piece of foam in the bottom of a cup or something and toss them in there tip down. She has some to rotate through.

And also, I absolutely don't intend this to sound demeaning, but make sure she has good cutting technique. Tip angled down about 45 degrees and cutting on at least the back half of the blade.


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## Matus (Jan 13, 2022)

Spyderco PM2 in k390 most often, smaller boxes even with Spyderco Urban (also k390). I have considered the Spyderco Watu for this (thinner blade == less resistance), but apparently I have too many knives already ...


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## SilverSwarfer (Jan 13, 2022)




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## Bear (Jan 13, 2022)

tostadas said:


> I use one of these. Nothing fancy, and it takes standard disposable utility blades
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I carry one every day


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## Luftmensch (Jan 13, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> And also, I absolutely don't intend this to sound demeaning, but make sure she has good cutting technique. Tip angled down about 45 degrees and cutting on at least the back half of the blade.



Thats not demeaning. Thats an opportunity to learn.... at least for me



Why is that? So you dont slip and stab the dog in the chest? Angling the knife definitely helps with the cut. I have been angling the tip _up_ so that I dont follow through the cut... and stab the dog in the chest....




HumbleHomeCook said:


> Other than that, I'm actually not a big fan of box cutters for, um, cutting boxes... Of course the thin blades work great for it and if you're on a table or something then it isn't as much an issue but people naturally tend to cut in an arc and that short blade isn't very forgiving. If she's putting some force behind it and the short blade slips out, that's not good.
> 
> Cardboard is highly abrasive and will dull even the highest edge retention steel with some regularity so I just choose not to fight that part of it. A good thin blade is your friend here and I like the inexpensive pairing knife idea. You can often find them in multi-packs



Very much agree on these points!


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## Luftmensch (Jan 13, 2022)

Vionlad said:


> This is what I have been using lately. The serrated blade.View attachment 160314
> View attachment 160315



I hope the symmetry in the photo was intended? It is strangely pretty. Nice countertop or workbench too!


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## Vionlad (Jan 13, 2022)

Luftmensch said:


> I hope the symmetry in the photo was intended? It is strangely pretty. Nice countertop or workbench too!


That’s a table top at work, and those are my beauty shots of it. I really like the look of this one

Edit


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 13, 2022)

Luftmensch said:


> Thats not demeaning. Thats an opportunity to learn.... at least for me
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Angling the definitely helps with a smooth slice in cardboard. I advise tip down, one because it is more natural, and two, allows for more leverage.

I advocate locking the wrist to start. From the elbow to the tip of the knife should be solid. When possible, I like the box mid-chest and lower. In this way, your cutting shoulder and the knife can be basically on the same plane. Angle the tip down and drive through the cut. But eve if it is up on something or away from the body, keeping the wrist locked is the key. Yeah, you might have to ease up and restart sometimes but no biggy.


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## demcav (Jan 13, 2022)

Benuser said:


> View attachment 160308



me too.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 13, 2022)

Luftmensch said:


> Thats not demeaning. Thats an opportunity to learn.... at least for me
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Also, just to be sure we're on the same page, I'm talking about vertical cuts. I don't slice the actual cardboard horizontally.


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## ACHiPo (Jan 13, 2022)

Olfa Japanese Utility knife. A buddy recommended them, especially their black blades which are very sharp and I have yet to have to break off a blade so they must be pretty hard. There's a staple remover on the back as well. I bought 3--one for the kitchen where most box opening/breakdown occurs, one in my office, and one in the garage.





OLFA 1072198 LA-X 18mm Fiberglass Rubber Grip Heavy-Duty Utility Knife(New Version) - - Amazon.com


OLFA 1072198 LA-X 18mm Fiberglass Rubber Grip Heavy-Duty Utility Knife(New Version) - - Amazon.com



www.amazon.com





While you're at it you might as well get a pair of clamshell package scissors--come in mighty handy and reduce skinned knuckles on amazingly sharp plastic packages.


Amazon.com


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## Luftmensch (Jan 13, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Also, just to be sure we're on the same page, I'm talking about vertical cuts. I don't slice the actual cardboard horizontally.



Definitely! That would be a recipe for accidents! 

I guess while we're on tips... Where possible, cut with/parallel to the corrugation in the cardboard (like butter)... not across it (more difficult)!


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## daveb (Jan 13, 2022)

+1 to the little Spydies. They're my box cutters for work and home. 

But. A folder may be more trouble than it's worth to Mrs Name... For ease of use I'll suggest a decent parer, the Shun 3.5" would serve the function and be robust enough for some abuse.


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## stringer (Jan 13, 2022)

I used foldng utility knives for years. But about 5 years ago I got this. Kershaw 1920. I use the screwdrivers at least as often as I use the blade.


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## big_adventure (Jan 13, 2022)

valdim said:


> OFFTOPIC: @Brian Weekley I wonder why you keep the sticker on the TF...Let it go, man! You would never resell such a diamond, so what's the need to keep it?!?
> I would even go further and challenge you - remove it ritually and show us how you do it...



My Denka still wears its sticker. That's an important part of the wabi sabi.


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## J_Wisdom (Jan 13, 2022)

I use a Remington pairing knife I bought in the 80s sometimes, but mainly use this Stanley below. I've had this for a long time and love it, and the blades in the lower link are great and last.



https://smile.amazon.com/Stanley-Curved-Quick-Change-Utility-Retractable/dp/B000051WTG/





https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CJNJ0W


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## Lars (Jan 13, 2022)

Stanley knife gets my vote.


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## valdim (Jan 13, 2022)

Lars said:


> Stanley knife gets my vote.


+1


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## Brian Weekley (Jan 13, 2022)

valdim said:


> OFFTOPIC: @Brian Weekley I wonder why you keep the sticker on the TF...Let it go, man! You would never resell such a diamond, so what's the need to keep it?!?
> I would even go further and challenge you - remove it ritually and show us how you do it...


Great spot. The TF that you’re seeing is one of about a half dozen TF’s that I bought to learn about TF’s and their wabi sabi for myself. I used nothing but the TF’s for about six months. The result will be contained in my upcoming TF Chronicles report. I will also be selling several of my TF’s so the sticker has to stay until I decide which ones get kicked off the island.


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## tcmx3 (Jan 13, 2022)

kiridashi or a pocket knife.

I have some fixed blades if a package is resistant enough to opening that I could theoretically hurt myself but that's super uncommon.


