Earlier today, I posted about the large number of utility knives that Craftsman has come out with this year. I counted 17 utility knives and 2 folding pocket knives, but there could be more!
How about we play a game?
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Which are my favorite utility knives right now? I’ll give you just one hint – they are red with black accents.
Here’s a look at our past utility knife coverage, if you’re interested.
Are you ready to guess?
Ta-da!
The Milwaukee slide-out utility knife! I use this most-often, and for good reason – it’s easy to open, quick to close, and provides a great user experience. After several years with it, I can’t think of anything bad to say about it. The rubbery grip material over the blade storage door wears and tears over time, but the knife is so fantastic to use that I don’t mind.
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A previous-model Dewalt fixed-handle knife in my second place favorite.
As far as compact and folding utility knives go, I have been favoring the Milwaukee FastBack Compact more and more.
See, I told you that my favorite utility knives were red and black! The leading photo was an obvious red herring I’m sure many of you saw through, but hopefully I caught some of you unguarded.
I still can’t believe how many different Craftsman utility knife options there are! I bought two during the holiday season (along with a couple of new Craftsman tape measures), but they’re currently sitting in a box of utility knives going back a few years that also still need to be tested.
What’s your favorite utility knife? Knives?
jason gloekler
I have both the milwaukee and Dewalt Christmas specials (milwaukee one pictured above.) I like my Milwaukee knife and utility knife the best. Fast open. super sharp. never fail. And bright red so easy to find.
Mike L
Currently, it’s my Maker Knife. I wish it had blade storage, but I’m never that far from extra blades.
Stuart
Really? There are other hybrid utility knife blade pocket knives out there, but the cost always seems to dull my interest (with respect to potential ToolGuyd posts). Maybe I was wrong.
Mike L
It really goes down to size. It works well for EDC and it’s built really well. I like the Milwaukee a lot, but it’s bulkier.
Raoul
I wanted a knife that was comfortable, folding, retratractable, and had extra blade storage and the only one available was the dewalt DWHT10035. I have been very happy with it. I see they have a newer version DWHT10296 that I would like to check out. I also like my little Gerber EAB pocket knife because it is small and rock solid but it is uncomfortable to use.
William Adams
Yeah, I usually use my Gerber EAB — it’s just always available, since it’s clipped in my watch pocket of my jeans.
If I’m cutting enough for it to matter I’ll get my dad’s old Stanley which is perfectly comfortable.
Pete D
I was a big fan of the Milwaukee slide-out and Fastback Compact knives for a long time.. And then the Olfa LA-X showed up, and I just can’t seem to go back to the Milwaukees. The ergonomics on the Olfa are really nice, and having eight new cutting edges available is really handy. Plus, sliding a new(er) blade all the way out makes cutting insulation and thicker material a breeze.
Drew
Pete, totally agree, have used it since Stuart’s giveaway and use it pretty much weekly for cardboard breakdown, and only on second blade section.
Josh
My favorite is whichever one I can find when I need one. I prefer the slide out ones.
fred
I’m with you. The one that hangs in my garage is Tajima VR-103 self retracting. I like it – probably more based on the carbide blades I use in it – and because I know where it is. I got it because I thought it safer around little-ones who might be playing around in the garage.
I knew a roofer who liked this one (still made in the USA) from AJC:
https://www.ajctools.com/AJC-Guardian-Angle-Knife-Prodview.html
My wife uses a couple of different Olfa knives – that she apparently likes.
Drew
Milwaukee fast back 2 or OLFA LA-X 18mm
Mike
(Sears) Craftsman folding utility knife with the metal handle. Inexpensive, basic, compact, fits well into my hand. Have several with metal handle and couple with wood handle. Should probably stock up before Sears goes under.
Matt J
I’m sure there are more comfortable tools out there, but I really like my Stanley Quick Change Retractable Knife — model STHT10274. No rubber grips or anything fancy, but has proven robust for me, has easy access blade storage, easy blade change, the string cutter is great, and it’s cheap as dirt.
Justin
The maker knife from Giaco Whatever is the best utility knife I’ve used. So light and thin, other manufacturers should take a few notes from this design.
