I don't understand Blue, Green, or any brightly colored handles

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
User avatar
Onionman
Member
Posts: 381
Joined: Fri May 22, 2009 6:10 pm
Location: Philadelphia

I don't understand Blue, Green, or any brightly colored handles

#1

Post by Onionman »

Can someone tell me what the attraction is to brightly colored handles? I love carrying my knives, and because I want to continue carrying my knives, the less attention I get the better. For example, people on the forums and bidders on ebay are clamoring for the Bright Blue Para 2 M390 which makes no sense to me if they plan to carry it. Do people mainly collect these or are they carrying these to tell the world "HEY, I AM CARRYING A KNIFE! NOTICE ME!" I kind of reminds me of the pink "Hello Kitty" AK-47: a novelty that's fun to look at, but you would never be caught dead owning or carrying one.

Maybe because I work in an office and don't want to offend or scare people that I can't understand it. I typically like deep pocket clips and try to match the clip with my pants color so it blends in. I hate when I see a great new design or new steel and it comes in bright green, blue, or red since I know I won't be getting one unless I want it for display.

Are the people buying these knives trying to get noticed? Are they just in a knife friendly atmosphere? Or do people just want that model/steel so bad they are willing to buy the knife despite the handle color? I can understand the bright orange if you are a hunter or working outdoors where the knife could get lost easily, but I just don't see the appeal of these bright handle colors.
The important thing was that I had an onion tied to my belt, which was the style at the time. You couldn't get white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...
User avatar
tonydahose
Member
Posts: 6277
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:56 am
Location: Chicago
Contact:

#2

Post by tonydahose »

i carry a bunch of colored spydies, just because i can. I dont care if someone notices that i have a knife, but i probably get a bit more leeway being a fireman and a former cop. One of the nice things about a brightly colored knife is that you can find it easily if you drop it. I collect enduras, all of them so i do have one of every color that has come out.
WTC #1444 Always Remember
Need info on a particular :spyder:, just click here
My knives
Spydie count: a few:D
FroOchie
Member
Posts: 402
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 11:28 pm
Location: NJ

#3

Post by FroOchie »

I'm goofy enough to match my clothes to my knives and vice versa. I need all the colors. :P

Image

Image

Image

Image

Don't worry, my girl knows I have deep rooted issues too. ;)
...I have no knives I keep in a safe but there are one or two that don't leave the house...
User avatar
tvenuto
Member
Posts: 3790
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:16 am
Location: South Baltimore

#4

Post by tvenuto »

Wow, froochie, just...wow. I'm with Tony on this one, if I'm in a place where people know me, I'm not sheepish about whether or not they know I have a knife. I don't treat it like a big deal, and neither do they. I can see, however, if you're in a place where "weapons" are prohibited (but box cutters and crowbars are not), why you might choose a gray Delica over that orange Millie. What's cool is that you do get to choose, and isn't choice awesome?
User avatar
The Deacon
Member
Posts: 25717
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
Location: Upstate SC, USA
Contact:

#5

Post by The Deacon »

Not everyone likes the same things. I can't fathom why an ordinary person would want to carry a knife with a camoflage handle, a bright green handle speckled with blood spatter, or a "tiger striped" blade, but I know there are quite a few folks who do and that some of them are probably at least close to normal. OTOH, I find it much easier to understand why someone would want a handle color other than black.
Paul
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
User avatar
Donut
Member
Posts: 9568
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:47 pm
Location: Virginia Beach, VA, USA

#6

Post by Donut »

I don't like hiding my knives. It isn't the end of the world if someone sees it.
-Brian
A distinguished lurker.
Waiting on a Squeak and Pingo with a Split Spring!
User avatar
Zenith
Member
Posts: 1204
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:56 am
Location: ZA/RSA: Pretoria
Contact:

#7

Post by Zenith »

Ever drop a knife while hunting?

Those bright colours sure come in handy then.

Its not about being notice.

On site I carry an Atlantic Salt mostly or a Tasman Salt. Everyone sees the yellow as safety knife.

Bright colours are seen as less threatening, most think in the lines of Red = Swiss Army knife. That has been my experience.
"If you wish to live and thrive, let the spider run alive"
"the perfect knife is the one in your hand, you should just learn how to use it."
If you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all

My Youtube knife use videos and more: http://www.youtube.com/user/mwvanwyk/videos
Knife makers directory: http://www.knifemakersdirectory.com/
User avatar
Spyder-fan
Member
Posts: 154
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:08 pm
Location: Midwest

#8

Post by Spyder-fan »

Bright colored handles stick out, but they look less threatening.
User avatar
phaust
Member
Posts: 1115
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:20 pm

#9

Post by phaust »

Having lived in Philly for six years, I know how anti-knife it is there. I saw one pocket clip the whole time I was there. I didn't buy any bright knives and rarely clipped my knife, always dropping it in my pocket instead.

