... and they worry about us?

[Monocrom]

I can only imagine what would've happened had I pulled out a Police 3! :D

Imagine if she saw a real machete...

"That's right, I borrowed God's pocket knife... Who am I gonna stab you ask. Wait til Satan gets a load of me!!!" :D

[dialex]

My last job had some uptight sheeple that would make sly little remarks about my knives. But guess who they always went to when they needed something cut? Yep, good old Yale, the "knife freak". :rolleyes:

Very good point!

[BuffaloBill]

my opinion of why people get nervous or freak out when someone uses a knife in front of them because most people who dont know knives, when they think of a pocket knife they probably think this:



not knocking the swiss army knife, but thats probably the most well known knife image to those people.

[jujigatame]

not knocking the swiss army knife, but thats probably the most well known knife image to those people.

That's a fair point but I still have a hard time understanding how some of those people then see something like a 3" Delica and make the leap to "Oh my God you're a maniac with a knife!" Additionally, it's disconcerting that the the fact these people may know and trust you seems to be rendered totally void because you're found to carry a knife. You'd think they just discovered you're a paroled felon sometimes. The escalation of their freak out level seems very non-linear. (That's a weird sentence now that I read it back to myself. :rolleyes :)

[vampyrewolf]

just remember what freud said about a fear of weapons... next time you hear a comment about em, look the person in the eyes and laugh remembering the quote.

A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity.

[jujigatame]

But doesn't that just tacitly give in to the misguided notion that knives are only weapons? Maybe one line of psychology that equates having a knife with being strong in terms sexual and emotional maturity makes you feel better temporarily, but if you have to consider your pocketknife a weapon to get there then what have you really gained?

[vampyrewolf]

Ah, but it is their fear and perception that is the concern here. While we see a knife as a tool, as has mankind for a few million years, the general thought has now turned to seeing knives as weapons as people have more and more handed to em on a silver platter (or a multicoloured box with grease dripping through it... or loaded with preservatives).

People don't have to work for their food and supplies anymore and just consume what was placed in front of them like cattle.

I'd wager that just about everyone that complains about our knives has at least a 10" butcher knife in the rack at home. I've had my mother comment about a 4" in my pocket while she's standing there with a 10" in her hand cutting veggies.

To a creative or determined mind, anything can be used as a weapon. It is the media's fault for not clarifying that the 14th stabbing this month was yet again a screwdriver or icepick... or that the 1st through 7th homicides were a jealous lover with a kitchen knife from the victim's own kitchen.


So now, while we've touched on WHY folks see a knife and think "weapon" (and only really the last 20-30 years) when a few million years have previously said "tool"... let's cover the public perception of the person carrying a knife.


Let's take a random guy off the street, just one person. Let em grow a week worth of stubble if you have to. We're going to change everything but the person and knife.
Day 1, go for the street bum look... send em out in dirty jeans and jacket, hair messy. No ring, no watch. See what the public says when he takes out a 3" knife to cut a steak in a restaurant.
Day 2, now let's go college student... send that same guy out in well worn jeans, t shirt and jacket, give him a watch. Shaving is optional, hair will at least be combed. See what the public says when he takes out a 3" knife to cut a steak in a restaurant... maybe even the same place.
Day 3, send him out in biker leathers. Day's growth and helmet hair. Watch the public eye him as he goes by to his table, and watch them "ignore" him as he cuts his steak.
Day 4, now we're going white collar... black or dark blue suit and tie, freshly shaved, hair combed back, maybe a recent haircut. The servers will be more than willing to help him out and no-one will react when that knife comes out to cut the steak.
day 5, construction worker.... dirty boots, dusty jeans, old stained shirt. The public will ignore him and the staff will be short.


And don't tell me you'd treat all 5 instances the same if you were sitting for your daily lunch and had the situation for that day sit down a seat or two away.

Perception is everything.

I know I get better service simply going from my canvas vest to a leather suit jacket.

