Too Many Utility Knives: a Comparison of Box Cutters

From left to right:
Top row: OLFA SK-9, OLFA LA-X, Stanley FatMax 10-777, Stanley FatMax Extreme 10-815, Stanley Titan RB 2-10-122
Bottom Row: Sears 9488, Stanley 99E, Sheffield 12113

I personally purchased and tested all these knives. I broke my leg 8 weeks ago, and in my pain killer induced haze and my stir crazy condition, I ordered far too many options!

Note, if you use the links in this post to buy one of the knives I will receive some compensation from Amazon. Frankly, I'm just curious if anyone will actually ever do that!

The Problem:

I've been using "standard" box cutters like the Stanley 99E and Sears 9488 for more than 40 years. And they have been fine and I haven't had much trouble with them. But the last couple years my use of them has changed. Now I frequently use them about once or twice a week to cut down shipping boxes to put them in our recycling container. And I have found two problems. One: changing the blade is a pain because I have to get a screwdriver. Two: we don't always close the blade all the way and leave it dangerously protruding in the drawer, just waiting to nip us when we reach for it. This style knife has multiple detents on the switch that moves the blade back and forth, and with casual use it is just too easy to miss pulling it all the way to the retracted position.

So, I decided to find a better replacement.

The OLFA Knives

The OLFA SK-9
OLFA 1086095 SK-9 Self-Retracting Safety Knife With Tape Slitter

For cutting down boxes, I wanted a knife that is easy to use and automatically retracts. We have found that using regular utility knives like the Stanley 99E, sometimes the knife gets put away with the tip of the blade still extended. This knife is easy to use and solves that problem. The only negative is that it takes special blades. But these blades are made in Japan and easy to change: OLFA 9613 SKB-2/10B Trapezoid Blade, 10-Pack. We've been using this knife for a couple weeks and love it.

The OLFA LA-X
OLFA 1072198 LA-X 18mm Fiberglass Rubber Grip Heavy-Duty Utility Knife

This is a good knife, but maybe not for box cutting. I've never liked snap off blades. I've always been concerned they might snap off at a bad time or fly through the air when snapping off. That said, it's fast to get a new cutting edge. VERY sharp, and requires special OLFA blades: OLFA UltraSharp Black Snap-Off Heavy-Duty Blade. I'll use it for fine work, but I do not recommend it for cutting down boxes.

The Stanley Thumb Wheel Knives

The picture above shows the various style of Stanley thumb wheel knives in the open position.
Thumb dial knives have the advantage that when the dial is tight it holds the blade firmly and the blade doesn't wiggle much. But when the dial is tight, it is tough move the thumb switch that extends and retracts the blade.  (It is possible to move the blade with the thumb screw tightened down, but I do not think it is intended that you use the knife that way.) So these are slow knives to use: loosen the thumb wheel, extend the blade, tighten the thumb wheel. Then when you are done, you have to loosen the thumb wheel, retract the blade, and tighten the wheel again. Really, this is best when you need a tightly held blade and don't need to retract or extend the blade.

The Stanley FatMax 10-777
Stanley 10-777 FatMax Locking Retractable Utility Knife

I do not think this knife is a good occasional box cutter because the thumb wheel prevents extending and retracting the blade. Thumb dial knives have the advantages and disadvantage described in italics above.  It also seems expensive (approximately $15 at this moment) for it's construction. On the plus side, it feels very good in my hand!
To switch blades, you have to loosen the thumb wheel all of the way and then you can pry open the handle at the yellow triangle and swing the handle open. It works, but it is awkward. It uses standard utility knife blades.

The Stanley FatMax Extreme 10-815

This thing is hard to find... and I wouldn't use it at a occasional box cutter. But if you need a heavy duty knife, this is the one! Again: Thumb dial knives have the advantages and disadvantage described in italics above.
To switch blades, it you open the thumb wheel all the way and there is a spring that automagically rotates the handle open! (You do not have to pry it like the 10-777). Very nice. The blades are held in place with a spring clip so you don't have them rattling around and getting dull. It uses standard utility knife blades.
The construction on the knife if great. All metal construction. Nice castings. Brass thumb wheel. It is really solid, and it's big too, much bigger than the 10-777. If I was cutting roofing or something heavy and making lots of cuts between retractions, this would be my knife. Look for it on eBay from sellers outside the USA.
If I need a heavy duty knife, this is the one I'll grab.

The Stanley Titan RB 2-10-122
Stanley 1-10-550 Knife"Titan" with fixed blade, Silver (this version comes with a holster, which I didn't have to test.)