Then I moved to Knoxville. Pocket clips are everywhere. I do taxes this time of the year, and someone came in with a six inch fixed blade strapped to his belt earlier this week. There's no reason not to have a bright colored knife because everyone is carrying one.
ricechrispy
Member
Posts: 161
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:12 am
Location: SLC, UT

#10

Post by ricechrispy »

I second the less threatening comment. That's the main thing I like about brightly colored knives. However, I think Utah counts as a knife-friendly environment.
In chronological order:
Paramilitary 2, BD30P Manix 2, Delica 4, M390 Mule, XHP Military, Dragonfly 2, Woodcraft Mule, ZDP-189 Manbug, Cruwear Mule, Superleaf, Forum Native 5, Manix 2 XL, Endura 4
Shakyamuni
Member
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:14 pm

#11

Post by Shakyamuni »

The Blue Para 2 is not "bright," it is a good match for blue jeans, which I wear every day. I had an orange one which was REALLY BRIGHT and I didn't like carrying it because so, but the blue is subtle.

Image
User avatar
Sequimite
Member
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:19 am
Location: Sequim (skwim), WA

#12

Post by Sequimite »

The Amish would also like to know why anyone would be so egocentric as to where colored clothing. This "look at me" fetish a sure sign of a depraved mind. While some might argue that the flowers and trees, waters and sky are the setting against which wearing colors is perfectly natural, we say nay, monochrome is the way.
Our reason is quite satisfied, in 999 cases out of every 1000 of us, if we can find a few arguments that will do to recite in case our credulity is criticized by someone else. Our faith is faith in someone else's faith, and in the greatest matters this is most the case.
- William James, from The Will to Believe, a guest lecture at Yale University in 1897
tea
Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:16 pm

#13

Post by tea »

I was re potting a bunch of plants yesterday and using my Dragonfly H1. Amidst all the soil, roots, and cuttings, I sure did appreciate that yellow handle.

Once when I was winter camping I put my F1 down next to me for just a moment. Turned back around and it had disappeared. I guess a bit of snow got kicked over it and gone! Took me forever to find the **** thing. As I was berating myself over losing an expensive knife in such a stupid fashion, I was also thinking of an orange G10 Custom F1 I had once seen.

As far as working around people, you may be surprised how the colors actually help. I understand your comments about the brightness attracting attention- but will they make the viewer think “knife” or “tool”? I have found orange and yellow to have a strange way of making people think “safety tool."

Colors are not for everyone or everywhere. They have their purpose though.
User avatar
gbelleh
Member
Posts: 4828
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Kansas

#14

Post by gbelleh »

It's nice to have some variety. It would be a drab world if everything only came in black. Luckily, I don't have to care much what anyone thinks of my knives around here (plus I work from home so I can wear a hot pink Katana on my belt all day if I want).

I actually used to despise colored handles, until I started getting into Spydies.
:bug-red-white
User avatar
Blerv
Member
Posts: 11833
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 11:24 am

#15

Post by Blerv »

I personally appreciate unobtrusive colors to black and black to loud ones. I have an orange Dodo but wish it was a different color. It also seems to attract dye from my jeans which is annoying.

IMHO, it's good to be sensitive to people around you because that's just part of being a functional member of society. That said, if you are carrying a knife that is perfectly legal and using it responsibly it's good to remember that you have a right to have it. Some workplaces place restrictions that are further conservative ("no weapon" policies) but people acting responsible with allowed items shouldn't be ashamed. After all, if you had to cater to everyones' fears and personal bias' it would be difficult to leave the house in the morning.
God'sMyJudge
Member
Posts: 299
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2011 2:38 pm
Location: Texas

#16

Post by God'sMyJudge »

why aren't m&ms all the same color?
User avatar
Zenith
Member
Posts: 1204
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:56 am
Location: ZA/RSA: Pretoria
Contact:

#17

Post by Zenith »

God'sMyJudge wrote:why aren't m&ms all the same color?
Now that is a good topic! Because variety is the spice of life!
"If you wish to live and thrive, let the spider run alive"
"the perfect knife is the one in your hand, you should just learn how to use it."
If you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all

My Youtube knife use videos and more: http://www.youtube.com/user/mwvanwyk/videos
Knife makers directory: http://www.knifemakersdirectory.com/
User avatar
Holland
Member
Posts: 7567
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:37 pm
Location: Alberta

#18

Post by Holland »

FroOchie wrote:I'm goofy enough to match my clothes to my knives and vice versa. I need all the colors. :P

Image

Image

Image

Image

Don't worry, my girl knows I have deep rooted issues too. ;)
this just made my day hahahaha, well done sir :D
-Spencer

Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
User avatar
Holland
Member
Posts: 7567
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:37 pm
Location: Alberta

#19

Post by Holland »

And i prefer bright colours because their easier on the eyes for nkp
-Spencer

Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
User avatar
JV3
Member
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:35 am
Location: New Jersey

#20

Post by JV3 »

i like orange knives because i hike/camp a lot and non-knife people are less threatened by it.
Post Reply