[jujigatame]

I don't see how any of that really addresses my point about using the Freud line to laugh off comments about one's knife. Your reaction to people's perception can reinforce it, but it can also give them pause to think about it and perhaps reconsider. Perhaps whatever you've done beforehand to influence the perception will preclude you from being in the spot of responding to someone disparaging you for having/using a knife. But if it doesn't then all you're left with is thinking "Freud says I'm better than this person" to yourself?

Personally, I'd rather ask someone an honest question about their viewpoint and see if maybe it could lead either of us to a greater understanding of the matter. I'm not saying it's going to convert the massses from one side to the other or solve the larger problem. There will still be some walls you can't get around. Even so I think it's better than nothing.

[aj1985]

You guys and your discussions. :p

We call them sheeple for a reason :D

Simply put I don't want to depend on anyone for anything. Whether it be trying to cut an apple, or to borrow a pen or protect my self. If anything F$%# up it was my fault for not being fully prepared.

I carry a folder, because I need to cut things.
I carry a fixed, because I may need to pry.
I carry a hinderer pen/Kubaton, because I need to write.

All of these things have dual purposes which many of you already know.


A rebuttal to you carrying a knife is

"Does having a smoke alarm or fire extinguisher at your home mean your gonna burn your house down" :D :p

Even simpler my jaw is pain and I need a knife to cut my food into smaller pieces :D

aj

[Slick]

There are so many valuable comments here I do not have the time respond directly to each with a quote.

However... If any guy grabs my *** at work I will have bigger issues to deal with.

My employeer has non-offical knife carry regs and they are not enforced unless a pecil pusher freaks out. I go out of the facility through a metal detector and with a close hand wanding evey day and security (VERY GOOD rent-a-cops) almost never questions my knives. The easy rule is any blade that is not a box cutter or handi-cutter can not be used.

In the old days there were no knife statutes and carrying was easier.

There are some things better and safer done with a long knife than a box cutter. I carry both types with efficiency and safety in mind. I use the box cutter 98% of the time and when I choose a long knife there is a valid reason.


I am allowed to carry in and out any North Carolina legal knife. I am just not allowed to use it at work. Security and management do not want to be put in the position of interpreting NC knife laws. NC knife laws are so vauge it comes down to the LEO's opinion.

Many of our techs carry and use a multi-tool which should identified as illegal.

BuffalBill, I have and carry that knife every day along with my Sppyderco knives and a box cutter. Those sissors are handy.

I try to not make waves. WhiteWillie is correct.

[jabba359]

Somewhere along the line a good number of people have lost the idea of a knife as tool and only think somebody would carry one as a weapon.

When I told my roommate that I always carry a knife on me, he said that he doesn't believe in carrying weapons. I responded that I don't carry a weapon either, just tools.

My knives have been used as tools thousands of times, but never as a weapon. In the event that I need to, my tool can also double as a weapon, but the same thing can also be said about a hammer, chisel, pry bar, etc. Unfortunately, society is being trained to view knives as weapons, and therefore to fear those who carry them.

So despite a disdain for "weapons", my roommate is always glad to have me around whenever he needs to open something in one of those stupid plastic clamshell packages! :D

[v8r]

I have never really had a problem with people asking stupid questions,because I feel most people are stupid until they prove otherwise. In a world where the Media does a awesome job of making people paranoid,(Swine Flu....Give a break:rolleyes :) we will constantly have to deal with these problems.I have a CHL and carry a pistol to work every day,and out of work every day.I'm not going to pull it unless I feel I have a very good reason to.A knife to me is a tool nothing more.Yes it can be used as a weapon,then again so can a car,ball point pen,paper clip,telephone,phone book,clipboard,broom handle ,trashcan.......I can keep listing objects all day that I could grab very easily to use as a weapon.The problem is that our morals and values have been thrown by the way side,and then the Media instills Paranoia into the people that are stupid and believe everything they hear.I feel the reason we hear of all these Crimes and what not is because people don't take the time to teach their children right and wrong.This newest generation of kids that are coming up think that everything is easy and falls in your lap,and if it dosen't work out I can go nuts possibly killing ,or hurting somebody.Sorry about the rant(which probably makes no sense to anyone but me), but this is my point of view from a Man that has only been on this earth a short 32 years. :)

