Lowe’s recently launched this 3-pack of Kobalt “Mini Rapid Aluminum” retractable utility knives.
You get one each in blue, black, and grey. From the looks of it, the mini retractable utility knives work with standard utility blades.
Lowe’s provides instructions on how to extend the blade: depress the blade and push forward until the blade hits the blade stop.
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No pocket clip. Lots of places for dust and grime to build up. At least there’s a lanyard hole.
It looks kind of cheap.
They’re going to sell a bazillion of these over the holiday tool deals season.
Price: $9.98
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Nathan
Pass.
MattW.
Have them placed them as package openers in random spots. They are not smooth or the easiest to use but there useable. I did clean up some burrs and lube them up made them far better.
Jerry
I have a few utility knives designed in a similar fashion. I have not handled one of these to see how smoothly they work, but a couple I have work pretty smoothly, others are either rough or clumsy to operate.
In my opinion, done right, a knife of this design will give you a usable utility knife in about as small/light a package as you can get. Good if you want that sort of thing, they just disappear into a pocket, both for size as well as weight. Not intended to be a heavy use type of knife, but rather to be a knife so unobtrusive that you always have it with you.
Justin
These seem to be heavily inspired by the GilTek RUK. As a daily carrier of the RUK, I picked these up and was pretty disappointed with them. The paint is very rough which causes the blade to not slide smoothly. They’re usable for throwing in various places, but I think money is much better spent on the RUK.
AE
Apparently this was a deal made with Gil-Tek
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1520478935867438
Stuart
Good to know – thank you!
DH
LOL OMG 10 bucks for that??? WOW we have come a long way in overpriced junk
mikedt
3 for $10. So yeah, they’ll sell a lot of them.
Jared
Grab the Screwpop if you’re tempted by these. That’s a similarly low-profile utility blade knife but well-made. Uses a magnet and a locking bar you slide out of the way. Still inexpensive.
EBT
I dunno. Ron’s 3.0 is cool but you need 4-point blades which are hard to find and more than the 2 pt ones (standard ute blades). While it will use 2pt, it will limit how much you can stick out/retract to. But thanks for mentioning Screwpop!
Jared
I agree, you’d have to consider that ahead of time if it was important for you, but I don’t consider them hard to find. E.g. I just checked and the Irwin model #2014098 (50pk) 4-point blade is available at the hardware store closest to my house.
It works fine with the regular blades too, but I suppose that depends if you’re just opening boxes or using it in lieu of a pocket knife.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I like the Workpros. Fold out, which gives you a bigger handle. Tool-less blade change. The pivot is a little stiff but the thing absolutely disappears in your pocket, and they’re 3 for $13.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JRNAQ2W
Aram
I am also a big fan of those Workpros; my pivots are pretty decent (I can flick-open them anyway), so perhaps that’s a spot of variability in production.
KokoTheTalkingApe
You’re probably right. And a spritz of dry lube would probably help too.
Tim Butterfield
I have a Gerber E.A.B. wich is almost the same, good knife that has a liner lock, but needs a screwdriver for blade change out. Those work pro ones look nice.
Wayne R.
So this is just a sleeve that slips over the blade? And a spring.
Ooh look, it’s got a bottle opener too, lemme get my keys…
Alexk
I wouldn’t be comfortable having this in my pocket. That open back and cheap plastic would make me worry every time I put my hand in my pocket, even if it is really safe.
MattW.
For what its worth its aluminum or zinc with a spring steel bar no plastic at all.
Mark M.
I was in a Lowes this morning and looked at these for a minute but promptly put it back. They seemed cheap and I couldn’t figure out what good they would be over a pocket knife or box cutter so I passed.
Their holiday promo displays were sort of interesting but not compelling. A lot of pastel junk-drawer tools, stocking stuffer type stuff. Their Klein promos were solidly OK, but not like knock your socks off good. The 27-1 precision screwdriver was $17 which is a good price but the same as what it is on Amazon currently. They also had a 1/4 – 5/16 short impact nut driver that’s kind of a dead ringer for the Malco one, for $7, and they throw in a PH2 bit so I snagged one of those. Here’s hoping it’s a slow season and they discount the rest of the Klein stuff in late December.
ElectroAtletico
I build better ones in my 3D printer. PASS!!
John Brady
These remind my of the keychain utility knife (kut) from thingiverse that I have been printing and using a few years now.
Stuart
Out of metal?
CMF
I agree with Stuart, they should sell a ton of these. The 1 caveat being is if they are not in a clam shell casing in the store, and you can play around with them, the caveat being that if they do not slide easily, AND like some commented that they are rough to use, feeling cheap, then people will put them back as quickly as they grabbed them.
As pictured, and made of aluminum, they look great.