Civivi, known for their affordable EDC (everyday carry) folding pocket knives, launched a new folding utility knife that looks to work with standard off-the-shelf blades you can pick up at any hardware store.
The new Civivi Elementum utility knife is styled after their Elementum series folding knives, and features both a thumb stud and flipper tab for opening.
It also features a ball bearing pivot, one-handed button lock, and anodized aluminum handle.
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The utility knife blade is secured via a Torx screw, which means you’ll need a smaller driver or bit for blade changes.
There’s jimping (grooves) on the spine, and we can see that the thumb studs are double-sided.
It also has a reversible tip-up-carry pocket clip.
Despite the thumbstud, flipper tab, and repositionable pocket clip all being ambidextrous, the button lock is not.
There are 4 color options – black, blue, green, and gray.
The knife ships with 3 spare blades.
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Street Price: $42.50
MSRP: $50
Discussion
Civivi’s Elementum folding knives are high-performing value-priced knives, starting at around $50 or so, sometimes less. They’re good knives at a great value.
It’s surprising to see Civivi launch a folding utility knife, let alone one on the Elementum platform.
This is one of the least expensive EDC-inspired utility knives on the market, but I’m not sure who the target audience is here.
I think it’s more for EDC knife users and owners who want a replaceable blade, rather than frequent utility knife users, if only because of the screw-style blade clamp.
Maybe it can be considered a “gentleman’s” folder for Milwaukee FastBack fans.
Personally, while I like the idea of a svelte utility knife with ball bearing pivot and Elementum styling, I tend to shy away from near-fully exposed blade edges.
Construction tool brands have tried to enter the “EDC” folding knife and gear space, and it’s interesting to see Civivi launch a knife that works with utility blades.
Civivi showed off a slightly different prototype a few months ago:
Bill
I would not want a utility knife with that much razor blade exposed.
John
I can’t see myself using that for work with that much of the blade exposed. It looks like a deep cut waiting to happen.
Jared
I think it’s for the person who wants to EDC a knife, but tends to treat knives poorly and doesn’t want to learn to sharpen them. A torx screw blade change might be awkward compared to most utility knives, but it’s faster than sharpening a knife.
If you’re going through a few utility blades per day, this would be a poor choice. If you’re mostly opening Amazon packages, cutting stray threads, slicing rope, etc. Then the slow blade change isn’t such a disadvantage and it might be nice to have something closer to a knife.
Also, as I debated in the Dewalt utility knife thread, I think button locks ARE pretty ambidextrous. They aren’t the least bit hard to use left-handed unless you’re dealing with a funky handle shape or weird button placement. The Elementum grip is very neutral.
MM
I generally agree. I don’t care for the torx screw for the blade change–or let me rephrase that, if they used a torx screw for that they ought to give you a tool with the knife, ideally one that stores inside it. In my opinion if you are going to carry a knife that uses replaceable blades then it needs to be very easy to change those blades. Traditional utility knives often have a screw holding them together, but it’s usually a slotted screw that is sized so wide that nearly anything, like a coin or key, can be used on it. But a tiny little torx head? You need the appropriate size tool for that.
Jared
An on-board tool would definitely be an improvement. It’s not recessed either, so it seems like they could have went with a slotted screw.
I imagine they’re using a screw to keep the blade-holder width as skinny as possible to be more knife-like. However, that part doesn’t fold into the handle anyway, so I wonder how much wider a tool-less blade lock would have been.
Maybe they picked a Torx screw so the blade wouldn’t have any freeplay? Lots of my utility knives with quick-change ability allow the blade to slide forward and back slightly.
BigTimeTommy
It was probably just a type of screw they already bought a lot of for other products they make, cheapest solution 🤷♂️
Stuart
Modern folding knives typically have Torx fasteners, such as for securing the pocket clips, handle scales, and similar.
Some have specialty fasteners, and they’re a pain to maintain or adjust.
Torx allows higher torque and can handle plenty of adjustments before showing any signs of wear.
Tool-free blade change might have added too much bulk and weight to the blade clamp. It also would have likely required considerable development.
From an engineering angle, it’s practical.
MM
Yes, modern knives have many torx fasteners. But screws that hold on a pocket clip or that hold the knife together rarely, if ever, need to be touched. A screw that secures replaceable blades is a very different beast. That application demands conveniece. They didn’t have to redesign the knife though it would have been easy to hide an L-shaped torx key of the appropriate size in a handle scale, the way the toothpick fits in a SAK. Or they could simply have included a small torx bit, perhaps on a little lanyard or keychain in the box. I think Civivi even makes a tiny torx driver keychain, why not include one of those with the knife as something like that is essential to making the knife useful. If the normal Civivi mini driver would be too costly to include as a freebie then a simple bent wire torx key with a loop on it that you could stick on a keyring would be fine.
A knife that uses disposable blades yet makes the blades difficult to change makes about as much sense as as styrofoam hammer.
Stuart
Agreed.
Civivi and WE (their premium brand parent) often ship their knives in these little zippered fleece-lined cases.
They should add in a little Torx L-key for blade changes.
From an engineering standpoint, I can see why they went with a Torx screw.
