Contender 1- BLACK UTILITY POCKET KNIFE BOX CUTTER BOTTLE OPENER SCREWDRIVER EDC

[Grant Lamontagne]

As promised in the Fantastic $5 Challenge thread I am going to keep a running tally of each tool.  This thread will be all about Contender #1, aka BLACK UTILITY POCKET KNIFE BOX CUTTER BOTTLE OPENER SCREWDRIVER EDC MULTI TOOL



According to the listing, this tool is described as follows:

Material: Stainless steel
Blade: High carbon steel
Features:
-safe & easy to carry
-cutter function
-bottle opener function
-flat head screwdriver function
Size:
10 x 2.65 cm (3.94" x 1.04" inch)
Color:   Black
Note: Color may vary on different monitors and in different lighting. Size is approximate only.

Included in the Package:

> 1 x Knife
> 2 x Blades



This tool looks like it is a basic box cutter with a couple of extra notches in it to qualify it as a "multitool," which isn't really a bad thing as many one piece tools are just flat steel bars with notches to do different things.



My thoughts on this one are that it might be handy enough, provided it meets the three important criteria in my mind for such a tool.



One- it must hold the blades safely and securely.



Two- it must be ultra convenient and pocketable.



Three- it must take standard blades.

If it meets all three of those requirements, then this tool just might be a winner in the Fantastic Five Dollar Challenge!

Def

[ducttapetech]

That looks like it might come in handy.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's what I was thinking- I can't help wondering if it might be more effective with a pocket clip or something to help carry it.

Def

[Fortytwo]

That's what I was thinking- I can't help wondering if it might be more effective with a pocket clip or something to help carry it.

Def

A pocket clip adds volume though and it seems like a tool that lives on being flat and small. A dangler in that hole or just simply a lanyard would be nice though. If it isn't too fiddly to deploy the blade it could be awesome at quite a few jobs (how does it even work?).

[pfrsantos]

It's very difficult to find these kind of pocket tools here. Even in large specialized stores. The few I have I had to buy online...

 

[zoidberg]

That's a long thread title.      

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's what I was thinking- I can't help wondering if it might be more effective with a pocket clip or something to help carry it.

Def

A pocket clip adds volume though and it seems like a tool that lives on being flat and small. A dangler in that hole or just simply a lanyard would be nice though. If it isn't too fiddly to deploy the blade it could be awesome at quite a few jobs (how does it even work?).

I agree, but without a decent carry method it is virtually worthless.  It's no good to me tucked at home in a drawer.

I have some super strong magnets that are a couple of millimeters thick- I might try affixing one to this to then at least be able to stick it somewhere, but I think the magnets cost almost as much as the tool! 

That's a long thread title.      

It was a very long auction title too. 

It's very difficult to find these kind of pocket tools here. Even in large specialized stores. The few I have I had to buy online...

 

Are they considered weapons or something?  Or are they just not a popular seller in your area so stores don't carry them?

Def

[pfrsantos]

(...)

It's very difficult to find these kind of pocket tools here. Even in large specialized stores. The few I have I had to buy online...

 

Are they considered weapons or something?  Or are they just not a popular seller in your area so stores don't carry them?

Def

More like the second. People who need these kind of tools usually work in places where they have other tools available (knives, larger Xactos, screwdrivers). They just use these. When outside the workplace, they don't carry anything (or just a simple pocket knife), so I think there's not much demand for them.

They are regarded more as novelty items than real tools.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm not sure this one qualifies as much more than a novelty either, but I guess we'll see...

Def

[pfrsantos]

I believe it can also work as a pry bar (not for heavy duty, though...).

[Grant Lamontagne]

Theoretically it could.  I would take it pretty easy on something like this though.

Def

[Gareth]

I can see this working well in a EDC organiser of some sort. 

[ddogu]

I love the fact that it's thin and lightweight, yet looks and feels reliable! 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I can see this working well in a EDC organiser of some sort. 

I was thinking something very similar, although I really don't use an EDC Organizer of any sort.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

I love the fact that it's thin and lightweight, yet looks and feels reliable! 

We will see if it is as reliable as it appears in pictures.  It seems many factories these days have much better photographers than craftsmen!

