The Mora chisel knife is a knife with a chisel tip. Or is it a chisel with a beveled knife edge?

It’s part of Morakniv’s Craftline series of fixed-blade knives aimed at hard utility use, and is officially described as a Pro chisel for carpentry and construction applications.

The knife features a 3-inch blade with single-bevel edges, and TPE rubber handle for a secure grip. Its overall length is 7-3/4 inches. The carbon steel blade is 3.1mm (~1/8″) thick and should sharpen easily.

I’m a fan of Mora Craftline knives. They’re essentially slabs of sharpened steel with comfortable handles. The quality is good, and the pricing usually more than fair. They offer high utility at reasonable pricing.

The knife’s spine is “raw” and unground for the purpose of being “rugged and value oriented.” In other words, Mora doesn’t put unnecessary time or labor into making the back edge of the blade looking pretty.

Similar is true for other Morakniv Craftline series knives.

It comes with a plastic sheath with belt loop for keeping the knife secure and accessible.

Price: $17
COO: Made in Sweden

If you’re on the fence because of the price tag, Hultafors has something similar for under $10.

If you want something more chisel-like and less knife-like, the Dewalt Side Strike chisel is also reasonably priced at just $15.

I’ve had one for a long time and it has worked well.

My chisel’s front edge is looking rather gnarly, and I’m pretty sure fixing it will require grinding away a fair amount of metal. The Side Strike chisel was hard to find for a while, but now that I see it’s available again, I might add a fresh one to my tool kit.

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Leatherman has come out with a new Garage series tool – the EUROPE75 pocket knife, number 004 in the series.

The Leatherman Europe75 is described as a tool that combines the brand’s foundational spirit with modern engineering.

Update: SOLD OUT

It incorporates the same FREE “magnetic architecture” technology as found in Leatherman’s flagship products, providing for all-locking and easy-access tools and functions.

The Europe75 has 11 tools and functions:

• Wire Stripper
• 420HC Knife
• Spring-action Scissors
• Awl
• Can Opener
• Bottle Opener
• Corkscrew w/ Assist
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Medium Screwdriver
• Extra-small Screwdriver
• Ruler (1.41 in | 3,5 cm)

Thanks to the FREE tech, users can easily access each locking tool, eliminating the need to pick and pry them out with fingernails. The FREE tech allows for easy one-handed opening and closing.

The corkscrew is a major highlight of the new Garage series tool, with Cerakote-finish assist.

Leatherman says that adventurers will find the Europe75 pocket knife multi-tool useful for daily tasks, on-the-fly fixes, and creative problem-solving, both close to home or in the far-flung corners of the world.

The tool comes with a USA-made 100% cotton bandana.

Dimensions & Weight

• 2.2″ blade length
• 3.6″ closed length
• 0.66″ width (1,6 cm)
• Weighs 4.1 oz (116g)

Price and Availability

Name: EUROPE75
Garage Series 004
Launched on 2/7/2023 at 9am PST
Sold Out at or before 9:15am PST
Announced Quantity: 900 units

Price: $125

The Leatherman Garage is the brand’s limited edition and experimental design pocket knife and multi-tool program. This is the fourth product in the series.

Read about past Leatherman Garage tools:

• 003: Leatherman Parts
• 002: Leatherman Darkside
• 001: Mr. Crunch

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Dewalt has a new retractable utility knife, DWHT10054, that they describe as a “demo knife.”

Dewalt says:

Take on a variety of jobsite tasks with an innovative demo-assist end capable of hammering, prying, and pulling light duty staples.

It basically has a small prying nub at the end of the handle.

Their sales sheet says that the steel demo-assist end cap is a “first-of-its-kind feature.”

The Dewalt DWHT10054 utility knife features all-metal construction, tool-free blade release, and an “enhanced ergonomic grip” designed for comfort.

The utility knife features built-in blade storage with space for up to 5 replacement blade. Dewalt says that the storage compartment offers glove-friendly access.

Price: $13
COO: Made in USA with global materials

Discussion

I’m a fan of Dewalt fixed-handle retractable utility knives, and I don’t think I have ever used the carabiner clip feature built into some of their ends.

A steel end cap for “pounding, prying, and pulling light duty staples” might be useful.

Can you see any potential downsides?

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The Canary box openers and cardboard cutters are a great alternative to utility knives and traditional box cutters for opening up boxes and packages.

How many cardboard boxes do you open every week? How many do you break down? Chances are that it’s a lot. You might want to add a Canary to your tool kit.

Canary cutters are available in different styles and sizes.

To start off, there are two blade styles and two lengths.

Shown here, this Canary tool has a non-serrated short blade and blue handle. Canary describes tools that have non-serrated blades like this as package openers.

Most Canary tools have serrated blades and tend to be described as carboard cutters.

They also have long-blade serrated carboard box cutters as shown here with a green handle.

Canary tools don’t usually come with sheaths or caps. I found this orange-handled version that does come with a hard plastic cover.

They also have coated tools, with non-stick surfaces that clean up more easily when cutting through gummy packaging tape.

I have a couple of different Canary tools. In this photo, I have a pink-handled coated short-blade Canary tool.

This is a good size and the one I prefer best. I didn’t opt for the coated blade, that’s just what was available for the lowest price with shipping at the time of purchase.

See Also: Exotic Tools and Brands – Show and Tell Part 1

I have in the past ordered my Canary tools from Amazon Japan, where color and style selection can affect shipping rates, presumably based on availability. But, they’re also now available in the USA via Amazon.com.

The way they work? If you have ever used a key to open a box – it’s like that. The serrations slice through the tape, but without being razor-sharp. That’s why Canary calls these “safety” box openers and cardboard cutters.

Canary openers and cutters are made in Japan. They’re inexpensive and are currently available at $7-9 each, depending on size and style.

