5 DIY Tasks You Can Use Milwaukee's 6-In-1 Fastback Utility Knife For

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need to perform some kind of mechanical, physical task, but can't get it done with your bare hands alone? Depending on your line of work, you might not experience these situations too often, but it's a safe bet that you'll encounter at least one every so often. Since you never know what kind of problem is going to fall into your lap until it's already sitting there, it'd be wise to keep a multifaceted tool on hand.

Major hardware brands like Milwaukee sell a variety of multi-purpose tools designed to meet any and every annoying daily life situation with skill and confidence. One attractive example of these multi-purpose tools is the 6-in-1 Fastback folding utility knife. If you don't work with your hands much, the idea of carrying a knife around with you may feel a bit intimidating, but once you have it on your person to meet a sudden situation, you'll be glad you did. If you're still unsure, here are a few examples of DIY tasks you could navigate with the Fastback knife.

Be honest with yourself: you've probably got a package from Amazon waiting outside your door as you read this, right? It's no secret that there are a lot of boxes dropping on everyone's porches these days, and if you're doing a lot of online shopping, you probably got quite a few boxes to pop open and sort through. It's not a good idea to do that with your fingers, though, as you could scratch them up pretty badly.

A sturdy utility knife like the Milwaukee Fastback can quickly and safely slice through all of that packing tape to get you at your cool stuff nice and quick. If you already have the Fastback knife on your person, such as having it attached to your belt via the built-in wire clip, you can whip it out at a moment's notice. It's much more convenient than having to go fishing through your junk drawer for a sufficiently sharp pair of scissors, and a lot more sanitary than grabbing a random steak knife from the kitchen.

Have you ever gotten a new toy for your kid, but before they can play with it, you need to put the batteries in? Even if the packaging included batteries, you probably don't have a properly-sized screwdriver on hand to pop the cover, which means needing to grab a bunch of random drivers from the toolbox and trying them until one works. Instead of that whole mess, just leave it to the Fastback knife.

Besides its obvious cutting implement, the Fastback knife includes both a folding screwdriver and a folding 1/4" bit holder. The screwdriver includes a Phillips #2 bit, but you can pop that right out and swap it with the 1/4" bit included in the holder at any time. This is a big help for any and all simple fastener situations, whether you need to quickly remove the battery panel on the aforementioned kids' toy or swiftly secure a loose screw on a random piece of furniture in your home or workshop. If you're making a small project from scratch like a birdhouse and are using the blade to cut and shape it, you can then add screws without needing to reach for a separate screwdriver.

If you're performing detailed work with electrical wiring, you're going to need some specialized wire-working tools. For instance, if you're creating a small homemade device or performing simple home repairs, you may need to do a bit of wire stripping. After all, most wiring is insulated in some form to prevent electrical shocks, but you can't work with the wire directly if there's a big plastic sheath over it. If you happen to be skilled with your hands, it is possible to strip wire with a knife, and indeed, you could do so with the Fastback's regular blade.

If you're looking for a safer, more streamlined option, don't put the Fastback down yet, because it's got a built-in wire stripper in the blade's housing. This convenient nook allows you to run up to 10 gauge wire and press it against the edge of the blade for stripping, all without worrying about cutting up your thumbs. It's a convenient way to remove simple insulation from a wire so you can get at the inside.

One of the best scenarios to have a utility knife on your person is when you're out enjoying the great outdoors. As nice as nature is, it's not always the most hospitable place, and sometimes, you need a powerful tool to cut your way through. While the Fastback knife isn't exactly a self-defense tool, it can be invaluable for cutting up kindling for your campfire. Just unclip it from your belt, flip out the blade, and you'll be cutting through small branches and bark in no time.

In a similar vein, if you're looking for something fun and constructive to do at the campsite, you can grab a random nearby hunk of wood and use your Fastback blade to cut, shape, and whittle it into a little sculpture. Woodcarving is a pleasant and engaging way to pass the time in a scenario where you probably have nothing better to do, and if you're good at it, you'll end up with a nifty little knick-knack you can display on a shelf when you get home.

If you're a home contractor, you're probably no stranger to the cutting and installation of drywall and the tools the process requires. On the specific point of cutting drywall, you obviously need a sharp implement to cleanly and accurately cut through your drywall before you can install it anywhere, or in the case of modifying drywall that's already present, installing something else in it. While the default blade that comes with the Fastback knife isn't the best option for this task, it can house multiple different blade types for various kinds of tasks, such as carpentry, insulation, and, indeed, drywall.

Just load the Fastback knife with one of Milwaukee's drywall blades, and you can cut through not just drywall, but even thin sheet metals. Just draw an outline that you want to cut on the drywall, press the blade in, and guide it along to cut out a segment. Used in conjunction with the wire stripper, this feature is excellent for electrical outlet installations in homes.