Mattd
I agree. These are my favorites as well. Granted I dont carry one around so I dont care about “compact” or really the weight. These are just robust and comfortable to use.
Stuart
I’ve used that Stanley before too. It’s a big step above no-frills knives, without being overly featured or expensive. One of the Craftsman knifes looks similar (if not identical).
TonyT
I’ve been happy with my combo of the Milwaukee Fastback / Compact combo (bought thanks to Toolguyd) for utility knife, and Daiso Japan for snap-off blade knife ($1.50 each, have multiples in 18mm and 25mm, works fine although sometime I’ll investigate Olfa for replacement blades).
jayne
Great topic. I have six folders. my favorites are my old Craftsman and my Bessey which has a place for spare blades. Dewalt folder and Milwaukee fastback are the worst, tool less blade changes, but the @#$%^ blades are loose . My Gerber is not much bigger than the blade itself. A fine knife to take anywhere. And lastly the Harbor freight folder not bad for the price. What I really like when the blade gets dull I just change it. With a Irwin bimetal blade of course……
Tom
Love my Olfa breakaway knife that I got free through your site. The blade just feels thinner and sharper than anything else.
My favorite every day one is a simple, low profile slider made by Sears Craftsman.
https://www.sears.com/craftsman-slide-locking-utility-knife/p-00994877000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8
PETE
MINI FASTBACK! That i’ve melted the edges with sandpaper then kind of polished so it’s sleeker and slightly smaller in form.
Louie Orama
I was given a Kobalt Blue and Silver knife a few years ago and the Torx screw came loose. I ended up bringing it to Lowe’s to exchange, but they didn’t have the same one. They told me to pick another Kobalt. I chose the all black one and have been in love ever since. I’ve tried many others since then, but nothing will supplant this Kobalt Speed Release.
1.) It is a quick flip one-handed knife-just press the button and flick.
2.) The blade change is the best I’ve ever seen as it has a spring-loaded mechanism on the top rather than the side where most folding blades are. The one on the side of the other knives is very inconsistent and a waste of time. The Kobalt never fails me.
3.) My runner up would be the Milwaukee FastBack 2 because it locks at 45 degrees if you need it to. Better for cutting drywall. It also has blade storage, but I’m not a fan of that because I do water restoration and the backup blades start to rust over time.
Another Jeff
Olfa break away knife.
Marco Lima
Milwaukee Fastback 2 ver1. Can’t beat it. It’s my EDC.
Only time I use something else is if I am doing heavy demo or roofing that will fowl up any knife.
Joe framer
Only utility knifes are used for framing, remodeling on our crews, not pocket knives allowed. OSHA rep had a problem with Olfa type , breakaway blade types.
… Milwaukee is ok, but not as fast a change as the dewalt and just feel cheap .
The dewalt DW10035 is my favorite, as it has a rubber top area for your thumb pressure and two molded in, finge nor recesses that fit perfectly. Also the quick release black tab is flawless. Holds 4 extra blades….. It is not made anymore , but I bought 20 or so before they were replaced.
Mosh
DeWalt still has them in stock
Noah
Fastback Compact and 18MM Ratchet lock OLFA
Mike
Seems every time I need more blades for an existing knife I wind up buying a new knife because a new (different) knife /blade combo is cheaper ?
So, to answer the question, my favorite is the cheap one ?
DrewM
Milwaukee Fastback Compact for EDC but for “work” definitely a Lutz 88 (30188).
Nathan
Of the red ones in the picture the 2 I like the best are the Olfa clones on the bottom right. Since getting my freebie Olfa and it’s hardened blade (or whatever they call it) I used the snot out of it. My other utility knife – that I even have carbide blades for – sits in the drawer since last summer.
I might get one of those utility knife blade pencil blades for it as I sort of like that idea.
Big Adam
For the workshop: Stanley Classic 199
Because sometimes Old Skool wins.
Matt
I use the folding utility knife (top right in that picture) nearly every day. It’s probably my favorite simply because it fits perfectly in the side pocket of my daily worn work pants. Prior to picking this up, I’ve usually just bought the standard retractable blade unit. No particular preferred brand.
