Over the years I have had various makes of Stanley Type knives and
none of them have really satisfied me .. My most recent one is an
Irwin which folds open and has a magnetic blade recess. Using it a
couple of days ago to cut plasterboard the blade was getting pulled
out of its recess so it would seem that it isn't being held closed as
tightly as when it was new .

Is there any make that will grip the blade firmly? ...maybe they
should make the blades with a hole in them so they can be held by a
screw ?

Any recommendations welcome.

On 28 Aug, 13:57, wrote:
Over the years I have had various makes of Stanley Type knives and
none of them have really satisfied me .. My most recent one is an
Irwin which folds open and has a magnetic blade recess. Using it a
couple of days ago to cut plasterboard the blade was getting pulled
out of its recess so it would seem that it isn't being held closed as
tightly as when it was new .

Is there any make that will grip the blade firmly? ...maybe they
should make the blades with a hole in them so they can be held by a
screw ?

Any recommendations welcome.

I recommend ...
Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out. My metal
knife has a big knurled screw that holds the thing together keeping
the blade very stable.
I've never understood why the double-sided stanley blades are so
popular, since the snap-off ones are so much more convenient.
Simon.

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:38:34 -0700 (PDT), sm_jamieson
wrote:

On 28 Aug, 13:57, wrote:
Over the years I have had various makes of Stanley Type knives and
none of them have really satisfied me .. My most recent one is an
Irwin which folds open and has a magnetic blade recess. Using it a
couple of days ago to cut plasterboard the blade was getting pulled
out of its recess so it would seem that it isn't being held closed as
tightly as when it was new .

Is there any make that will grip the blade firmly? ...maybe they
should make the blades with a hole in them so they can be held by a
screw ?

Any recommendations welcome.

I recommend ...
Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out. My metal
knife has a big knurled screw that holds the thing together keeping
the blade very stable.
I've never understood why the double-sided stanley blades are so
popular, since the snap-off ones are so much more convenient.
Simon.

Who makes your one ?

In article
,
sm_jamieson wrote:
Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out

Oh yes? I've had three different makes where just this happens. Because of
the ability to hold several blades the 'hook' is only the thickness of the
blade and lightly sprung loaded in place.

If anyone can recommend a snap off type where this doesn't happen I'd be
interested. Tried Irwin, Wicks and those yellow plastic types - all the
same.

--
*Some days you're the dog, some days the hydrant.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article
,
sm_jamieson wrote:
Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out

Oh yes? I've had three different makes where just this happens. Because of
the ability to hold several blades the 'hook' is only the thickness of the
blade and lightly sprung loaded in place.

If anyone can recommend a snap off type where this doesn't happen I'd be
interested. Tried Irwin, Wicks and those yellow plastic types - all the
same.

My dad (and BIL) both work for a large cardboard factory. All 300+ workers
there use Olfa "Stanley" knives. I've been using their L-1 model for the
last few years, and it is as good as new (see
http://www.olfa.co.jp/en/body/kind/2_p1.html). They are available from
various online places - e.g.
http://www.jthandtools.co.uk/cgi-bin..._ID=!O RDERID!

Hope this helps.

On 28 Aug, 15:59, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
In article
,
sm_jamieson wrote:

Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out

Oh yes? I've had three different makes where just this happens. Because of
the ability to hold several blades the 'hook' is only the thickness of the
blade and lightly sprung loaded in place.


Oh, I never thought it would hold several blades. I only put one in at
a time, and thus it is locked tight ! Or did you mean the spring is so
weak to allow many blades ? I don't think my current one has a spring
anyway.
It metal from B&Q. I'll post what it is when I get home and take a
look.
Simon.

In uk.d-i-y, sm_jamieson wrote:
Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out. My metal
knife has a big knurled screw that holds the thing together keeping
the blade very stable.

What make is it? I've never found a knife that held a snap-off blade
anywhere near firmly enough for my liking. Particularly useless are the
ones with a press-in button on the side to release the slider - no good
whatsoever for left-handers.

--
Mike Barnes

In uk.d-i-y, wrote:
Over the years I have had various makes of Stanley Type knives and
none of them have really satisfied me .. My most recent one is an
Irwin which folds open and has a magnetic blade recess. Using it a
couple of days ago to cut plasterboard the blade was getting pulled
out of its recess so it would seem that it isn't being held closed as
tightly as when it was new .

Is there any make that will grip the blade firmly? ...maybe they
should make the blades with a hole in them so they can be held by a
screw ?

Any recommendations welcome.

I'm very pleased with this Stanley model, which I've had for many years
and has always served me well:

http://tinyurl.com/5gzgz5

I like to have a smaller alternative to hand and my previous small knife
went AWOL so I now have a non-folding Irwin, which seems promising, but
it's too early to tell really:

http://tinyurl.com/5vxcka

--
Mike Barnes

wrote:
Over the years I have had various makes of Stanley Type knives and
none of them have really satisfied me .. My most recent one is an
Irwin which folds open and has a magnetic blade recess. Using it a
couple of days ago to cut plasterboard the blade was getting pulled
out of its recess so it would seem that it isn't being held closed as
tightly as when it was new .

