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Like many Individuals, I bemoan the truth that on-line buying hurts native companies, which may’t compete with the comfort of unsustainable perks like “free” two-day Prime delivery. Like many Individuals, I nonetheless purchase a ton of stuff on-line anyway, as a result of it is certain simpler to not have to hold an enormous pack of bathroom paper house from Aldi (not less than, as a New Yorker, I can nonetheless be a snob about the truth that I stroll to purchase groceries). However this additionally implies that, come Prime Day or throughout the vacation season, I’ve to cope with an entire lot of cardboard bins.
Some 35 million tons of “containerboard,” or cardboard used to make delivery containers like Amazon bins, is produced within the U.S. every year. By my estimate, not less than 10 p.c of that arrives on my doorstep. And whereas I am tremendous diligent about recycling all of it (the American Forest & Paper Affiliation estimates that the “efficient recycling charge” for cardboard is as excessive as 85%—yay!), breaking these bins right down to get them prepared to position curbside is a problem.
Or it was, till I realized concerning the Canary field cutter, a slim little knife with a non-stick serrated blade and a cheery yellow deal with.
A field cutter produced by a former Japanese sword firm
This $8 knife—sure, it’s bought on Amazon, although mine was shipped to me in a padded envelope relatively than a field—is made in Japan by an organization known as Hasegawa Cutlery, which acquired its begin practically 100 years in the past sharpening and grinding swords (the “Cutlery” half was added to the title after World Struggle II, when the enterprise first started producing scissors). Hasegawa’s advertising language suggests the corporate has introduced all of its Japanese sword-making experience to bear on creating shopper items, and whereas I’ve by no means tried to interrupt down a stack of delivery bins with a sword, I can not think about it might be a lot simpler than utilizing my Canary.
My earlier strategies for slicing via cardboard—kitchen scissors or a steak knife (do not be like me, children!)—have been lower than efficient, and utility knives, although definitely an enchancment, aren’t nice on the job both. Cardboard is stiff and fibrous, so whereas a razor blade can slice via it fairly simply, it is laborious to make use of one to make a managed minimize, because the blade will careen off-course when you attempt to go towards the “grain,” so to talk; utility blades additionally boring shortly however will nonetheless stay sharp sufficient to simply minimize you when you deal with them incorrectly.
What do you assume to this point?
The all-around serrated edges of the Canary, however, appear to chop via cardboard like butter, whether or not you are going with or towards the grain, pushing the blade or pulling it, or making a sawing movement; its blade stays sharp for much longer, and will not minimize you just about as simply. (These qualities have made the Canary a favourite of crafters who work with cardboard.)
I am not the crafting kind, however I’ve used my Canary on bins each small and enormous. In a couple of minute, I minimize down the massive field my dehumidifier shipped in, leaving a neat stack of small items of cardboard which are straightforward to tie up for recycling. The knife works equally effectively on the lighter cardboard bins like these Amazon makes use of, and thicker ones, just like the beefy boys that held my Goal flatpack furnishings.
It appears a stretch to name this little blade life-changing, however it has positively saved me a number of time—way more than $8 price.
