The long-established utility knife with retractable blade is an indispensable tool for many people and has gone through many iterations over the years. Aerocrafted, a California start-up company, has now come up with a particularly simple solution, abandoning fasteners and most moving parts, and adopting a two-piece solution centered on style and simplicity.

Aerocrafted is a small team of pilots and aerospace engineers who use their expertise to develop their ideal utility knife, called Sideslip. This means adjusting the materials and methods used to design aircraft systems to produce grade 5 titanium tools weighing only 0.45 ounces (12 grams), with elegant, smooth tumbling finishes that minimize wear.

The skeletal frame keeps weight to a minimum and is interlocked with the bronze slider, because Sideslip's frame has only two moving parts, which means that the blade can be switched without tools. It is said that this bronze slider will have a natural luster as it is used, and the blade is protected by an edge protection slot tucked into the bottom of the frame.

In general, the size of the Sideslip knife is 2.67 x 0.850 x 0.282 inches (6.8 x 2.1 x 0.7 cm), and it also includes a pocket clip and key ring for easy carrying. The Sideslip knife is priced at $98 and is available in left-hand and right-hand styles. It is available now. A tutorial on changing the blade can be viewed below.