[Dr. Snubnose]

One good thing about working for yourself as I do...is I have no "no weapons rule" while working. But I know what you are talking about and have experienced it more with relatives and past friends while carrying a sidearm rather than a knife. I was even asked by some friends and relatives not to carry in their homes....and these are people who know me very very well for many many years...and have no real reason to feel uncomfortable. I honored those peoples requests by not visiting their homes anymore at all...Because I won't go anywhere unarmed. One relative who (very liberal) was always against me carrying in her home did have a change of heart. One night when we went out for dinner she decided to go outside the eating establishment to have a cig. I went out about three minutes after her to have one myself. When I got outside I found her surrounded by 6 teenage thugs who were menacing and trying to scare her. I stepped outside drew my coat back and placed my hands on two revolvers that where IWB on my hips, and said to the group..."is there a problem here?" Well seeing is believing and they all took off in six different directions....To this day that relative always asks me when she sees me "are you carrying?" and when I say "yes" she says "good"....Doc :D

[Dr. Snubnose]

One good thing about working for yourself as I do...is I have no "no weapons rule" while working. But I know what you are talking about and have experienced it more with relatives and past friends while carrying a sidearm rather than a knife. I was even asked by some friends and relatives not to carry in their homes....and these are people who know me very very well for many many years...and have no real reason to feel uncomfortable. I honored those peoples requests by not visiting their homes anymore at all...Because I won't go anywhere unarmed. One relative who (very liberal) was always against me carrying in her home did have a change of heart. One night when we went out for dinner she decided to go outside the eating establishment to have a cig. I went out about three minutes after her to have one myself. When I got outside I found her surrounded by 6 teenage thugs who were menacing and trying to scare her. I stepped outside drew my coat back and placed my hands on two revolvers that where IWB on each hip, and said to the group..."is there a problem here?" Well seeing what might be in store for them, they all took off in six different directions....We are all convinced that if I was not there that day she would have been mugged, beaten or even killed. To this day that relative always asks me when she sees me "are you carrying?" and when I say "yes" she says "good"....Doc :D

[dialex]

One good thing about working for yourself as I do...is I have no "no weapons rule" while working. But I know what you are talking about and have experienced it more with relatives and past friends while carrying a sidearm rather than a knife. I was even asked by some friends and relatives not to carry in their homes....and these are people who know me very very well for many many years...and have no real reason to feel uncomfortable. I honored those peoples requests by not visiting their homes anymore at all...Because I won't go anywhere unarmed. One relative who (very liberal) was always against me carrying in her home did have a change of heart. One night when we went out for dinner she decided to go outside the eating establishment to have a cig. I went out about three minutes after her to have one myself. When I got outside I found her surrounded by 6 teenage thugs who were menacing and trying to scare her. I stepped outside drew my coat back and placed my hands on two revolvers that where IWB on each hip, and said to the group..."is there a problem here?" Well seeing what might be in store for them, they all took off in six different directions....We are all convinced that if I was not there that day she would have been mugged, beaten or even killed. To this day that relative always asks me when she sees me "are you carrying?" and when I say "yes" she says "good"....Doc :D

Now this is the kind of story I love to hear! :D

[v8r]

Rock on Doc.Like I said in my previous post, the youngest generation thinks everything falls in their lap.Those guys needed to get a job and work for a living instead of trying to take someone's money.

[Monocrom]

Rock on Doc.Like I said in my previous post, the youngest generation thinks everything falls in their lap.Those guys needed to get a job and work for a living instead of trying to take someone's money.

They could have been after much more than just her money.