From a user standpoint, that’s not very friendly.
Some product photos show a spare screw and 3 spare blades, but no blade holder or Torx tool. Maybe there is one.
Jerry
I’m thinking they used a screw partly to have no blade wiggle, but probably more because it would be difficult to make a quick change that held securely with that much blade exposed.
I have mixed feelings on this knife. On one hand they are probably trying to fill a niche market for people who want an actual ‘knife’ and not a short utility blade yet don’t want to have to sharpen it. However, one BIG advantage of a replaceable blade knife is so you can just remove the blade if you go somewhere knives are not allowed and happen to forget you have it in your pocket. Just pop the blade out and hand it to security. Any time I ever did that security let me keep the knife. Needing a tool to remove the blade negates thar.
Js
Gerber eab lite. Works identical to this one but is 15 to 20 bucks. Also has a flathead screw.
Acoustic
I agree in the fact they are marketing to a user group who doesn’t want to sharpen the knife and a screw is faster than sharpening,and that it is not geared towards someone who needs to use a utility knife and replace blades a lot. HOWEVER that doesn’t seem to make sense still. The small knife tasks that would cater to that group, such as opening or cutting cardboard, threads, etc, can be done with the standard half reveal of a utility knife. The full exposed blade with specific torx screw makes absolutely no sense to me. If you need that much blade exposed you are looking for something stronger than a utility blade. I would have concerns of breakage over the full span of the blade which seems way more dangerous. And the fact that it is a specific torx and not a #1 Phillips is weird, albeit torx is popping up more and more in the recent rears.
Randy
People who “treat knives poorly”? Maybe you mean people who don’t want to trash their good knife at work, but also want something reasonably pocketable. I’m glad some companies are ignoring the haters and finally making more options for us. For many years it was gerber eab or nothing.
Koko The Talking Ape
The long exposed edge is unusual for a utility knife, but might be useful in some situations. Many folding knives have long exposed edges, obvi.
Looks nicely made too.
But the tool-ful blade change is the deal killer for me. Why have a replaceable blade if it can’t be replaced easily? A tool-less arrangement might hide more of the edge, but these standard utility blades are short. If you want a long-edge, replaceable-blade knife, I think you have to use different blades.
Joe H
Now if only Leatherman would make a multitool with mini replaceable utility blades in place of the standard plan edge knife. I always carry a Leatherman Rebar that doesn’t have a blade because I always carry a dedicated folder. However, I don’t always want to use my pocket knife in times where I’m out and something comes up that I need to cut but don’t want to chip or damage my edge or what I need to cut is covered in thick glue and would rather have a sacrificial utility blade. Also, most people I’ve talked to that carry Leathermans do not know how to sharpen knives. Many of them carry something like a Fastback to complement their Leatherman.
ML
Pretty similar to Olight’s Otacle U1 Carbon Fiber Small Folding Tool, but quite a bit more expensive. … although it does look more comfortable to grip. I think I prefer the Torx over a “thumb” screw (which is what the Olight knife has), since the thumb screw requires a tool to properly tighten/loosen, and risks damaging the grips on the screw. In any case, I definitely see a use case for a pocket knife with a replaceable blade. I use mine more like a pocket knife than a utility knife, since I also agree with other folks that having a utility knife with this much exposed blade is not ideal.
Philip+Proctor
That’s a pocket knife that uses utility knife blades. I wouldn’t use it as a utility knife.
NoDak Farming
Knives with replaceable blades are getting more popular with outdoorsman and farmers. Like mentioned above, it’s a feature that can be handy if there is potential for blade damage. Even if it’s just a worry that the blade might get gummed up. And those thin replacement style blades work good for cutting rope and twine and other fibrous materials. My dad’s favorite knife for EDC has a replaceable blade, with a more traditional upswept hunting style blade. My brother and other hunters swear by knife handles that accept surgical style blades. Havalon is a company that makes a whole series of knives that all have replaceable blades for outdoorsman.
What’s nice about the knife featured above, is that you can have a replaceable blade, without visiting a website. It’s not proprietary. All you have to do to get more blades is walk into whatever store you want. Or walk to whatever drawer that you keep your utility blades in.
Another thing that is super nice about this Civivi knife is the handle shape. That rounded part in the back end of the knife means it can be comfortably worked. Knives with little pry bars or glass breakers or can openers on the back of the handle are always going to be a pain. And personally I like sleek knives that slide into pockets easy. I don’t think Civivi will have trouble selling this model.
James
These knife posts have me thinking….
What is the slimmest utility knife with disposable blades? Either the double ended style like these or snap off like Olfa? I know they make a very thin version (not sure the dimensions) of snap off blades, and while I like them for some tasks, I find them a little bit flimsy.
Slim but solid, and ergonomics be damned because I’m thinking about something I can sit on without caring mostly. I saw a little Craftsman that looked neat….8 years ago the internet “best…” search was productive but now the results are ridiculous and mostly unhelpful.
Stuart
Milwaukee Compact FastBack has been my go-to in recent years.
The Stanley QuickSlide was great, but seems to have been discontinued.
