Safecutters

 A 12-inch fighting and safety box cutter, the Ka-Bar was first used by the U.S. Marines in World War II and has been carried into battle by Marines since. Originally designed as a hunting knife in the 1800s, the Ka-Bar reached popularity with soldiers who needed a safety cutter suited to trench warfare. Its final shape was decided by the Marine Corps, who introduced a slightly longer blade, a smaller fuller, or beveled groove, on the flat side of the blade, and the stacked leather handle. From box cutter to can opener to hand-to-hand combat, the Ka-Bar is the preferred piece of equipment with the U.S. Marine Corps and has become a symbol of the Marines.

Without proper tools such as a safety box cutter, package-handlers—whether shipping and receiving or mail room workers or just ordinary folks—not only risk box cutter accidents (which can be deadly), but also Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), a kind of musculoskeletal disorder that results from overtaxing certain muscle groups by tensing them for excessive time periods, due to overuse or poor posture. The use of the wrong tools leads directly to such muscle strain and overuse. Safety box cutters are designed to minimize the use of arm and shoulder muscles. They thus increase efficiency and save time, as well as protecting workers from injury.

Safety Box cutters are useful for anyone who regularly deals with packaging—which is most of us. Safety cutters have moved from the stockroom to the living room.

To avoid injuring yourself when opening packages, follow these simple instructions:

• Place the box on the floor, setting it at such an angle that you will not be pulling the safety box cutter toward you. In other words, make sure that the line of tape is horizontal, not vertical, in relation to you.
• Place your hand on the opposite side of the box.
• Rather than cutting straight across all at once, make a series of small, smooth cuts.

Most of all, be sure you have good safety cutters on hand. Use a safety box cutter with a sharp blade, because dull blades require more pressure, leading to greater potential for injuries. Maintain a full set of safety cutters and safety knives for your employees and your home, and instruct everyone who handles them in proper box-cutting technique.
The indispensable safety cutter is the tool of choice for endless projects such as cutting carpet remnants, art assignments, and any other projects that require cutting through a thick or layered surface. They're also ideal for cutting open care packages from home.