Milwaukee Fastback 48-22-1505 Utility Knife with Bit Driver Review

Introduction

The Milwaukee Fastback 48-22-1505 is a folding utility knife with a bit driver, and it is one of the more thoughtfully designed versions of this concept Milwaukee has produced. The company has experimented with many Fastback variations, including replaceable and non-replaceable blades, hawkbill models, auto-assist openings, and different liner and clip treatments, and this model feels like a distilled result of that trial and error.

This version takes standard double-sided utility blades, treats it almost as a disposable knife, and adds an inline bit driver plus onboard spare blade storage. At around 20 dollars, it is a simple, minimalist tool aimed at people who want one pocket-friendly knife that can also turn the occasional screw.

Who This Product Is For

This knife makes sense for anyone doing light deployment work: opening boxes, cutting cord, scoring drywall or cardboard, and handling small fastener jobs without carrying a separate screwdriver. If you want a traditional pocket knife, Milwaukee makes non-replaceable blade versions with different blade shapes, but this 48-22-1505 is aimed squarely at utility blade users.

It also suits people who appreciate small design details. The hawkbill variants in the Fastback line are not replaceable blade models, whereas a competing Klein hawkbill does offer a replaceable blade, so it is worth matching the model to your actual cutting habits before buying.

Main Strengths

The Bit Driver: The Standout Feature

The bit driver is the most interesting part of this knife. It uses a liner lock to hold a bit in the 180-degree position, so it should not accidentally close on you, and it has detents for both the 90-degree position and the stowed position. A small clip mechanism holds the included double-sided bit.

What sets this apart from most multi-tool drivers is that the bit sits inline with the handle. That alignment matters more than it sounds. When you use a driver built into something else, you often want to hold it like a regular screwdriver and twist straight along the axis of the screw. Compare that to the Leatherman Sidekick, a great tool where the screwdriver sits off to the side, so the pivot point is decidedly on one side of the knife and it takes more dexterity to keep the rotation going. The Leatherman Skeletool CX looks like it might be aligned, but in practice it is not either. Milwaukee kept the bit right up through the center, which makes it very easy to drive a screw the way you would with a regular screwdriver, or to use the knife as a T-handle.

Bit Compatibility and Fit

The included double-sided bit is held firmly by the clip mechanism. Standard single-sided bits also fit and hold fairly well. Double-sided bits, including Vessel bits with the impact ball, do fit and stay in place, though with some play. Speed bits fit as well, but again there is noticeable play. You can also add a bit holder to extend the reach if needed.

The takeaway is that compatibility is broad but fit quality varies by bit type, so performance can differ a little depending on what you load into it. Keeping a small set of double-sided bits on hand turns this from a knife into a genuinely useful pocket driver.

Onboard Blade Storage

There are two liner locks on this knife. One secures the bit driver, and a second small one holds a spare blade. Slide the small lock aside, grip the blade, and push it down into a slot inside the handle. It stays put until you pull the lock aside and slide the blade up to deploy it.

The main blade itself uses a shroud or hood over the release button to prevent unintended deployment. You slide the blade in easily until it locks, and there is a wire and cord cutter at the base. Deployment is smooth in both directions, opening and closing.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The tape-edge gap is a clever bonus feature. A notched slot with small raised nubs is designed to hold the edge of a tape measure so you can cut or score straight down a measured line, useful for sliding across drywall, cardboard, or wood. Be aware that the nubs are small, so some tapes barely hang on. Tapes with more pronounced end hooks slide in more securely, and a bit of magnetic assistance helps, but the grip depends on your tape.

Also keep the bit driver expectations realistic. Because it relies on a small clip rather than a dedicated chuck, looser-fitting bits will always have some wobble. It is best thought of as a supplement to your main tools rather than a replacement for a real driver.

Buying Advice

At roughly 20 dollars, the price is easy to justify if the inline driver and spare blade storage match how you work. If you mostly need a traditional pocket knife, look at the other Fastback variants instead, since Milwaukee offers drop point, serrated tanto, black-coated tactical, and hawkbill styles with different locks and clips. If you want an inline, center-aligned driver in a compact folding tool, this is the version of the line to get.

Conclusion

The Milwaukee Fastback 48-22-1505 is a well-thought-out, minimalist utility knife that gets the details right: a shrouded blade release, smooth two-way deployment, onboard spare blade storage, and an inline bit driver that is genuinely easier to use than the side-mounted drivers on comparable multi-tools. It is not perfect, and bit fit varies, but for around 20 dollars it covers a lot of everyday cutting and light fastener work in one pocketable package.