Box Cutter -vs- Hobby Knife

[lakeroadster]

Which do you use?

Old Dog, new trick.

I bought a set of Xacto knives with the replaceable blades decades ago, I'm thinking 1980's (This pre-dates the snap-off blade box cutters). I've bought replacement blade sets at the local Ace hardware probably half a dozen times.

Recently I've found that a box cutter works better for most things rocketry related, especially fin slots in tubes and making fin alignment templates. The box cutter blade width helps to keep cuts straight. And the ability to quickly snap off the dull blade and have a new blade quickly is quick and convenient.

I also have a couple of the large utility knives, but they are so large I rarely use them for rocketry projects. Stanley, we want to help you do things right.

​

 

[user 30299]

Which do you use?

Old Dog, new trick.

I bought a set of Xacto knives with the replaceable blades decades ago, I'm thinking 1980's (This pre-dates the snap-off blade box cutters). I've bought replacement blade sets at the local Ace hardware probably half a dozen times.

Recently I've found that a box cutter works better for most things rocketry related, especially fin slots in tubes and making fin alignment templates. The box cutter blade width helps to keep cuts straight. And the ability to quickly snap off the dull blade and have a new blade quickly is quick and convenient.

I also have a couple of the large utility knives, but they are so large I rarely use them for rocketry projects. Stanley, we want to help you do things right.

View attachment 591170 View attachment 591171
View attachment 591172
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I use all the knives you have posted for my builds.

I might start with one knife for scoring the surface of an assortment of materials. But then I'll switch
over to another one that will work better for piercing through the material. It just depends . . . .

 

[neil_w]

I use OLFA snap-off blades for most LPR tasks. The easiest way to ensure I’m always using a sharp blade.

I have a 9mm for fine work and a larger one (18 or 25) for heavier work (eg cutting basswood).

Love those things, improved my building tremendously when I switched over to them.

I still have an Xacto set, of course, for when I need a particular blade shape.

 

[tsmith1315]

My go to is a utility knife blade only, no handle. 95% of the time. I like the fingertip control and feedback.

I have Xacto hobby knives, if it seems like they might work better for a particular job.

 

[manixFan]

I buy my Xacto blades in the 100 packs. That way I'm never shy about tossing the current blade and getting a fresh one when I start a new series of cuts or material. A nice sharp blade makes a ton of difference and it's nice not having to worry about running out in the middle of a project. I lay the old blades on the adhesive side of a strip of masking tape and fold it over on the sharp edge before I toss them. Makes it easy.


Tony

 

[rharshberger]

My go to is a utility knife blade only, no handle. 95% of the time. I like the fingertip control and feedback.

I have Xacto hobby knives, if it seems like they might work better for a particular job.

I prefer single edge razor blades for the same reason, they have a nice reinforced spine to grip and are typically thinner than Utility blades, I also use them in my version of the Kuhn airframe cutter.

 

[cls]

I never figured out how to use any of the odd shaped Xacto blades. #11 only for me.

That's the best for LPR and MPR tubes and fins. Otherwise the Dremel scroll saw is good for plywood up to 1/4".

Next scratch build HPR, I'll try box cutters on the airframe, interesting idea! Thanks.

 

[justforfun]

I use all you show and some more. Two of them being these, one smaller than the other.

 

[bjphoenix]

I use X-Acto blades for my hobby work (mostly LPR). I have a couple of utility knives in my garage workshop that could be used for hobby work but they are bigger and clunkier than I would want for that use. Those snap off blades appear to be thinner and lighter and might work pretty well.

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

Which do you use?

Old Dog, new trick.

I bought a set of Xacto knives with the replaceable blades decades ago, I'm thinking 1980's (This pre-dates the snap-off blade box cutters). I've bought replacement blade sets at the local Ace hardware probably half a dozen times.

Recently I've found that a box cutter works better for most things rocketry related, especially fin slots in tubes and making fin alignment templates. The box cutter blade width helps to keep cuts straight. And the ability to quickly snap off the dull blade and have a new blade quickly is quick and convenient.

I also have a couple of the large utility knives, but they are so large I rarely use them for rocketry projects. Stanley, we want to help you do things right.

View attachment 591171​

I've never even heard of the term "box cutter" before 9/11. They've always been hobby knives, Olfa brand specifically in my part of the world. But yeah, that's exactly what I use.

 

[rharshberger]

I've never even heard of the term "box cutter" before 9/11. They've always been hobby knives, Olfa brand specifically in my part of the world. But yeah, that's exactly what I use.

