A safety cutting device comprises, in an exemplary embodiment, a housing, a longitudinally movable blade positioned within the housing, and a longitudinally movable guard positioned substantially adjacent the blade. Additionally, the device provides a means for substantially preventing the blade from extending through a first end of the housing when the guard is in a retracted position, such that the blade is incapable of extending out of the housing without first extending the guard. In further embodiments, the device provides a pair of longitudinally movable guards flanking the blade and configured for selectively moving independent of one another, thereby allowing both right- and left-handed users to operate the device without having to change any settings or reconfigure the orientation of the guards or blade. In such further embodiments, the blade is substantially prevented from extending without at least one of the guards first being moved out of the retracted position.