On recollection it seems I had my Cardsharp (http://www.iainsinclair.com/en/cardsharp4-natural.html) in my wallet on our recent trip to Cairns. They are exactly the size of a credit card so it is easy to forget you had one in your wallet for peeling a piece of fruit, opening a letter, etc. Those security people are getting really sloppy. Mind you they did check me for explosives!
These are great little knives (even if they may not be strictly speaking legal in Victoria). You could certainly do serious work with them, given their 65mm or 2 1/2″ blade, including skin a fox if you needed to – even though they only weigh 24 grams. They are around in four configurations, the one pictured below being the new, improved model. They are around (on Amazon for example https://www.amazon.com/Iain-Sinclair-Cardsharp2-Authentic-Folding/dp/B008QB68R4 from approx US$6.98 (older model – Dec 2017)
‘Cardsharp4 new metal knife: CNC machined from a wafer thin strip of ultralight aluminum (including natural grey anodising), Cardsharp4 has ultimate robustness and strength. New construction with two-stage, child-proof Zytel® safety lock helps prevent accidental opening and gives the knife excellent rigidity in both open and closed positions. The new improved Zytel® rivet secures the blade to the body. Spring-loaded Nitinol hinges ensure the Cardsharp4 remains flat while in card mode with no sagging. A tough, heavy duty tool suitable for most types of cutting tasks.
Just three ingenious folding operations turn the card into an elegant pocket utility tool. Less bulky than a pocket knife and as sharp as a scalpel. Cardsharp® is the first real innovation in penknives since the first folding knife, which has been around for over 2000 years and is virtually unchanged from today’s Swiss Army™ penknife. Cardsharp® is thinner, lighter and due to its use of 420 series surgical stainless steel: sharper. Sharp enough in fact, that it can cut through an automobile safety belt in an emergency.
Cardsharp® was originally designed as a lightweight surgical knife that can be easily transported and safely disposed of by hospitals and medical centers together with paramedics and aid workers throughout the world (without needing expensive and wasteful sharps containers).
Cardsharp’s unique surgical blade technology features an extra long 65mm cutting edge that ensures longer lasting sharpness (conventional utility knife blade edge is only 25mm long).
A good test for Cardsharp® is to carefully cut through a tennis ball or two inch foam which is more difficult using a normal carton knife.
Cardsharp4 weighs only 24 grams (regular Stanley® type utility knife weighs around 150 grams, Leatherman® same sized blade knife weighs around 85 grams). Less weight equals carrying and storing convenience plus reduced carbon footprint.
Cardsharp® is a great chef’s knife. The blade is sharp – rated ‘very good’ by CATRA – long and thin enough to cut bread and also extremely useful for fast cutting of ultra thin slices of vegetables including tomatoes, cucumber, garlic etc. Great for camping and expedition use; Cardsharp® is an essential outdoor companion/survival tool.
- PRODUCT SIZE
- 85.6 x 54 x 2.2mm
- PRODUCT WEIGHT
- 24 grams
- CONSTRUCTION
- Machined 6082T6 aluminum and 420 series surgical stainless steel’
- http://www.iainsinclair.com/en/cardsharp4-natural.html
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/credit-card-knives/
Posted Aug 8 2014:
PS: Sept 30 2018: You can’t carry anything at all for personal defence in Victoria. To do so carries a 14 year penalty. Year before last I spent months fighting being caught at the airport on my way to NZ with a fruit knife ie a pocket knife with a blade less than 50 cm – even though I was also carrying fruit! One of the above, which had been a gift, and which I had completely forgotten was in my wallet.
They were seriously going to charge me with carrying a ‘prohibited weapon’ ie akin to a machine gun or a bazooka. A young ‘lady’ cop was the problem, one who, as I said to her, could not tell the difference between the bad guys she did not have the courage to pursue and a retired farmer who had never hurt anyone and was therefore ‘easy game’ for her litigation.
I employed a specialist lawyer who demanded a copy of the law she was wanting to charge me under. She could not find it, but still wanted to make a nuisance of herself. I went to the Firearms Officer and transferred all the guns into Della’s name because as soon as she charged me they would cancel my Firearms Licence. This cost me over $300 (for which reason I still have not transferred them back).
The Firearms Officer contacted her supervising sergeant who managed to persuade her that there were other more dangerous felons she should pursue, but not before I had to upgrade my firearms security to a safe costing over $1,000, even though (as I told him – and he agreed) there was nothing illegal about me having loaded firearms leaning up against the wall when I was home – and they had been quite safe in my old storage cabinet for 35 years. They never returned my confiscated fruit knife. Nonetheless a very stressful three months, and considerable costs. If it had not been for the intervention of the Firearms Officer I would have lost all respect for the police. I don’t have a lot now though.
Conclusions: While such knives are beautiful, ingenious and very very useful – I would not recommend carrying one in the State of Victoria – though they might in fact be legal. Anyway, don’t try to take one through Airport Security – though I confess mine must have gone through Security at least half a dozen times before it was detected!.
