Why Are Reamers Like Pocket Knives?
Denis Fox Feb 01, 1997 Reamers and pocket knives are both cutting tools with about as many sizes, shapes and descriptive names for one as the other. Both utilize a variety of cutting edges to suit the job at hand. If you tried using your pocket knife with your eyes closed you would have a near-perfect similarity. Blades, barrels, fly cutters, combinations, hole openers, swabs and packers all describe tools generally referred to as reamers. The differences in reamers are, for the most part, a function of the ground conditions or geology to be cut and to a lesser extent the size of the hole needed. For example, a large hole might dictate the use of a fly cutter and a packer while a smaller diameter bore in the same geology could require a barrel reamer. As every underground contractor knows, each kind of reamer can be described as applicable to a specific ground condition, particularly good ground, bad ground and solid rock. The cutting of the hole is the primary concern. In good ground,
