I recently wrote a column about twine cutters. They are a necessary implement in the wintertime for feeding cows hay that comes in round bales. Since these bales are held together tightly with nylon twine, a sharp-edged tool is needed to cut the strings.Â
Most guys will just use a pocket knife. My husband likes using a serrated edge pocket knife to cut twine strings but for his birthday last year my brother gave him a utility box cutter knife.
These knives work great because instead of sharpening the knife, all he has to do is replace the disposable blade. He keeps it in a very special spot—right next to his snot rag.
 
In my column I talked about my special twine cutter.
Mine has a very special spot too. I just throw it in the side door panel pocket.
I have a custom made twine cutting knife for a couple of reasons. One reason is because mine doesn’t fold so I’m not as likely to go back to the house with the twine cutter left in my coat or coveralls pocket. More importantly, I get one made from scrap materials because I’ve managed to lose several good pocket knives after having left them on the back end of our feed pickup, including at least one new one. (We use a hydraulic bale bed fitted onto a Dodge pickup to load and unload our round bales instead of using a tractor to feed hay.)
I described in my column what my twine cutter looked like but sometimes having a visual is better. My husband welded a section tooth onto a screwdriver. Mine is the only one that has a nice handle though. If I do lose it, the loss doesn’t make me feel near as guilty as when I lose a good pocket knife that cost money. I’m proud of my custom-made twine cutter because some people have no idea what it is or what its purpose is and I delight in telling them. To each her own twine cutter!
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