A utility knife is the tool you reach for to open a delivery, slice through tape or trim stretch film. It is also called a box cutter, and the right one depends on how often you cut and how much you want a fresh edge on demand.
Pack Solution sells three utility knives, and this page sets them side by side. It also covers snap-off blades, what each knife cuts on a packing bench and how to use a box cutter without hurting yourself.
In This Guide
- Quick Picks: Utility Knife and Box Cutter Models
- What Is a Utility Knife Used For?
- Three Box Cutter Models Compared
- How a Snap-Off Blade Knife Works
- What to Cut: Tape, Cardboard and Stretch Film
- How to Use a Box Cutter Safely
- Setting Up a Packing Bench With Knives and Tape
- Buying Utility Knives for a Warehouse Team
- Utility Knife Checklist
- Wrap-Up: Picking a Utility Knife
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Picks: Utility Knife and Box Cutter Models
The utility knives come in three models, sold by the piece. Take the Pacplus MRK for a metal body and a retractable blade, the Pacplus CPK18 for an 18mm red and black knife that is easy to spot, or the Kinetix MDC18 for an 18mm snap-off blade. Most of those knives spend their day cutting brown packing tape and clear pallet wrap, so both sit below.
Best for opening deliveries and cutting tape and film
Utility Knives
Three box cutter models sold by the piece: a metal retractable knife, an 18mm red and black knife and an 18mm snap-off blade knife.
- Pacplus MRK metal retractable knife
- Pacplus CPK18 red and black, 18mm
- Kinetix MDC18 snap-off blade, 18mm
From £1.90 ex VAT (£2.28 inc VAT)
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Best for the tape your knife cuts every day
Brown Packing Tape
Buff coloured polypropylene packing tape for sealing cardboard boxes, in five sizes and packs of 6 rolls.
- 48mm x 66m, 48mm x 132m and BigTape 48mm x 150m
- Proloc 72mm x 66m wide roll
- Standard rolls are 42 micron acrylic polypropylene
From £4.50 ex VAT (£5.40 inc VAT)
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Best for loads you cut open with a snap-off knife
Clear Pallet Wrap
Clear hand stretch film that clings to itself, sold by the roll in four sizes on standard or extended cores.
- 400mm x 120m (20 micron) and 400mm x 200m (23 micron)
- 400mm x 250m extended core (23 micron)
- 500mm x 250m (23 micron)
From £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productKey Facts
- The Pacplus MRK is a metal retractable knife with a metal body.
- The Pacplus CPK18 is a red and black knife with an 18mm blade.
- The Kinetix MDC18 is an 18mm snap-off blade knife.
- 18mm is the blade width on both the CPK18 and the MDC18.
- Each knife is sold as an individual piece, with a minimum order of one.
- These knives cut cardboard, tape and stretch film in packing and warehouse work.
What Is a Utility Knife Used For?
A utility knife is a handheld knife with a replaceable blade, used for opening boxes and cutting cardboard, tape and stretch film. On a packing bench it deals with everything a pair of scissors struggles with.
The same tool goes by several names. A box cutter, a packing knife, a tape cutter and a warehouse knife all describe the same job, and on a dispatch floor the words get swapped freely. The blade and the way it sits in the body matter more than the name, because they decide how safe the knife is to carry and how quickly you can get a sharp edge back.
The jobs fall into a few groups. Goods-in teams slit the tape on delivered cartons and open the film around incoming pallets. Packers trim cardboard to size and cut tape ends. Stockrooms and retail back rooms open cases to put stock on shelves. A knife at each of those places saves tearing at a seam with a key.
