We’re big fans of utility knives that use cheap, disposable blades, since they save you from the dull maintenance required to keep blades ready for everyday cutting tasks. When the blade’s edge dulls, just chuck it away and swap a new one in its place. It’s convenient. Problem is, most such knives are designed with pure utility in mind (think box cutters), making them unattractive to those who prefer their knives with a more premium build and design. The Resolute X-1 wants to change that.
A small utility knife, it’s basically a supercharged box cutter that combines convenient, low-maintenance function, all while being premium enough to satisfy more discerning users. Whether you’re looking for a low-profile EDC blade, a reliable knife to keep by the desk at work, or a good-looking compact knife to add to your pocket knife collection, this thing should make a worthy piece to consider.
The Resolute X-1 has a rather straightforward slide-up design reminiscent of traditional box cutters, albeit with a skeletal grade 5 titanium frame that looks way better than what you’re normally used to. The frame is single-piece, with no fasteners and no connected mechanical parts, ensuring there are no components in the main frame that can break down or wear out over time. There’s also no aggressive texturing of any sort, which, the outfit claims, was done to minimize the chances of the frame causing any shredding while it sits inside your pocket.
Obviously, you’ll need something moving to get the blade to slide up. In this instance, it uses a bronze slider that moves along a low-friction rail right on the frame, all while slotting into built-in notches when you deploy and put away the blade to ensure that everything locks into place. The rail, by the way, has a cantilever design that allows it to automatically adjust in width, so the gap gets wider when the slider is moving and narrows down into place once the slider settles on one of the notches. It’s a simple yet clever design touch that allows the knife to maintain its simplicity.
The Resolute X-1 is a really compact knife that measures just 2.67 x 0.85 x 0.125 inches (length x width x depth), making it small enough to fit in the tiny coin pocket right there in your jeans, with the integrated clip securing it by that pocket’s edge. This allows it to be practically disappear when not in use, as it uses up no room in the rest of your pockets, creates no bulk, and adds almost no weight to your stash. Suffice to say, it’s one convenient knife to carry with you.
As with other similar cutters, it supports one-handed operation that lets you deploy and pull back the blade with just a single move of the thumb. It uses standard disposable blades – just cut it to a size that actually fits in this tiny knife and you’re set.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Resolute X-1. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $98.