I would only suggest considering Amazon Japan as a source for anyone placing a larger order, such as for the new Nepros ratchet.

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I came across the Milwaukee 48-22-1513 utility knife this week and thought to myself – ooh that’s new and different.

Looking deeper, this is a fixed blade knife with metal body, tool-free blade change, lanyard hole, overmold grip, and internal storage for up to 5 spare blades.

This looks interesting, right?

But then I noticed the blade doesn’t retract – this is a fixed blade knife. OH. Fixed blade, as in non-retracting, as opposed to non-folding.

I took a quick look in my inbox and found the press release; it seems Milwaukee launched this utility knife a full 3 years ago, in November 2019.

Oops.

I own a single fixed blade knife, a silver-bodied Stanley that I equipped with an incredibly hard-to-find plastic scoring blade. I’m not sure where it is right now, as I started using other scoring tools a few years ago.

I would feel about missing the existence of this style of knife, but my local Home Depot stores don’t carry it either. I can find all of the different types of Milwaukee’s FastBack folding utility knives at local stores, plus their non-folding retractable knife, but not this one.

That leads me to wonder – have you seen this Milwaukee utility knife before? How likely are you to buy a fixed utility knife?

For me, the exposed blade is a no-go. I could easily store it in a drawer, but I am so accustomed to closing and carrying all manners or retractable and folding blades; I simply wouldn’t know how to work with a fixed knife like this.

Am I missing out?

Price: $8-10 (regularly $10, on sale at the time of this posting for $8)

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Crescent has launched 3 new folding knives, which they say deliver jobsite performance with style.

The new folding knives all break the mold, with very different styling compared to most of the “EDC-style” and folding knives I have seen from tool brands before.

Crescent – a ToolGuyd sponsor – sent over all 3 for testing and review. I was optimistic from the start, even before official details were available.

The Crescent knives did not disappoint!

From left to right, we have the:

• Low Profile Pocket Knife (CPK258FL)
• Compact Folding Utility Knife (CTKCF)
• Hybrid EDC Folding Utility Knife (CTKFHEDC)

I like ALL of the new Crescent knives. The low-profile flipper knife and compact folding utility knife are both nice sizes for lighter carry, and the “Hybrid EDC” utility knife is a fresh departure from my usual go-to’s.

All three feature deep-carry pocket clips.

Crescent Low Profile Pocket Knife

The new flipper-style low profile knife is my favorite so far.

Tool brands’ EDC-style folding pocket knives are usually very different from this one, such as with aggressive tanto-style blade, unidentified blade steel alloys, and partial serrations.

This one has a plain edge knife blade, a pocket knife-standard drop point blade profile, D2 blade steel, ball bearing pivot, and what looks to be a satin stonewash finish.

The handle’s inner edges are gently eased, the frame lock has perfect travel, it’s effortless to open and close, there’s no lock-rock, the blade is perfectly centered.

THIS IS A CRESCENT KNIFE?!!

In no uncertain terms, I am impressed.

The blade length is about 2-5/8″. The handle might be on the small size for some users, but is fitting for a pocket knife that’s marketed as being low-profile.

The knife handle measures just over 3-5/8″ when closed.

D2 is a great steel for tool use – it’s tough and has great wear resistance.

Crescent clearly did their homework, and produced a fantastic EDC-style folding knife.

This is the kind of knife to carry when you might need a knife for light to medium cutting tasks and don’t want a bulky utility knife in your pocket.

Price: $27.99

Crescent Compact Folding Utility Knife

The new Crescent compact folding utility knife is compact, but not clumsy as I was afraid of.

It’s described as ultra-thin, but it feels substantial, in a good way.

I did have a little bit of trouble with blade changes, but I got the hang of it quickly. It takes a little longer than with my usual go-to utility knives, but not more than a few seconds.

More important to me is that I feel comfortable changing its blade. I cannot say the same about other smaller-sized utility knives, where I feel like I’m a minor misstep way from having to get stitches.

Being gentle on the blade lock helps with blade insertion and removal.

I have been opening this knife with two hands.

You can open it with one hand. There’s a large ridge on the back-end of the blade (you can see this in the image of all the knives’ pocket clips above), allowing the blade holder to be pushed away from the handle before being wrist-flicked open. I don’t advise this.

This is the most compact utility knife in my kit, and there’s not much between this and the larger folding utility knives you can find at home centers.

Its ergonomics are different compared to larger utility knives. This is going to be great for times and places where I want a smaller utility knife. For you? That’s something you’ll need to think about.

Please let me know if you want specific size comparisons!

Price: $14.99

Crescent Hybrid Folding Utility Knife

This one is described as a hybrid knife, as it has a flipper-style deployment mechanism with standard replaceable utility knife blade.

It’s easy to open, and has a liner lock closure. Blade changes are easy and intuitive.

The handle is longer than is needed to house the blade holder or cutting edge when closed. I don’t know if this was by design necessity, but felt it gave the knife a full-size handle with multiple hand-grip positions.

Referring to Crescent’s sales sheet, they say it has an ergonomic handle. They add:

Our knives are designed for improved control and grip for the jobsite with improved ergonomics.

It has a deep-carry pocket clip, easy flipper-style opening mechanism, quick blade changes, and comfortable handle.

I think that some users are going to love the ergonomic handle, but not everyone. Frankly, I’m “take it or leave it” with this one, although I think Crescent did a good job differentiating it from all of very many other folders on the market today.

Personally, I prefer more compact folding utility knives and full-size angled-grip utility knives. The only way to learn one’s preferences is to try different styles. It’s good to have options.

Price: $17.99

Which Would You Buy?

Everyone has different needs and preferences when it comes to folding knives and utility knives.

