Safety Cutter Knife

[Godhelm]

I've just been given one of these for Christmas. http://www.festool.co.uk/Products/Accessories/Pages/Detail.aspx?pid=498183&name=Safety-cutter-knife-Festool

It's very similar to a Stanley 99 which I've had for years. However, with the Festool knife, the blade is sprung loaded and returns into the handle. This means you have to hold blade out by putting your thumb on the green slider while you're using it, which isn't a natural way to hold the knife. With the Stanley knife, the blade clicks into position so you can press on it without it retracting.

Am I missing something here? I've tried everything to get the blade to stay out, but can't see how to do it.

 

[Deansocial]

Thats because it not meant to stay put. Some site require this type of knife

 

[semenza]

Welcome to the FOG!  [smile]

That feature is the "Safety" part. The blade won't stay out when not in actual use.

Seth

 

[AlexThePalex]

I would never use this type of knife either. Horrible. I would probably cut my fingers quicker with this thing, because of the effort to keep the blade extended, than with a normal knife.

 

[harry_]

I think that I could be able to use a spring loaded knife, however it would HAVE to be handed so that my thumb could be in its proper place for ergonomics, unless it is only for cutting tape on boxes.

 

[peter halle]

I grew up using box cutters in the grocery business.  The safety knives of today are entirely foreign to me and I imagine that I would have a time adjusting to them.  Oh well, I also used to use an ink stamper to price cans.  [scared]

Peter

 

[harry_]

Careful Peter, you are revealing your age!

 

[peter halle]

Careful Peter, you are revealing your age!

Oops

 

[Timtool]

I got two of them, came as gifts with orders. Well first off they are stamped made in china, but they are almost entirely made of metal and quite heavy.
And second the blade tip only extends like 15-20mm and the body is so fat and wide that in many cases you can't do the cut. Because you also have to hold your thumb on the head and push forward which is quite painful when you need to apply pressure.
I guess it's good for opening boxes, but nothing more really. And i wonder if replacement blades actually exist or are they throw away, ill check later today because you need to dismantle the whole thing to get to the blade, and from memory i think the blade is not even reversible.

 

[Godhelm]

Thanks for your replies. It seems I shan't be getting rid of my Stanley 99.

 

[Tinker]

An important safety factor is GOOD HABITS.

I carry a "terror tool" in my pocket every day at work or in my WW shop. I use it mostly for opening bags of seed and/or fertilizer at work.  in the WW shop, i never know what i will need it for.  When in use, the blade is always locked out.  Immediately as a cut is completed, in goes the blade.  This is an automatic, and i always look at the tool to be sure blade is all the way retracted.  If i forget, i could end up "talking funny".  I have been using that type of knife for (well, i won't go into how long.  I will only say longer than Peter has been around.  Only a year longer, i am sure  : )

If i had one that closed automatically, I could forget about good habits.
Tinker

 

[Sparktrician]

An important safety factor is GOOD HABITS.

I carry a "terror tool" in my pocket every day at work or in my WW shop. I use it mostly for opening bags of seed and/or fertilizer at work.  in the WW shop, i never know what i will need it for.  When in use, the blade is always locked out.  Immediately as a cut is completed, in goes the blade.  This is an automatic, and i always look at the tool to be sure blade is all the way retracted.  If i forget, i could end up "talking funny".  I have been using that type of knife for (well, i won't go into how long.  I will only say longer than Peter has been around.  Only a year longer, i am sure  : )

If i had one that closed automatically, I could forget about good habits.
Tinker

+1!  I learned good, safe cutlery habits in the Navy (back in the days of iron men and wooden ships, some might say).  That was LONG before the days of political correctness and knives that close by themselves or won't lock open. 

 

[Wooden Lungs]

I had a Starret knife that you had to hold the lever to keep the blade out which i think is similar to yours. I like the blade to remain out and locked when I use it. So I use a basic stanley.

A few years back working at INTEL in Ireland it was all clean room work (completely dust free environment to protect micro chip production) we were given stanley knives with the tip of the blade baldes grinded off so we didnt cut ourselves!!!!! you had to see it to beleive it.
Health and safety gone mad.

We also had to wear kevlar gloves all the time to stop us getting cut. Zero accident policy.

Here is an image of my favourite Stanley knife http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-quick-change-knife/61633

 

[Timtool]

Just a correction, i dismantled both my cutters (it's actually only 1 PZ screw) and the blade can be switched around when worn, and i think i saw this type of spare blades in stores before.

 

[mikey2]

I greatly prefer this folding razor knife to the "box cutter" styles for opening packages at work:
http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-D-BKWH-Quick-Change-Folding-Utility/dp/B000G7TLQ6