Three Box Cutter Models Compared
Pack Solution stocks one metal retractable knife and two 18mm knives. The Pacplus MRK has a metal body, the Pacplus CPK18 is red and black, and the Kinetix MDC18 has a snap-off blade.
| Model | Brand | Details | Sold as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacplus MRK Metal Retractable Knife | Pacplus | Metal body, retractable blade | Individual piece |
| Pacplus CPK18 Red and Black Knife (18mm) | Pacplus | Red and black, 18mm blade | Individual piece |
| Kinetix MDC18 Snap-off Blade Knife (18mm) | Kinetix | Snap-off blade, 18mm | Individual piece |
The sections below take each one in turn. If you are equipping a team, you can mix models, since each knife is sold on its own and the price per piece falls as the quantity rises.
Pacplus MRK Metal Retractable Knife
Choose the Pacplus MRK if you want a durable body and a blade that slides back in when you are not cutting. The metal body is built to last. The retractable blade suits a busy bench, where a knife gets put down between cuts and picked up again without a second thought.
Pacplus CPK18 Red and Black Knife
Choose the Pacplus CPK18 if you want an 18mm knife that is easy to see. The red and black body stands out on a cluttered packing bench, so people spend less time looking for it. It takes an 18mm blade, the same width as the MDC18.
Kinetix MDC18 Snap-off Blade Knife
Choose the Kinetix MDC18 if you cut a lot of tape and film and want a fresh edge on demand. It takes an 18mm snap-off blade and doubles as a stretch wrap cutter. You snap the dull segment away instead of swapping the whole blade, so a sharp edge is only a few seconds off.
How a Snap-Off Blade Knife Works
A snap-off blade knife has a long blade scored into segments. When the tip goes blunt, you snap off the end segment to expose a fresh edge.
This is why the Kinetix MDC18 suits repeated cutting. Tape and stretch film dull a blade as they go, and a dull blade drags and slips instead of slicing. If you can renew the edge in a moment, you are less tempted to force a blunt blade through a carton, and a forced blade is a hazard to your hand.
Good to know: 18mm describes the blade width. Both the Pacplus CPK18 and the Kinetix MDC18 are 18mm blade models, so the number in the name gives you the width of the blade each knife takes.
A retractable knife works differently. The blade slides back into the body between cuts, which keeps the edge covered while the knife sits in a pocket or on the bench. Snap-off suits cutting that dulls the edge quickly, and retractable suits a knife that is picked up and put down all day.
What to Cut: Tape, Cardboard and Stretch Film
A box cutter handles three jobs on a packing bench: slitting tape, cutting cardboard and trimming stretch film. Each one needs a slightly different approach.
Cutting Brown Packing Tape
To open a sealed box, run the blade along the tape seam and keep the cut shallow. Pack Solution sells brown packing tape in packs of 6 rolls across five sizes, from 48mm x 66m and 48mm x 132m up to BigTape 48mm x 150m and the wide Proloc 72mm x 66m roll. The standard rolls are acrylic polypropylene at 42 micron.
A shallow cut matters because the goods sit just below the flaps. Cut only through the tape, then open the flaps by hand. On a wide roll like the 72mm Proloc, make one pass along the middle and a second along an edge instead of pressing harder.
Cutting Stretch Film and Pallet Wrap
To remove stretch film from a pallet, cut the film from top to bottom on one face, then peel it away. Clear pallet wrap is hand stretch film that clings to itself, so it grips tightly without tape or heat.
The four rolls are 400mm x 120m (20 micron), 400mm x 200m (23 micron), 400mm x 250m (23 micron, extended core) and 500mm x 250m (23 micron). Film dulls an edge, which makes a snap-off knife like the MDC18 a good match here. Our guide on how to wrap a pallet covers the wrapping side, which is the other half of the job.
Cutting Cardboard
For cardboard, mark a line along a straight edge and cut in several light passes instead of one heavy one. A heavy pass can slip. Light ones follow the line you drew and keep the blade under control.
How to Use a Box Cutter Safely
Retract or cover the blade after every cut, and always cut away from your body. Both habits take seconds and keep the blade away from you.
Follow these steps each time you open a box:
- Put the box on a flat surface so it cannot slide.
- Extend only as much blade as the cut needs.
