I have an Otacle U1 for $20. I like how that locks the blade up with a tool less wheel and eliminates any blade play typical of many others. But, the U1 is so short it's hard to open with the thumb stud, and they way I hold it to release the axis lock, the blade sometimes nips my palm. The flipper and button lock appeals to me for that reason, especially for fidgeting.
That's a weird scenario. Plus my security probably wouldn't let me take a knife without the blade through anyways. They'd just start asking questions about it. That's what you want to avoid.
Does it do well with cardboard? I work in shipping and I'm constantly having to cut large boxes. However I'm not stationary for very long, so I need something compact that I can fold up and carry in my pocket. I carry a small work pro folder but it doesn't feel very durable
In my experience, if you're going to be using it mainly for cardboard, serrated utility blades are the way to go. They cut through cardboard very easily and last a long time. Ceramic blades will last a long time (basically forever) only if you can be "delicate" with them; putting ANY torque on the blade or even cutting too roughly can chip them. I would say that for opening boxes, ceramic is a good way to go, but if you plan on breaking down boxes over and over, serrated blades will serve you better in the long run.
@@mysss29 hard disagree. I’d rather be able to quickly change my blade than have to grab a T8. The lack of choil is irrelevant in use as the flipper tab helps lock in the hand. The ability to customise the spacers, pocket clips, and bearings make it a much more versatile and enjoyable knife to use.
The Otacle screw does not come out easily so I couldn't compare it. The Otacle set screw has a built-in hard stop keeping it in the tool. However, when I went to work on an answer to your question, I could not turn the screw by hand, and needed a pair of pliers, Knipex TwinGrip to be specific, to turn the screw. So the question is not just finger or Torx, but what tool you might have on hand should you need to change the blade.
@@lastbesttool thanks for the reply. I may not be understanding what you mean. You weren’t able to change the blade on the Otacle without the pliers? Or the Elementum?
I could not turn the Otacle set screw with my fingers. It was too tight so I had to use pliers. It could be set less tight so fingers would work but that’s not a guarantee it will remain a tool free exchange.
I just got mine in. If I could change the blades without needing a driver or separate tool, it’d be fantastic. I’ll stick with my tirant v3, even if it was definitely more expensive
Amazing! I'm honestly surprised more high end manufacturers haven't got in the utility knife game. Contractors love to flex little things like that and they play with those fastbacks and all the new flip clones that just came out due to the patent expiring like they're fidget spinners. More premium flip mechanisms would be such a huge flex. I get that the main appeal to utility knifes is that they're cheap and you can keep them in a bunch of spots so you can always have one available, but some of us just carry one around everywhere like it's a pocket knife. I've had the same fastback for probably 10 years. I just hate the inconveniently sized ser screw, makes changing blades on the fly really inconvenient. Probably the only reason I won't buy it. Hoping they find a way to utilize double sided carpet blades in a premium knife. Carpet blades are where it's at but the current selection of carpet blade knifes are just awful.
Have you tried the fiskar pro compact it's 16ish dollars and it's more civi size but all the sturdy of that bigger fiskar. It's perfect to clip on a tool pouch. This is a tad pricey and gotta carry a t8 to change blades kinda clunky. The olight utility knife is much more practical and trendy.
I have the Roxon 2in1 scissor and interchangable blade combo sadly their utility knife holder can not hold the stanley fatmax blades :/ which according to project farm testing for price to performance is tthe best of the bunch
If you,re having problems with the T8 torx, take a small hacksaw and make a slot for a screwdriver in the head of the torx screw. Now you can use a flat driver or the T8. Problem solved, A pitty that Civivi didn,t come with such a simple hack.... And when it goes wrong, spare screw included with the knife :-}
I got this knife. It is a pain to change blades but the screw holds blade secure and you get a lot of blade real estate. Not a great utility knife but good for openning boxes or abusing blade jobs like abbrasive materials
@hawleyfromhell not a troll remark, that's what it is. This one is a little small, Id like a bigger one. It would be good for hard work situations where you might destroy your blade or lose it, like when you volunteer to work somewhere and people borrow you knife
Tsa may still take it. They dont like blade holders without the blade. It would be far too easy to hide a ceramic blade somewhere else. Or even miss onboard storage like on the fastback 6in1 which is very discreet.
