Everything you need to know about office knives

A clerical knife is a very useful thing in any household; it not only brings practical benefits, but also helps to create real masterpieces. This tool, in fact, is a small device that is easy and convenient to carry. In addition, you can easily replace the blade if the previous one has become unusable.

A clerical knife was once invented in order to use it for cutting paper. However, the more time passes, the wider the scope of application of this wonderful device.

If we talk about when and why these knives appeared, we can note several interesting facts.

For example, the initial use of this device was opening envelopes with letters. In those days when most of humanity communicated remotely using paper messages, a thin and sharp knife was not enough for conveniently extracting letters from an envelope.

When it appeared, the integral design of such a knife was not without flaws. It was a sharp and thin blade, but the problem began when it was dull - how to sharpen it just as perfectly smoothly and functionally was decidedly incomprehensible.

In the mid-twentieth century, a Japanese inventor decided that it would be more correct to make the blade removable. Today, with such an office knife, you can easily break off a dull piece, replace it, and continue to work with a new and sharp one.

The idea was embodied in production and was so accepted by users with a bang that the inventor even created the company OLFA, which produced office knives.

You can talk about the convenience of this device for a very long time, comparing it with older big brothers. But each tool has its own niche; the clerical knife is firmly based on its own.

• It does not require sharpening, you can buy it once and use it for a very long time, just changing the blade if necessary. This saved the owners from the need for additional maintenance fuss.
• Undoubtedly, one of the main features of modern design is the ability to adjust the length of the working part. Holding onto a plastic or even wooden mount-handle, you can independently extend the tool to the required length in order to use it as efficiently as possible.
• Wide scope. Once upon a time it was, in fact, stored in a drawer to open envelopes with its help. But today you can cut the wallpaper with this knife, strip the wire, modify some element of the sculpture or apply for any design decision.

Initially, there was only one species - the classic. But over time, began to produce many variations of stationery knives that meet the needs of users.

The handles of such tools are made of various materials, the blades are also different. In addition to these differences, the cutting element may be wide or narrow. Different widths allow you to diversify use cases.

Such knives are pleasantly heavy in the hand, they break less and less, safer and more comfortable to use. There are even some aesthetic options with a wooden case. True, they are more suitable for the interior of an expensive office, but if you like this thing, then why not. Convenience is just as important as practicality.

The exact option that will be yours depends entirely on where and how the tool will be used. For example, if your task is more about repair, and especially working with wiring, then you should not choose a knife with a metal handle. It will be safer to use a wooden or plastic frame.

In addition, in the case of cutting wallpaper or other similar materials, the option with a twisting lock is perfect. Usually the lock is used flat and can be accidentally shifted during operation. But in the case of a twist, a more reliable design is obtained, because in order to move the mechanism it will be necessary to cope with this very twist.

There are also options for daily use at a construction site. These are more professional tools that have a special (usually rubberized) handle and a more durable wide tip.

Since the range of applications for office knives is very wide, there are different offers for this demand. You can choose a tool of large or small size, with a variety of fixation solutions, as well as with different widths of the tip.

There are even small devices no larger than a pen. Such a compact design is convenient to carry with you, and its sharpness is perfect not only for ordinary tasks, but also for cutting photo paper. To date a mini-knife is bought more and more often, as a larger user is often not needed.

To get the maximum benefit and even pleasure from using an office knife, for whatever you need it, It is important to pay attention to its blade.

• 7 mm wide and less ideal for using the knife for its intended purpose, whether cutting thin paper or sharpening a pencil. This option is not suitable for any construction work, it will not even be able to properly cut the wallpaper the first time.
• 9 mm tip In principle, it is a universal and the most frequent case; it is precisely this very assistant tool in any field. If you do not have clear preferences regarding the scope, then this will be a great option for you.
• Wide blade 18 millimeters wide usually comes in a large rubberized case and copes well not only with wallpaper, but also with wires. Simply put, for repairs this is a great choice.

If you want to make something nice for a loved one or colleague, you can purchase not only a beautiful knife, but also a whole gift set. Often, such a knife comes with a stylized set of pencils, pens, and other stationery.

Before buying, make a control cut on paper to make sure that you are quite happy with the functionality.

A clerical knife has a sharp blade, so you should be careful when working with it, observing simple rules.

1. To never get injured with a knife, do not cut on weight. It is better to deal with this matter calmly and slowly.
2. Since the sharpening there is really sharp, you need to be careful so as not to get hurt.
3. Do not remove too long a portion of the blade, tighten the lock well, and most importantly, hold the tool firmly in your hand.
4. Sometimes you need to break off a piece that has already become unusable, and to make it safer, “bite off” everything you need on an existing drawn line. Thus, you will receive an updated convenient tool that will be a wonderful extension of your hand in any necessary work.

See how to make a clerical knife in the next video.