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A compact utility knife includes a blade holder slidably connected to a handle. A trapezoidal utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder via a blade lock mechanism. A slide lock mechanism selectively retains the blade holder in its extended or retracted position relative to the handle. When

A compact utility knife includes a blade holder slidably connected to a handle. A trapezoidal utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder via a blade lock mechanism. A slide lock mechanism selectively retains the blade holder in its extended or retracted position relative to the handle. When the blade holder is extended, the blade holder and a majority of the blade extend forwardly of a forwardmost point of the handle. Extending the blade holder significantly increases an overall length of the knife such that the knife is comfortable to use when in the extended position and longitudinally compact when in the retracted position. The knife includes a blade lock mechanism. An aperture in the front of the handle creates a gap between the blade and the handle to discourage debris on the blade from transferring to the handle when the blade is retracted.

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What is claimed is: 1. A knife comprising: a handle; a blade holder slidingly carried by the handle for sliding movement relative to the handle between a fully extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the f

What is claimed is: 1. A knife comprising: a handle; a blade holder slidingly carried by the handle for sliding movement relative to the handle between a fully extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the fully extended position; and a utility blade mounted to the blade holder for movement with the blade holder relative to the handle, the utility blade having first and second parallel linear edges, a mounting notch formed in the first linear edge, and a cutting edge, wherein when the blade holder is in the fully extended position, the blade is in an operative position in which the utility blade is locked to the blade holder and extends forwardly of the blade holder and handle, wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 ¼ inches, and wherein the blade holder is constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle by at least 1 inch when in the fully extended position. 2. The knife of claim 1, wherein the cutting edge is an elongated cutting edge that is protected by the handle when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 3. The knife of claim 1, wherein the blade remains spaced from the handle as the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions. 4. The knife of claim 1, wherein at least 40% of the cutting edge extends forwardly of the handle when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 5. The knife of claim 4, wherein at least 50% of the cutting edge extends forwardly of the handle when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 6. The knife of claim 5, wherein the cutting edge comprises a linear cutting edge that extends along the second linear edge. 7. The knife of claim 1, wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is between 3.9 and 4.9 inches. 8. The knife of claim 1, wherein the blade extends forwardly of the handle by at least 1 inch when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 9. The knife of claim 1, wherein an extended length of the knife when the blade holder is in the fully extended position is at least 15% longer than a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 10. The knife of claim 9, wherein the extended length is at least 20% longer than the retracted length. 11. The knife of claim 10, wherein the extended length is at least 25% longer than the retracted length. 12. The knife of claim 1, wherein the sliding movement between the handle and blade holder defines a curved path. 13. The knife of claim 1, wherein: the cutting edge of the utility blade extends over an entire length of the second edge of the blade; and the utility blade substantially has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. 14. The knife of claim 1, wherein the utility blade further comprises third and fourth linear edges diverge from each other as they diverge from the first linear edge. 15. The knife of claim 1, wherein the blade holder is constructed and arranged such that when it is in the fully extended position, the blade holder extends at least 1 inch forwardly of any part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between its fully extended and retracted positions. 16. The knife of claim 1, wherein the retracted length is less than 5 inches. 17. The knife of claim 1, wherein the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle. 18. The knife of claim 1, wherein the handle has a fixed, static length. 19. The knife of claim 1, wherein a front end of the handle and a rear end of the handle necessarily slide synchronously relative to the blade holder when the blade holder slides between its fully extended and retracted positions. 20. The knife of claim 1, wherein the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade is disposed inside the handle. 21. The knife of claim 1, wherein sliding the blade holder from its retracted position to its fully extended position necessarily increases a length of the knife. 22. The knife of claim 1, further comprising a manually operable slide lock that selectively maintains the blade holder in the fully extended position relative to the handle. 23. The knife of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the fully extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 24. The knife of claim 1, wherein: the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the fully extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position; and when the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions, the blade remains spaced by at least 1 mm from any part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle as the blade holder moves between the fully extended and retracted positions. 