Almost fish-like in shape! It is up to you if this shape appeals to your hand. I thought it was a bit slippery. Heavy duty, all metal construction, brass thumb wheel. Once again:  Thumb dial knives have the advantages and disadvantage described in italics above.
To switch blades you loosen the thumb wheel all the way and flip the handle open on the hinge. Easy enough! Unfortunately the blades are loose inside the handle and rattle, perhaps dulling them.
I just didn't like how this knife felt in my hand.
Note they sell versions of this knife that requires a screwdriver to open (without the brass knob), be careful what you order.

Folding Utility Knives

These have a big following and lots of people love them. 

But personally, I'm not a fan. I carry a folding pocket knife all the time in my pocket, and I'm OK with the operation of opening and closing it. I'm always careful. But for casual use I don't think these are a great idea for someone who doesn't use a knife like this every day.

The Sheffield 12113

Sheffield 12113 One-Hand Opening Lock-Back Utility Knife, Blue

I selected the Sheffield 12113 because it got great reviews and had a mechanism that securely held the blade in place. (I've seen complaints about knives like this with button release blades opening accidentally.) But I found I really disliked this knife: One, the flip open mechanism is just hard someone not familiar with this kind of knife to close safely. Two, see the metal tab that says "OPEN":

That is the latch to release the blade, not to open the knife! Wow, that seems dangerous for a casual user. As someone familiar with these knives I didn't notice that, but the first time my wife went to open it, she started prying on that blade release and I stopped her before an accident could happen.
So, I really do not recommend this knife for casual users. Leave these to the professionals.

Summary - My Choices

For the box cutter that we will keep in the kitchen drawer:

The OLFA SK-9: OLFA 1086095 SK-9 Self-Retracting Safety Knife With Tape Slitter

For detailed precision work in the shop:

The OLFA LA-X OLFA 1072198 LA-X 18mm Fiberglass Rubber Grip Heavy-Duty Utility Knife

For heavy duty work:

The Stanley FatMax Xtreme 10-815 Try eBay here.

Yamaha 175 CT3 Enduro - Tire Choices

Above: The original Yokohama "Trail Sport" on my bike.

I just ordered new tires for my 1975 175 CT3. I looked at a bunch of options so I thought I'd share that info here.
I should note that I only looked at dual sport tires or tires that looked similar. There are certainly more options if you want a "street only" tire.
The original rims are 1.60-18 front and rear on my bike. (The parts manual indicates that some bikes may have had a 1.85 rear rim.) The original tires are Front: 3.25-18 and Rear: 3.50-18. The original Front tire on my bike is a Yokohama "Trail Sport". I presume the original rear was the same.
I personally believe in not putting "too much tire" on bikes, so I rejected anything brands that did not provide a front tire 3.25 or smaller and a rear tire 4.00 or smaller. Frankly, in my opinion, even 3.25 is a lot of tire on these 1.60 stock rims.

Note that I did not check the actual availability on all of these.

Shinko 244 Series   Front: 3.00-18    Rear: 3.50-18    Modern look "knobby" dual sport tires

Shinko 241 Series   Front: 3.00-18    Rear: 3.50-18    Similar trials type appearance to the original Yokohama "Trail Sport" tires

Kenda K270    Front: 2.75-18    Rear: 3.50-18    Modern look "knobby" dual sport tires

Vee Rubber VRM022   Front: 3.00-18    Rear: 4.00-18    Modern look "knobby" dual sport tires

Vee Rubber VRM022    Front: 3.00-18    Rear: 4.00-18   Similar trials type appearance to the original tires

Heidenau K37    Front: 3.25-18    Rear: 3.50-18    Modernish Trials Tires

Mitas H-03 / Sava H-03    Front: 3.25-18    Rear: 3.50-18  Street tires for rough roads. 

I chose the Shinko 241 Series. I'll post some pictures when I get them.

1973 Yamaha 175 CT3 Enduro - The next project!

When I was a about 11 years old my neighbor got one of these and I was really jealous. There was no chance my parents were getting me one!

It took until my senior year in high school in 1981 when I bought a street bike, a Kawasaki KH250 Triple, before I became a motorcyclist.

At any rate, the 1973 Yamaha 175 CT3 was imprinted on my memories.

After a long search I just picked one up this morning! It's low mileage and undented, but rather crusty. I'm excited to get it back running.
I scoped the cylinder through the spark plug hole and it looks OK in there and it turns over fine.
I have some other projects in line first, but then I'll clean the tank and carb, change the oil, and check the Yamalube system and see how it runs.
I'm excited!

