Pocket Safety Cutter

1 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A pocket knife comprising:

a housing including an opening to a channel within the housing;

a blade carrier within the channel, the blade carrier including one or more actuator portions that permit a user of the knife to slide the blade carrier along the channel; and

a handle pivotally connected to the housing and configured to allow the housing to be pivoted away from the handle to an opened position, the handle including a biased engagement portion with a laterally extending protrusion that automatically locks the knife in the opened position until released.

32 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , further comprising:

a spring operatively connected between the blade carrier and the housing such that the blade carrier is biased along the channel toward a blade refracted position.

33 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , wherein the engagement portion engages a complementary portion of the housing to lock the knife in the opened position.

34 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , wherein the engagement portion engages a recessed portion of the housing that is not visible to a user of the pocket knife to lock the knife in the opened position.

35 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , wherein the engagement portion is integrally formed with an edge of the housing.

36 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , wherein the engagement portion is biased toward the housing by a portion of the handle that receives the housing when the housing is pivoted toward the handle.

37 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , wherein the housing includes a guide portion along which the engagement portion repositions when the housing is pivoted in relation to the handle.

38 . The pocket knife of claim 37 , wherein the guide portion includes a surface that faces the engagement portion when the housing is in a closed position providing a mechanical resistance to the housing being moved from the closed position.

39 . The pocket knife of claim 31 , wherein the one or more actuator portions include one or more cut guards.

40 . The pocket knife of claim 39 , wherein the one or more cut guards include a pair of cut guards.

41 . The pocket knife of claim 40 , wherein the cut guards are repositionable along opposites sides of the housing.

42 . The pocket knife of claim 40 , wherein the cut guards are received within the handle when the housing is folded to a closed position.

43 . A pocket knife comprising:

a housing; and

a folding portion coupled to and repositionable in relation to the housing and configured for holding a blade;

wherein the housing is formed with an integral spring portion including a lock member that engages the folding portion locking the folding portion in an opened position.

44 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the lock member is not visible to a user of the knife.

45 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the integral spring portion defines an opening that receives the folding portion when the folding portion is repositioned to a closed position.

46 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the integral spring portion defines an edge portion of the housing, the edge portion being partially separated from the housing by a slot.

47 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the lock member extends laterally toward the folding portion.

48 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the integral spring portion is configured to bias the lock member toward the folding portion.

49 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the folding portion includes a guide portion along which the lock member repositions when the folding portion is pivoted in relation to the housing.

50 . The pocket knife of claim 49 , wherein the guide portion includes a surface that faces the lock member when the folding portion is in a closed position providing a mechanical resistance to the folding portion being moved from the closed position.

51 . The pocket knife of claim 43 , wherein the folding portion includes a pair of cut guards configured to locate within the housing when the folding portion is moved to a closed position.

52 - 68 . (canceled)