- Keep your free hand clear of the line of the cut.
- Cut away from your body, along the tape seam, with a shallow stroke.
- Open the flaps by hand rather than cutting deeper.
- Retract the blade, or snap off a blunt segment, before you put the knife down.
If a blade feels dull, renew or replace it before the next cut. Extra pressure on a blunt blade is where control tends to go.
Good to know: the product page gives one safety rule for all three models. Always retract or cover the blade after each cut, and cut away from your body.
Setting Up a Packing Bench With Knives and Tape
A knife is one tool on a packing bench. It works beside a tape dispenser, tape and wrapping supplies, and the layout decides how quickly a parcel moves through.
Keep the knife in the same place every time, ideally in a tray beside the dispenser. Our guide to tape dispensers and tape guns covers the sealing side, and how to pack a box for shipping takes you through the packing itself. For a team, give each station its own knife so nobody walks the floor carrying an open blade.
Knives sit in the equipments collection alongside dispensers and wrap tools.
Buying Utility Knives for a Warehouse Team
You can buy utility knives for a whole shift. Each is sold per piece and the price per piece drops automatically as the quantity rises, with the tiers shown on the product page.
Pick one model so everyone handles the same knife, or mix them by job. Goods-in might take the metal retractable MRK, while the packing line uses the MDC18 for tape and film. The CPK18, with its red and black body, is easy to count back into a tray at the end of a shift. For larger trade orders, call 0161 706 1246 or email sales@packsolution.co.uk.
Utility Knife Checklist
- Model chosen: metal retractable (MRK), 18mm red and black (CPK18) or 18mm snap-off (MDC18).
- Blade is sharp, or a blunt segment has been snapped off.
- Blade is retracted or covered when the knife is not cutting.
- Cuts go away from your body, with a shallow stroke on tape seams.
- Film is cut from top to bottom on one face of the pallet.
- One knife is assigned to each packing station.
- Tape and film are in stock for the knives to cut.
Wrap-Up: Picking a Utility Knife
Pick the metal retractable Pacplus MRK for a durable body, the Pacplus CPK18 for an easy-to-spot 18mm knife, and the Kinetix MDC18 when tape and film keep dulling the edge. Whichever box cutter you choose, retract the blade after each cut.
See the full warehouse equipment range for knives, dispensers and wrap tools. Orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same day from Manchester, and Royal Mail Tracked 48 is free with no minimum order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which utility knives do you sell?
Pack Solution sells three: the Pacplus MRK metal retractable knife, the Pacplus CPK18 red and black knife with an 18mm blade, and the Kinetix MDC18 snap-off blade knife, also 18mm. Each is sold as an individual piece with a minimum order of one.
What is the difference between a utility knife and a box cutter?
In everyday use, nothing. A box cutter is a utility knife used to open boxes and cut cardboard, tape and stretch film. On a packing bench both names describe the same tool, so choose by blade style and body rather than by the name.
What is a snap-off blade knife?
It has a long blade scored into segments. When the tip goes blunt, you snap off the end segment to expose a fresh edge. The Kinetix MDC18 is a snap-off knife with an 18mm blade, which suits cutting tape and film.
What does 18mm mean on a utility knife?
It is the blade width. The Pacplus CPK18 and the Kinetix MDC18 are both 18mm blade models. The Pacplus MRK is the metal retractable knife, which suits anyone who wants a durable body and a blade that slides back in.
Can you cut stretch wrap with a box cutter?
Yes. These knives are used for cutting cardboard, tape and stretch film in packing and warehouse work. The Kinetix MDC18 doubles as a stretch wrap cutter, and its snap-off blade lets you renew a dull edge quickly.
How do I use a box cutter safely?
Always retract or cover the blade after each cut, and cut away from your body. Use a shallow stroke along the tape seam so you stay clear of the goods inside. With the Pacplus MRK, slide the blade back in; with the MDC18, snap off a blunt segment.