This looks like a knife for collectors - that don't plan to ever use it. The Fiskars on the other hand is a work-horse knife, day in and day out. IMO, nothing's better than the Fiskars.
Never went to a website and bought something faster lol. I’ve gotten used to using the exceed designs titanium utility knife, which is also a premium type of utility knife. I like how this one is also pretty small and I really like how much blade is exposed. I’m not replacing blades super often so the clunky replacement mechanism I don’t think will effect me much
They need to redesign the blade change..and i hope and suspect that they will. Many people are having trouble keeping them tight, the blade comes flying out, and that’s obviously extremely annoying and dangerous. Right now there’s no way I would buy one.
So you need to carry a T8 screwdriver in order for it to be a utility knife. No thanks. Blade storage has become a minimum requirement to be a utility knife for me. Requiring a tool to change the blade is the next level of uselessness
There are way too many "luxury" utility knives and we're only just starting to see the "premium" ones I would much prefer to look at, with this, the Olight, and others.
I hate that you have to have a special tool to change out the worn blade. Make the blade easy to remove like regular box cutters and I'd buy the hell outta one. But not with needing some magical special tool to remove it.
For its price point. I find it extremely disappointing that the knife replacement mechanism isn't tool free. This is a very much pass for me. I would choose the standard knife elementum instead.
Who the hell wants an utility blade for $ 40? Take a Milwaukee Fastback and you're gone. Or if you want a very ergonomic one, try a Delfin or an old Stanley. Or buy it form Amazon Basics or Bibury in Aluminum for $ 10. Doc, I really enjoy your vids. But I'm not on earth tan spend too much money for overpriced items.
Ive used mine daily for about 6 months 0 problems in a heavy equipment shop and the torqs bit to change is extremely secure
I have an Otacle U1 for $20. I like how that locks the blade up with a tool less wheel and eliminates any blade play typical of many others. But, the U1 is so short it's hard to open with the thumb stud, and they way I hold it to release the axis lock, the blade sometimes nips my palm. The flipper and button lock appeals to me for that reason, especially for fidgeting.
Curious how you’d compare this to the Oknife Otackle U1? I just picked one of those up today based on your review.
The thing is you can just put it in your check-in luggage already. No need to separate it for wherever you're going.
finally available! and they added a place for a clip for lefties as well
Nice knife. Harbor Freight, are you watching.
Imagine going somewhere with this without a blade so you can pass through security, and find yourself in a land with no torx drivers.
That's a weird scenario. Plus my security probably wouldn't let me take a knife without the blade through anyways. They'd just start asking questions about it. That's what you want to avoid.
Glad to see a ceramic blade demonstration, which usually doesn’t come up in utility knife discussions
(Facilitated, presumably, by that Slice video you did a while back)
Hello again, Doc
Thank you for another Great Video 👍
The only one that made me retire my fastback to the garage/toolbox is the Exceed Designs TiRant
Have you seen AvE's utility knife?
I really want one but I'll have to pay customs to Europe...
I watched the video. Impressive. I'd put that knife more in the luxury category.
@@lastbesttool Yep. Still...
Does it do well with cardboard? I work in shipping and I'm constantly having to cut large boxes. However I'm not stationary for very long, so I need something compact that I can fold up and carry in my pocket. I carry a small work pro folder but it doesn't feel very durable
Have you considered one of those slice ceramic box cutters? The ceramic would last a long time.
In my experience, if you're going to be using it mainly for cardboard, serrated utility blades are the way to go. They cut through cardboard very easily and last a long time.
Ceramic blades will last a long time (basically forever) only if you can be "delicate" with them; putting ANY torque on the blade or even cutting too roughly can chip them.
