The compact FASTBACK Blade Storage keeps five spares close. The FASTBACK 6-in-1 earns its larger footprint when its screwdriver and bit holder can replace another tool.
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Start with the repeated task, then decide whether extra functions will actually travel with you.
The Milwaukee FASTBACK Folding Utility Knife with Blade Storage, 48-22-1502, is the better broad pick because it concentrates on the things a folding utility knife needs to do repeatedly. Milwaukee lists press-and-flip one-handed opening, tool-free blade changes, five-blade onboard storage, a wire stripper, an integrated gut hook, a durable wire belt clip, and a blade holder designed for scoring. At a published 6.87 inches long and 0.28 pound, it is the compact, task-first option for opening packages, trimming material, and keeping replacement blades where the work happens.
The Milwaukee FASTBACK 6-in-1, 48-22-1505, has a real advantage if your knife is also your small repair tool. Milwaukee adds a folding screwdriver, a fold-out quarter-inch bit holder, a reversible Phillips number 2 and slotted quarter-inch bit, a bottle opener, one spare-blade space, and the same wire-stripper and tool-free blade-change ideas. That makes sense for punch-list work, maintenance bags, or a vehicle kit. But Milwaukee lists it at 8.75 by 2 by 1 inches and 1 pound, so the added functionality comes with a visibly larger carry.
This is not a judgment about which product is tougher or safer in a particular job. It is a decision about carry efficiency and workflow. Most shoppers looking for a dedicated folding utility knife will use spare-blade capacity and compact dimensions more often than a folding screwdriver. Choose the 6-in-1 when its included functions remove a separate driver from your routine.
Official manufacturer details, not prices, ratings, or assumed performance.
A tool earns a pocket spot when its most-used function is easy to reach and easy to replenish.
Your use is mostly repeated utility-knife work: receiving deliveries, opening cartons, cutting tape, trimming construction materials, or making clean everyday cuts. The 48-22-1502 puts five extra blades onboard, so a blade change does not require finding a separate dispenser. Milwaukee’s press-and-flip opening and tool-free blade-change language also keeps the operating pattern focused on the knife itself.
The more compact published dimensions are important for ordinary carry. A utility knife often shares a pocket, pouch, or drawer with other items. The blade-storage model is a clean fit when you already own a driver, do not need bits at the cut site, and would rather carry replacements than capability you rarely use.
Skip it if: your jobs regularly call for a Phillips or slotted bit immediately after a cut, and a compact screwdriver would let you leave a separate driver behind.
You want a folding utility knife that can handle more small interruptions without reaching back into a bag. The 48-22-1505 combines a folding screwdriver with a fold-out quarter-inch bit holder and Milwaukee’s included reversible Phillips number 2 and slotted quarter-inch bit. Its wire stripper, bottle opener, belt clip, scoring holder, and one spare-blade compartment round out a deliberately multifunction layout.
That layout is most persuasive for maintenance work, a service cart, or a vehicle kit where a couple of fastener turns are common but a full driver set would be overkill. The larger 8.75-inch published length and 1-pound listed weight are not defects; they are the cost of integrating the driver hardware.
Skip it if: your work is dominated by cutting and you value five spare blades plus the smaller 48-22-1502 footprint more than occasional screwdriver access.
Concrete manufacturer-published differences that shape an everyday carry decision.
| Metric | FASTBACK 6-in-1 | FASTBACK Blade Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Small repairs plus cutting | Dedicated, compact everyday cutting |
| Model | 48-22-1505 | 48-22-1502 |
| Blade format | 2.4 in utility blade; tool-free change | 2.4 in utility blade; tool-free change |
| Published dimensions | 8.75 x 2 x 1 in | 6.87 x 1.03 x 1.18 in |
| Published weight | 1 lb | 0.28 lb |
| Spare blades | One onboard | Five onboard |
| Driver functions | Folding driver, quarter-inch holder, reversible bit | None listed |
| Shared functions | Press-and-flip opening, wire stripper, belt clip, scoring holder | Press-and-flip opening, wire stripper, belt clip, scoring holder |
| Main drawback | Larger and fewer spare blades | No folding driver or bit holder |
These are direct competitors because both are Milwaukee FASTBACK folding utility knives built around press-and-flip opening, tool-free blade changes, wire stripping, belt carry, and replaceable utility blades. The meaningful choice is not a vague promise of quality. It is whether a buyer needs a compact cutter with substantial blade storage or a larger cutter that incorporates a short driver and bit holder.
