Snap-off blade knife (Olfa)
Cúter de hoja segmentada (Olfa)
- Date
- 1956 · confidence high
- Place
- Osaka, Osaka, Japan
- Credited to
- Yoshio Okada (Olfa)
- Field
- Tools
What it is
A knife with a segmented blade scored with break lines, each of which snaps off to expose a fresh edge. Okada devised it in Osaka in 1956, inspired by the glass shards that printing-house workers used to cut paper.
The 1956 date comes from the Olfa company; the name is a Japanese contraction of 'break the blade'.
What it led to
- always-sharp blades in office, printing and building
- utility knives used worldwide
- disposable blades for safety knives