Knipex 16 20 50 Electrician's Folding Cutter: A Clever Idea With Some Trade-Offs

Introduction

Knipex sidesteps the usual pronunciation debates by calling this tool the Electrician’s Folding Cutter, and the name fits better than “knife” would. It looks like a standard pocket knife, but it is really a hybrid: a folding blade with a recessed cutting notch that lets it double as a small cable and wire cutter. It is an unusual design, and after spending time with it, there are both genuinely clever touches and a few things worth thinking twice about.

First Impressions: A Different Kind of Folding Knife

Out of the box, the first thing you notice is that this is a standard slip joint design. There is no locking mechanism. The joint is fairly stiff and snaps solidly into both the 90-degree and fully open positions, but unlike most modern pocket knives, there is no lock to prevent the blade from accidentally closing on your fingers. That is a real consideration for anyone used to carrying a locking knife.

The other striking feature is the recessed notch near the blade, which doubles as a cutting recess for wire. The problem is that it also looks a great deal like a finger choil, the spot on many knives where you place your index finger to choke up on the blade for detailed work. Plenty of well-known folders have a pronounced choil for exactly that purpose. On this tool, however, that area sits right against a very sharp cutting edge, so you want to make absolutely sure you never drop a finger into it.

Design and Build Quality

The blade is a sheepsfoot profile, meaning it drops straight down to the tip. That shape makes it harder to accidentally poke or stab into something you do not want to touch, such as a live wire, which is a sensible choice for an electrician’s tool. The cutting blade measures 50 millimeters, which is where the “50” in the model number 16 20 50 comes from. The full blade runs 80 millimeters and the handle 120, for a total length of 120 millimeters. Weight is a light 85 grams.

That low weight comes from a plastic handle that is tremendously slippery. About the only real grip comes from a small textured panel on the side bearing the Knipex name. Otherwise, the handle offers little purchase. On the plus side, there is a lanyard hole and a small thumb point that makes the knife easy to flick open one-handed.

How the Wire Cutting and Stripping Works

The recessed notch near the blade is where this tool gets interesting. You can open the knife, set a piece of wire into the recessed area, and then close the blade down on it to snip the wire off. In practice it acts like a small guillotine cutter, and that is also where the risk lies: your hand stays exposed while you press the spring-loaded blade down.

You can also use the notch to strip insulation. Place a wire in the recess while the knife is closed, rotate it to score the insulation, then pull the insulation off. It works on standard round wire and even on Romex. That said, the technique is awkward and a little sketchy. The blade wants to wheel itself out of the notch as you pull, the spring-loaded closing action can snap shut unexpectedly, and the cutting angle makes it hard to watch what you are doing while pushing away from yourself the traditional way.

Most people will strip wires faster and more safely with a dedicated wire stripper. This tool makes sense as a backup, or as the only option you happen to have in your pocket when nothing else is available. The straight cutting task is the safer of the two uses; the stripping technique takes practice and a careful grip.

Durability and Edge Retention

The tool is made in Germany, and the stainless steel used for the blade comes from Solingen, an area famous for producing high-quality knife steel. In use, the blade holds up well. After cutting a batch of wires and a handful of other materials, there was no visible damage to the edge, and it stayed sharp throughout.

The usual trade-off with stainless steel applies here: it tends to hold an edge well, but it can be harder to get the edge back once it dulls. For the kind of repeated minor cutting tasks this tool is designed for, the factory edge should last a good while.

Things to Consider Before Buying

• The slip joint design has no lock, so the blade can theoretically close on your fingers.
• The recessed cutting notch looks deceptively like a finger choil, and touching it means touching a live sharp edge.
• The plastic handle is very slippery, with almost no grip beyond a small textured side panel.
• Wire cutting and stripping work, but both techniques expose your hand to a spring-loaded closing blade.

Buying Advice

This tool is best suited to electricians and tradespeople who want a single pocket tool that handles light cutting duty and the occasional wire trim, and who are comfortable with a non-locking slip joint knife. If you already carry a proper wire stripper or a locking folder, this may be a redundant purchase. If it is the only tool you have on hand, the cutting function works well and the stripping function is usable with care.

Conclusion

The Knipex 16 20 50 Electrician’s Folding Cutter is a well-made, lightweight tool with genuine German craftsmanship behind it, from the Solingen stainless steel to the crisp snap of the slip joint. Its dual-role design is clever, but the slippery handle, lack of a lock, and slightly hazardous wire-cutting technique mean it rewards careful users more than casual ones. Treat it with respect and it makes a capable pocket companion.