The James Brand Palmer Clear utility knife review

REVIEW – I previously reviewed The James Brand Carter XL which has been a dependable knife but I also have a penchant for utility knives so when The James Brand sent me their new Palmer Clear utility knife that retails for only $39 I couldn’t wait to try it out.

What is it?

The James Brand Palmer Clear pulls at my nostalgia heart strings by harkening back to the days when clear colored plastic was all the rage. With tool-less blade changes, a compact fit in your coin pocket size, and weighing in at a scant 1.98oz it’s the perfect daily carry for when you don’t want to carry a knife. It’s also handy for traveling. Just toss the blade before airport security and get a new one when you land. 

What’s included?

• 1 x The James Brand Palmer in Clear Charcoal with Electric Green lanyard
• 1 x Utility blade included
• 1 x Sticker

Tech Specs

Design and features

The James Brand Palmer Clear is a super easy to use utility knife as seen in their video here. I love utility knives and have quite a few, including the Exceed Designs TiRant which is still my favorite utility blade holder. It is a bit pricey at $80 but totally worth it in my opinion. I also backed the red Rivery Manufacturing’s Zero on Kickstarter which is my second favorite at the moment.

A common utility blade is 2 3/8 inches long or 60mm. The James Brand utilizes a pretty nifty plastic carrier within a stainless steel liner mechanism to lock the blade in securely which when extended provides 9/16” or 15mm of usable blade. The below picture shows some other utility knife holders that I have. The Palmer has the least amount of useable blade.

The clear handle outer shell is made of 100% recycled PCTG which is reminiscent of the old Nintendo N64 controllers, Game Boy’s, and iMac computers. The Palmer Clear comes in five colors and if plastic isn’t your thing there is an aluminum version of the Palmer that is $59 with seven color options. I like being able to see the inner workings but the plastic is a bit smooth without much grip so if you are cutting something thicker such as carpet you may not be able to grip it securely enough. 

Operating The James Brand Palmer Clear utility knife is super simple. Push slightly down on the button then slide all the way forward to expose the blade. If you want to swap or reverse the blade then slide forward ¾ of the way and the button raises up exposing a red line to indicate an unlocked blade. You can then remove the blade and slide a new one in until it stops then push the button down and slide back. 

My only gripe is there were a few times I slid the button forward without looking and mistakenly entered the change blade slot instead of the forward locking slot. I’ll get used to it with more use but I think a slight ramp prior to the slot in the liner would help. Or make the change blade slot narrower just to make entering it more deliberate.

I also would have preferred a little more of the blade to be exposed when open but for cutting boxes and other normal utility knife use that should be plenty. You will end up not using 30mm of the blade’s middle but the point is primarily what you’ll use in most situations.

The included electric green lanyard is a bit thinner than normal paracord and doesn’t hold its shape very well. I’ll probably swap it out and add a bead similar to The James Brand Ulu. I have some normal 550 paracord on the Rivery Manufacturing’s Zero and you can see the difference in thickness. I do like the lanyard option but would really have preferred a pocket clip especially on the Palmer aluminum version.

What I like about The James Brand Palmer Clear knife

• Super light
• Reasonably priced

What needs to be improved?

• Add a pocket clip
• Plastic is a little slippery
• More usable blade

Final thoughts

The James Brand Palmer Clear is a great addition to my utility knife collection and is the perfect option for a less obtrusive daily carry or travel companion. It’s so thin and lightweight that you forget it’s in your pocket but keeps a usable blade handy for when you need it. The James Brand prides itself on designing products you’ll use every day and I think the Palmer Clear is a great addition to their lineup and would make a great one to yours as well.

Price: $39.00
Where to buy: The James Brand website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by The James Brand. The James Brand did not preview the review before it was published.