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## big_adventure (Jan 13, 2022)

I have an old Mundial paring knife that has been reduced to a straight edged toothpick after years of sharpening. It's for either horrible guest cutters or for opening packaging. Works a treat.


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## Desert Rat (Jan 13, 2022)

Lars said:


> Stanley knife gets my vote.


No 199


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## tomsch (Jan 13, 2022)

240mm Tsourkan WH  Not really. I typically carry either a Spyderco PM2 Maxamet or a Chris Reeve large 21 Insingo so they are used for pretty much anything including cutting boxes. 

Most of the time I typically just rip them up by hand so they fit in the recycle bin which is faster.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 13, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> I use pocket knives. If you do decide to test those waters, I highly recommend keeping it simple. Stay away from liner locks and such and look to a good ole mid-back lock. They lock up solid, feel secure, and are easy and safe to operate. The Spyderco Dragonfly2 Wharncliffe would be excellent here (and was partially designed just for this) provided you can have a locking folder. Very small and approachable.
> 
> Other than that, I'm actually not a big fan of box cutters for, um, cutting boxes... Of course the thin blades work great for it and if you're on a table or something then it isn't as much an issue but people naturally tend to cut in an arc and that short blade isn't very forgiving. If she's putting some force behind it and the short blade slips out, that's not good.
> 
> ...



Thanks, I appreciate the good advice.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 13, 2022)

So maybe I look at either getting a beater paring knife, or just accepting that the current thing is working for her, and use it as an excuse to upgrade my paring knife and store that elsewhere......


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## esoo (Jan 13, 2022)

Either the Spyderco Chaparral that's in my pocket or a Olfa utility knife


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## Barmoley (Jan 13, 2022)

Matus said:


> Spyderco PM2 in k390 most often, smaller boxes even with Spyderco Urban (also k390). I have considered the Spyderco Watu for this (thinner blade == less resistance), but apparently I have too many knives already ...


For cardboard, I use Spyderco PM2 in 10V, Urban K390, police K390 or Spyderco Mule in maxamet. Hmmm, I am sensing a theme here.....


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## Delat (Jan 13, 2022)

Cheapo little plastic box cutter in the kitchen drawer for cutting the tape on boxes (it’s small, light, and doesn’t take much room), and a more robust metal-body box cutter for the cardboard.


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## dafox (Jan 13, 2022)

Spyderco, Kershaw pocket knives.


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## tomsch (Jan 14, 2022)

@Barmoley - Yes I also see a theme  BTW I have a Maxamet Mule that I've not put to use much so it sounds like it needs to take down some wine boxes this weekend.


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## Barmoley (Jan 14, 2022)

tomsch said:


> @Barmoley - Yes I also see a theme  BTW I have a Maxamet Mule that I've not put to use much so it sounds like it needs to take down some wine boxes this weekend.


Do it, it was made for it. Let it fulfill it's purpose and reason for existence.

I need to cut more cardboard this weekend too. Mule blade is of good shape and size for this and maxamet works well for cardboard.


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## parbaked (Jan 14, 2022)

I have a wicked little Rockstead hanging in the kitchen…


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## ampersandcetera (Jan 14, 2022)

Definitely pocket knives for me: Benchmade 940 or a Spyderco Spydiechef for work (restaurant line), and there's always an Opinel no. 8 Garden in the kitchen for packages, tape, etc.

My lady always uses scissors to open boxes, and it makes me sad to know she's missing out on the simple joy of having the right tool for the job literally inches away. So it goes.


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## daveb (Jan 14, 2022)

parbaked said:


> I have a wicked little Rockstead hanging in the kitchen…
> View attachment 160504



Open that package quick! There's jelly beans in there!


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## riba (Jan 14, 2022)

A cheap kiridashi works for us. Hangs on the magnetic strip for tougher jobs. Cardboard cutting, pencil sharpening, plastic wrapping etc.


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## new2brew (Jan 14, 2022)

tostadas said:


> I use one of these. Nothing fancy, and it takes standard disposable utility blades
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Bear said:


> I carry one every day


I also use the fastback daily, I put a serrated blade in it ( “Husky” avail at HD) it lasts longer and works great on cardboard.


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## McMan (Jan 14, 2022)

tostadas said:


> I use one of these. Nothing fancy, and it takes standard disposable utility blades
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Bear said:


> I carry one every day





new2brew said:


> I also use the fastback daily, I put a serrated blade in it ( “Husky” avail at HD) it lasts longer and works great on cardboard.




The best. And a flipper too. I'm going to stock up on a bunch in case they stop making them. Hard to beat for 9 bucks (used to be $7!).
I'd recommend this one without the wire-stripper cut out in the handle through (unless you're stripping a lot of wire...):








Milwaukee FASTBACK Compact Folding Utility Knife with General Purpose Blade 48-22-1500 - The Home Depot


The Milwaukee FASTBACK Compact Folding Utility Knife features a press and flip mechanism for easy, 1-handed opening. The Milwaukee utility knife allows users to make quick, tool-free blade changes for



www.homedepot.com


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## Rangen (Jan 14, 2022)

I use whichever knife is in my pocket. Because it's in my pocket. About 90% of the time, it's a Spyderco of some steel or other.

I like to have a bunch of different steels in my pocketknives, which keeps me from being tempted by kitchen knives in exotic steels.


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## new2brew (Jan 14, 2022)

McMan said:


> The best. And a flipper too. I'm going to stock up on a bunch in case they stop making them. Hard to beat for 9 bucks (used to be $7!).
> I'd recommend this one without the wire-stripper cut out in the handle through (unless you're stripping a lot of wire...):
> 
> 
> ...





McMan said:


> The best. And a flipper too. I'm going to stock up on a bunch in case they stop making them. Hard to beat for 9 bucks (used to be $7!).
> I'd recommend this one without the wire-stripper cut out in the handle through (unless you're stripping a lot of wire...):
> 
> 
> ...


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## daveb (Jan 14, 2022)

I like McMan's posts too.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 14, 2022)

I like some weight cutting up boxes 





I also strip off the tape & labels. If staples cut the strip out. Then cut up the box put in recycle 
bin. I researched it says recycle places appreciate that step makes job easier tho they have chemical ways to separate tape because 
Most people don't do it. I'm pretty fast at stripping tape & don't want to get sticky stuff on my sharp carbon blade.


