This new-fangled Stanley Retractable Utility Knife – model # 10-788 caught my eye last year when I was zooming through the hardware store. I thought of my beat-up well-used utility knives at home and couldn’t resist buying this one. After all, it has a comfort grip!


Description

This Stanley utility knife has an arc shape (rather than being straight). With the blade retracted, it measures 6 5/8” long x 1 1/2” wide. The color is silver and black, with the silver part constructed from metal. The black plastic underside of the knife has a pull-down section that holds replacement blades. The knife comes with three blades. The underside of the knife also has a small recessed area where the blade acts as a string cutter.

The top of the knife has two sections. The metal forward section has the thumb slide that controls the extension and retraction of the blade. There are four blade length settings. The top back half of the knife has a black rubberized comfort-grip handle. At the very top back is a push button that releases the drop-down section where the blades are stored. There is also a hole large enough to hang the knife from a hook if desired.


My Experiences

Getting this knife operational was a challenge. First was the task of removing the packaging. The knife had a cardboard insert that I believed should somehow release and pull out so that no part of the cardboard remained inside the knife. Turns out there is a small portion of the cardboard insert that has to be torn before the insert can be released.

Next came the task of inserting the blade into the knife. The instructions on the back of the cardboard insert were useless. The diagram is too small to decipher. I’m sure there are people more savvy at utility knife blade inserting than I am. This utility knife works a bit different than my older Stanley utility knives. I had to visit the Stanley website and print out a larger version of the blade installation instructions, which helped a bit. Trial-and-Error installation still happened, though.

In case you are wondering how to install the blade … First, open the knife handle to carefully remove one of the three blades. These blades are sharp, so use caution. Close the handle. I had to push the sliding switch that controls the blade extension all the way forward. There is a rubberized black “stopper”. It’s important to make sure the sliding switch “docks” all the way into this rubberized stopper. You’ll notice an oval yellow button on the side of the utility knife. Push the yellow button in, and slide the blade into the slot at the front of the knife. I had to fuss a bit with blade placement. Once the blade is properly set, release the yellow button. Pull back the sliding switch to retract the blade into the knife. It took me several tries to make sure the blade was firmly locked into place.

Once the blade is inserted, this knife is ready to use. I was astonished at how easily this knife cuts apart cardboard boxes. That’s what I mostly use it for, though sometimes I’ll use it to slice open fertilizer or soil bags. The arc design and rubberized grip of this knife are great, easy to use and comfortable. The comfort grip handle allows me to firmly grasp the knife. The grip has a few ridged lines in it for extra traction. My thumb easily rests along the grip as I use the knife. I appreciate that the knife doesn’t slide in my hand. Having a sure grip makes me feel safer since this blade is sharp! Make sure to cut away from your body to avoid accidents.

One consideration when purchasing this knife is its weight. Test it in your hand before buying. I didn’t think anything about the weight when I bought it. Yet when I compared it to the other utility knives I owned, this Stanley knife with the comfort grip is much heavier. I don’t use a utility knife for long stretches of time, so the weight is not a factor for me. If you do a lot of work with a utility knife, though, it might make a difference.

The string cutting feature is a nice addition. The opening is just big enough for a piece of string. A small portion of exposed blade is always visible inside this opening where the string is inserted for cutting. The blade is easy to retract into the knife when it is not in use. I highly recommend this for safety reasons.


Purchasing

This utility knife cost $8.98 at Lowes. The replacement blade number is 11-921. A 5-pack of these blades sells for about $4.00.


Summary

I was debating what rating to give this Stanley Retractable Utility Knife. I’m torn between three and four stars. I want to give it three stars for the aggravation of figuring out how to correctly install the blade. However, now that I know how to do it, replacing the blade will be simple. There is also the weight consideration, since this knife is heavier than any other utility knife I own.

Then again, I want to give it four stars for being a comfortable knife to use. The comfort grip allows me a better grasp. This knife won’t slip out of my hand. There is also the added bonus of the string-cutting feature that none of my other knives have. I’m going to settle for giving the knife four stars.

I hope you found this review useful.

Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Please read my other reviews:

Stanley Quick Point Knife

Stanley Fat Max Tape Rule

Craftsman 2-piece Arc Joint Pliers Set

Craftsman 2D Flashlight

Craftsman 3-Drawer Metal Portable Tool Chest

Dyson Animal DC14 Vacuum Cleaner

Black and Decker Cordless Mulching Mower

Rubbermaid Big Max Storage Shed


Copyright 2008 Dawn L. Stewart


Recommended: Yes