There is lots of confusion on the terms Box Cutter and Utility Knife, all of the below pictured items can be used as box cutters, however the first one and simplest is the best for doing what the name calls for (I have and use all three and the simple box cutter works the best for opening packaging like boxes). The X-acto Knife is a Hobby Knife and like the pictured cutting tools can do duty as a box cutter, but its not very efficient to use it as such.

This to me is a box cutter, limited cutting depth designed to cut packing tape to open boxes or cut cardboard without cutting to deeply.




This is a utility knife (but can also be called a box cutter), I use them more in the shop and when working with carpet, roofing shingles, and thick harder to cut materials.




This is a Utility Knife of a different type.

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

Yeah, the middle pic is a utility knife or carpenter's knife where I come from. The term box cutter is a completely unknown term to me. My friends and I were all scratching our heads trying to figure out what that was. The bottom pic could be a utility knife (especially the 18mm and 25mm larger sizes) but the 9mm version was always called a hobby knife in my circle. In architecture, we used them in model making and for cutting matt board for picture frames.

 

[teepot]

I use X-acto and the snap off kind. For fin slots I use a Dremel and a cut off wheel.

 

[SolarYellow]

I prefer single edge razor blades for the same reason, they have a nice reinforced spine to grip and are typically thinner than Utility blades, I also use them in my version of the Kuhn airframe cutter.

This.

I have used a few Olfa products and every one of them has been excellent.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Pry the Xacto from my cold, dead hand!

 

[Reinhard]

Maybe I only came across low quality knives or used them wrong, but the Xacto style chuck seemed always unreliable to me. Currently I prefer No. 11 scalpel blades in a No. 3 handle for detailed work.
https://www.swann-morton.com/product_range/3.php
Reinhard

 

[James Duffy]

I buy my Xacto blades in the 100 packs. That way I'm never shy about tossing the current blade and getting a fresh one when I start a new series of cuts or material. A nice sharp blade makes a ton of difference and it's nice not having to worry about running out in the middle of a project.

Amen, brother. I'll go through dozens of blades on a single project. Life is too short to screw up a project with a bull blade.

I lay the old blades on the adhesive side of a strip of masking tape and fold it over on the sharp edge before I toss them. Makes it easy.

I like this idea so much I'm going to steal it.

James

 

[Joshua Smith]

I've never even heard of the term "box cutter" before 9/11. They've always been hobby knives, Olfa brand specifically in my part of the world. But yeah, that's exactly what I use.

I'm in the US and I didn't know the term box cutter until 9/11 either. However, if you asked me to name the knife from a picture, I'm not sure what I would have said...probably just razor blade or *maybe* utility knife if I thought about it for a bit

 

[manixFan]

Maybe I only came across low quality knives or used them wrong, but the Xacto style chuck seemed always unreliable to me. Currently I prefer No. 11 scalpel blades in a No. 3 handle for detailed work.
https://www.swann-morton.com/product_range/3.php
Reinhard

You can try either wrapping the threads with Teflon tape or using an appropriately sized o-ring at the base of the threads. Both have worked for me depending on the handle.

Tony

 

[user 30299]

Maybe I only came across low quality knives or used them wrong, but the Xacto style chuck seemed always unreliable to me. Currently I prefer No. 11 scalpel blades in a No. 3 handle for detailed work.
https://www.swann-morton.com/product_range/3.php
Reinhard

I know what you mean.

I started using Excels - and they use the same Xacto blades.

The chuck holds better, and the foam on the handle gives you a better grip.

 

[Joekeyo]

Box Cutter v Hobby Knife. Sounds like a wrestling match. My money's on Box Cutter. Big and bad, with heavy handle. Never occurred to me to use one for delicate hobby work. #11 Blade & Excel handle (doesn't roll easily) all the way for me.

 

[waltr]

Box cutter (first picture) I was using in the late 1960's working as a stock clerk in a grocery store.
It uses a single edge razor blade.

 

[SolarYellow]

I know what you mean.

I started using Excels - and they use the same Xacto blades.

The chuck holds better, and the foam on the handle gives you a better grip.

View attachment 591400

The hex nut at the back also keeps them from rolling off your work bench and stabbing you in the foot.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I got out the box cutter and installed a new blade to cut my foam board today.

 

[cwbullet]

A hobby knife (Xacto) is good for precision cuts. When cutting tubes, I am rarely using precision so I use a box cutter - the second one. My large hands work better with a large knife anyway.