Appreciation post: I switched from a standard utility knife to a hook blade for cutting underlayment

Last month on a big vinyl plank job, I was fighting with my regular blade tearing the foam. Grabbed a hook blade from my kit on a whim, and it sliced through like butter with zero snagging. Anyone else find a simple tool change that made a huge difference in your day?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_gray2mo ago

Ever feel like a total idiot for not trying the obvious thing sooner? I spent a whole day trying to cut carpet backing with a fresh razor blade, sweating and cussing. My buddy walks over, flips the blade around in the knife to use the other side of the point, and it just works. I wanted to kick my own toolbox.

wren3017d agoTop Commenter

Read somewhere that most people never even bother flipping the blade around on utility knives, just throw them out way early. I always thought I was smart for rotating mine, but then I spent twenty minutes trying to pry a stubborn screw loose with the wrong side of a flathead. My neighbor laughed and handed me the correct screwdriver from his pocket. It's like our brains just shut off when we're frustrated.

phoenixp302mo ago

My buddy wasted half a day trying to cut laminate with a dull blade before he realized the pack had fresh ones inside.