Slice’s 10558 Smart-Retracting Utility Knife introduces a fresh approach...
Slice’s 10558 Smart-Retracting Utility Knife introduces a fresh approach to ergonomics in the safety cutting industry. Retracting utility knives have sliders that, when pushed, expose the blade for cutting. The contradictory actions of pushing the slider while pulling the knife causes unnecessary strain during use. So Slice asked, ‘Why not pull both the slider and the knife?’ — and the 10558 Smart-Retracting Utility Knife does exactly that. The user pulls the slider button to expose the blade. The knife’s blade retracts when it loses contact with the cutting surface, even if the user’s finger is still on the slider button.
“The invention of Ergo-Pull technology represents Slice’s commitment to re-examining every aspect of cutting technology. Our ergonomic design doesn’t just cover the handle’s shape. It now extends to retraction mechanisms, too,” says TJ Scimone, Slice founder and CEO.
Testing by United States Ergonomics confirms that the Slice 10558 utility knife with Ergo-Pull reduces forearm and upper arm muscle effort, compared with standard metal-bladed utility knives. These results were consistent regardless of the orientation of cutting (horizontal or upright). Ergo-Pull results in a measurable boost to worker comfort, especially during repetitive cutting tasks, says the manufacturer, adding less muscle effort means fewer repetitive strain injuries.
The ceramic blade is up to 10 times longer-lasting than steel, and it is non-conductive, non-magnetic, chemically inert, never rusts, stays sharp and is safer than metal blades, Slice says. The utility knife boasts an ambidextrous design and the blade is changed without using any tools.
This product was originally featured in the February/March 2018 issue of COS.