More pictures:

Motorcycle Tank Rust Removal with Evapo-Rust

Before:

You can see a thin layer of red rust on most of the inside.

After:

Much better! Almost all of the rust is gone. You can see some pinkish paint overspray on the inside of the tank, don't confuse that for rust. Whoever painted this tank must not have masked off the filler opening. The red oil in the bottom of the photo is some Marvel Mystery Oil I used to prevent rust.

What I used

I found this stuff called Evapo-Rust that had good reviews. I had used it on a couple items and was very happy with the results so I decided to try and use it on the inside of my Mondial gas tank.

The manufacturer of Evapo-Rust claims it is relatively safe. This is from their website:

"Evapo-Rust® rust remover is safe on skin and all materials except rust! It's also biodegradable and earth-friendly. Water soluble and pH-neutral, Evapo-Rust® is non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-flammable, and contains no acids, bases, or solvents. Evapo-Rust® is simply the safest rust remover."

They also claim is is safe on paint:

Powder coating and paint will not be removed as long as the paints do not contain oxides.

However, NOTE the exception they mention about oxides! Some paints do contain oxides, particularly red paints. Use care, especially around red paint.
I also saw it damage the clear coat on some of my decals. I was able to clean this up on my tank without trouble, but you should be careful!

My Mondial gas tank is 16 Liters or 4.2 Gallons.  Conveniently, the Evaop-Rust is available on Amazon in various sizes:
Evapo-Rust 1 Gallon

Evapo-Rust 5 Gallon Pail

Other items I used:
90% Isopropyl Alcohol to help rinse out the tank.

Marvel Mystery Oil to coat the tank after cleaning to prevent rust.

How I did it

I took the tank off the bike and removed the petcocks. I've heard people have done this with the petcocks installed but I didn't see any advantage to trying that. I made two petcock hole plugs out of a pair of bolts that I shortened and some rubber washers. I also used some teflon tape to help seal the plugs.

I put some plastic down and used a aluminum turkey roasting pan to catch any drips. I also put some blocks under the tank to hold it off the bottom of the pan. I made sure the top filler of the tank was perfectly level so I could fill the tank completely.

After filling the tank, I made sure the outside of the tanks was completely clean and that the was no evapo-rust on the outside. I didn't want any chance of damaging the paint!

And then I left the tank for a couple hours. I'm not sure exactly how long, but it was more than 2 hours and less than 4.

I've seen metal "flash rust" quickly after de-rusting, so I really focused on completing the next steps quickly.

When I decided the tank was "done", I emptied the tank into a large plastic bin so I could recover the Evapo-Rust for future use. And the I immediately washed the outside and inside of the tank with water. (It was really nice that the Evaporust is biodegradable, minor spills were no concern!) 

After shaking the tank out I put in about a cup of 90% rubbing alcohol and shook it all around and then drained that. And then I repeated that again with another cup of alcohol. The idea is the alcohol blends with any remaining water and then dries out quickly. 

But I was still concerned about flash rust, so after shaking out all the alcohol I could I immediately poured in about half a cup of Marvel Mystery Oil and shook and tilted the tank every possible way to coat the entire inside. I poured out the oil and repeated this step again with fresh oil. After the second oil coat the excess oil poured out looking nicely unpolluted with water or alcohol.

(Note: I wouldn't count on Marvel Mystery Oil for long term rust proof storage of an empty tank. But for short term use before filling with gas it is good. Marvel Mystery Oil is commonly used as a fuel additive and it a pleasing peppermint smell.)

Results

I think the tank came out very well. Most of the tank looks great. That might be a bit of rust left in the bottom, I probably should have left it a bit longer or maybe rinsed it once and refilled for a second Evapo-Rust treatment.

I'll be curious how long this lasts. Some say they you should use a treatment that leaves a coating to protect the tank from rust, they tend to recommend a phosphoric prep and etch. I have done that in the past, but dealing with the acid is very hazardous! This Evapo-rust is much easier. As I said, we will see how it lasts!

Pi-hole advertising blocking and DNS - a complete kit

I decided to build a Pi-hole to block advertisements from our home network and so I could use it as a separate DNS server from our router. I set mine up on a Raspberry Pi 3 B+ that sits headless (without monitor, keyboard or mouse) next to my router.

Detail on technology: Pi-hole and more mmm-pi-hole.
Detail on the Raspberry Pi Hardware: Raspberry Pi.

