What is a Utility Knife? The History of the Utility Knife
The utility knife is an essential hand tool for the handyman, DIY enthusiast, camper, etc., with its versatile design and sharp blade that can be used for a wide variety of purposes, from cutting rope and leather to opening packages. On the other hand, it is also used in various industries such as construction, agriculture and even food preparation. Due to its convenience and practicality, the utility knife is a must-have hand tool in any toolbox.
Although knives originated 500,000 years ago as stone blades with a single sharp edge, the utility knife, similar to its current characteristics, first appeared in Germany in the mid-19th century. These first utility knives consisted of blades with wooden handles and usually rounded blades.
The most important feature of utility knives is that the blade on a fixed handle can be quickly replaced with a spare when it becomes dull.
Modern utility knife design and production took place in the United States in the early 20th century. In the 1930s, the "Stanley Model 10-049" utility knife with interchangeable blades, first produced by the Stanley Works company, formed the basis of modern utility knife designs still in use today.
A snap-off knife is a type of utility knife with a sharp blade that can be broken off after use to reveal a sharp one, and was invented in Japan in the mid-20th century.
The first snap-off knives took shape in Japan in the late 1940s as the idea of a young electrician apprentice named Yoshio Okada. The blade of the knife he used for opening/cutting cables dulled very quickly, which led the young electrician to solve this problem. Yoshio Okada was inspired by the cutting and breaking of glass with diamonds and completed his first knives in 1956. This technology extends the life of the blade, while at the same time providing greater safety. Yoshio Okada founded his company, now known as OLFA in 1967 which set the standard for the snap-off blades used today.
Snap-off knives are widely used in many fields such as carpentry, industrial and graphic design, handicrafts, textile processing, packaging, construction, electricity, and the food industry etc. Snap-off blades are available today in different sizes and shapes.
Purchase Utility Knives From Uttil
UTTIL stands out as a company that develops new products and technologies by conducting R&D studies on the production and design of utility knives in the hand tools class in Turkey. It is possible to find the most suitable models for various areas of use in the constantly developing UTTIL product range.