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## OldSaw (Jan 14, 2022)

Fold, fold, fold. I only cut the tape with a pocket knife, cheap parer, or scissors. Then smash and/or fold, throw in the trunk of the car, take to recycling center. No cardboard cutting required.

If I had a really large box, like an appliance box, I would probably use a Sawsall type of cordless tool to get it into the trunk.


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## Tapio (Jan 14, 2022)

I use the nearest fairly sharp or pointy object to only cut the tape. Kitchen knives are not needed or allowed to join the party.


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## e30Birdy (Jan 15, 2022)

I need to upgrade my EDC game. I usually run a Herbertz 206609 i got way back in the day. I keep it sharp but it is just a cheap 30 Euro knife now a days. Want to get something a bit nicer and better steel. Civici, Spyderco have intrigued me for a while. I just need to make sure it's shirt due to German laws.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 15, 2022)

e30Birdy said:


> I need to upgrade my EDC game. I usually run a Herbertz 206609 i got way back in the day. I keep it sharp but it is just a cheap 30 Euro knife now a days. Want to get something a bit nicer and better steel. Civici, Spyderco have intrigued me for a while. I just need to make sure it's shirt due to German laws.



If you're required to have a slip joint but can have a clip, Spyderco's slips are outstanding. Sal specifically designed them for no-lock jurisdictions so they would still be highly functional. The UK Penknife (UKPK) is a great place to start looking.


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## uniliang (Jan 15, 2022)

My new letter and box cutter, Mizuno Tanrenjo double bevel kiridashi. A bit overkill, but not sure what else I will use it for


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## Pie (Jan 15, 2022)

Or 






Edge retention on the tosa whale knife is pretty good, decent on the blue 2 higo. A little bit of ruggedness is nice, I think some of the edc folders people have would really be ideal so you’re not holding an exposed blade while trying to fold stuff down.


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## e30Birdy (Jan 15, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> If you're required to have a slip joint but can have a clip, Spyderco's slips are outstanding. Sal specifically designed them for no-lock jurisdictions so they would still be highly functional. The UK Penknife (UKPK) is a great place to start looking.



I think our regulations don't allow us to be opened one handed and locking but having one or the other is allowed and I think 7.5cm is max length a blade can be for a folding knife. I knives knivesandtools has a whole EDC section for one handed opening and one for locking knives. I have been looking at that UK penknife as well. Price for it isn't bad. I also like the Civici Stylum.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 15, 2022)

e30Birdy said:


> I think our regulations don't allow us to be opened one handed and locking but having one or the other is allowed and I think 7.5cm is max length a blade can be for a folding knife. I knives knivesandtools has a whole EDC section for one handed opening and one for locking knives. I have been looking at that UK penknife as well. Price for it isn't bad. I also like the Civici Stylum.



lionSTEEL, Mersin, MKM and Viper are also worth looking into. The Viper Dan gets a lot of good press from European users.


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## e30Birdy (Jan 15, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> lionSTEEL, Mersin, MKM and Viper are also worth looking into. The Viper Dan gets a lot of good press from European users.



The Böker Plus Wasabi also sounds nice as an EDC since they are using M390 steel. Just something light to carry as well.


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## e30Birdy (Jan 15, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> lionSTEEL, Mersin, MKM and Viper are also worth looking into. The Viper Dan gets a lot of good press from European users.



ONLINESHOP that Gentledan OMG.. but I think I settled on a UK Penknife in S110V.

Buddy of mine showed me his TSPROF 3 setup.. and wow but it's like 1200 Euro. I got sole crazy EDC friends I found out tonight.


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## Chicagohawkie (Jan 15, 2022)

40 years and still ticking!


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 15, 2022)

e30Birdy said:


> ONLINESHOP that Gentledan OMG.. but I think I settled on a UK Penknife in S110V.
> 
> Buddy of mine showed me his TSPROF 3 setup.. and wow but it's like 1200 Euro. I got sole crazy EDC friends I found out tonight.



Don't sell Spyderco's base VG-10 short. They run it a little soft so it is a good all around steel for EDC. S110V is nice but can be brittle.


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## e30Birdy (Jan 16, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Don't sell Spyderco's base VG-10 short. They run it a little soft so it is a good all around steel for EDC. S110V is nice but can be brittle.



Yeah for sure, but I am not a VG10 fan, but for the sake of it I may try a BD1 just to say I have. I would much rather pick up something in S35VN or S45VN before VG10. For the stuff I cut up I am not worried about the knife being brittle. This won't be my last EDC so we will see what time tells and what else will join this UKPK. Thanks for the heads-up on the blade though.


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## madmotts (Jan 16, 2022)

riba said:


> A cheap kiridashi works for us.



I thought that’s what they were for ? I got one in one of my eBay purchases.


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## Pie (Jan 16, 2022)

madmotts said:


> I thought that’s what they were for ? I got one in one of my eBay purchases.


The polishing every use is the fun part


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## Dakota Day Trader (Jan 16, 2022)

We get a bunch of cardboard boxes each week due to a home based business and the fact that we order everything we can online. Where I live we have a large recycling bin that is the same size as our garbage bin. While the garbage gets picked up weekly, it's every 2 weeks for recycling.

That said, I don't just fold the cardboard up after opening the box. I break it down into small, flat panels around 1' x 1' or smaller. 

Up until last summer, my weapon of choice was a Spyderco Military in S110V. That did a great job, but was a bit of a machete. I ended up picking up a Spyderco Native 5 in Maxamet, and could not be happier with it! It's the perfect size, great ergos and a steel that just takes a beating. I break down tons of cardboard and after the initial sharpening the only maintenance I do to that knife if clean the sticky tape goop off it with some WD-40, then run the blade across the Spyderco Double Stuff medium and fine ceramic hone probably once a month or so. 

If you have not tried Maxamet, it is a great steel. It can be a bit brittle, but I've never chipped the edge once, and all this knife does is break down cardboard!


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## Rangen (Jan 16, 2022)

Dakota Day Trader said:


> If you have not tried Maxamet, it is a great steel. It can be a bit brittle, but I've never chipped the edge once, and all this knife does is break down cardboard!



Agreed. I think it has the best edge retention I've run into, at the task of breaking down cardboard. S110V is next. ZDP-189 is not bad at all.

Just got a Native Chief in Rex45, and I'm curious how that one will hold up.


----------



## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

Thanks for your suggestions.

There’s a lot of love out there for Spydies.
To a pocket noob, what makes Spydies so popular? 
School me.