For me, I love the low-profile knife the best. I’d love to see one with a 3″ blade size in addition to the one they already have out.

The compact folding utility knife has a comfortable design. Some might see it and call it clunky, but I have used enough smaller and EDC-style utility knives to know that you cannot remove material without significant compromises. I like this one.

I am less certain about the Hybrid utility knife, but I have no major objections. If it’s in my kit, I’ll use it. If I give it away, I probably won’t miss it. But again, everyone has different preferences. This might be the best utility knife for you.

Which would you buy?

Bonus Recommendation

Although it’s not new, Crescent also sent along their CPK325C folding utility knife, and I am shocked at how much I like it.

Compared to the low-profile knife discussed above, this one is larger and engineered with different blade steel and handle materials.

It’s smooth to open and close, and has a good deep-pocket clip.

This is the best one-size-fits-most mainstream folding knife I’ve ever seen from a tool brand before, and one of the best “cheap” folding knives I have ever used.

It is shockingly good for a knife with a $20 price tag.

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We’ve talked about tool brands’ Advent calendars before, but this one is different. This Boker Plus Advent calendar allows you to build a knife, piece by piece.

Shown above is last year’s calendar – this year’s is not yet available.

A reader wrote in about it, prompting this post. Jared (thank you!) wrote:

Stuart! Did you know about this “advent calendar” from Boker?

Something a little different from the typical tool advent calendars. I think it looks awesome!

This absolutely does look interesting!

The Boker Plus knife Advent calendar doesn’t just let you build your own knife, it also offers customization options.

It comes with:

• 3 different knife blades
• Several handle scales
• Bolsters
• Useful tools
• Small surprises

The Boker Plus knife Advent calendar shown above launched for the 2021 holiday season, and so what’s available at retailers seems to be remnant inventory.

Even if you’re not into Advent calendars (I’m not), this looks like an interesting way to learn how lockback knives work.

This looks like a unique knife-building experience, and the different part options add both to its cost and appeal.

Price: $80

The 2022 version is not yet available for sale. It will feature “two different blades, three variant handle scales, various bolsters, clips, tools, as well as a few small surprises.”

Following are Boker videos showing the knife’s assembly and the provided customization options:

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I have been getting email after email about the new Benchmade Weekender knife, which is supposed to be “the redux of the traditional folder pocket knife tailored for weekend escapes to nature.”

Benchmade says that the Weekender “has everything you need for basic camp chores, from whittling to opening a cold one by the fire.”

Benchmade dealers make it sound like the Weekender is an instant-classic and the best off-hours EDC folding knife ever made.

Don’t get me wrong, it seems like a solid design – maybe – but something’s missing.

And this isn’t just because I had a terrible experience with Benchmade’s first flipper knife, leading me to steer away from the brand anytime they try something new again. This design seems simple enough to be fairly risk-free.

The Benchmade Weekender has a 3″ clip point blade “for your EDC cutting needs” according to one dealer, and a smaller 2″ drop point knife for “smaller cutting jobs.”

Another retailer says the saber-ground clip point blade is for heavy work, and the flat ground spear point knife blade for finer tasks.

It also comes with a bottle opener. No, it’s not a combination screwdriver and bottle opener, or can opener and bottle opener, it’s just a bottle opener.

The blades are made from CPM-S30V, and you have two handle material choices – greenish brownish Micarta, or grey G-10. The handle measures 4.08″ closed and is 0.40″ thick.

If given the choice between Micarta and G-10, I think Micarta is the better choice for an outdoors knife, as it tends to handle better in sweaty hands.

Here’s what the grey G-10-handled version looks like.

The Weekender has a non-locking slip joint mechanism for both knife blades.

I’d like to ooh and ahh at the new Benchmade Weekender, but I can’t help but feel that it’s a miss.

I have nothing against slip joint knives, and own a couple. S30V is a great knife steel that has good edge retention, wearability, and corrosion resistance.

The knife is priced at a premium, but doesn’t seem unreasonable for Benchmade, especially when you factor in that this is two knives in one, and that you get Micarta or G-10 rather than fiber-reinforced plastic of similar.

But, I feel that I could take two other USA-made knives, one large and one small, and cobble together a slimmer multi-bladed knife for less money. It wouldn’t be a Benchmade, though.

Maybe it is the absence of active locks that’s throwing me off. Or – where’s the pocket clip? Lanyard hole? If this is advertised as a weekend camping knife, where’s the carabiner clip?

I’m in the minority when it comes to Benchmade knives. I’ve purchased their Bugout knives for review purposes, and while I don’t strongly dislike them, I also don’t understand how they’re as popular as they are. Maybe the same will be true here, and I’m way off-base.

I have had both good and bad experiences with multi-bladed folding knives, and so I don’t think that’s my problem.

The way I see it, either the knife is missing something – at least for a knife that retails at $225 – or there’s something coloring my views.

I’m sorry – I know not every tool or knife is suited for everyone’s individual needs or tastes, but there seems to be a disconnect between what I see in the Weekender (or don’t) and all of the promotional hype surrounding it.

To me, it doesn’t look comfortable to hold or convenient to carry, with no carrying options besides having it swimming around a pocket or tool pouch. A gentleman’s slipjoint knife should be slimmer. An outdoors knife should have a lock.

If a “pass Go, get a free knife” card landed in your hand, would you get the Weekender, or pass on it? Why?

Options: Micarta (model 317-1), G-10 (model 317)
COO: USA
Price: $225-250

Note: One retailer has special “call for price” pricing that’s lower than competitors’. You don’t have to call them, simply add it to your cart and you’ll see the special low price at checkout.

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ToughBuilt has launched a new utility knife, the Reload, and it’s different from any other utility knife I’ve ever used before.

