Retractable Razor Blade Utility Knife

myminifactory

This remix of Talon V2 Utility Knife by HallPrecision from Thingiverse was a great starting point, but I wanted to make some key changes. The original design is excellent, but I needed to remove the logo from the front and the website address from the back. Additionally, I aimed to improve the locking mechanism so it stays securely in place while cutting. When using the original knife, I found myself having to grasp the blade portion tightly to prevent it from sliding back into its housing. To overcome this issue, I experimented with several design variations before landing on a solution that works for me. One crucial change was replacing the flexible locking pin with a more rigid mechanism. Instead of inserting the pin through a small hole, you now slide it up a ramp and into a notch. The notch is designed to be long enough to accommodate your fingernail, allowing you to easily push the lock in place by applying gentle pressure. However, this design tweak does introduce a slightly higher level of resistance when sliding the lock back and forth compared to the original non-locking mechanism. If you prefer the faster, more fluid motion of the non-locking version, it's still available as part of the original design. In addition to these modifications, I separated the knife into two distinct STL files, each 1% larger than their counterparts in the original design. This adjustment was made to account for the minor discrepancies between my printer's dimensions and the actual size of my razor blades. While it's possible that the blade tightness issue is specific to my setup, others may also find it beneficial to adjust the size settings in their slicer software as needed. Lastly, I increased the width of the knob that holds the blade in place when retracted, ensuring a snugger fit against the blade itself. This minor tweak helps maintain the integrity of the knife's locking mechanism and prevents any potential issues with the blade slipping out of position.