If you are like me, you look forward to recycling. What I once thought as an onerous chore became a weekly delight when I realized that it was a perfect chance to test whaever folder I am carrying with me. The satisfying “ZIP!” of a sharp thin blade is one of the visceral pleasures of being alive like curling your toes into deep wet sand. Or maybe its just a knife guy thing.
But recently, the market saw the debut of BoxBlayde. I write “debut” only because, well, there is no word in English for the release of a slight alteration of a old device that claims to be a new device. BoxBlayde website states that the device has 2 hours of run time and dual rechargeable batteries. I am not saying they are untrue claims, but its kind of weird for a boxcutter. The Milwaukee Fastback Flip Utility knife, and pretty much every other boxcutter I can think of, has a runtime of infinity and no battery. What’s more—boxcutters are generally less versatile folding knives. So this is an over-engineered version of a limited use knife. And it costs $100. That does not include replacement blades, which are, thankfully, not proprietary. You can get a REALLY nice folder for $100 and it does everything the BoxBlayde does without all the limitations. A Spyderco Dragonfly, for instance, is an amazing utility blade and chews through cardboard like a shark through chum. Plus it can do a ton of other stuff besides just break down boxes.
The questions are endless, but here are a few:
Who was this designed for?
How is it better than a folder?
How is it better than a utility knife?
What sucker would pay $100 for this mildly useful, overwrought hunk of junk?
Why do humans consistently invent and purchase “one use tools” that stink?
I admit that I have nicked myself more times than I care to recount while cutting cardboard, but I think I will stick to knives.
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