We gave the standard recommendation to the 48-22-1502 because its five-blade onboard storage answers the more common interruption in utility-knife work: a dull blade during a task. Its 6.87-inch listed length and 0.28-pound published weight reinforce that direction. The metal body, integrated gut hook, wire stripper, scoring holder, and durable wire belt clip mean it is not stripped down; it simply reserves its volume for cutting workflow.
The 48-22-1505 wins the function count without qualification. Milwaukee explicitly lists the folding screwdriver, fold-out quarter-inch bit holder, reversible Phillips number 2 and slotted quarter-inch bit, bottle opener, and one spare-blade compartment. Those features can make a real difference when moving between cartons, panel hardware, and small repairs. For that buyer, a bigger knife can be the more efficient kit.
Published dimensions and weights help describe carry, but they do not establish comfort for every hand, pocket, pouch, or jobsite. Similarly, a listed feature does not guarantee it will suit a particular fastener, material, or work environment. We therefore compare the stated hardware and leave exact fit, care, blade selection, and use guidance to the current manufacturer information.
The losing model has the clearest advantage when its trade-off matches the routine. The 6-in-1 should be the first choice for someone deliberately consolidating a small driver and utility knife. The Blade Storage model should be the first choice for someone who already has the driver they want and needs the smaller cutting tool to stay supplied. That is a more useful distinction than treating multifunction as automatically better.
Milwaukee’s official 48-22-1502 page provides its press-and-flip opening, tool-free blade changes, five-blade storage, wire stripper, gut hook, belt clip, scoring holder, material, dimensions, blade length, and published weight.
Milwaukee’s official 48-22-1505 page provides its press-and-flip opening, folding screwdriver, bit holder and reversible bit, wire stripper, bottle opener, one-blade storage, belt clip, scoring holder, material, dimensions, blade length, and published weight.
Answers match the FAQ structured data on this page.
The Milwaukee FASTBACK Folding Utility Knife with Blade Storage, model 48-22-1502, is the stronger default because it combines press-and-flip opening, tool-free blade changes, five-blade onboard storage, a wire stripper, a gut hook, and a compact 6.87-inch published length. Choose the FASTBACK 6-in-1, model 48-22-1505, when its folding screwdriver, bit holder with reversible Phillips and slotted bit, bottle opener, and scoring function genuinely reduce the number of tools you carry.
Milwaukee says the FASTBACK 6-in-1 has a wire stripper, folding screwdriver, fold-out quarter-inch bit holder, reversible Phillips number 2 and slotted quarter-inch bit, one spare-blade space, bottle opener, belt clip, and blade holder designed for scoring. It is a multifunction option rather than simply the larger version of the standard blade-storage knife.
Milwaukee lists onboard storage for five extra blades on the FASTBACK Folding Utility Knife with Blade Storage, 48-22-1502. The FASTBACK 6-in-1, 48-22-1505, has storage for one extra blade. For a long day breaking down boxes or doing repeated cuts, that storage difference can matter more than the added screwdriver functions.
Yes. Milwaukee describes both models as using its press-and-flip opening and tool-free blade changes. The 48-22-1502 is the more compact blade-storage-focused format, while the 48-22-1505 adds the folding screwdriver and bit holder. Confirm the exact retailer listing and included parts before checkout.
Milwaukee lists the 48-22-1502 at 6.87 by 1.03 by 1.18 inches and 0.28 pound. It lists the 48-22-1505 at 8.75 by 2 by 1 inch and 1 pound. Those published figures make the blade-storage model the less bulky option for ordinary pocket carry, while the 6-in-1 trades compactness for functions.