Abstract: A utility knife has a blade carriage having a blade-receiving bay and moveable relative to the knife's housing to move a cutting blade disposed in the bay from a retracted position to a deployed position. A locking mechanism is operative to releasably couple the cutting blade to the carriage and may include a lock plate having an blade-engagement element and moveable by non-pivoting, generally vertical displacement between a locked position and an unlocked position. An actuator engages the locking mechanism and moves the locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position. The actuator may directly contact an underside of a protrusion of the locking mechanism, may be moveably mounted on the sidewall to which the bay opens toward, may be prevented from being moved as far when the actuator is not aligned with the locking mechanism, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A tape measure comprises a main case; a flexible non-metallic tape selectively deployable from the case; the tape comprising a matrix of a plurality of longitudinally disposed reinforcing strands and a polymer; at least a first length indicating measuring scale printed on the tape and visible to a user when the tape is deployed; the tape having a generally flat cross-sectional profile when deployed from the main case and having a width in the range of approximately ? inch to approximately one inch. The tape measure may advantageously further comprise a see-through outer coating, the first length indicating measuring scale visible through the outer coating; and/or a second length indicating measuring scale printed on the tape and visible to a user when the tape is deployed. The plurality of reinforcing strands may advantageously comprise at least thirty strands of glass fiber material. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A saw and/or saw frame comprising: an elongate substantially rigid back member and a swing arm pivotally connected to the back member so as to be rotatable between an extended position and a storage position; A handle comprises a first blade mount; the swing arm comprises a second blade mount; the back comprises a third blade mount disposed proximate to the swing arm; each of the first, second, and third blade mounts being constructed to engage one end of a removably mounted saw blade; and wherein the first, second, and third blade mounts are disposed to allow quick changes in blade configuration. The back member also has an elongate blade storage cavity accessible from above adapted to store at least one of the removably mounted saw blades and an auxiliary blade mounting mechanism configured to operatively mount an auxiliary blade extending forward from the frame.