I’ve been using a test sample for a short time now (thank you, ToughBuilt!), and already have a lot of thoughts and feedback to share.

To start off, I love the idea behind this knife. It’s a utility knife that is reloaded via blade magazines. This allows for fast blade changes, and also quick swapping between blade styles.

I use 3 types of utility knife blades – general purpose, heavy duty, and safety-tip. There are more, such as hook blades and drywall blades.

The ToughBuilt Reload utility knife comes with the handle, 2 refillable blade magazines, 5 standard utility blades, and 5 hook-style blades.

(Hook blades are used for cutting roofing materials, linoleum, carpet, and other such materials.)

Each magazine can hold up to 5 blades for immediate access, and up to 10 blades in its separate storage compartment. This gives you built-in storage for up to 15 blades per removable magazine.

The magazine has a sliding indicator with 3 settings so that you can quickly identify different loadouts.

ToughBuilt Reload Knife Pros

Blade changes are extremely convenient.

You can swap blades the normal way. Or, remove a dull blade, retract the blade holder, and a fresh blade will automatically be grabbed and brought to the front.

When you retract the blade again, it returns to the magazine, allowing for quick magazine changes. This means changing from one type of blade is much quicker than swapping blades from the front of the knife, and your fingers also get to avoid sharp edges.

The Reload knife is easy and comfortable to use. If you forget about the ejectable blade magazine, it’s a good auto-reloading knife.

It’s also fun to use, which shouldn’t be important, but does add to the user experience.

Also, the knife comes with ToughBuilt’s special utility knife blades that work with their scraper utility knife, but I have confirmed that it does work with standard off-the-shelf utility knife blades. I tested it with ToughBuilt and Milwaukee utility knife blades.

ToughBuilt Reload Knife Cons

The knife has a very well-polished design, but it’s not without its faults and potential issues.

Removing blades out of the front of the knife, for reversal or discarding, was a hassle until I figured out a trick. Fully extend the blade, and then gently pull back on the thumb-lever. Now you can depress the blade lock lever to release the blade.

If you skip that step, and the blade is in its forwardmost position, the blade release button won’t work. That maybe 1mm shift makes all the difference.

Remember that minor step, and blade removal and reversals are a cinch.

There’s no lanyard hole, not that I ever use such a feature.

Where do you put a spare magazine where it won’t get dirty?

Neutral Opinions

The auto-reloading aspect is fantastic! But swapping blade styles? I generally have different knives for different tasks, and don’t see this knife changing that tendency anytime soon.

The knife might be a little large, but it doesn’t feel bulky to me, which I suppose is a pro, but it is larger than other non-folding knives.

It can hold up to 15 blades. Moving blades from the storage compartment to the auto-loading compartment is easy. I have kept at most 5 blades in the holder so far, and haven’t utilized the rear storage compartment. I suppose this is a “better to have and not need” feature.

I don’t know how many utility knife blades other people go through in a day, but 5 tends to be plenty of on-board storage for me.

Concerns

The knife has performed quite well for me so far, but I do have concerns.

Every time you fully retract the blade, it re-enters the auto-loading blade cartridge. This is great for quickly changing loadouts, such as when you want to switch blade styles. But what happens when you have a dirty, dusty, oily blade?

The blade magazines are intricately but not delicately built, and seem to be easy to clean.

Still, what happens when you cut through a lot of tape, glue, or other such materials and retract the blade, returning it to a stack of up to 5 blades?

Most knives self-clean quite well, and this one’s no different, but the auto-load functionality creates potential hard-use or use-on-anything limitations.

It’s not that the stored blades might get gunked up, but how this might affect auto-reload functionality.

But, there are a lot of thoughtful design aspects here, such as a window for checking how many blades are stored in the covered rear storage compartment.

Summary

There’s often a fine line between innovation and gimmick. Frankly, the ToughBuilt Reload utility knife is both.

On the innovative side, its auto-reloading aspect is practical and effective. I typically don’t care about built-in blade storage, but this changes my mind.

I don’t see myself using both blade magazines, but I figure the spare is good to have. There are times when it might come in handy, but if we’re talking about carrying two styles of blades, I’d rather carry two differently-equipped knives in my pocket, pouch, or tool box.

Removing blades from the front of the knife requires just a little more attention, the same as some other knives, but is an effortless process. If this is your daily-use knife, there’s nothing to worry about. If you’re like me, and use different utility knife styles on a regular basis, it might take slightly longer to develop the muscle memory.

I tend to mock products where “fidget factor!” is a selling point. Tools aren’t toys, and shouldn’t be fun to use, right?

This is an innovative knife with a fun design, and it backs that up with purpose and useful functionality.

Ignore the quick-change firearm-type magazine loading mechanism. The Reload is an automatic-loading utility knife that’s well-made, comfortable to use, and it has plenty of built-in blade storage.

And, based on my testing so far, it’s compatible with standard utility knife blades.

It seems to endure rough handling and drops, and has been great for day to day cutting tasks. I have some concerns about whether certain work environments might gunk up the blade magazine or internal components, such as when I drop a knife in gritty mud when cutting twine in the garden.

But, for me, the pros outweigh the cons and concerns.

It is fun, but once you get past that novelty, it’s still functional.

I like the Toughbuilt Reload. It won’t be my only utility knife, but its auto-loading functionality adds value and convenience to my kit.

Price: $19.98

Thank you to ToughBuilt for providing the review sample!

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Crescent has new utility knives coming out soon. Official information isn’t available yet, but there seems to be enough in retail listings to get a good sense of what these knives offer.

First up, the Crescent hybrid folding utility knife, model CTKFHEDC, shown above.

This is described as a hybrid utility knife as it “combines the ergonomics of a pocket knife with the blade-changing functionality of a utility knife.”

