Milwaukee Tool has introduced a line of higher-end knives called Hardline which can be found exclusively at your favorite local or online tool supply house. The Hardline knives are currently available in 4 options: 2.5″ (48-22-1997, $59.99), 3″ serrated (48-22-1998 $69.99), 3″ smooth (48-22-1994 $69.99) and 3.5″ (48-22-1999 $79.99). The feedback on these knives, at least for the first few months, has been extremely positive for quality, blade sharpness retention and overall value.
The major improvement in these knives over the fastback fixed blade knives is the quality of the steel in the blade. The Hardline knives utilize quality D2 steel to make blades more durable and keep their edge longer. They have a “flipper” rather than a spring assist for one handed opening, and the tension of the frame lock can be adjusted to suit your needs.
Milwaukee has been no stranger to bringing knives to the group of core trades. The fastback knife as been a standard razor knife for quite some time, and three years ago they started to introduce fixed blade knives to the lineup. However, all of these knives sold at a relatively low price point. The Milwaukee Hardline series is going to be closer to what you would expect for a high end knife ($60-$80 vs. $15-$25 for a fastback with a fixed blade).
These blades are available now at Ohio Power Tool. You can get them or the original Fastback knives, as well as any other Milwaukee Tools you might be after.