Def

[cody6268]

I prefer quality, not quantity. I prefer a tool I can rely on.  Some of my favorite USA made knives cost me in that range:   Imperial USA Stockman--$4 or $5 (I don't remember, exactly), Klein Tools (Utica Kutmaster) Coping Sheepsfoot knife--$5, Imperial USA Cub Scout Knife--$6, Landers, Frary and Clark Whittler (ca. 1930s)--$6.50.  The fact that I have a knife I can rely on instead of something that's gonna fail when I need it the most--priceless.   Sorry to spoof the old MasterCard ads there.

Normally, I don't bother with these novelty doohickeys, but I like this one.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Agreed- a tool you can rely on is infinitely better than a tool that you can't rely on.  If it doesn't work then it is a useless tool.

But, you shouldn't have to pay $75 for a box cutter or wrench.  So, I do these experiments occasionally to see what is available in various price ranges to see what may be useful and/or worth raiding the couch cushions for a few dollars.

Def

[Kev D]

I'd definitely buy a few of those if it holds the blade securely.   That could be a handy little tool

[kaput]

I'd definitely buy a few of those if it holds the blade securely.   That could be a handy little tool

Agreed. For the price, you could def get your money's worth out of it for sure. And the name brand counterpart, although much more sexy!, is more than $100 smackers more iirc.

[Chako]

This is a good design. I like my copy quite a lot.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's good to know.   There is a very good chance that this one is going to end up in the MOLLE bag I have in the Jeep as a FAK and emergency bag.

Def

[Kev D]

I've already ordered myself a few of these off evil bay, for the price they will be handy to have. Only £2.67 each to the UK ($4.46 Canadian at today's exchage rate).

Plus I can get standard blades in 10 packs for them from work 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well I hope they aren't too bad then!   

Def

[Kev D]

Well I hope they aren't too bad then!   

Def

Me to seeing as I've ordered 5 of them.

If they are crappy I'll have 5 bottle openers for BBQ's that won't matter if they get abused or 'borrowed'

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes, hopefully they at least manage to do that much well.

Def

[Chako]

All I can say, my copy is well made and useful. I haven't had any issues with it yet. For the price, these are a steal.

[Gareth]

All I can say, my copy is well made and useful. I haven't had any issues with it yet. For the price, these are a steal.

Good to know Dan.

[shecky]

I picked up one of these a couple years back when they first hit the Pacific Rim vendors. My take: it's a cleverly designed piece of junk.

I like its size, its flatness, the multi functionality.

I dislike the blade holding/retention method. First, the blade lock is sort of a frame lock kind of implementation. Bending the tab on the bottle opener half of the body allows the blade to slide into position, and also be removed.

Problem one: the "frame lock" tab is tight, kind of fiddly, and small.

Problem two: this is very much a two hand opening (retracting/extending) knife. One has to open the "frame lock", and then manipulate the blade with the other hand into proper position. Either engage one of the notches on the top of the blade, or the end of the blade in the case of full retraction. There are no visual cues to know when this happens. There are tactile cues... sort of.

Leading to problem three: the "frame lock" not only keeps the blade from extending/retracting, it also keeps the blade in its very thin cavity. Releasing the "frame lock" just as easily allows the blade to move vertically as well as in and out. It can be hard to tell if the blade has come out of its track without good inspection. Leading to insecure blade retention.

Problem three, the blade cavity track is nothing more than a shallow channel machined in the bottle opener half of the handle. The blade edge floats around in there, riding against the steel side of the channel. For its whole length. A steel edge riding against steel leads to a pre-dulled edge before you ever even use it. Call me a stickler, but the reason to carry a razor blade knife is to have something that can be relied on to be pretty sharp, without a rolled edge.

It is a rather handsome looking widget, to be sure. It's simply two halves held together with three small phillips screws, all three heads stripped out during installing. Perhaps a cheap attempt at tamper proofing? 

So, yeah, no one hand opening, no easy two handed opening for that matter, edge killing design, make for a useless tool IMO.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Good points indeed.  To be honest I haven't given a lot of thought to the actual operation of this tool as I was waiting for it to come in to see.

I will definitely make note of your post as it sounds like this could be potentially hazardous to fingers.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Just in case you feel that $5 is an unfair price for this tool:

https://urbanedcsupply.com/products/rexford-knives-rut-urban-edc-edition?utm_content=buffer0b443&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Def