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SNECX Tan Creates Integral Frame Utility Knife

May 1, 2019

SNECX Tan, the maker behind the already legendary IFS-20 knife, recently showcased an unconventional – for him – side project: a durable, locking utility knife called the Mono.

While some users might think of any knife as a ‘utility knife,’ the Mono hearkens to the classic definition: a cutting tool that uses a standard disposable steel razor as its cutting edge. Known in some places as a ‘Stanley,’ these are commonly used for the uglier, possibly damaging cutting chores. In fact, SNECX Tan says in his writeup on the Mono that he came up with the idea in order to have a cutting tool that he could use when he didn’t want to damage his nicer knives. “It took a lot of the stress out of me when I needed to cut things that can damage my expensive knife blades,” he writes.

Of course, because this is SNECX Tan, the Mono features a lot of design prowess that you won’t find on your average hardware store utility knife.
As the name implies, the Mono’s frame is cut from a single piece of titanium, which means there are no screws, joints, or other common points of failure or issue. Additionally the Mono’s titanium frame incorporates a locking device that Tan says offers a totally secure blade without any of the wobble or give of an off-the-shelf utility knife design.

Premium utility knives are not entirely unheard of in the knife world: the Rexford Knives RUT is a well-known example. But Tan believes his creation is the first to feature that monobloc construction: “I don’t think anyone has done a fully functional locking utility knife made out of a single piece of titanium, until now.” The cutting edge will be the standard disposable razor, so you can expect a sharp, durable edge that can be replaced when it breaks, dulls, or becomes otherwise unusable.

Tan briefly opened the books for orders on the Mono, and nearly as quickly closed them again. He says the high-end utility knife only came about because he needed a new project to occupy a rare stretch of free time. “Truthfully this happened because I got bored while waiting for equipment to arrive. And I needed a nicer utility blade holder to save my expensive knives from tasks like cutting tapes and sandpaper.”

Knife in Featured Image: SNECX Mono

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