I would be cautious about this one. It has a flipper mechanism, which is interesting, but the user experience can vary greatly depending on the balance and pivot.

For instance, I have a Benchmade flipper knife, and it’s absolutely terrible, with the blade always stopping halfway unless I flick my wrist.

Ah, but Crescent’s product listing also says this:

ball bearing assisted design provides continuous smooth deployment even after heavy use

That’s exactly what I would think a design like this needs. I try to steer away from assisted openers for EDC, but a spring assistance mechanism and ball bearing pivot could contribute to a good user experience here. We’ll have to see.

Note: A reader (thank you N. Berg!) made a point that Crescent might be straying from standard language, and that they mean to say the knife is assisted, but not an assisted-opening knife. Whether it’s an assisted opener or “assisted” remains to be seen.

Crescent also describes the knife as having an EDC-style handle, and deep-style pocket clip.

Price: $18

Next up, Crescent also has a “low profile” pocket knife, CPK258FL, with frame lock, 3.25″ blade, and deep-style pocket clip.

Its blade is made from D2 steel, which is a tough tool steel well-suited to “endure heavy use and various conditions found on jobsites.”

This knife also has a ball bearing assisted-opening design*.

*See the above note about ambiguity behind the “assisted” language.

I’m okay with assisted openers in workshop settings, and would be comfortable in jobsite settings. I tend to avoid them for casual EDC, as law enforcement interpretation can vary, leading me to prefer fully manually-opening knives. I have heard of too many occurrences where assisted openers are confused for automatic knives.

Crescent’s “EDC” (everyday carry) marketing language might just be on-point.

It looks like they made a lot of good choices regarding the knife’s design, but as with the flipper utility knife, this can only be determined with a hands-on assessment and time.

In the image above, the knife looks to have “late lock up.” If the steel blade wears into the handle material, which I assume is aluminum (they don’t say), the lockbar might eventually hit the inner side of the handle and potentially loosen things up.

This would be concerning for a premium folding knife, but 1) this is not premium-priced, and 2) the image is likely of a pre-production prototype.

Crescent’s other folding knives look decent as everyday hard-use folders that I wouldn’t care about abusing, but their styles never really appealed to me. This one’s different.

I have used Crescent utility and folding knives before, and I might have bought one or two for testing purposes, but this looks to be the first one I might actually buy for personal use.

Price: $28

It’s hard to tell from a couple of marketing images, but it looks like Crescent has stepped up their game.

Their prior folding knives and utility knives were perfectly serviceable, but these designs seem elevated above that. Their other designs are competitive, these – to me – are compelling. They’re the first Crescent knives I’ll go out of my way to look for.

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I recently learned that Case Knives came out with their first modern folding knives, the Kinzua and Marilla.

The Case Kinzua folding knife features a flipper opening mechanism, frame lock, 3.4″ long tanto-style blade made from S35VN, and an aluminum handle in blue, black, or red.

The Marilla is similar, but with drop point blade shape and G-10 inlay within its aluminum handle, also available in blue, black, or red..

I reviewed a Case Back Pocket knife nearly a decade ago, and although it was well-made, my use tapered off and I eventually gave it away.

Knife users are spoiled a bit today, myself included, favoring easy and quick one-handed opening knives. Most Case knives require two hands to open, due to their traditional styling and nail-nick-opening blades.

Thus, Case lost quite a bit of visibility with me over the years, until recently when I spotted the new knives. Judging from Case’s marketing materials, they launched the Kinzua and Marilla knives sometime around late-2021.

Flipper-opening knives are definitely a deviation for the iconic brand.

Neither model checks off a lot of boxes for me, mainly on account of their 3.4″ blade sizes, but they definitely have me looking more closely to see what Case will come out with next.

Like other Case knives, the Kinzua and Marilla are made in the USA.

User reviews so far seem to be mixed, but somewhat positive.

Price: $116 for the Kinzua, $136 for the Marilla

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GPKnives just sent out an email blast about their new store-exclusive Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight folding knife, with white FRN handle and REX 45 blade steel, model C41PWH5.

They’re calling this a limited production run, and so supplies might only last a short while. Their previous exclusive, which launched in May, is still available.

The Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight is a fantastic everyday folding knife, with 2.95″ blade and lockback blade lock.

What’s special about this particular Native 5 is that it has white FRN handle scales, and its spear point blade is made from CPM Rex 45 steel.

GPKnives says that the white FRN handle offers the perfect platform for RIT dye – a popular fabric and general purpose dye. (According to online commentary, RIT and RIT DyeMore both seem to work with FRN.)

So, if you’re not a fan of the white handle scale, it should make a fine base for DIY color solutions.

Notes About the Rex 45 Blade Steel

The blade steel, Rex 45, a particle metallurgy tool steel that’s described as a super high speed steel with excellent hot hardness, good wear resistance and toughness. GPKnives’ page says Rex 45 is similar to CPM-M4.

Following are more comments about the blade steel, or scroll down a little to get to the Who’s it for? section.

They say Rex 45 is intended to deliver increased strength and edge stability for thinner, high performance edges, and with corrosion resistance comparable to CPM-M4.

A Crucible supplier (Grigg Steel) says that: CPM Rex 45 steel is tougher than all the other super high-speed steels and has a longer cutting tool life than the M series steels.

Knife Steel Nerds says that Rex 45 has a bit less wear resistance than M4 (see the vanadium content) though is capable of a bit more hardness due to the cobalt addition.

Here is what Spyderco says about Rex 45 in a listing for a different sprint-run Native 5 knife release:

Crucible CPM REX 45 is a super-high-speed particle metallurgy tool steel enriched with large volumes of cobalt, tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium. Its high cobalt content increases the steel’s attainable hardness and enhances the positive properties of the steel’s other alloys. The addition of vanadium promotes the formation of vanadium carbides, which provide high wear resistance, fine grain size and increased toughness.