I would say that for opening boxes, ceramic is a good way to go, but if you plan on breaking down boxes over and over, serrated blades will serve you better in the long run.
It's a razor blade dude. 😂
I don't care for the blade replacement method, which requires another tool.
The exceed designs tirant razer has done the premium utility knife better than anyone
Their lack of a choil is a dealbreaker for me, as is their luxury price. This is a true "premium" option.
@@mysss29 hard disagree. I’d rather be able to quickly change my blade than have to grab a T8. The lack of choil is irrelevant in use as the flipper tab helps lock in the hand. The ability to customise the spacers, pocket clips, and bearings make it a much more versatile and enjoyable knife to use.
@@turtelz217 Which is why the Olight design with a thumbscrew is better than this one, which is still better than a > $100 utility knife.
Cool!
Hey Doc, do you have an Otacle U1? I’m wondering if the torx screw on this Element could be replaced with the thumb wheel screw from the Otacle U1.
The Otacle screw does not come out easily so I couldn't compare it. The Otacle set screw has a built-in hard stop keeping it in the tool. However, when I went to work on an answer to your question, I could not turn the screw by hand, and needed a pair of pliers, Knipex TwinGrip to be specific, to turn the screw. So the question is not just finger or Torx, but what tool you might have on hand should you need to change the blade.
@@lastbesttool thanks for the reply. I may not be understanding what you mean. You weren’t able to change the blade on the Otacle without the pliers? Or the Elementum?
I could not turn the Otacle set screw with my fingers. It was too tight so I had to use pliers. It could be set less tight so fingers would work but that’s not a guarantee it will remain a tool free exchange.
How is the warranty? Just about every utility knife falls apart on me
Check out the one turnback knife co makes. I have a copper one and really like it
Thank you Sir
Flytaniun need to make scales for Milwaukee knives, make cool custom ones
This is pretty much exactly what I wanted. Now if only they would make the same thing based on the vision.
I just got mine in. If I could change the blades without needing a driver or separate tool, it’d be fantastic.
I’ll stick with my tirant v3, even if it was definitely more expensive
sweet product but I agree I don't like the screw as release
You should check out the exceed designs utility knife. It's excellent and extremely compact. He also sells a scale with a ruler on it.
Amazing! I'm honestly surprised more high end manufacturers haven't got in the utility knife game. Contractors love to flex little things like that and they play with those fastbacks and all the new flip clones that just came out due to the patent expiring like they're fidget spinners. More premium flip mechanisms would be such a huge flex. I get that the main appeal to utility knifes is that they're cheap and you can keep them in a bunch of spots so you can always have one available, but some of us just carry one around everywhere like it's a pocket knife. I've had the same fastback for probably 10 years. I just hate the inconveniently sized ser screw, makes changing blades on the fly really inconvenient. Probably the only reason I won't buy it.
Hoping they find a way to utilize double sided carpet blades in a premium knife. Carpet blades are where it's at but the current selection of carpet blade knifes are just awful.
Have you tried the fiskar pro compact it's 16ish dollars and it's more civi size but all the sturdy of that bigger fiskar. It's perfect to clip on a tool pouch. This is a tad pricey and gotta carry a t8 to change blades kinda clunky. The olight utility knife is much more practical and trendy.
I have the Roxon 2in1 scissor and interchangable blade combo sadly their utility knife holder can not hold the stanley fatmax blades :/ which according to project farm testing for price to performance is tthe best of the bunch
Sadly, I’ve had my fastback taken by TSA even with NO BLADE!!
If you,re having problems with the T8 torx, take a small hacksaw and make a slot for a screwdriver in the head of the torx screw. Now you can use a flat driver or the T8. Problem solved, A pitty that Civivi didn,t come with such a simple hack.... And when it goes wrong, spare screw included with the knife :-}
I got this knife. It is a pain to change blades but the screw holds blade secure and you get a lot of blade real estate. Not a great utility knife but good for openning boxes or abusing blade jobs like abbrasive materials
Don't mean to be the troll but it's literally just a "holder" for a utility blade.