25. The knife of claim 1, wherein: the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder; the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade in the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; and wherein the entire blade lock is slidably movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions. 26. The knife of claim 1, wherein: the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder; the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade in the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; and the blade lock is manually inaccessible when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 27. The knife of claim 1, wherein an extended length of the knife when the blade holder is in the fully extended position is at least 5 inches long. 28. The knife of claim 1, wherein: the cutting edge of the utility blade extends over an entire length of the second edge of the blade; the utility blade substantially has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid; the cutting edge is protected by the handle when the blade holder is in the retracted position; at least 50% of the cutting edge extends forwardly of the handle when the blade holder is in the fully extended position; an extended length of the knife when the blade holder is in the fully extended position is at least 20% longer than a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position; the extended length is at least 5 inches long; the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder; the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade in the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; and the entire blade lock is slidably movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions; the blade lock comprises a protrusion that engages the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the locked position, but does not engage the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the released position; the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the fully extended position; and the protrusion extends forwardly of the handle when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 29. The knife of claim 28, wherein: the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the fully extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position; when the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions, the blade remains spaced by at least 1 mm from any part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle as the blade holder moves between the fully extended and retracted positions; the blade holder is constructed and arranged such that when it is in the fully extended position, the blade holder extends at least 1 inch forwardly of any part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between its fully extended and retracted positions; the blade lock is manually inaccessible when the blade holder is in the retracted position; sliding the blade holder from its retracted position to its fully extended position necessarily increases a length of the knife; and the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle. 30. The knife of claim 29, further comprising a manually operable slide lock that selectively maintains the blade holder in the fully extended position relative to the handle. 31. The knife of claim 1, wherein: the handle is longitudinally elongated, and the cutting edge extends along the longitudinal direction of the handle. 32. The knife of claim 1, wherein a portion of the cutting edge is protected by the blade holder when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 33. A knife comprising: a handle; and a blade holder slidingly carried by the handle for sliding movement relative to the handle between an extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being shaped and configured to attach to a utility blade, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the extended position, wherein the blade holder is shaped and configured to attach to a trapezoidal utility blade, wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 ¼ inches, wherein the blade holder comprises a first surface configured and arranged to mate with an upper linear edge of the trapezoidal blade when the blade is attached to the blade holder, and a second surface facing the first surface, the second surface being configured and arranged to mate with a lower linear cutting edge of the trapezoidal blade when the blade is attached to the blade holder, and wherein the blade holder is constructed and arranged such that when it is in the extended position, the blade holder extends at least 1 inch forwardly of a plane that is tangent to a forwardmost part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle when the blade holder moves between its extended and retracted positions. 34. The knife of claim 33, wherein the extended position comprises a fully extended position, and wherein when the blade holder is in the fully extended position, the blade is in an operative position in which the utility blade is locked to the blade holder. 35. The knife of claim 33, further comprising an isosceles trapezoidal utility blade mounted to the blade holder, a cutting edge of the utility blade extending over an entire length of a longest edge of the blade, the utility blade having at least one notch disposed on an edge opposite the cutting edge. 36. The knife of claim 35, wherein: the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder, the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade to the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder, the extended position comprises a fully extended position, and wherein the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 37. The knife of claim 35, wherein an extended length of the knife when the blade holder is in the extended position is at least 5 inches long. 38. The knife of claim 35, wherein when the blade holder is in the extended position, the blade extends forwardly of the blade holder and handle. 39. The knife of claim 33, wherein: the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock is configured and arranged to retain the blade in the blade holder, to a released position configured and arranged to allow the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; wherein the entire blade lock is movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between the extended and retracted positions; and the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the extended position. 40. The knife of claim 33, wherein: the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock is configured and arranged to retain the blade in the blade holder, to a released position configured and arranged to allow the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; the blade lock is manually inaccessible when the blade holder is in the retracted position; and the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the extended position. 41. The knife of claim 33, wherein the blade holder further comprises third and fourth surfaces that face each other and are configured and arranged to mate with opposing side surfaces of the trapezoidal blade. 42. The knife of claim 33, wherein the retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 inches. 43. The knife of claim 33, wherein the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle. 44. The knife of claim 33, wherein the handle has a fixed, static length. 45. The knife of claim 33, wherein a front end of the handle and a rear end of the handle necessarily move synchronously relative to the blade holder when the blade holder moves between its extended and retracted positions. 46. The knife of claim 33, wherein sliding the blade holder from its retracted position to its extended position necessarily increases a length of the knife. 47. The knife of claim 33, further comprising a manually operable slide lock that selectively maintains the blade holder in the extended position relative to the handle. 