Excel Revo? https://www.amazon.com/Excel-Blades-Utility-Folding-Cutter/dp/B01KVYL5GW/?tag=toolguyd-20
I don’t know what happened there – it was made by Revo, and then SBD acquired Revo, and now it’s apparently an Excel product.
Snap-blade knives are thin, but long, and more often than not they have plastic handles.
James
Thank you. I’m going to swallow my pride and part with $15 tomorrow.
Jerry
I have the Excel and it is well made and sturdy, but kind of ‘thick’. If you are looking for the slimmest most compact knife with a quick change utility blade the smallest and slimmist one I have personally used would be the Mossy Oak folder. Its about as small and thin as you can make it while still being usable and having a strong lock.
https://www.amazon.com/2-pack-Folding-Pocket-Utility-Change/dp/B0751B7WXR/
James
Thx! I’ll check that out.
James
After looking at the various suggestions here and spending more time than makes sense for a $20 (CAD) item reading reviews, etc, I picked up a compact Fastback. Not sure how that’s possible but it’s the first time I held one, and I immediately like it. Tried the flipper action, and I’m a natural lol.
It’s in my pocket (replacing a retractable Olfa SK-4) and I’ll give it a run this week.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
LH
I have one of these, super thin and sleek but extremely well built and smooth as greased butter, bit of a premium price but very much worth it and it comes with a bunch of extra screws and stuff incase you lose any over the years.
https://www.amazon.com/Exceed-Designs-Stonewashed-Titanium-Utility/dp/B08QVWTRWL
James
I do like titanium!!
MM
If being small is most important there are a number of folding knives on the market these days that use scalpel blades.
The slimmest Olfa 9mm snap knives like the SVR-1 and the SAC-1 are absolutely slim but solid, the body of the knives are stainless steel, but they’re also a bit long relative to everything else so I’m not sure I’d want to sit on one but I don’t think you’d hurt the knife. They are .44 inches wide, .17 inches thick (slightly thicker where the slider and the pocket clip are), and just a little over 5 inches long. There is also the Olfa Craft Knife model 34B, that is very thin except for the clamping knob, I don’t have one near me right now but they are very easy to pocket carry. They also make an upgraded version of that with a rubber overmold over the stainless, it is no. Ltd-06. The blades for these are quite tough, they are much thicker than a snap knife blade, even thicker than a utility blade.
James
Thanks. Great details! If I’m understanding correctly those Olfa’s take proprietary blades? I’ll do a little digging.
MM
Sorry I wasn’t so clear. The 9mm snap knives like the SVR-1 and the SAC-1 use standard 9mm blades, any brand will do. The 34B and the Ltd-06 use a proprietary blade.
Mike
The Gerber EAB Lite is a longstanding example of the thin EDC utility knife. It’s perfectly usable, but obviously compromises the ergos for size. The pocket/money clip is removable as well.
Unfortunately it does also need a tool to change the blade, but it is just a slotted screw that you can probably find something to loosen.
NoDak Farming
I have two of these. I once worked at a large home improvement store and would need to open boxes throughout the day. The Gerber EAB Lite could be carried all day without even really being noticed. Whether clipped to a pocket, or in a pocket. It’s a good knife for purposes like that.
Koko The Talking Ape
The Coast DX126 is similar, with a slightly bulkier but grippier handle, and tool-less blade changes. $12. The Workpro is sleeker, also with tool-less blade changes, and only $5 each. I prefer both to the EAB.
Koko The Talking Ape
Re knives that take utility blades:
I don’t have my calipers handy, but the Coast DX126 is about 3/8″ thick not including the clip. It was reviewed on ToolGuyd here:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/coast-dx126-knife-review/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I like it fine. Tool-less blade change, one-handed opening and closing, relatively grippy FRN scales, liner lock plus relatively unusual second lock. $12.
The WorkPro “Quick Change Folding Pocket Utility Knife” is even skinnier, at 1/4″ not including the clip. It’s also sleeker and slipperier. It also has tool-less blade change and one-handed opening and closing, though it’s a little less easy to open because so little sticks out for your thumb to catch. Cheap at only $5 each. It absolutely disappears in your pocket.
The Gerber EAB and EAB Lite are both just 1/4″ thick, but they require a screwdriver to change the blades, which is a no-go for me. They also cost more than either the Coast or the WorkPro.
RC D
Does anybody know of a source of stainless utility blades? For hard use, like in a utility knife, I don’t want stainless. But, in something like this, I dont want summer sweat rusting the blade.
LH
I use these and they work great, they stay sharp and I have yet to see one rust, plus they look cool which is always a plus.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CJTCDHDK/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_6?smid=A3TRK94SLW0HKY&psc=1
Alex
Does anybody know of a slipjoint version of a folding utility knife? Most of these designs let me grip forward of the hinge (which means its pretty safe for the light use I have) but locking knives are a no go for edc here. There are some expensive custom ones (which seems to defeat the point of a cheap utility blade) but slipjoint version of the EAB would be ideal for me
BC
Lefty clip, lefty thumbstud.
FINALLY ! Someone is listening !
Michael
My Workpro with the button release was $17 for three. The blade is much easier to change too.