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If your job nature requires you to deal with cutting things like boxes or fabric every day, then a sharp box cutter blade is necessary. The question of how to change box cutter blade must have appeared in your mind sometimes. Dealing with a dull blade might kill your mood, believe me, I’ve been there. So in this short article, we’ll learn how to change box cutter blade in simple ways.
2 Basic Types of Box Cutter Blades
There are many types of box cutters available in the market. It is generally used for the purpose of cutting literally every thing such as card boxes, paper or cord. It also performs the function of a slicer, so that it could easily slice the cooked food into thin slices. When you buy these cutters, you need to check the blade holder very well so that you are able to get the best performance out of the equipment. There are two types of blade cutter blades available in the market today. They are the snap-off blade and trapezoidal blade.
Snap-off Blade
A snap-off blade is a more current invention than a trapezoidal blade and it is gaining its place at job sites. This kind of blade is a long blade that is created by a seam of small blades. And these small blades can be easily snapped by a liked-pliers tool to create a new sharp blade.
The snap-off blade is not as durable as a trapezoidal blade but it is user-friendly as its blade can be changed quickly in seconds.
Trapezoidal Blade
The trapezoidal blade is a classic blade that has been around for decades. It has also been used as a utility knife. The blade shape is in trapezoid, with a long sharp edge with two ends. Either end can be used as a cutting point. Users can change to the opposite end if one is dull.
Signs That You Need to Change Your Cutter Blade
If you’ve ever noticed any of these signs below with your cutter blade, then it’s time to get it changed.
- Rusting: cutter blades are usually made of steel that is oxidized and form rust.
- Not able to pull back or extend.
- Dull blade even after sharpening (applicable for trapezoidal blades as people don’t sharpen snap-off blades)
Learning How to Change Box Cutter Blade
How to Snap off Box Cutter Blade
The snap-off blade is designed for easy replacement. But you don’t need to change the whole blade yet. The blade is the combination of many single seamed blades. Just need to remove the existing one to get a new sharp blade. You just need to follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Pull off the bottom.
Snap-off blade cutter bottom is there to help change the blade so you don’t need to use any other tools to remove it, just use your hand.
Step 2: Stick the bottom to the blade
They are made for each other. So the depth of the bottom thin hole is the length of a single blade
Step 3: Crack it using slight force from your hand.
How to Replace Box Cutter Blade
If you are using a dull trapezoidal blade or your snap-off blade can’t be extended anymore, then you need to replace the blade.
Step 1: Unlock the screw that holds the cutter together
Step 2: Pull out all the parts (the bottom, the blade and etc)
Note: For traditional trapezoidal knives, there is a blade housing at the top of the cutter. You need to replace it first, then the blade.
Step 3: Change the blade
Remember that each knife is designed differently, so you should be aware of the order you disassemble the cutter in order to put it all back later.
Utility Knife Blade Materials Comparision
Utility knife blades are made of steel or plastic. Let take a look at the table below to see how they perform
| Material | Product Example | Sharpness | Durability | Price (Ref on Amazon) |
Application |
| Steel with Titanium coating | LENOX Utility Knife Blades | Extremely good | Longest | $7.95/5pc | Any material |
| Steel | CRAFTSMAN Utility Knife Blades | Good | Medium | $10/100pc | General cutting |
| Plastic | Stanley Heavy-Duty Utility Knife Blades | Not really | Short time (cut quality gets worse each time) | $6/10pc | General cutting & Soft materials |
These blades are cheap if you don’t have to use them often. Many people said they don’t know what to do with 100 pcs.
However, if you need to use them every day, then you should think about what kind of materials you are dealing with the most in order to buy the right blade.
Conclusions
Box cutters or utility knives are not only household items but also warehouse and office necessities. Knowing how to change box cutter blade is something you must know if you don’t want your jobs to be interrupted. We believe that you will get used to this task soon after a few first times.
