A coin in hand

Gevir Knives

Hand made knives out of Nova Scotia, Canada
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
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100
So I recently sold a blade to a buddy of mine and he ended up educating on a what is apparently a old tradition among knives makers/buyers and I was wondering if anyone has heard of this and/or does it.
So when a knife is exchanged, I think traditionally among knifemaker to knifemaker, a coin is given by the maker of the knife to the recipient of said knife, as a token of a continued and lasting respect and friendship.
He gave me a coin at first but the Google corrected us and I gave him one, a dime which ironically had some significance to him but I don't think it mattered as long as it's a coin
I haven't researched it since but intend to and to continue this now but anyone else out there know of this?
 
It was explained to me that it was bad luck to give a knife away. A penny is included along with the knife so that the recipient could use it to "buy" the knife from the giver. The penny should be returned.
 
Yes, it is an old superstition that the knife will cut the new owner unless he pays for it. If you are his friend, you put a penny in the box, and he gives it back as payment. All hooey, but there are people who still believe that black cats are bad luck, etc.
 
Explained to me by my father in law, as a French tradition - a knife is to be given with a coin, so that the friendship is not cut.
 
This exchange happens in a movie called The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin as well. Didn't get great reviews, but I enjoyed it.
 
I gave a knife to a good friend a while back and his wife sent me a penny with their thank you note saying it was bad luck to receive a knife for free. (She lived in France for a while)
 
In Scottish & Jewish tradition and many others, a knife/sword as a gift cut the ties of family or friendship unless a coin is given back in return.

I have several pennies/coins from knives I've gifted to friends & associates. It seems to go back as far as Roman times.

When customers are gifting one/set of my my knives to a couple to be married, I advise them to tape shiny new Penny on the box,boxes.
 
I was involved in a passaround of a japanese kitchen knife and when it was my turn to receive it I notice a coin in the box. something to do with luck or good intentions
 
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