A true steel connoisseur’s blade material, REX 45 is an ideal steel for this prestigious Native 5 Lightweight Sprint Run produced in our USA factory.

I’m not very familiar with Rex 45 yet, but it seems to be a premium steel with focus on hardness and edge retention. If you need to know more than that, there are plenty of online forum posts where knife enthusiasts take things to hair-splitting levels – and I mean this literally.

Who’s it for?

I’d say that this particular folding knife might be a good fit for users looking to upgrade to a $75-$125 folding knife with 3″ blade, thumbhole opening, and lockback, or users with their eye on the Native 5 and like the idea of the white handle and Rex 45 blade steel.

Priced at $112, this special limited edition of the Native 5 is slightly lower priced than the standard Native 5 Lightweight model, which features black FRN handle scales and CPM S30V blade steel. S30V is a premium steel that offers balanced performance.

This is unusual, as exclusives and limited edition Spyderco knives usually cost more than their regular widely-available models.

I like the Native 5 for its smaller size, light weight, and comfortable pocket carry.

This particular version of the Native 5 has what looks to be limited edition white handle scales that could also serve as a good starting point for DIY dying.

The Rex 45 blade steel looks to offer high hardness, and thus edge retention (sharpness longevity), along with the slight compromise in toughness that often comes with this.

The Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight with FRN handle is a great premium folding knife for under $125. Compared to less expensive knives, this gives you an upgraded blade steel, textured handle, and it’s made in the USA.

Key Specs

Price: $112

GPKnives also has a Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight with white handles and black DLC Rex 45 blade, for $126.

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What are your feelings about pocket knives? Compact flashlights? Multi-tools? Pocketable accessories, doodads, and what-nots?

Shown above is the Leatherman OHT multi-tool, which I reviewed quite a long time ago. I still own it, but don’t use it as often anymore, as I have come to favor other tools.

Folding knives, multi-tools, flashlights, compact versions of common tools, most tools and gear that can be described as “everyday carry” (EDC) tend to draw very polarized opinions.

Some dislike the idea of multi-tools, claiming they can buy an entire tool box full of gear for the same price as a quality multi-tool.

Others don’t like folding knives, preferring utility knives that work with widely available disposable blades.

Flashlights? Many make the “I can buy a 10-pack of super-bright flashlights from Amazon for way less money!” arguments.

I would say that most opinions and views can be classified in one of three ways. There are collectors and enthusiasts that are really into what they like, more casual or beginner users and anymore who is trying things out for the first time, and “not for me” types of folks.

To each their own – there’s no right answer, opinion, or stance to take here.

As with most types of tools, I tend to take an “I want to understand the differences myself” standpoint, which involves exploring a wide range of brands and price points.

Around 15 years ago, gathering these insights and understanding involved a lot of running back and forth to different stores to check out different brands and models, and also thoroughly researching online purchases. Wanting to share my findings led to ToolGuyd’s creation.

Now? Especially with EDC gear, I take a more hands-on approach. ToolGuyd is an enabler in that regard. I’m not buying it for myself, ToolGuyd is buying it for review purposes.

What I’d like to know is how you feel about these types of tools.

I have a huge backlog that I’m working on, and understanding your interests (for or against), will help me plan things out and prioritize future product selection.

If more readers are on the “not interested at all” side of the line, I’ll still proceed, but with a more spaced-out schedule.

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Lionsteel, a European knifemaker, recently announced the EGGIE, a multi-tool that can be carried in your pocket or on a keyring.

The Lionsteel Eggie multi-tool, a collaboration between the knifemaker and “Audacious Concept Design,” is made out of titanium and is fitted with 6 tools and screwdriver bits, plus a magnetic bit holder at the center.

The top cover unscrews to reveal the built-in bit storage slots.

Unsurprisingly, given Lionsteel’s core competencies, the tool comes with a small knife blade.

The bit loadout includes the knife blade, a slotted screwdriver bit, four sizes of Torx driver bits, and a tungsten carbide tip.

The slotted screwdriver bit is double-ended, sharing its opposite end with a Torx bit tip. So, in total there are two tools (knife, carbide-tipped point), and five screwdriver bit styles and sizes, plus the fixed bit holder.

Lionsteel says that the bits are made from stainless steel.

The included bits look to have a proprietary design, but hopefully the hex bit holder can accommodate industry-standard screwdriver bits and accessories. Lionsteel has not been clear on this.

There will be 3 color options – blue, grey, and bronze – presumably all anodized titanium. Each comes with a small titanium carabiner and what looks to be a keyring swivel.

Lionsteel Eggie Specs

• 1.93″ (49 mm) length
• 0.96″ (24.4 mm) diameter
• Weighs 2.42 oz (69 g)
• Materials: titanium (holder/handle), A-420 steel (bits/inserts)

Pricing and availability information is not available yet.

Discussion

Torx screwdriver bit tips are common when talking about knifemaker pocket tools and multi-tools, but what about the slotted screwdriver? I assume the carbide tip is intended for emergency glass-breaking applications, and the knife blade is self-explanatory.

The egg-shaped handle looks to be compact, and with a nearly 1-inch diameter, it’s about the same size as many finger-grip screwdrivers.

This looks to be an interesting multi-tool. I’m not completely sold on the aesthetics, but I’m also not turned away by it.

I would expect for Lionsteel to make this in Italy, where they are headquartered.

Seeing as the main part of the tool and carabiner clip are made from anodized titanium, and the bits are all custom-designed and machined from stainless steel, expect a premium price.

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I came across this Swiss+Tech outdoors and camping tool set after looking for alternative door opener EDC tools, and it sure is… something?