48. The knife of claim 33, wherein the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 49. The knife of claim 33, wherein the blade holder is telescopically carried by the handle for telescopic movement relative to the handle between the extended position and the retracted position. 50. The knife of claim 33, wherein: the blade holder further comprises third and fourth surfaces that face each other and are configured and arranged to mate with opposing side surfaces of the trapezoidal blade; the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock is configured and arranged to retain the blade in the blade holder, to a released position configured and arranged to allow the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; the entire blade lock is movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between the extended and retracted positions; the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the extended position; the blade lock comprises a protrusion that is configured and positioned to engage a mounting notch in the upper linear edge of the blade when the blade lock is in the locked position; the protrusion is configured and positioned so as to not engage the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the released position; and the handle has a fixed, static length. 51. The knife of claim 50, wherein: the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position; the blade holder is constructed and arranged such that when it is in the extended position, the blade holder extends at least 0.5 inches forwardly of any part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle when the blade holder moves between its extended and retracted positions; the blade lock is manually inaccessible when the blade holder is in the retracted position; the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle; sliding the blade holder from its retracted position to its extended position necessarily increases a length of the knife; a front end of the handle and a rear end of the handle necessarily move synchronously relative to the blade holder when the blade holder moves between its extended and retracted positions; and the retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 inches. 52. The knife of claim 51, wherein the knife further comprises a manually operable slide lock that selectively maintains the blade holder in the extended position relative to the handle. 53. The knife of claim 33, wherein: the handle is longitudinally elongated, and the blade holder is shaped and configured such that when a trapezoidal utility blade is attached to the blade holder, a cutting edge of the trapezoidal utility blade extends along the longitudinal direction of the handle. 54. The knife of claim 33, wherein the blade holder is shaped and configured such that when a trapezoidal utility blade is attached to the blade holder and the blade holder is in the extended position, a portion of a cutting edge of the trapezoidal utility blade is protected by the blade holder. 55. A knife comprising: a handle; a blade holder carried by the handle for telescopic movement relative to the handle between an extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the extended position; and a utility blade mounted to the blade holder for movement with the blade holder relative to the handle, the utility blade having first and second parallel linear edges, a mounting notch formed in the first linear edge, and a cutting edge, wherein the extended position comprises an operative position in which the utility blade is locked to the blade holder, wherein the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle, wherein a portion of the cutting edge is protected by the blade holder when the blade holder is in the extended position, and wherein, when the blade holder is in the extended position, the blade holder extends at least 1 inch forwardly of a plane that is tangent to a forwardmost part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle when the blade holder moves between its extended and retracted positions, wherein the plane is perpendicular to an axis of the cutting edge. 56. The knife of claim 55, wherein the extended position comprises a fully extended position. 57. The knife of claim 55, wherein: the cutting edge of the utility blade extends over an entire length of the second edge of the blade; and the utility blade substantially has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. 58. The knife of claim 55, wherein: the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder, the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade in the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder, the extended position comprises a fully extended position, and the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the fully extended position. 59. The knife of claim 55, wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 inches. 60. The knife of claim 55, wherein the handle has a fixed, static length. 61. The knife of claim 55, wherein a front end of the handle and a rear end of the handle necessarily telescopically move synchronously relative to the blade holder when the blade holder moves between its extended and retracted positions. 62. The knife of claim 55, wherein the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade is disposed inside the handle. 63. The knife of claim 55, wherein telescopically moving the blade holder from its retracted position to its extended position necessarily increases a length of the knife. 64. The knife of claim 63, wherein the extended position comprises an operative position of the knife. 65. The knife of claim 55, further comprising a manually operable slide lock that selectively maintains the blade holder in the extended position relative to the handle. 66. The knife of claim 55, wherein the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 67. The knife of claim 55, wherein: the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position; and when the blade holder telescopically moves between the extended and retracted positions, the blade remains spaced by at least 1 mm from any part of the knife that remains stationary relative to the handle as the blade holder moves between the extended and retracted positions. 68. The knife of claim 55, wherein: the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder; the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade in the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; and wherein the entire blade lock is movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder moves between the extended and retracted positions. 69. The knife of claim 68, wherein the blade lock comprises a protrusion that engages the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the locked position, but does not engage the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the released position. 