@hawleyfromhell not a troll remark, that's what it is. This one is a little small, Id like a bigger one. It would be good for hard work situations where you might destroy your blade or lose it, like when you volunteer to work somewhere and people borrow you knife
Nice design, premium look, but for opening envelopes at the office.
Ehhh I’ll stick with the good ol fastback I think. Not a fan of the way you change the blades
I hear you. I halfway expected a little hidden T8 L-wrench stored somewhere in the handle. I might explore some other screw options.
Yup that's a deal breaker.
Fastback hasn’t lost it’s place yet
@@lastbesttool I have a little T8 driver on my keychain, perfect for this.
@@avalanchefishing5725 Dewalt has come out with their own press and flip now. Could be better than Milwaukee for some people.
I still like the Milwaukee Fastback for its ease of one-handed closing and simple blade change.
Tsa may still take it. They dont like blade holders without the blade. It would be far too easy to hide a ceramic blade somewhere else. Or even miss onboard storage like on the fastback 6in1 which is very discreet.
I love the idea but that blade really doesn't look like it's held in there super securely... I wouldn't trust this for much more than opening boxes
50 bucks for made in China utility knife, no thanks, I will keep my Fastback.
Requiring another tool to change the blade is a deal breaker for me.
This looks like a knife for collectors - that don't plan to ever use it. The Fiskars on the other hand is a work-horse knife, day in and day out. IMO, nothing's better than the Fiskars.
fiskars isn't very edc friendly though, I wouldn't want to carry it in my pocket.
Have you tried the compact it's half the thicknesses inch shorter same grip and folding mechanism very comfortable
I'll stick with my Workpro 3 for $17
It's thinner and the you can change out the blade without using another tool.
$50 for something with no blade steel is steep. The oknife otacle utility knife is $20 and has an axis lock like a benchmade. I’ll stick with that.
Never went to a website and bought something faster lol. I’ve gotten used to using the exceed designs titanium utility knife, which is also a premium type of utility knife. I like how this one is also pretty small and I really like how much blade is exposed. I’m not replacing blades super often so the clunky replacement mechanism I don’t think will effect me much
They need to redesign the blade change..and i hope and suspect that they will. Many people are having trouble keeping them tight, the blade comes flying out, and that’s obviously extremely annoying and dangerous. Right now there’s no way I would buy one.
So you need to carry a T8 screwdriver in order for it to be a utility knife. No thanks. Blade storage has become a minimum requirement to be a utility knife for me. Requiring a tool to change the blade is the next level of uselessness
Exactly.
There are way too many "luxury" utility knives and we're only just starting to see the "premium" ones I would much prefer to look at, with this, the Olight, and others.
Needs to be quick change
I don’t like the way the blade is changed and I don’t like how the full blade is exposed, fastback for me
$.99 Screwless blade change plastic knife>high dollar utility knife that needs a tool to change blades
I hate that you have to have a special tool to change out the worn blade. Make the blade easy to remove like regular box cutters and I'd buy the hell outta one. But not with needing some magical special tool to remove it.
Fastback for the win....
For its price point. I find it extremely disappointing that the knife replacement mechanism isn't tool free. This is a very much pass for me. I would choose the standard knife elementum instead.
biggest drawback is no quick release blade
Who the hell wants an utility blade for $ 40? Take a Milwaukee Fastback and you're gone. Or if you want a very ergonomic one, try a Delfin or an old Stanley. Or buy it form Amazon Basics or Bibury in Aluminum for $ 10. Doc, I really enjoy your vids. But I'm not on earth tan spend too much money for overpriced items.
They're made in China. Why would anyone pedal that
Bad design. The fact you need a tool to preform a simple blade change! No thanks, hard pass until they address that issue
😂😂😂😂 $50, you need to carry a torx bit with you, push only no pull. Literally the worst folding utility blade. Literally featureless