To me, SwissTech – I hope you don’t mind my simplified spelling of the name – is one of those brands that has always made gimmicky but also useful mini multi-tool thingamajigs. Things like mini keychain tools with pliers, and the like.

I wasn’t surprised to see SwissTech offering a low-contact door opener EDC tool, but a camping tool set? So I took a closer look and quickly wish I hadn’t.

At the surface, this looks like a collection of thrown-together cool-looking outdoor knives and tools.

But a closer look at things get absurd.

The hatchet-like tool, which SwissTech describes as both a “camping axe” has a one-piece design with “rope handle.” It has a typical tacticool-looking design, but the hex wrench cutouts caught my attention.

2/5″, 1/2″, and 3/5″ wrench sizes? For what?

And what is in the background? A guy in a hoodie sweatshirt doing weighted rope exercises? Is that what people do when camping these days?

I was going to let things go and just close the browser window until I saw this image. 2/5″, 1/2″, and 3/5″ hex wrench sizes. In an “axe.”

Next up, a “one-piece camping knife with rope handle.” SwissTech also describes this as a “hunting knife.”

SwissTech says that this tool kit is “an ideal choice for camping, hiking, hunting, survival tactics, travel, etc.” Sure.

The background for this product image looks to be a fire that has burned well out of control.

SwissTech says:

There is also a serrated edge at the bottom of the blade, which can be used for fast-cutting rope.

Where is this serrated edge – are they talking about the jimping on the spine that’s most certainly not supposed to be sharp enough to cut anything?

Of course, what kind of outdoor and camping tool set doesn’t have a machete knife?!

The set also comes with a headlamp that looks inexpensive but otherwise unremarkable.

You also get a 50-foot skein of paracord or rope, 2 carabiner clips, and a fire starter.

Somehow the “multi took striker” that supposed to be used with the fire-starting flint is shown doubling as a bottle opener, although I can’t visualize how this would work.

I took a quick look to see, if this was a one-off product for SwissTech, and it’s not.

The same “hunting knife” appears to also be sold in 3-packs as throwing knives, and comes with paper targets. Because… sure?

Don’t worry, the 3-for-$20 knife features “exquisite workmanship.”

The camping tool set comes with just 1 knife, but the separate 3-pack allows you to… post with alternating grips and fingerless gloves while staring at wild animals.

If all that’s not cool enough for you, the same OEM also makes a Mossy Oak camping tool set. The top Amazon review starts off by saying “great for camping and zombie defense.”

Now, I know that not everyone can afford premium camping gear, knives, or headlamps, but is there any utility in a set like this? Is this the type of outdoors tool set that beginners buy because they think they need it?

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Readers have been asking for Father’s Day 2022 tool deal coverage, and it looks like we’ve got our first notable bargain of the season – this Milwaukee Fastback utility knife 2-pack bundle is $15 at Home Depot.

Thank you to Koko for the heads-up!

Here’s what you get:

Milwaukee FastBack utility knife with blade storage (48-22-1502), typically $15.

Milwaukee Compact FastBack utility knife (48-22-1500), typically $9.

So, with this promo set, 48-22-1503, you get $24 in FastBack knives for $15.

The two knives complement each other.

The utility knife with blade storage is more functional, with a cord-cutting slot that can be used when the knife is closed, a lanyard loop, and built-in storage for up to 5 blades. The compact knife is smaller and more pocket-friendly, and also has a tether-ready lanyard hole.

Both knives have wire-style belt clips.

Price: $14.97 with FREE Shipping

Should you buy one? Yes – absolutely, unless you already have too many utility knives, or if you dislike quick-opening and convenient utility knives.

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A reader came across drywall-specific utility knife blades at the hardware store, and asked a fair question – are they actually better for cutting drywall?

David wrote:

I would like some input on this: Drywall vs. Heavy Duty Utility Knife Blades

I ended up buying the heavy duty ones after spending way, way too much time standing there over thinking it.

Man those were sweet – for the 1st 10 cuts or so. That hardened edge is so brittle that after 10+ cuts if you look really close it’s got a bunch of chips out of it, almost looking serrated. The chips then get bigger of course as you go on.

I was hoping you could get some comments/input from actual drywall guys to see what they think about this particular question, as well as which ones they prefer.

(The email was shortened for the sake of brevity.)

I’ve thought about this before, but must admit I have yet to take a closer look.

Milwaukee, Dewalt, and other brands offer drywall-specific utility knife blades, but they tend to vague about the benefits over standard and general purpose blades.

Milwaukee says: Optimized grind angles deliver improved sharpness for less repeat cuts.

Images of the blades don’t show much differences, but they are also unlikely to.

Dewalt says this about their drywall blades: Engineered edge for cutting abrasive drywall materials, and Drywall Utility Blades offer a long life and are not easily confused with other blades as they have the word DRYWALL etched into them.

I would think that drywall-specific utility knife blades are designed to be tougher than standard and heavy duty general purpose utility knife blades.

A cutting edge with higher edge hardness can provide greater sharpness retention. But, higher hardness can also go hand-in-hand with brittleness.

As David mentioned, cutting into drywall with a heavy duty blade resulted in a lot of chips.

So, it seems likely that drywall blades should be tougher and slightly less hard, to help them last longer when cutting drywall and similar abrasive materials.

If all you’re doing is cutting drywall, it might be worth it to equip a utility knife with drywall-specific blades.

All this is speculative. I don’t cut drywall day in and out, but I’m betting some of you do.

Do you use drywall utility knife blades? Have you seen any differences? Have they been worth it for you? Do you have a favorite brand?

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Dewalt came out with something new for the 2021 winter holiday shopping season – a ToughCase+ utility knife blade holder and blade refill packs.

This seemed like a neat idea, although not without its flaws. The promo set came with one case and 3 refill inserts, each filled with 30 “double hardened” utility knife blades.

