[BIFL][Request]EDC/Industrial Work Knife

Submitted by NothingLikeCoffee t3_1239row in BuyItForLife

Hey all, I am in a slightly unique situation where I am looking for a knife that will hold an edge well for work but hopefully not break the bank.

I am hopefully aiming at the $100-150 mark because my work requires I travel by air the majority of the time and knives have a tendency to disappear out of my/my co-worker's bags. (TSA/Baggage carriers have sticky fingers.) The ideal would be something I won't be too upset about losing.

The knife would be used for cutting industrial rubber belts, portable power cable sheathing, etc. I have been using utility knives however they become as dull as butter knives extremely quickly.

Is this a reasonable expectation or am I better off just sticking with the utility blades?

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Cfwydirk t1_jdty16j wrote

You are overthinking this. Do not buy a quality knife just to abuse it. You already know the abuse you give a utility knife dulls blades. The abuse will dull a quality knife blade just as quickly.

Buy a good knife for personal use and take care of it.

The beauty of a utility knife is brand new razor sharp blades cost $0.016 each. And if your knife is stolen you can replace it for $5.99 - $22.99.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/hand-tools/utility-and-hobby-knife-blades/20536?store=15338&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuZLWgJz7_QIVXf_jBx32aQ7bEAQYAiABEgKDEfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Better yet, per suggestion of redditor F-21

Carbide Utility Blades stay 10 times sharper than traditional utility blades. The steel body helps to prevent breaking of the blade. https://www.authorizedtooloutlet.com/products/dewalt-dwht11131l-carbide-utility-blades-50-pack?variant=43358774460638&currency=USD&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google+shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1OLL89n7_QIVbvbjBx2qVgbhEAQYAyABEgI7ZPD_BwE

https://www.acehardware.com/search?query=Utility+knife

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F-21 t1_jduhyv7 wrote

Carbide tipped utility blades also exist. I don't think any other blade on any knife is as sharp as those, and they hold an edge in really extreme conditions.

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bootsandadog t1_jdtwlvk wrote

That's such a specific need that it's hard to recommend something. I doubt many people have used a $150 dollar knife in that way.

I can try to give my two cents though.

First thing is steel choice. You want something that will retain and edge but isnt so hard that it's difficult to sharpen because you will be sharpening it a lot.

Here's a good article on it. It looks like S30V is a good common steel for this purpose.

https://knifeinformer.com/discovering-the-best-knife-steel/

Next is grind profile. I would either go with a hollow grind or a scandi grind.

Hollow grind will slice better. Scandi grind will be tougher. Depends on if you're just cutting rubber or if you're occasionally having to cut harder things.

Either way, those two grinds are relatively easy to sharpen.

Then fixed blade or folding is just dependent on how you like to carry on the job site. Fixed blade with a good sheath will deploy faster then a folding knife but will definitely get you some looks.

Then I personally would got for a tanto style knife. Having two distinct cutting surfaces can give you a lot of flexibility as you work. Maybe you keep the tip sharp and reserved for really tough jobs. Or even sharpen the surfaces with different bevels. Or change the tip so it can actually get under the rubber sheathing.

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Wyrmdirt t1_jdtwjqx wrote

My edc blade is a Spyderco Paramilitary. It's a bit over your budget, but it's a fair price for what you get. It's a tough, versatile knife that holds its edge forever

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spacemonkey-1966 t1_jdvg0m5 wrote

Yeah i bought a spyderco law enforcement years ago fir 30 bucks on ebay, had some wear on it. But it holds a razor sharp edge still and i use it precisely for the kind of stuff you mention. When it needs it, hones right up.

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F-21 t1_jduht7q wrote

Instead get better utility knife blades. Like, you can get carbide tipped ones. They're not cheap but they really hold an edge. No - and really no - normal knife will hold an edge as well. Carbide is crazy hard but brittle. Any regular knife with non-replaceable blades will have a carbide edge - because it can occasionally shatter and you can't really sharpen it.

So if you want a crazy sharp knife that holds an edge and is used for industrial tasks, that's the only route I'd look at, anything else will require way more maintenance and will never perform as well.

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psimian t1_jduwp7g wrote

Grab a pair of Stanley 99e utility knives, a pack of heavy duty straight blades, and a pack of heavy duty hook blades. Color code the knives with paint, and mark one of them with something that can be felt even through work gloves. Plumbers epoxy putty works well for this. Rough up the finish with sandpaper and put a glob of it somewhere that is easy to feel without interfering with usage.

I've tried every kind of utility knife and keep coming back to the 99e because it just works. You can easily carry two of them in your back pocket, open/close them one handed, and identify the blade type by touch (with a little modification).

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Happenedherebychance t1_jebp55y wrote

I'm a floor layer and fitting safety floors or rubber will dull a blade very quickly so I know your pain.

I mostly use utility knives and always have one snap knife in my kit.

A few things I've learnt over the years are:

New knives = no good, buy vintage stanley fixed on ebay and a pouch.

Snap knives, for some reason whenever someone I know buys one they buy the cheap flimsy plastic ones. If you buy quality 'Think Japanese' they will last a long long time and are strong and sure in your hand. Blades, my personal fav is the black Tajima, very sharp and long lasting and only a few cents for each new sharp point. I am starting to like the carbon ones as well but the jury is out on whether they last longer.

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