What is the best tool to cut a tire?

The best cutting tool to use for a tire is a utility knife or a retractable box cutter. It'll do the best job of cutting through the thick tire rubber. However, if you're having trouble penetrating the tire, you can get your initial hole started by using the pointed tip of an awl, ice pick, or a similar tool and poking it into the tire. You can also try using another type of knife. Just make sure it's tight. Also, avoid trying to cut through steel belts. Attempting to cut directly through steel belts by hand could dull or damage your cutting implement, or result in a lot of wasted effort.