Why Do People Hate Knives?

[O,just,O]

They listen to lies & soak up the new political correct speak lies that are honey coated but are really a certain sort of poisonous evil.
Their senses become dulled in the ability to discern between truth & lies. We all fall victim to it in some degree because it is like a penetrating oil spraying from everywhere you look. This will loosen our nut & unscrew us from our freedoms.
Please Massa lock me away from myself for my own good.
See the fear & selfishness in that ?
O.

[Ankerson]

Too many knife buyers/collectors see knives as weapons. If the people carrying the knives are defining them as weapons then how can we expect the folks that aren't carrying them to look at them without fear?

I'm not saying its rational...I'm just saying that its understandable given the way the "tactical" knife market has developed.

I think that is a lot of the problem along with how knives are used in the movies and on TV.

I was never really too much into that part of the industry myself, always thought of knives as a tool personally.

If someone starts talking SD/weapon stuff I usually just leave.

[Blerv]

Knives from a martial sense remind people of the primal side of mankind. The side long forgotten and more importantly the part they have long since forgotten how to deal with.

I don't know. I think people just are afraid of what they may not be able to cope with. Whether physically or socially, they tend to put added weight on things that are unlikely to harm them (knives) and less on things that are likely to (butter, bacon, automobiles, stress).

Shrug. People! :)

[HorserloverFat]

Unfortunately, the conduct of many of those that own a knife and/or gun is less than admirable -- witness the crude comments of certain members on another forum. And yes I'm well aware that there are individuals not too fond of knives and/or guns than also misbehave. But which group would alarm you the most if you didn't like knives and guns ? Those with what could be perceived as a weapon or those without ?

I encourage everyone to always conduct themselves in a professional manner like that modeled by Spyderco's founder Mr. Sal Glesser.

[Doc Dan]

Unfortunately, the conduct of many of those that own a knife and/or gun is less than admirable -- witness the crude comments of certain members on another forum. And yes I'm well aware that there are individuals not too fond of knives and/or guns than also misbehave. But which group would alarm you the most if you didn't like knives and guns ? Those with what could be perceived as a weapon or those without ?

I encourage everyone to always conduct themselves in a professional manner like that modeled by Spyderco's founder Mr. Sal Glesser.

Just a bit out of curiosity...where did your user name come from? It conjure up all sorts of things. :eek:

Yes, I wish more people would deport themselves like Sal. I see people running around looking like hoods or ninjas or, worse, "professional" wrestlers, carrying stuff meant to look tuff. It is no wonder so many are afraid of knives. I've even seen them "EDCing" huge knives in the swimming pool! (not that I don't, I just keep mine hidden in the inside the waistband pocket). Good grief, life is not a movie.

[enduraguy]

My mom is one of these like mentioned above. She shoots IPSC pistol matches, carries a Kimber 9mm, but is afraid of knives. She won't even let me sharpen her kitchen knives, because she doesn't want to cut herself.

[Doc Dan]

My mom is one of these like mentioned above. She shoots IPSC pistol matches, carries a Kimber 9mm, but is afraid of knives. She won't even let me sharpen her kitchen knives, because she doesn't want to cut herself.

My wife is like that! I tell her dull knives are dangerous. Gordon Ramsey, on his show, said the same thing. Did not make a dent.

[JD Spydo]

Matt I run into the same problem here where I work daily and as much with men as I do with women that work here :rolleyes: . And why educated, smart, competent people are literally fearful of an inanimate object is truly beyond me :rolleyes: Because I don't see anyone reacting to a chainsaw like they do with knives and guns and believe me a chainsaw is far more potentially dangerous than about any other tool I could think of off the top of my head. I know because for about 15 years I made my living using German made STIHL chainsaws and I did get bit by one once and it was extremely painful :eek: .