----------



## daveb (Jan 17, 2022)

Hottest Booth Babes at the Blade Shoe!

That and for under a hundred you can get a consistently good quality folder in a variety of sizes/colors. 

Or you can spend as much as you like for specialty steels.


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## Matus (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Thanks for your suggestions.
> 
> There’s a lot of love out there for Spydies.
> To a pocket noob, what makes Spydies so popular?
> School me.



Spyderco has a lot of interesting designs, the try a ton of different steels. They now make most of their main models from Seki (Dragonfly, Delica, Endela, Endura, Stretch, Police) in k390 for still a reasonable money - if you need a workhorse you don't need to look much further. Plus they have quite a few highly stain resistant knives is you need that. And a lot of other stuff. Their producst are well done and the keep improving them over time.

Plus Sal and Eric are two awesome and friendly guys and in particular Sal (since he more-less retired from the daily job at Spyderco) spends quite some time talking to their users via different forums. Spyderco also tries pretty hard to follow what people are asking for. I simply like them and like their weird knives


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## talcum (Jan 17, 2022)

Gerber mini covert with the half serrated edge. It locks up really well and is easy to sharpen and the serrations let me cut through the extra tough boxes or cable ties. Also it's cheap enough I don't worry about breaking it.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Thanks for your suggestions.
> 
> There’s a lot of love out there for Spydies.
> To a pocket noob, what makes Spydies so popular?
> School me.



Sal Glesser (Founder) revolutionized the pocket knife world when he invented the "Spydie hole" and pocket clips. He is a genius of function over form and by his words, while some may think Spyderco's are ugly, their beauty lies in their function.

Spyderco's are extremely easy to use and highly reliable. You can get fancy stuff if you like but most any of the Seki models will fill actual performance needs.

The wharncliffe Dragonfly that I suggested earlier was developed by Sal along with a chef in the Spyderco forum. The D'fly already existed of course, but this working chef wanted something small but highly functional for opening packages, breaking down cardboard, and general kitchen utility tasks. They worked together, Sal got him a prototype for testing and the rest is history with it being an extremely popular model that has been in the regular lineup ever since.

There's no thumb studs to tear up your pockets and be a hinderance to good sharpening. A wide choice of models, locks, materials, etc. Their grinds, in general, are excellent and designed to slice.

Sal is all about that function. And as @Matus said, Sal and Eric (son and current president) are highly regarded in the knife world. Sal is a true upstanding guy that you feel good supporting.


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## Andrei (Jan 17, 2022)

.


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## Andrei (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Okay, let me paint the picture for you. Since COVID started, we’ve been shopping online more, which means more cardboard boxes being delivered. It’s now got to the point with the long backlog of deliveries that there’s pretty much a new delivery every day of one thing or another. Each delivery follows the same lifecycle: delivered to the front door, collected by my wife and transferred to the kitchen where she opens them with our longish thin paring knife and collapses the box for the recycling. I’m currently fixing yet another blunted tip on this paring knife and sharpening has become more frequent given the extra wear.
> 
> So, I’m surely not alone here. What are you using for cutting the cardboard boxes in your life, and what life hacks have you got for me to keep my wife away from my kitchen knives?
> Do I need a decent pair of kitchen scissors (our current ones are shears and wouldn’t really cut butter?
> ...



I thought it was only me who had this problem.
I cut a lot of cardboard as I pack packages, and cardboard is a real test for the cutting edge of a knife! When I got tired of sharpening my penknives, I tried the office knives, but all the knives quickly lost their sharpness, after which I decided to make myself a small knife for cutting cardboard. After making a knife, sometimes a piece of steel remains, it was these pieces that I decided to use.
The blades were made of M390, M2, T1, ATS-34, S90V steel, these are the ones that I remembered, there were probably others, but PGK steel proved to be the best on a kitchen knife, I didn’t really like this steel, but it turned out to be better for cutting cardboard what i have tried.
I understand that I did not help the author of the topic much, but I just shared my experience, maybe someone will find it interesting.


----------



## Hauscarl (Jan 17, 2022)

These are shockingly good:









Stainless Steel Citrus Peeler


Shop Japanese knives, knife sharpening stones, Japanese tableware, kitchenware, restaurant supplies and equipments, take out containers, sushi and ramen supplies




mtckitchen.com





They don't allow much of the blade to get too deep so you don't have to worry about accidentally cutting what is inside. Bought like 15 to give away as stocking stuffers, all recipients love!


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## Barmoley (Jan 17, 2022)

Andrei said:


> I thought it was only me who had this problem.
> I cut a lot of cardboard as I pack packages, and cardboard is a real test for the cutting edge of a knife! When I got tired of sharpening my penknives, I tried the office knives, but all the knives quickly lost their sharpness, after which I decided to make myself a small knife for cutting cardboard. After making a knife, sometimes a piece of steel remains, it was these pieces that I decided to use.
> The blades were made of M390, M2, T1, ATS-34, S90V steel, these are the ones that I remembered, there were probably others, but PGK steel proved to be the best on a kitchen knife, I didn’t really like this steel, but it turned out to be better for cutting cardboard what i have tried.
> I understand that I did not help the author of the topic much, but I just shared my experience, maybe someone will find it interesting.


Very cool looking carboard cutting knife. PGK is cruwear equivalent I believe so a good combination of wear resistance and toughness. Makes sense that it is good for carboard, since it is both pretty abrasive and can break brittle edges because of inclusions of sand, staples and other crap.

I think we have 2 themes going here. What people use to open packages and what they use to cut cardboard itself. These of course can be a single tool, but for specifically cutting a lot of cardboard some steels and knife designs are better than others.


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## Matus (Jan 17, 2022)

One more thing came to my mind. Some of the SAK models have a blade with a strong recurve towards the tip - like a tiny pruning blade. I was wondering what it could be good for and found 2 uses: sharpening pencils and opening packages. Also cardboard boxes were no issues, but being that small, non locking and soft, easy-to-wear steel it is not ideal for that. But some 8 cm long blade of comparable shape, thin and made out of high wear resistance steel would be perfect for the job.


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## cantdecidewhichone (Jan 17, 2022)

I use my Evan


----------



## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

Matus said:


> Spyderco has a lot of interesting designs, the try a ton of different steels. They now make most of their main models from Seki (Dragonfly, Delica, Endela, Endura, Stretch, Police) in k390 for still a reasonable money - if you need a workhorse you don't need to look much further. Plus they have quite a few highly stain resistant knives is you need that. And a lot of other stuff. Their producst are well done and the keep improving them over time.
> 
> Plus Sal and Eric are two awesome and friendly guys and in particular Sal (since he more-less retired from the daily job at Spyderco) spends quite some time talking to their users via different forums. Spyderco also tries pretty hard to follow what people are asking for. I simply like them and like their weird knives



Thanks for the explanation. Consider me schooled!