Steve
I don’t care much for craftsman, but Milwaukee makes an awesome one that looks like the 5th down on the left. In-handle storage and a line-cutter….nice!
loup68
I really like Dewalts DWHT 10046 knife. I have a bad right hand and this one lets me advance and retract the blade so easy. The more expensive Dewalt knife is much harder to use and the blade removal system looks like it will not last long.
MichaelHammer
Fast back compact is perfection.
Toolfreak
I…have way too many utility knives to have a favorite, but the older non-made with Global Materials Stanley 99E is my go-to for most things.
I have an old USA-made Craftsman Professional knife that has a pretty big handle, which I like because it’s big and unique. I have lots of the other USA-made Craftsman knives in various colors, I like those since they are pretty close to the 99E shape but easier to find.
Strangely, the best shaped handle I’ve used so far is on a cheap Lowe’s Project source knife. I like my USA-made Stanley and Craftsman for size and strength, but man, those cheapy little Project Source knives I got for 33 cent a pop just melt into your hand, they are thin walled and fairly light and also a fixed blade. I have so many of them I can just leave them all over the place to grab when I need one.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-3-Blade-Utility-Knife/50111420
Michael Drake
Is it the knife made in CHINA???
Considering how you defend your Made in China stance, I am probably right…
Jim Felt
Where eclxacykt would like them to be sourced? The US? Germany? France? Italy? Canada? What exactly are you willing to pay?
Personally my favorites are Japanese. And my ancient Stanley’s.
Michael Drake
Yes to all of those countries.
I love USA made, Stanley’s. The Olfa’s, NT Cutters out of Japan, etc…
They are not really much more cost than Made in China.
John Patel
I always hated snap off knives. Then I learned about Olfa from this website. That’s my favorite one. I own fastback knives, husky, craftsman, and dewalt. But the Olfa blades are superbly sharp, nimble, resilient, and don’t snap when they are not supposed to. My standard knives all have quality HD blades. I don’t find the Olfa as ergonomically optimized for me. But I’m a frequent, but short duration user, so sharpness is key for me.
Mike (the other one)
I prefer not to spend much money on utility knives/box cutters, because they tend to get lost/stolen/damaged so often. They are practically disposable to me.
My favorite right now is the Olympia 33-056, because I got several for $2 a piece. Slim, comfortable and the mechanism is smooth. Blades store in the handle, but it’s the type that requires a screwdriver. Not a big deal imo.
That and my old Pacific Handy Cutter S3 are my favorites. The only problem with the S3 is it takes an odd blade type.
I also like the X-acto Suregrip. That one stays in my desk drawer at work.
The What?
That’s sort of a loaded question don’t you think? Favorite as far as what exactly? Appearance and ergonomics have absolutely nothing to do with how well it cuts. Without sharp blades a utility knife is useless. No matter how comfortable it is to hold. What counts is blade retention and how well your knife keeps the blade from moving when you’re cutting something. It’s also just as important to know which blades to use for cutting certain materials. Most people have no clue about that. Those are the uneducated idiots who end up in the emergency room. Get educated on the types of blades that are made for utility knives and what they are meant for. The classics are my favorite for cutting dense and hard materials like hardy, vinyl siding, wood, shingles, metal, etc. with the proper blade. Plus you can beat on em with a hammer without breaking it. Quick change are my favorite for drywall, vinyl flooring, romex, cardboard, and soft materials. Manufacturer is of no importance. Although I am partial to the fastback and the Dewalt dw10035 as well. And of course the old school classic still blade and classic retractable.
glenn
I used an Olfa snap blade knife for over 20 years but recently bought a Makita quick change folding knife and after the adjustment to using a different type of knife I have to say I am pretty happy with it.
Its well made and built with a metal frame and it feels like it will last long enough to see me out, lol.
https://sydneytools.com.au/product/makita-p-90548-quick-change-folding-lockback-utility-knife
HVAC Matt
Husky pro folder has blade storage and more comfortable than the Milwaukee due to a wider handle. Best of all if anything happens it’s replaced for free it’s worth a try for current Milwaukee users.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Pro-Folding-Utility-Knife-with-50-Blades-and-Dispenser-99694/302929237
Andy Hong
I have a bajillion utility knives of every variety, including folding and breakoff. But my favorite is also the Milwaukee slide-out. Changing blades on the Milwaukee slider is as easy as (actually, easier than) snapping off a segment of breakoff blade. And ergonomically, the Milwaukee fits my hand perfectly. I have three of them, while all the other knives I have only one of.
