When you push on the blade through the slot with your left thumb, the blade needs to separate away from the button. There is a protrusion on the back of the button that engages a notch on the back of the blade. Gravity is your friend here to keep the button in position while you are pushing the blade away from the button. The button side of the knife needs to be down and parallel to the floor. (we rotated the knife in the video so you could see what was going on). While you are pushing up on the blade, make sure your thumb is not pushing on the button, otherwise the blade and button will not separate from each other.

The new Stanley 11-911 blades come with oil on them. This oil is can cause the button and the blade to stick together. Once you do get the blade out, if you wipe the oil off it will get much easier.

You can also flex and wiggle the blade a little bit to help it move away from the button. Pinch the extended blade with your right index finger and thumb. Put a little downward pressure on the blade which will bend the blade slightly and cause it to flex away from the button.

Please be very careful and extra patient. As you know the blade is really sharp. It doesn't take a lot of force to do this. Pulling extra hard on the blade does not help. If the blade is not sliding out it is because it is still engaged with the button.

Updated Technique

One of our 5PK customers submitted this technique for replacing the blade and we thought we would share it. This approach also works great.