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

Hauscarl said:


> These are shockingly good:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wow, I didn't know such a thing existed! Are they also good at their primary citrus peeling purpose?


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

Andrei said:


> I thought it was only me who had this problem.
> I cut a lot of cardboard as I pack packages, and cardboard is a real test for the cutting edge of a knife! When I got tired of sharpening my penknives, I tried the office knives, but all the knives quickly lost their sharpness, after which I decided to make myself a small knife for cutting cardboard. After making a knife, sometimes a piece of steel remains, it was these pieces that I decided to use.
> The blades were made of M390, M2, T1, ATS-34, S90V steel, these are the ones that I remembered, there were probably others, but PGK steel proved to be the best on a kitchen knife, I didn’t really like this steel, but it turned out to be better for cutting cardboard what i have tried.
> I understand that I did not help the author of the topic much, but I just shared my experience, maybe someone will find it interesting.



Very cool looking box knife!


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Sal Glesser (Founder) revolutionized the pocket knife world when he invented the "Spydie hole" and pocket clips. He is a genius of function over form and by his words, while some may think Spyderco's are ugly, their beauty lies in their function.
> 
> Spyderco's are extremely easy to use and highly reliable. You can get fancy stuff if you like but most any of the Seki models will fill actual performance needs.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the detailed explanation! Yes, the Dragonfly 2 Wharncliffe looks to be a front runner for a folder option. I'd use it, even if my wife might not!


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Thanks for the detailed explanation! Yes, the Dragonfly 2 Wharncliffe looks to be a front runner for a folder option. I'd use it, even if my wife might not!



A Wharnie is on my short list. I have standard D'fly and it has seen a ton of use. Great knife and perfectly suitable for an EDC blade if one chooses.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> A Wharnie is on my short list. I have standard D'fly and it has seen a ton of use. Great knife and perfectly suitable for an EDC blade if one chooses.



Thoughts on the currently available VG10 blade vs the K390 model that's coming out this year?


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Thoughts on the currently available VG10 blade vs the K390 model that's coming out this year?



I don't have any K390 so I can't give a firsthand comparison. Spyderco runs their VG-10 a little soft so it tends to be sufficiently tough and not chippy as we sometimes think of it in the kitchen cutlery world. It is quite easy to maintain and sharpen but the edge will most definitely not hold up as long as K390.

K390 has a massive amount of vanadium in it so you're talking diamond stones for sharpening. Not sure where you're at with sharpening...?


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> I don't have any K390 so I can't give a firsthand comparison. Spyderco runs their VG-10 a little soft so it tends to be sufficiently tough and not chippy as we sometimes think of it in the kitchen cutlery world. It is quite easy to maintain and sharpen but the edge will most definitely not hold up as long as K390.
> 
> K390 has a massive amount of vanadium in it so you're talking diamond stones for sharpening. Not sure where you're at with sharpening...?



Oh right. No not up to diamond stones yet.
I’ve got a couple of low grit diamond plates for flattening but that’s about it.
Still rocking (and enjoying) my Shapton Glass stones. My technique will need more work to get angle consistency, and I’m intrigued by the HHT (but probably a long way off in terms of skill). 
So that’s sounding more like avoiding the K390 version?


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## Rangen (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Thoughts on the currently available VG10 blade vs the K390 model that's coming out this year?



VG10 is pretty OK. K390 is a superb modern steel. But, as HHC says, you're probably gonna want some diamonds (or CBN).


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Oh right. No not up to diamond stones yet.
> I’ve got a couple of low grit diamond plates for flattening but that’s about it.
> Still rocking (and enjoying) my Shapton Glass stones. My technique will need more work to get angle consistency, and I’m intrigued by the HHT (but probably a long way off in terms of skill).
> So that’s sounding more like avoiding the K390 version?



Not necessarily. Again, I don't have any K390 and will admit, I'm a smidge apprehensive of the vanadium carbide volume, but, I have sharpened a fair bit of higher vanadium stuff. I find you get a smaller burr that you have to watch for but it's not overly terrible so long as you have the right tools.

For a little Dragonfly, a couple Ultra Sharp 6" stones would work well:






Ultra Sharp Diamond Sharpening Stones


Ultra Sharp Diamond Sharpening Stones are the best value we've ever seen. These fast sharpening diamond whetstones come with a 100% Lifetime Guarantee.




www.bestsharpeningstones.com





I'd probably go 300 and 600.

But again, if that freaks you out, I wouldn't hesitate on the standard version either. I have a lot of Spyderco VG-10.


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## esoo (Jan 17, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> A Wharnie is on my short list. I have standard D'fly and it has seen a ton of use. Great knife and perfectly suitable for an EDC blade if one chooses.



I had a Dragonfly in ZDP189. It was a nice little folder as my first EDC bit I found it a pain to sharpen. Lost it and went with a Chaparral which is such a nicer knife. Found the Dragonfly but it will likely never go back in my pocket.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 17, 2022)

esoo said:


> I had a Dragonfly in ZDP189. It was a nice little folder as my first EDC bit I found it a pain to sharpen. Lost it and went with a Chaparral which is such a nicer knife. Found the Dragonfly but it will likely never go back in my pocket.



I have a Chap too. Another very nice knife and while small, it is quite a different knife than the D'fly. Also, the Wharncliffe D'fly should do very well on cardboard so that's why I recommended it.


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## Barmoley (Jan 17, 2022)

Wharncliffe dragonfly is even already available in k390. I have urban in k390 and it is really good for box cutting tasks. Small diamond stones are cheap like @HumbleHomeCook suggested. Also, venev diamond stones. In addition, if you stay with low grit, you can most likely do fine without diamonds. A folder to open boxes with is fine at 600 grit. Also, I’ve read good reviews on spyderco’s new CBN combo plate.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Not necessarily. Again, I don't have any K390 and will admit, I'm a smidge apprehensive of the vanadium carbide volume, but, I have sharpened a fair bit of higher vanadium stuff. I find you get a smaller burr that you have to watch for but it's not overly terrible so long as you have the right tools.
> 
> For a little Dragonfly, a couple Ultra Sharp 6" stones would work well:
> 
> ...




