Civivi Utility Knife

I have carried a knife every day since fifth grade, and I use one all day long in our warehouse and on the shop floor. But I am not a “knife guy.”

Most knives are awkward, slathered with testosterone and look like they were designed by a blind Klingon. And if you think woodworkers are worked up about the different types of tool steels, stay away from the online knife forums. It’s wack-a-doodle down there.

Plus, to be honest, I don’t want to have to sharpen my knife. Many times, my sharpening gear is across town or across the country when I need it most. So I usually carry a utility knife with a replaceable/recyclable blade.

I like this Milwaukee Fastback knife quite a lot, and I have bought it for my kids and some friends. But it’s chunky and garish to wear to restaurants (yes, I carry a knife to restaurants; I’m from Arkansas. No, I’m not wearing shoes right now. Yes, I like to pee outside).

So I’m always on the lookout for a utility knife that is:

1. Compact

2. Well-made

3. Simple to operate

4. Not stupid expensive

5. Not from the Blind Klingon™ design studio.

Recently, I found the Civivi Elementum utility knife. The company is unabashedly Chinese (props for being transparent), and the company makes a nice knife at a fair price. The Elementum ticks all the boxes for me.