It’s now mid-2022, and Dewalt is expanding upon the concept with other styles of blades.

Shown here is the new Dewalt DWHT11131C ToughCase+ Carbide blade pack. It comes with a clear lid ToughCase+ case that’s preloaded with a 30-blade refill.

I’m a fan of Dewalt ToughCase+ bit boxes, and a huge fan of their Carbide Edge utility knife blades. But when combined, the result misses the mark by a bit.

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These are the same mini cases as Dewalt bit boxes, and are sized to fit inside their other ToughCase+ organizers.

In theory, this is a great idea. In practice, I strongly prefer traditional utility knife blade dispensers. Maybe this is still a good idea, just not for me.

I have been slow to use the 90-blade promo back I purchased back in November. It comes with one ToughCase+ container and 3 refills. Where do the spare refills go? I suppose I could empty out some other Dewalt bit boxes to create two other pocket packs.

I wish the case was a little more streamlined, but its geometry allows it to fit inside Dewalt’s ToughCase drill bit and screwdriver bit cases and other compatible organizers.

Where do dull blades go?

With typical utility knife blade packages, fresh blades are dispensed out of the bottom, and there’s a slot at the top for dull and spent blades to be inserted for safe storage until disposal. A divider separates the two compartments.

The ToughCase+ blade box does not have any separate blade disposal compartment.

I can see how this could be convenient for certain users. But, I always need to have a place to safely dispose of dull blades, and that means traditional blade dispensers continue to work best for me.

It’s been nearly 6 months since I bought the holiday season promo pack, and so far refills are nowhere to be found. Dewalt’s online listing for the Carbide Edge refill pack makes me optimistic, but where will it be sold?

As an aside, Dewalt recently updated their blade dispenser packaging, making them easier to identify and differentiate on the shelf. I like this, and they also have new bar graphs for comparing tip strength, wear resistance, and life for different types of blades.

To be fair, this does seem like a good way to store up to 30 replacement blades in a compact package. And as mentioned, I think it could be convenient for certain users. I wanted to like the ToughCase utility blade packs, but it’s unlikely that I’ll buy it again.

I do have some ideas on how to increase the usefulness of the ToughCase+ case and blade refills, such as securing two cases together back-to-back, but that still doesn’t seem as convenient as a traditional blade dispenser pack.

Is this something you would buy and use?

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I just learned that Stanley Black & Decker acquired TechniEdge, a utility knife and blade maker.

I posted about the TechniEdge Revo knife a few years ago, and a reader recently contacted me about it, bringing the brand back to my attention.

Whenever I revisit an older ToolGuyd post, I will usually check purchase and informational links to ensure they’re still valid and accurate. In doing so here, I was surprised to find the above notice on TechniEdge’s website.

TechniEdge says that their parent company, IDL TechniEdge LLC, was acquired by Stanley Black & Decker in March of 2018. Yes, 2018.

You might be surprised that this acquisition took nearly 4 years to come to light, but quiet actions like this seem to be the norm these days. For instance, Stanley Black & Decker acquired Waterloo industries, a tool box brand and manufacturer, back in 2017, and we only learned about it from a corporate earnings report recording 6 months later.

What’s strange is that it looks like the TechniEdge brand has been shut down. On their website, the notice asks customers to “visit one of the brands shown below for all your blade needs,” with graphics and links pointing to Dewalt, Craftsman, Stanley, Irwin, Lenox, and Bostitch brands.

On LinkedIn:

DL Techni Edge has been manufacturing blades and hand tools since 1979 and is proud that our blades are made in the USA. We manufacture all types of hand tool knives and blades including hobby, utility, single edge, flooring, and more. With more than forty years of experience designing and manufacturing custom, specialty, and OEM blades, IDL Techni Edge can meet all your straight edge blade needs. IDL Techni Edge also offers innovative knives and tools, including our award-winning REVO Folding Utility Knife.

I wonder what Stanley Black & Decker sought from the brand – maybe their industrial know-how, facilities, or intellectual property such as patents.

Strangely, the Revo knife is no longer available from TechniEdge, but you can find identical knives under Excel Blades branding on Amazon.

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Dewalt has made significant changes to their utility knife blade retail packaging.

I first noticed the new packaging today while browsing the tool aisles at my local Home Depot store.

It looks like Dewalt applied their new packaging to higher-count replacement blade dispenser packs, and it is not clear whether they will do their same for their 5-count SKUs.

Dewalt’s new utility knife blade retail cards have large images of their respective blade shapes, along with a highlighted description of their intended applications.

Major features and selling points are featured on the front of the card, and the number of included blades is clearly depicted.

There are also graphics showing the general purpose blades’ tip strength, wear resistance, and life. This information will presumably be useful for comparing different qualities across other styles of Dewalt everyday-use utility knife blades.

The rear of the packaging has additional product details, such as typical corporate information, country of origin, and the UPC code.

A worker or customer had reversed the orientation of two blade packs on their pegs, and I noticed that there are still sufficient details to identify the blade types.

Dewalt’s prior blade dispenser packaging had a much different look.

Assuming that Dewalt does the same with all of their utility knife blade packs, or at least the higher count SKUs that come with dispenser boxes, the new packaging might allow for quicker and more informative comparisons.

At the least, the larger-than-life images on the retail card fronts should allow for quicker selection.

I wonder – will Dewalt’s redesigned retail packaging give them a competitive edge? The new look definitely grabs my eye and helps the Dewalt blade packs stand out on the shelf. I’ll be sure to check back to see how everything looks when the display rack is fully restocked.

It remains to be seen whether utility knife blade packs from Dewalt’s sibling brands, namely Stanley, Craftsman, Irwin, and Lenox, will be given similar treatment.

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