70. The knife of claim 68, wherein the blade lock is manually inaccessible when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 71. The knife of claim 55, wherein an extended length of the knife when the blade holder is in the extended position is at least 5 inches long. 72. The knife of claim 55, wherein when the blade holder is in the extended position, the blade extends forwardly of the blade holder and handle. 73. The knife of claim 55, wherein: the handle is longitudinally elongated, and the cutting edge extends along the longitudinal direction of the handle. 74. A knife comprising: a handle; a blade holder telescopically carried by the handle for telescopic movement relative to the handle between a fully extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the fully extended position, the blade holder being shaped and configured to attach to a utility blade having a notch; and a manually operable blade lock comprising a resilient member mounted to the blade holder, a manually movable member mounted on the blade holder, the manually movable member being manually movable between a lock position and a release position to enable the locking and releasing of a utility blade to the blade holder, the manually movable member being movable between its lock and release positions while the blade holder is in its fully extended position, and a protrusion operatively connected to the manually movable member such that when the blade is positioned in a lockable position relative to the blade holder (a) the protrusion is positioned to be able to engage the notch in the blade to retain the blade in the blade holder when the manually movable member is in its lock position, and (b) the protrusion is positioned such that it would not engage the notch in the blade when the manually movable member is in its release position, the resilient member resiliently biasing the protrusion toward the notch, wherein the blade lock is shaped and configured such that when the utility blade is attached to the blade holder and the protrusion is positioned to be resiliently held in the notch, manually forcing the manually movable member from its lock position to its release position moves the protrusion to a position in which it would be out of the notch against the biasing force of the resilient member to allow the blade to be detached from the blade holder, wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 ¼ inches, wherein the handle comprises an aperture through which the blade holder extends when in the fully extended position, and wherein no portion of the blade holder extends through the aperture when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 75. The knife of claim 74, wherein the manually movable member is manually inaccessible when the blade holder is in the retracted position. 76. The knife of claim 74, wherein: the protrusion extends forwardly of the handle when the blade holder is in the extended position; the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle; the blade holder is constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle by at least 0.5 inches when in the fully extended position; the entire blade lock is telescopically movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions; the entire blade lock is telescopically movable with the blade holder relative to the handle as the blade holder moves between its fully extended and retracted positions; and the retracted position comprises a position in which the entire blade holder is disposed inside the handle. 77. The knife of claim 74, further comprising a utility blade having a notch, wherein the utility blade is attached to the blade holder, wherein the protrusion of the blade lock engages the notch and retains the blade in the blade holder. 78. The knife of claim 77, wherein the utility blade comprises a trapezoidal utility blade. 79. A knife comprising: a handle; a blade holder slidingly carried by the handle for sliding movement relative to the handle between a fully extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the fully extended position; and a utility blade mounted to the blade holder for movement with the blade holder relative to the handle, the utility blade having first and second parallel linear edges, a mounting notch formed in the first linear edge, and a cutting edge, wherein when the blade holder is in the fully extended position, the blade is in an operative position in which the utility blade is locked to the blade holder and extends forwardly of the blade holder and handle, wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 ¼ inches, wherein the utility blade detachably mounts to the blade holder; wherein the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock retains the blade in the blade holder, to a released position that allows the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder; wherein the entire blade lock is slidably movable with the blade holder relative to the handle when the blade holder slides between the fully extended and retracted positions; and wherein the blade lock comprises a protrusion that engages the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the locked position, but does not engage the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the released position. 80. A knife comprising: a handle; and a blade holder slidingly carried by the handle for sliding movement relative to the handle between an extended position and a retracted position, the blade holder being shaped and configured to attach to a utility blade, the blade holder being constructed and arranged to extend forwardly of the handle when in the extended position, wherein the blade holder is shaped and configured to attach to a trapezoidal utility blade, and wherein a retracted length of the knife when the blade holder is in the retracted position is less than 5 ¼ inches, wherein the blade holder comprises a first surface configured and arranged to mate with an upper linear edge of the trapezoidal blade when the blade is attached to the blade holder, and a second surface facing the first surface, the second surface being configured and arranged to mate with a lower linear cutting edge of the trapezoidal blade when the blade is attached to the blade holder, wherein the knife further comprises a manually operable blade lock disposed on the blade holder, the blade lock being manually movable from a locked position, in which the lock is configured and arranged to retain the blade in the blade holder, to a released position configured and arranged to allow the blade to be manually disengaged from the blade holder, wherein the blade lock comprises a protrusion that is configured and positioned to engage a mounting notch in the upper linear edge of the blade when the blade lock is in the locked position, wherein the protrusion is configured and positioned so as to not engage the mounting notch when the blade lock is in the released position, and wherein the blade lock is movable between the locked and released positions when the blade holder is in the extended position.