Is there any make that will grip the blade firmly? ...maybe they
should make the blades with a hole in them so they can be held by a
screw ?

I've been through the mill on these as well, never found any I really liked.
Ended up with
http://www.choiceful.com/choiceful-i...fe-010810.html
which is really good, easy blade change, no blade slip.

Retractable one I have mainly for cable
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Knives+Cutte...fe/invt/167714
very solid, never had any problems with it.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:57:25 +0100, wrote:

My most recent one is an Irwin which folds open ...

And locks open? Folding knifes that don't lock are a menace in DIY.

If it does lock don't carry that on the street! Locking blade knives were
outlawed long before the current knife laws.

Using it a couple of days ago to cut plasterboard

The fingers of my left hand will tell you that this is not a good idea.
Very nearly took the top 1/2" off the second and third fingers around
about 20 stiches needed to sew them back on.

Cut plaster board with a "Stanley" saw blade *much* safer and probably
quicker. Unless you are doing the scrore and snap.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/57220
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/36570

The second might be a bit vicious, the first fits a normal Stanley handle:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/72804

This is the "Stanley" knife I use, able to take a selection of blades, is
retractable and very sturdy not like the plastic stuff.

--
Cheers
Dave.

sm_jamieson wrote:

I've never understood why the double-sided stanley blades are so
popular, since the snap-off ones are so much more convenient.


Force of habit, I suppose. The "Stanley" double ended blades have
been around much longer.

Mike Barnes wrote:

In uk.d-i-y, sm_jamieson wrote:
Don't use stanley knives, use the snap-off blade knives. The blade has
a hole through which the slider goes, and the slider locks into
grooves in the knife, so the blade cannot possibly pull out. My metal
knife has a big knurled screw that holds the thing together keeping
the blade very stable.

What make is it? I've never found a knife that held a snap-off blade
anywhere near firmly enough for my liking. Particularly useless are the
ones with a press-in button on the side to release the slider - no good
whatsoever for left-handers.


Mine is a Stanley, funnily enough. But it has a knurled screw which
you use to clamp the blade firmly in place. Works a treat!

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:21:39 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:57:25 +0100, wrote:

My most recent one is an Irwin which folds open ...

And locks open? Folding knifes that don't lock are a menace in DIY.

If it does lock don't carry that on the street! Locking blade knives were
outlawed long before the current knife laws.

No.It folds open down one side to access the blade to change it to a
new one and that is ,I think ,the problem as it is a weak point as it
has lost it's grip on the blade .. The blade still slides in and out
in the usual way and doesn't lock .
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/61879/


Using it a couple of days ago to cut plasterboard

The fingers of my left hand will tell you that this is not a good idea.
Very nearly took the top 1/2" off the second and third fingers around
about 20 stiches needed to sew them back on.

Cut plaster board with a "Stanley" saw blade *much* safer and probably
quicker. Unless you are doing the scrore and snap.

I WAS doing the score and snap.....I'd not dream of cutting it right
through with a blade ....apart from it being risky it's messy as
well..otherwise I use a fine tooth saw ( but that's a bit messy as
well but neater ..

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Retractable one I have mainly for cable
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Knives+Cutte...fe/invt/167714
very solid, never had any problems with it.

That looks identical to the one I had trouble with. Of course it depends
on how you use it - but if trying to cut by pulling the knife the blade
simply detached. Got it changed for free - same thing. Got my money back.

--
*If at first you don't succeed, avoid skydiving.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Retractable one I have mainly for cable
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Knives+Cutte...fe/invt/167714
very solid, never had any problems with it.

That looks identical to the one I had trouble with. Of course it
depends on how you use it - but if trying to cut by pulling the knife
the blade simply detached. Got it changed for free - same thing. Got
my money back.

Its the knife I keep in the 'electrics' bag and is only used for cutting
open packaging and slitting cable installation - both pulling the knife
albeit a low stress application - maybe they have improved?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember sm_jamieson
saying something like:

I've never understood why the double-sided stanley blades are so
popular,

I keep a couple of the older Stanleys (and clones) kicking about because
of the blade storage in the handle, which is useful for keeping
different task blades.

since the snap-off ones are so much more convenient.

I agree - for general cutting I much prefer the retractable snap-off
type.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

"It's a moron working with power tools.
How much more suspenseful can you get?"
- House

Dave Liquorice wrote:

If it does lock don't carry that on the street! Locking blade knives were
outlawed long before the current knife laws.

Really? I have a Gerber multi-tool that I carry more or less all the
time. The blade on that is shorter than the statutory limit (can't
remember off-hand what it is, but I checked) but it does lock.

Pete