Wayne R.
Years ago we were working with a cable type that we could only get into via razor knife, and the blades had to be fresh & sharp. Based on that, the only knives we used were Stanley’s with flip-out storage, and quick change ability. The guys who tried to get by with dull blades usually ended up needing stitches.
Somehow I’ve ended up with a couple of others, too – that only reinforce the simple, quick change features.
And the Olfa 9mm snap-off types are here & there too. The 99-cent snap-off cheapies are in a drawer of all desks.
Cheap razor knives and cheap LED flashlights are things that we get a lot of and scatter them all over.
Kyle C.
I work in a hardware store so opening boxes constantly all day…. I’ve tried all the name brand knives, milwaukee, dewalt, stanley, even the Makita 100 year anniversary blade. My favorite is the stanley quickslide STHT10828. Very compact, does everything you need a knife to do, and more. The bottle/paintcan/flat head screw driver/ wedge tip is awesome. I have used it almost more as a “multitool” than a knife! I would highly recommend looking into this one.
bobad
I make my own from HSS fabric knives. Easy to sharpen, hard to dull, look like a mini seax knife. Far more versatile and useful than a utility knife.
The Ami
I’ve found almost ALL grips inadequate. Here’s the one that always stays in your hand no matter how much the material wants to fight you back.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/OLYMPIA-8-in-Premium-Utility-Hook-Knife-88-649-220/206941296
Makes those dulls blades run alot longer.
Your welcome.
colin smith
well the Stanley Quick slide sport is good twin blade .a box cutter and a stiff blade ,
and for edc I use the Quick slide 1, I purchased the the Quick slide 2
but is not as good (bottle opener gets in the way in use )
kreisl
fave utility knives? that’s been my topic recently. How about the most expensive utility knife money can buy, the Utilizer 2.0? I reviewed it in sufficient detail on various forums ( e.g. on CPF:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?452504 ) totally love it and used it today for precision cuts, forceful, with torque, worked like a charm, appreciating the 100% absolute zero blade play. like you guys i have 100’s of replacement blades but i enjoy resharpening the one in EDC use. i have pocket money to burn so currently i am checking reviews on the Milwaukee Compact #1906, it’d be a 12€ investment for something i don’t *need*. if i knew for sure that i’d enjoy owning/using/playing with it, i’d buy right away. anyway my all time favorite utility knife is the Utilizer 2.0 which is a joy to include in my EDC rotation. @Stuart How about a topic on “keychain utility blades”? the TPT Titanium Pocket Tool is always on my keychain. suitable for many daily light duty tasks! In any case i am curious checking out the Milwaukee utility knives in RL, will do so when i get a chance, looking forward to it!
Stuart
The Utilizer is actually the product that an imposter tried to fraudulently obtain. https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/beware-fraudulent-review-sample-requests/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
They had a review sample made up and almost ready to send, and offered it to me, but I hesitated. This seems like the kind of tool that I’d want to buy for review, rather than receive, to be more personally connected to it, but I couldn’t quite justify it. $130 for a utility knife blade holder seems like a lot.
I’ll look at the TPT titanium pocket tool, thanks! I’ve seen a bunch of pocket knives and tools that use hobby knife blades, but that always seems silly to me.
TonyT
Big I Design (TPT designer) does good stuff – I have bought 5 of their pens.
Another unique EDC knife is Tactile Turn’s BAK (Bolt Action Knife). The Kickstarter campaign is still ongoing (ends on 5/2/19, $79 to $179), and although I’m passing, I can recommend Tactile Turn products without reservation since I’ve bought too many Tactile Turn pens.
The current BAK uses a $25 replaceable, but custom made, blade. Future versions might support standard utility / hobby blades.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eimim/tactile-turn-bak-bolt-action-knife/description