Those stones look a lot like the DMT flattening plates that I've got (although in lower grits), have I got that right? 
I've got a nakiri in ZDP189, which I find easy enough to sharpen just on my Shapton Glass stones. 
Not spooked at all by the alloys, but if it's saving me time between sharpens.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

Barmoley said:


> Wharncliffe dragonfly is even already available in k390. I have urban in k390 and it is really good for box cutting tasks. Small diamond stones are cheap like @HumbleHomeCook suggested. Also, venev diamond stones. In addition, if you stay with low grit, you can most likely do fine without diamonds. A folder to open boxes with is fine at 600 grit. Also, I’ve read good reviews on spyderco’s new CBN combo plate.



Thanks mate, yeah I've got a DMT 140 and I think also a 400 somewhere (which I bought online by mistake thinking that I'd clicked the 140 grit  ). Sounds like it might be worth a try.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 17, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Those stones look a lot like the DMT flattening plates that I've got (although in lower grits), have I got that right?
> I've got a nakiri in ZDP189, which I find easy enough to sharpen just on my Shapton Glass stones.
> Not spooked at all by the alloys, but if it's saving me time between sharpens.



Yep, same concept as DMT. Plated diamond stones. I just often recommend them as they are pretty approachable in price and good quality.

ZDP is chromium carbide so it responds well to Shapton Glass. I've got ZDP and I'd venture to say if you're good with sharpening it, you can handle K390.

No doubt K390 will extend your time between sharpening sessions. Especially after the first couple times sharpening when you get through the inevitably weakened factory steel.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 17, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Yep, same concept as DMT. Plated diamond stones. I just often recommend them as they are pretty approachable in price and good quality.
> 
> ZDP is chromium carbide so it responds well to Shapton Glass. I've got ZDP and I'd venture to say if you're good with sharpening it, you can handle K390.
> 
> No doubt K390 will extend your time between sharpening sessions. Especially after the first couple times sharpening when you get through the inevitably weakened factory steel.



Ahhh, right. I get it now, I had to look up the composition of K390, and yeah, that’s a truckload of vanadium, and they’re harder carbides than the chromium, hence the diamond stone / plate suggestion. Took a while to sink in. 
Now I’m really intrigued. I’ve enquired with a local distributor here in Aus, and see if they’re going to get the K390 variant in.


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## dhruan (Jan 19, 2022)

My ”box cutter”, CRKT STIFF K.I.S.S. (Ed Halligan design).

I did the handle wrap back in the day, and as you can see it has held on well for some 20+ years without glue, through various use and abuse. Tried something closer to true flat grind on that one but the heat treat allows for a more shallow angle only so it now sports a healthy secondary bewel along the lines of the one it originally came with. Works fine for its intended tasks.


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## Matus (Jan 19, 2022)

Yeah, it does make definitely sense to go to diamond based abrasives (I use 400 and 2000 stones from Practical Sharpening and a small diamond stone from Venev) with high Vanadium steels, simply because vanadium carbides are (considerably) harder than the abrasives in ceramic stones and while one can still use the stones (it will take considerably more time), the resulting edge does not last as long as it does after sharpening with diamond stones/plates. Personally I would not go past CPM M4, Cruwear, S30V, MagnaCut, etc. with non-diamond abrasives. Steels like S90V, S110V, Maxamet, Rex121, k390 or similar, really deliver their full potential only with diamond based abrasives.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 19, 2022)

Matus said:


> Yeah, it does make definitely sense to go to diamond based abrasives (I use 400 and 2000 stones from Practical Sharpening and a small diamond stone from Venev) with high Vanadium steels, simply because vanadium carbides are (considerably) harder than the abrasives in ceramic stones and while one can still use the stones (it will take considerably more time), the resulting edge does not last as long as it does after sharpening with diamond stones/plates. Personally I would not go past CPM M4, Cruwear, S30V, MagnaCut, etc. with non-diamond abrasives. Steels like S90V, S110V, Maxamet, Rex121, k390 or similar, really deliver their full potential only with diamond based abrasives.



Thanks Matus, one dumb follow up question, do diamonds end up stressing the edge / apex or contribute to additional chipping? Or is that not applicable with high vanadium alloys because of the hardness of the carbides to start with?
Reason for dumb question: Massdrop- Diamond Stones


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## Matus (Jan 19, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Thanks Matus, one dumb follow up question, do diamonds end up stressing the edge / apex or contribute to additional chipping? Or is that not applicable with high vanadium alloys because of the hardness of the carbides to start with?
> Reason for dumb question: Massdrop- Diamond Stones



I would not expect this effect to be a problem. However - especially when using plates wich act 'harder' as diamond stones, one should be careful and not use too much pressure, as it is easier to damage the edge (literally break it off) - especially with the finer grits (as the apex of the edge is thin already). Do check some videos on YT by Michael Christy - he goes into details of sharpening different high end steels (mostly Spyderco knives) and also mentions this in some of them.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 19, 2022)

Ahh right. Good point!
I’ll check them out.


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## Rangen (Jan 19, 2022)

I think this is a bad thread. I think that because it made me order a K390 Wharncliffe Dragonfly.

Question: is there any other knife maker who so delightfully offers all of the fun, different steels in their folders, other than Spyderco?


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 19, 2022)

Rangen said:


> I think this is a bad thread. I think that because it made me order a K390 Wharncliffe Dragonfly.
> 
> Question: is there any other knife maker who so delightfully offers all of the fun, different steels in their folders, other than Spyderco?



Apologies mate, I didn’t know where I’d end up when I started the thread (but that’s half the fun). I’m having trouble sourcing a K390 Wharncliffe Dragonfly 2 in Australia so far, so please do post a review of your experience of slicing cardboard boxes with it!


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## Rangen (Jan 19, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Apologies mate, I didn’t know where I’d end up when I started the thread (but that’s half the fun). I’m having trouble sourcing a K390 Wharncliffe Dragonfly 2 in Australia so far, so please do post a review of your experience of slicing cardboard boxes with it!



Sure, why not? I ordered mine from Knife Center, but no idea whether they ship to Oz, nor what they might charge if they did.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 19, 2022)

Rangen said:


> I think this is a bad thread. I think that because it made me order a K390 Wharncliffe Dragonfly.
> 
> Question: is there any other knife maker who so delightfully offers all of the fun, different steels in their folders, other than Spyderco?