This absolutely utterly ridiculous "politically correct" movement that is totally choreographed by this controlled and rigged mainstream news media has brainwashed the general public into being literally scared of it's own shadow dealing with knives and guns IMO . And the amount of very intelligent people that have bought into it is nothing short of scary and very depressing.

Rationale and common sense are lost in this country at this time unfortunately I grew up in a home where we had guns galore and I had my very first CASE hunting knife when I was ten years old along with a KaBar folder as well. But I also had a dad who would immediately take you to the woodshed if you did anything stupid with a knife or a gun which instilled respect in me at a very early age>> and we never had any problem at all with knives or guns.

It's nothing more than a mass public brainwashing is all I can attribute the baseless fear of knives and guns to. Hopefully the truth will prevail in the long run.

[chuckd]

I started a new job a few weeks ago. So far no one has found out I carry a knife everyday.

I have been trying to keep the size down (I swear!), but just love my Millie, TiDelica, Southard, Lionspy, Navaja, Vallatton, etc.. I at the very least want it to be a gorgeous knife, if not a smaller one, when they do realize it haha

[O,just,O]

It's nothing more than a mass public brainwashing is all I can attribute the baseless fear of knives and guns to. Hopefully the truth will prevail in the long run.

Sadly, the truth was the first victim.

O.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

At this point can we pro knife people turn the tide? Knife Rights and others are trying to, but its a task alright, isn't it.

[Surfingringo]

At this point can we pro knife people turn the tide? Knife Rights and others are trying to, but its a task alright, isn't it.

I think the main thing we can do on an individual basis is not be "ninjas" in public. We have to recognize there is a misperception about what kind of tool a knife is but if we go around portraying our knives as the wrong kind of tool then we are not only perpetuating, but exacerbating the problem. We need be good diplomats of our hobby, especially in public, and show courtesy, discretion and good sense if we want this issue to get better instead of worse.

[Dr. Snubnose]

Why do people hate knives? Simple....for all the same reasons people love knives......think about it.......

[brick]

Why do people hate knives? Simple....for all the same reasons people love knives......think about it.......

Some reasons for some people, sure. But certainly not all of them. I don't think anyone is likely to hate a knife because someone else finds it handy for impromptu food prep or for zipping a large box down into chunks that will fit in the recycling bin. I doubt anyone hates a knife because it's a good way to get a jammed seat belt off of a crash victim. On the other end of the spectrum I doubt anyone hates a knife as the product of someone else's extraordinary skill in designing or crafting it. The list of genuinely benign reasons to appreciate knives is endless.

I think Surfingringo has it nailed. The problem is an assumption that someone with a knife must be up to no good. The best thing we can do is to serve as examples that the assumption is often quite false.

-Tim

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I would like to see more people on here give your views on this topic.

Is this a solution or not?

What if everyone goes to the other extreme and pretends that knives are harmless and "mentally retrains" ourselves to ignore all dangers posed by knives and sharp objects, and consider them no different than a pillow, or, a hairbrush? In other words, what if both the law/government and everyday people ignore the sharp edges and treat the knife, dagger, or other edged tool the same as one treats a hairbrush or pillow?

(kindof kidding but its an interesting thought, eh?)

Here is more data on this topic:

https://hubpages.com/sports/People-Expl ... ket-Knives

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-a ... than-a-gun

This is an interesting answer: The person claims that humans have a millenial or longer-old psychological programming about sharp edges = dangerous because of human experience with abuse of them:

" At some point, some Qain murdered some Able (don’t get in a twist, it’s a metaphor), perhaps in multiple tribes individually, and it probably started to become moderately common for these meat-cutting tools, and other, similar ones like it, to be adopted as the weapon of choice for murder.

I’ll save you my narrative. Suffice to say, however, that humans whose brains bore the quirk of fearing another human holding something small and sharp- owed to genes, no doubt- probably were more cautious in encounters with those with such weapons, putting more effort into dodging and, if possible, fleeing. These probably passed on their genes a little more often than those whose brains imposed no such fear.

