OLFA 18mm Heavy-Duty Utility Knife (LA-X) - Fiberglass, Chemical Resistant

I have been using this knife for a year now -- updates at the bottom, the original review at top. This "snap-off" knife replaced the traditional utility knife in my everyday tool belt. I chose the OLFA knife based on good reviews, and I like it a lot so far. It is so handy that it would take a some serious convincing to switch back. First, it is great to have a sharp blade with a quick snap. The OLFA blades are really sharp, and seem about as durable as a regular quality utility blade. The non stick coating is great. I like that the blade can extend longer than a trad utility knife; handy for cutting thick and soft materials (foam, insulation, etc.) I would like the blades to be easier to find, but I just bought a bunch and will order more when I get low. Second, the overall design is well thought out. The blade control is great (I am right handed, lefties may not like it as much). The rubberized handle is grippy and soft enough to save your hands. The strange tooth on the back end turns out to be pretty handy. I use it to open boxes, crease paper, open paint cans, adjust a gap when fitting trim, or even to smooth caulk or clean mud off your boots. The only major disadvantage I notice is that you have to look at the knife to set the blade extension. With a regular utility knife, you can open it to where you want by feel -- this one you cannot. Something to think about. Updated Sept 2021 -- Yep, still REALLY like this knife. It is easy on the hands, so handy to be able to extend the blade a couple of inches, and that strange metal tooth on the end has proven useful and versatile. If I end up using an old fashioned utility knife, I swap back to this one ASAP. The thing has been muddy, covered in paint, wet too often to count, and it still opreates smooth and the blade solidly clicks into place. If I lose it, I will order another the same day -- highly recommended! Thanks for reading, and enjoy your work!

Most other razor knifes Ive purchased where cheap junk. This is high quality and worth every penny. Blades are extremely sharp and thicker than other brands. Blade lock is strong and secure. I highly recommend this utility knife for the price.

I always have a utility knife in my pocket. It gets used daily. Over the years I've had a few dozen utility knives. They must be alive since they wander away and vanish. This OLFA knife is terrific. The handle is comfortable. The curve of the butt gives a good grip. The blade extends and retracts very smoothly. The blade (and the OLFA replacement blades) are the perfect example of "sharp." The coating on the blades seems to keep them cleaner so they glide through materials. I have come to prefer utility knives with snap-off blades for most jobs. There is always a sharp cutting tip just a snap away. The long blades extend into odd places to do odd things like retrieving a small item from a crack. The long blades also flex quite a bit which makes flush trimming easy. That works for paint prep, too. I recently had to paint the railing of a deck. A snap-off blade in a utility knife was the best tool for most of the prep work, with a little help from a standard scraper and a sanding block. The knife worked so well I only needed one sheet of sandpaper for 36 feet of painted railing, posts, and filler panels. The back side of these blades is also handy as a scraper when you don't need super sharpness. When Paul Seller talks about cutting a knife wall he could be talking about this utility knife. It's a great combo with a chisel and mallet on wood. I'm very happy with this new knife. With a 50-pack of blades I hope this one does not grow legs and walk.

I had no idea that it was possible to care so much about a utility knife but I love this tool. It's very comfortable and secure to hold, the rubber is in the right places and grippy without being gummy. The fiberglass reinforced plastic in the handle is never going to break, it's very thick and tough. Aa a side note, whoever designs Olfa's molds does a fantastic job, the overmolding is perfect. The mechanism is very secure and feels great to use. The blade is held in the tip so that it gets as much reinforcement from the handle as it can and so cuts are very confident with no wavering or wandering. Super sharp blade with a nice durable edge. The metal tang at the end is surprisingly useful and will even help keep your blade sharper longer. How? There's all kinds of little things you might use (and dull) the edge of the blade for that you can use the tang for instead - creasing something, working something into a corner, prying. It even works as a flat blade screwdriver in a pinch. Definitely something this one has over other knives I've used. I am convinced this is as close to a perfect utility knife as you can get and for $10 there's no reason to settle for less.

Strong, sharp, easy to use good product

Very durable, easy to replace the blade with no cap on the back to get lost, and the self locking system on the blade is AMAZING!!! I’ve been using this specific knife brand and model for years and the only reason I find myself buying another one is because I lose them before they break.

As I printer, I use this knife for oversize media like coroplast, foamcore, styrene, PVC, etc. The store was using box cutter knifes when I started. But this is the knife you want! It lasts much longer than a box cutter knife and is very inexpensive.

Great for 3d sculpting projects, trimming, etc. Easy to cut clean and precisely. One thing to be mindful of, is that sometimes it can be easy to forget to slide the blade back in when you're not using it. So, if you have high-energy cats running around your art studio, be sure to always slide the knife back in when you're not using it!!

Of all the utility knives I have used for marquetry this is the best.

Bang on excellent blade to own. The tang at the back is perfect for opening paint cans or for putting behind a stubborn screw for that extra resistance to remove it. Strong enough to hold open doors with the self closers that hang above the door. Love the grip on this thing. Has never slipped in my hand. Really quick and easy to remove the end to replace the blade. If your looking for a great knife, you found it. I have owned mine for 3 years (working maintenance) no issues at all. Fantastic.

Best Olfa available, great seller

Olfa quality is top not and sharp

This particular knife is one that I use daily and for several years. The fin is the reason this knife gets the 5 stars. The fin can be used to open paint can lids, gently manoeuvre and drop in ceiling tiles. It can also tighten/ loosen screws. There are many more uses for it. It is built strong and is durable. I haven’t had any break. I do give some away which is why I buy more. It is a must have if you’re in the trades or generally need a good versatile knife. Highly recommend