No.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 19, 2022)

Rangen said:


> Sure, why not? I ordered mine from Knife Center, but no idea whether they ship to Oz, nor what they might charge if they did.



Yeah, shipping is the killer, it’s 55% of the purchase price.


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## Barmoley (Jan 19, 2022)

Rangen said:


> I think this is a bad thread. I think that because it made me order a K390 Wharncliffe Dragonfly.
> 
> Question: is there any other knife maker who so delightfully offers all of the fun, different steels in their folders, other than Spyderco?


So if I understand you correctly, this is an excellent thread because you bought a very cool and useful knife, got it.

spyderco is the only knife company I know of that uses such a variety of different steels. They use even more steels in their limited and special runs. A really great knife company.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jan 20, 2022)

boxes? anything handy. right now i have an ALOX swiss army Farmer in my pocket. i use the awl, not the knife for boxes.


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## KnightKnightForever (Jan 20, 2022)




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## Matus (Jan 20, 2022)

Rangen said:


> Question: is there any other knife maker who so delightfully offers all of the fun, different steels in their folders, other than Spyderco?


Look at Quiet Carry, Tactile knife, maybe Giant Mouse, Benchmade Freek in M4,


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## M1k3 (Jan 20, 2022)




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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 20, 2022)

Matus said:


> Look at Quiet Carry, Tactile knife, maybe Giant Mouse, Benchmade Freek in M4,



They are some very pretty knives! Which models are your favourite and for what functions are you using them?


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Jan 20, 2022)

M1k3 said:


>




Haha! Love it! It might be a bridge too far for my wife though……


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## Rangen (Jan 20, 2022)

Hmmm, I do have some Chinese cleavers I'm not using, since I got the good ones...


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## M1k3 (Jan 20, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> Haha! Love it! It might be a bridge too far for my wife though……


Mine let's it live on the counter. So it sees a lot of non-food action.


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## Greasylake (Jan 20, 2022)

This my box opener and general multipurpose knife, probably a bit overkill to be honest. I don't carry it because I'd lose it in about a week lol. As much as I like cutting stuff open with this, it's getting hard to justify keeping it around and I'll probably be letting it go soon.


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## Rangen (Jan 20, 2022)

Greasylake said:


> This my box opener and general multipurpose knife, probably a bit overkill to be honest. I don't carry it because I'd lose it in about a week lol. As much as I like cutting stuff open with this, it's getting hard to justify keeping it around and I'll probably be letting it go soon.



Whoa. Is that an automatic knife? Who made it?


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## Greasylake (Jan 20, 2022)

Rangen said:


> Whoa. Is that an automatic knife? Who made it?


Nope it's a folder, the little slider is the lock. Slide it down to unlock and fold it. Model is Benchmade Crooked River


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## HumbleHomeCook (Jan 20, 2022)

Rangen said:


> Whoa. Is that an automatic knife? Who made it?



Auto's won't have thumb studs. Well, assisted-opening might but anyways. The orange and black is the pivot and the stud in the groove "above" that is the Benchmade Axis Lock.


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## Rangen (Jan 20, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Auto's won't have thumb studs.



Oh. Right. Duh.


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## Matus (Jan 21, 2022)

NameAlreadyTaken said:


> They are some very pretty knives! Which models are your favourite and for what functions are you using them?



QC Waypoint is thanks to material choices basically imperviouis to rust. Its design makes it great for general EDC, it is not too large, very thin blade. I sold mine as I found the smooth titatnium handle a litlte too slippery for me (I have pretty dry hands most of the time). Today I would probably go for the G10 version. They also have the Drift which I have not tried but looks really nice.

Tactile knife makes smaller knives directed at EDC. I got the Bexar (a really nice slipjoint). They recently started to use MagnaCut. I am looking forward to their future models

GM has some interesting models. I had a few in the past, but have moved more towards Spyderco last year or two. They mostly use m390 steel and offer some interesting designs. Well made too

Benchmade Freek - I don't have that one, but should be a very good work knife with excellent ergonomics.


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## talcum (Jan 22, 2022)

Wait a second, you mean you all take those knives out to your garage to chop up the cardboard boxes and put them in the recycle bin? I have lots of boxes and can't imagine abusing one of my good EDCs for that. Thus the Gerber.


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## talcum (Jan 22, 2022)

And if you want a different steel, Benchmade will do it as a custom. Bugout Family. 
But you can only get the Damaladder in the droppoint blade.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jan 22, 2022)

talcum said:


> Wait a second, you mean you all take those knives out to your garage to chop up the cardboard boxes and put them in the recycle bin? I have lots of boxes and can't imagine abusing one of my good EDCs for that. Thus the Gerber.
> View attachment 161982


im not so sure I’d consider a box “abuse”.


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## Carl Kotte (Jan 22, 2022)

I use a denka


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## tostadas (Jan 22, 2022)

M1k3 said:


>



I might have to start EDC my cleaver!


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## Rangen (Jan 22, 2022)

talcum said:


> Wait a second, you mean you all take those knives out to your garage to chop up the cardboard boxes and put them in the recycle bin? I have lots of boxes and can't imagine abusing one of my good EDCs for that. Thus the Gerber.



Yep, I do exactly that. It gives me a chance to make the knife dull, so I have to sharpen it, and pick another to carry. I like sharpening, and I like rotating through my knives, so, win-win.


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## Barmoley (Jan 22, 2022)

I like using my knives even folders and not just as fidget toys, but to actually cut stuff, pretty weird in some circles


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## EM-L (Jan 23, 2022)




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## tcmx3 (Jan 26, 2022)

talcum said:


> Wait a second, you mean you all take those knives out to your garage to chop up the cardboard boxes and put them in the recycle bin? I have lots of boxes and can't imagine abusing one of my good EDCs for that. Thus the Gerber.
> View attachment 161982



I mean isnt that what the knives are for?

I mean sure I wouldnt use an OTF auto for that but I have no problem using my sebenza to do knife stuff. that's why I bought it.


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## Delat (Feb 16, 2022)

J Neilson drops the mic


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## Jovidah (Feb 17, 2022)

I just use some of those cheap 1 euro paring knives that are otherwise only used for cutting butter. Never really saw the need to cut actual cardboard to open boxes? It's usually just a matter of cutting the tape, for which you only need like a centimeter of blade anyway. After that most boxes come apart completely if you know where to tear / pull them.


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## Greenbriel (Feb 17, 2022)

Used to be this because it's Japanese and fun and single bevel and sharp and pointy:










Now much more likely to be this Boker because I like it and it's always in my jeans pocket (has a deep carry clip on the other side).


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## Whit3Nitro (Feb 17, 2022)

Tosa whale knife.


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## KingShapton (Feb 21, 2022)

Chicagohawkie said:


> 40 years and still ticking!
> 
> View attachment 160815


Top choice, simple, reliable, solid and good! And a great companion that you can rely on.

Unfortunately I lost mine after 20 years. I catch myself more and more often wanting to buy a new one, for me this knife is an absolute classic that has never let me down. And I miss it!


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## Chicagohawkie (Feb 21, 2022)

KingShapton said:


> Top choice, simple, reliable, solid and good! And a great companion that you can rely on.
> 
> Unfortunately I lost mine after 20 years. I catch myself more and more often wanting to buy a new one, for me this knife is an absolute classic that has never let me down. And I miss it!


Yep, simple and reliable. Nothing fancy nor exotic but built like a tank. Will be with me till the end. Sorry, you lost yours, hopefully one day it reappears.


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## Philip Yu (Feb 22, 2022)

Had to use this for the box my range came in.


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## lasagna pe (Feb 24, 2022)

Been using the Masakane 150mm petty. The SK steel is super easy to keep sharp and takes a wicked edge so boxes are on high alert.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Feb 24, 2022)

Philip Yu said:


> Had to use this for the box my range came in.
> View attachment 166891


Love the safety footwear!


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## Delat (Feb 24, 2022)

Philip Yu said:


> Had to use this for the box my range came in.
> View attachment 166891



That’s a great idea for those super heavy boxes that are a PITA to cut up.


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## deanb (Feb 24, 2022)

I use an 8” black ceramic chef’s knife. Good enough for breaking down boxes but much else.


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## NameAlreadyTaken (Feb 25, 2022)

I ended up getting a Spyderco Dragonfly 2 wharncliffe in K390 as recommended by @HumbleHomeCook.
I’ve had it now for about three weeks and have enjoyed it. The K390 steel is quite wear resistant so far. The wharncliffe shaped blade is very similar to a box cutter and maintains a straight line when cutting the larger boxes. 
Overall, it’s a bit smaller than I was expecting which is actually really good. It kind of feels more like a box cutter than a full blown pocket knife. 
A hot tip that I need to pass on from @HumbleHomeCook was to flush the knife with hot water under the tap while closed, open and half open. For me that really helped smooth up the back lock (not sure what was in there but it works great now).
My wife is still a fan of using either the paring knife or the scissors, and she’s a bit intimidated by folder, I’m loving it, and I’ve scratched the Spydie itch. 
Attached is a quick vid of knife so you can see the open / close / size / etc.


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## The Blade Itself (Mar 29, 2022)

Greasylake said:


> This my box opener and general multipurpose knife, probably a bit overkill to be honest. I don't carry it because I'd lose it in about a week lol. As much as I like cutting stuff open with this, it's getting hard to justify keeping it around and I'll probably be letting it go soon.
> 
> View attachment 161779




The custom version I ordered with carbon fiber scales and S90V blade at Benchmade retail crazy prices on their website. I paid way too much but it was the knife I wanted with the look I wanted..:


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## Rangen (Mar 29, 2022)

I've been enjoying the Wharncliffe shape so much on my Dragonfly 2 in K390, that I could not resist ordering the Delica version.


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## SeattleB (Mar 30, 2022)

I use that red Milwaukee razor knife, and I use a rounded-tip blade rather than pointy-tip. The rounded tip works better on cardboard.


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## KingShapton (Mar 31, 2022)

The Blade Itself said:


> The custom version I ordered with carbon fiber scales and S90V blade at Benchmade retail crazy prices on their website. I paid way too much but it was the knife I wanted with the look I wanted..:


I know this "problem" ... but in the end you did everything right. If it is exactly THAT knife you want, then you won't be really happy with a compromise!


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## ayumi_ishida (Mar 31, 2022)

Swiss Army Victorinox Hiker


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## ayumi_ishida (May 11, 2022)

Upgraded to Hasegawa's CANARY Corrugated Cardboard Cutter DC-190F-1 
It's a saw for cardboard ; works great !
DC-190F-1


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## blokey (May 11, 2022)

The Kershaw Scallion is the oldest of the bunch, not the best at anything but surprisingly good opening mechanism, hate the recurve blade tho. The small Vic will be always on my keychain til the day TSA take it to knife Vahalla. Big vic is a nice multitool to have in the backpack just in case. The Spyderco Para 3 LW is a recent purchase since I want a nice one hand openable blade with relative good steel, in hindsight I could just go Sage 5 or Para 3 with little more money but it is still very nice for me.


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## M1k3 (May 11, 2022)

ayumi_ishida said:


> Upgraded to Hasegawa's CANARY Corrugated Cardboard Cutter DC-190F-1
> It's a saw for cardboard ; works great !
> DC-190F-1
> 
> View attachment 179151


How do you sharpen this?


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## ayumi_ishida (May 12, 2022)

M1k3 said:


> How do you sharpen this?


I'm guessing you can't .
Worked great on day one ; made easy work of a bunch of boxes . Much better than my Swiss Army . I'll see how it goes ...
There are models with replaceable blades
Blades


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## M1k3 (May 12, 2022)

ayumi_ishida said:


> I'm guessing you can't .


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## gabdo (May 14, 2022)




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## Boynutman (May 14, 2022)

I use a combination of fingers and a careful sequence of ecstasy, joy, anticipation, frustration and eye watering hate.
Works wonders.


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## ayumi_ishida (May 18, 2022)

ayumi_ishida said:


> Upgraded to Hasegawa's CANARY Corrugated Cardboard Cutter DC-190F-1
> It's a saw for cardboard ; works great !
> DC-190F-1
> 
> View attachment 179151


Works a treat .


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## Naftoor (May 18, 2022)

Been using whatever is in my pocket for that job, normally just along tape since our recycling doesn’t need the boxes torn down further.

Spyderco shaman in zwear, slysz Bowie in xhp and kizer sheepdog vanguard in 10v are the current rotation pocket weights.


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## Pikehaus (May 27, 2022)

Really simple stuff- 十八子作 petty knife that's soft and will sharpen easily.


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## Michi (May 27, 2022)

I don' need no bloody knife for me boxes…


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