Thus, a fear of hand weapons has had millions of years to evolve into our minds. As has come to be the case with extreme heat, drowning, and pain long before, and, in many peoples’ cases today, snakes and spiders, we have a legitimate reason to innately fear the image of a human(oid) holding some simple seemingly sharp and/or heavy, that only a little imagination can deduce the potential effect of on our own flesh.

On the other hand, guns, despite being far more powerful and dangerous than axes, knives, or spears, have been around for such a (relatively) short time, a genetically-imbued fear of them and anything resembling them has not had nearly so long to be adapted/adopted by our gene pool. This isn’t to say it hasn’t happened, of course; I’m sure that it’s already started, and that many babies would fear the image of a firearm without ever having seen it in action or learned what it’s supposed to do. However, those are probably few and far between. I, personally, did not develop a fear or hate of guns until, I think, having watched Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Bambi. Before that, I remember them just being weird looking tubes that grown ups on TV would sometimes carry, particularly in live-action stuff.

In summary: I cannot judge, but it is possible that the average human does indeed more readily feel fear against a knife than a gun. If such is indeed so, then it probably owes to genetics, which have had a much longer time to adopt and refine a fear of knives than of firearms."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aichmophobia

Here is an old thread about this from Blade Forums:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/why ... es.567349/

Also, a Law Enforcement Officer and a Fireman both told me that most First Responders have a greater fear/caution about knives/edged weapons in the hands of dangerous persons more than firearms, even though technically a firearm can inflict a wider range of damage to more people. Why is this?

Is it because the wounds caused by blades are more gruesome looking than those caused by firearms/guns or not necessarilly?

Also, what do you think of this claim? Someone once said "A mature and civilized society would never produce horror movies, slasher movies, and any such films. These are a mark of a crude and primitive-thinking people." His point seemed to be that the very act of producing such movies adds unneeded fear and angst to people about the proper use of firearms and edged tools.

[James Y]

At my place of work, which is a massage/wellness center, about 90% of the employees are female and also what many on knife-related forums would label as "liberal-minded". Yet, not one person at my workplace is afraid of my knives. I've used various knives at work over the years for such things as cutting plastic strapping, breaking down supply boxes, etc. The knives I've used for that have included:

Spydercos: Military, SS Police SE, Tasman Salt SE, Spyderhawk SE, SS Harpy SE, Delica, Endura, Pacific Salt, Caribbean, Pm2, Para 3, etc.

Victorinox: Pioneer, Spartan, Executive (mainly screwdrivers used for adjusting massage table height and other little things).

CRK: large Insingo, small Inkosi, etc.

I've never made a big deal out of my knives, or gone out of my way to either hide them or be noticed with them, and only bring one out to use it for some actual purpose. Because of that, nobody else has made a big deal about them, either, including the two owners of the business. To put it simply, they're all used to it and nobody cares; in fact, they think it's very useful. One coworker, upon realizing that, went online and ended up ordering a Kershaw S30V Blur that he carries. I've only been asked why I carry a knife maybe once or twice when I started there, and I've been there since late 2006. I've never had to lecture anybody about their usefulness, but quietly used them for whatever.

Yes, there are lots of people out there who fear knives for various reasons. Instituting some kind of educational program about it wouldn't change that. While most such fears are irrational, there is a very small percentage of people who may have had some traumatic experience in their past involving someone with a knife. You never know. And TBH, there is also a small percentage of knife people who bring it on themselves (and therefore all of us) with their militant attitudes around knives and their right to carry them. Then they wonder why knives/knife carriers have such a bad image in the mind of the general public. And if you (not referring to anybody here, but a general 'you') consider non-knife people to be "sheeple" (as some individuals on some knife-related forums do), if you're around them often enough they'll eventually pick up on that attitude, consciously or subconsciously, whether you realize it or not. Another turnoff would be a 'born-again' attitude of zealously trying to "convert" people to also carry knives themselves.

