DeWalt Premium Folding Retractable Utility Knife

First impressions and setup

I put the DeWalt folding retractable knife straight into rotation on a mix of site work and shop tasks—breaking down boxes, scoring drywall, trimming shims, cutting roofing felt, and opening shrink-wrapped pallets. Out of the package, it feels substantial for a utility knife at roughly half a pound. That weight gives a reassuring sense of control, especially for long pulls through dense material. The bi-material handle is comfortable, and the overall length (about 6-3/4 in.) gives enough leverage to lean into cuts without resorting to an awkward grip.

The unique thing here is the combination of a retractable blade and a folding body. You’ve got two layers of safety: retract the blade for setting it down mid-task, and fold it closed for transport. It’s an uncommon pairing that makes sense in a real workflow—fast retraction between cuts, and a compact footprint in a pocket or pouch when you’re moving to the next task.

Build and design

The construction is a mix of metal and plastic. The main frame feels robust, the grip is secure even with gloves, and the hinge lock snaps open positively. The blade channel alignment on my sample was decent out of the box, with minimal side play in the blade at full extension. However, the on-board blade storage cover is plastic, and that’s the one area that feels less durable than the rest of the tool. It holds up to three blades, and the latch works fine, but I wouldn’t expect it to survive prying or a hard drop onto concrete.

Color and finish are utilitarian—gray with yellow highlights—and after a couple weeks, the handle had the usual scuffs but no functional wear. At 0.49 lb, it’s heavier than a basic box cutter, but that heft contributes to stability when scoring harder materials and reduces the tendency to chatter in long cuts.

Blade action and locking

The blade slider has distinct detents, and the retention is strong. DeWalt touts improved blade holding force, and while I can’t quantify it, I noticed less slippage under torsion compared with budget retractables. That translates to cleaner cuts and less worry that a tip will walk out of a score line when you twist the handle slightly.

I did have some initial stiffness in the slider during the first hour of use. Cycling the action and clearing the channel of manufacturing dust helped. After that break-in, extension and retraction became consistent, even with light finger pressure. When the knife is open, the frame lock is solid—no accidental closing on me, even while torquing the handle to snap drywall or shave back pine trim.

Blade change mechanism

Swapping blades is done via a button-activated quick-change. Press, slide the old blade out, align the new blade with the carrier notch, and release to lock. It’s a straightforward system but does demand good alignment. The release button on my unit was firm—glove-friendly, but stiff enough that you’ll want to use a deliberate press. My first couple changes felt fiddly; once I got the angle right and seated the blade fully into the retention slot, it became a quick, one-handed operation.

One tip: keep a firm pinch on the blade as you seat it and “feel” for the lock to grab. If it’s not fully latched, you’ll notice slight float on the first extension—re-seat it rather than powering through.

Ergonomics and control

The handle shape works well across multiple grips. For heavy scoring, I shift into a saber grip with my index finger along the spine; for fine work, I choke up near the blade carrier. The textured bi-material scales provide traction without hot spots, and the contours don’t bite into the palm even when pushing hard. The knife balances slightly forward of center, which helps keep the tip planted in thick cardboard and carpet backing.

Because you can both retract and fold, there’s some added choreography compared to a simple fixed-body utility knife. In practice, I found myself using retraction constantly and folding only when pocketing the knife or tossing it into a bag.

On-board storage

The in-handle compartment stores up to three standard trapezoid blades and ships with three spares. It’s convenient and genuinely speeds up blade changes mid-job—no scavenging for a fresh blade in a pouch. That said, the storage door is the weak link. It functions fine if you treat it gently, but it’s not a place to rest leverage or to pry against. Keep it snapped shut and resist the urge to use the cover as a thumb rest.

To avoid rattle, I kept one or two blades in the compartment rather than all three; that made the handle feel quieter during quick movements.

In-use performance

• Cardboard and packaging: Excellent. The weight and strong retention let the blade track cleanly and resist tip wander through double-wall boxes.
• Drywall: Good. Scoring and snapping was clean. The longer handle made straight-line scores easy to control, and the lock-up felt secure.
• Carpet and vinyl: Good. The knife tracked cuts without flaring the fibers. A fresh blade made quick work of backing.
• Plastic strapping and shrink: Excellent. The retractable nature is a safety bonus when working around tensioned material.
• Wood shims and light scoring: Good. With a sharp blade, fine trimming was precise; the handle geometry gave nice feedback.

I didn’t experience inadvertent blade drops or retraction under load. The mechanism kept the blade where I set it. Compared to lighter-duty folders, this one feels distinctly more stable in twisty cuts.

Durability and maintenance

After a few weeks, the mechanisms remained tight, and the hinge lock stayed crisp. The only maintenance I did was blow out the blade channel and add a small amount of dry lubricant (graphite) to the slider—avoid wet oils, which tend to attract fine dust and thicken the action. If your slider feels gritty out of the box, a quick clean and 20–30 cycles usually smooths things out.

I was careful with the blade storage door and had no failures, but I can see it being a long-term vulnerability if the knife is frequently dropped or if the door is used as a leverage point. Everything else—frame, hinge, blade carrier—feels ready for daily use.

DeWalt backs it with a 1-year limited warranty. That’s standard for the category and doesn’t change my expectations; this is more of a consumable than a lifetime tool, but it’s on the sturdier end of utility knives.

What could be better

• The plastic storage cover is the least durable piece. A metal latch or reinforced hinge would better match the rest of the build.
• The blade release button is stiff at first. It loosens slightly with use, but the learning curve is real.
• Weight is a pro for control, but you notice it if you’re used to featherweight box cutters.

Tips for best results

• Break in the slider: extend and retract a few dozen times and clear dust from the channel.
• Use dry lube sparingly if the action feels gritty; avoid oil.
• Seat blades deliberately during changes and check for play before cutting.
• Treat the storage door gently and avoid overfilling it.
• Retract between cuts; fold only for transport to keep workflow quick and safe.

Value and alternatives

This is positioned as a higher-end utility knife with more safety and convenience than a basic retractable. If you want a compact package that’s safe to pocket and quick to deploy, the fold-plus-retract combo makes a lot of sense. If you prioritize absolute bombproof simplicity and don’t care about folding, a solid fixed-body retractable might be tougher long term and slightly lighter. But you’ll give up the compact fold and the double-safety workflow that this design gets right.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt folding retractable knife for anyone who wants a sturdy, pocketable utility knife with strong blade retention, reliable locking, and the convenience of on-board blade storage. It’s especially good for pros and serious DIYers who cycle between tasks frequently and value the speed of retraction plus the safety of a folding frame. Be mindful of the plastic storage door and expect a short break-in period for the slider and blade-release button. Treat those two quirks as trade-offs for a well-controlled, confidence-inspiring cutter that holds its own in daily use.