As I built this thing I discovered a few things so I thought I'd share some tips. These are not detailed directions, just a basic outline of what worked best for me. If you know your way around this kind of stuff (setting up DNS servers and home routers) it will probably be enough, but if you don't, consider finding a more detailed guide than this one! 

Here is the hardware I chose (with pricing today 2018-10-5):

Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Motherboard $40
Power Supply with switched cord $10
32GB MicroSD card and adapter $9
Flirc Aluminum case with integral heat sink $16

Total cost: $75
(You will also need a monitor with HDMI cable and a USB keyboard and mouse.)

Steps:

1. First you need to format the SD card as FAT32.
2. Next you need to install an operating system image on the SD Card. Raspian (Debian for the Raspberry Pi) is the obvious choice. Most of the directions recommended using "NOOBS", an installer program, but I found it set up a corrupt image on my card, and googling showed many people had problems with this. I tried the alternative method and actually found it to be much easier and I highly recommend it:
1. Download Etcher (the image flasher)
2. Download Raspian Stretch with Desktop (the OS)
3. Unzip the Raspian Image
4. User Etcher to Flash Raspian onto your SD card.
3. Put the SD card in the Pi motherboard and connect the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Power it up!
4. Once you have configured Raspian, you need to install the Pi-Hole software. Follow the directions on the Pi-hole website, its easy.
5. Note, if you configure the Pi-hole initially for wifi, wlan0, it will not work over a wired Ethernet connection! You will have to go back and change the connection to your wired Ethernet port, eth0 or to "all interfaces".
6. Configure the Pi-hole DNS as you desire. Be sure to note the password! You will need to assign it a static address on your network (see your router configuration for that) and point it at the appropriate upstream DNS servers of your choice. If you stream video services, I recommend using the servers assigned by your ISP or some other quality local server. Good article on CDNs and DNS.
7. After power cycles, Raspian and the Pi-hole application seem to boot automatically. So you won't have to login or start the Pi-hole application manually after every reboot.
8. If you want to operate the Pi without an attached keyboard or monitor, you can enable the VNC server built into Raspian. You can find this in the "Raspberry Pi Configuration Menu" under "Interfaces". You will need to install the VNC client on whatever device you want to use to view the server. Hard core users can enable SSH if they wish.
9. Note you can access the Pi-hole software from any device on the local network by entering it's address in your web browser.
10. At this point I tested the Pi-hole by telling a single computer to use it for DNS. When I was happy with how that worked I then changed the DHCP DNS settings in my router to enable the Pi-hole for the entire network.
11. It works great!

I will note; there is not much visible improvement on a computer for the end user over something like uBlock Origin. However, the Pi-hole works great for smart phone and tablet users! And while it doesn't appear much different to computer users, it does substantially cut back on network DNS requests. The results are visible in the picture at the top of the page.

Dad's APH-5 Flight Helmet

Spent some time restoring Dad's APH-5 old flight helmet today. The helmet is from around 1957. In the early 70's Dad had stripped the helmet of the headphones and microphone for use with his ham radio. And then the visor was broken and the knob to retain it lost, probably due to my playing with it as a kid!

I was able to source original replacement parts on eBay and from a helpful person on the forum at usmilitariaforum.com. I disassembled the helmet cleaned it slightly and then carefully soldered some wires and fitted the pieces back together. It will be a great display piece!

More pictures:

And here is a funny card Dad received during his helicopter training. It appears they handed these out after the student mastered hovering and some other maneuvers.

Even the back is a little strange! This must have had some strange meaning to the pilots...

Bosch GLL 100 Green-Beam vs Bosch GLL 2-15 Comparison Test and Review

Bosch GLL-100 vs Bosch GLL 2-15 outdoors on an overcast day in the buildings shadow.

These lasers were set up 7 feet from the wall.

The arrows point to the crossing point of the respective beams.

My trusty Bosch laser level is a great thing but it just doesn't work in daylight. I'm always waiting for dusk to use it on outdoor projects. I've heard these new green lasers are better, and the manufacturers advertise them as 4x brighter. So I decided to get one and try it.

Outcome: The new Bosch GLL-100 is not much better than my old GLL 2-15. And it is much larger. I will not be keeping it. Note the attached photo, taken on an overcast day in the building's shadow. The green laser is just barely visible, a bit better than the red laser. But still not usable outside. If you are using this indoors and do not mind the size and price, or just need a new unit, it is great. But I wouldn't recommend it as an "upgrade".