Jim

[Naperville]

When I bought my first collectible knife (Randall Model 14) back in the early 90's, I have a pretty normal "Army grunt" view of knives. They are needed for cutting straps, opening MREs, and as a last ditch weapon. Nothing very glamorous. Sure you could cut somebody or thust the knife with intent, but that would not be the norm. These were generally 5 inches to 9 inches.

Then in 2000 to 2002, I started to study Escrima/Arnis, Filipino knife martial arts. I practiced very hard. Sometimes with weapons that had a bit of an edge on them. The level of concentration and effort that would go in to an hour of manipulating a bolo/machete/shot-sword was really something. I grew to love the weapons, but if I ever would have faced off against another human with one, I'd be terrified, and that still holds true. I came to fully realize that they are deadly weapons. These were generally 1ft to 2 ft blades.

Fast forward to around 2016 when I was looking for a small self defense weapon, and was living in Chicago where the maximum legal length is enforced on the street at under 2 inches of blade. You start to think different;y. About how to bring a weapon like that in to play. These were generally 1 inch to 3 inch blades.

So, I've come full circle. What have I learned? I don't lose my mind if I see a person carry a firearm or knife, but I am aware of my surroundings as much as I can be. The size of the weapon means nothing. A 1 inch blade in the right persons hands is pretty deadly. Also a 1 ft to 2ft long blade in an idiots hands can be very deadly.

Just watch people is my advice.

[The Deacon]

Yes, there are lots of people out there who fear knives for various reasons. Instituting some kind of educational program about it wouldn't change that. While most such fears are irrational, there is a very small percentage of people who may have had some traumatic experience in their past involving someone with a knife. You never know. And TBH, there is also a small percentage of knife people who bring it on themselves (and therefore all of us) with their militant attitudes around knives and their right to carry them. Then they wonder why knives/knife carriers have such a bad image in the mind of the general public. And if you (not referring to anybody here, but a general 'you') consider non-knife people to be "sheeple" (as some individuals on some knife-related forums do), if you're around them often enough they'll eventually pick up on that attitude, consciously or subconsciously, whether you realize it or not. Another turnoff would be a 'born-again' attitude of zealously trying to "convert" people to also carry knives themselves.

Jim

The way I look at it, there is only a very small percentage of the population who have more than a passing interest in knives and a relatively small percentage who fear them. Most folks think of them as tools, on the rare occasions when they think of them at all. I suspect that, like myself, most here who use the terms like sheeple and bleating heart liberals use them only to refer to that small group who fear knives, not to the vast majority who just don't obsess over steels, edge angles, Rockwell numbers, or what knife they should add to their ever growing collection next.

[TomAiello]

I hate knives because they drain my bank account. Especially Spyderco knives. :)

[Ankerson]

Well marketing is the problem or should I say the way knives and guns are marketed is one of the main issues to be more accurate.

MOST marketing focuses on them as weapons, not tools and combine that with the Media that being movies and TV and if one really thinks about it for a min, it is a problem. Yes, I am well aware that's it's a double edged sword, they market things to sell them in away to attract certain types. If they changed their tactics it would likely hurt sales and the bottom line is all that matter to most of them.

And they all give the anti-crowd tons of things to use against the pro-crowd.

I think they are their own worst enemy personally.

Combine that with the mall ninjas and or other types who aren't exactly low key or even smart how they act around others.

Heck I have been around guns and knives my whole life and I think what they are all doing is completely idiotic to be honest.

It's no wonder a lot of people hate knives and or guns, I would too if I didn't really know better.

Some of it's actually so funny it's pathetic...

Some female model all dressed up in tactical gear (Or almost NOTHING) holding a gun or knife and or some male model dressed in the same trying to look like they are tough. :rolleyes:

None of them likely even fired a gun etc in their lives or even own one, served in the Military and or ever had any training of any kind.

Don't even get me started on the YT videos. OMG... :rolleyes: