A rising problem?

Most of my knives are weapons.

I don't brandish them, I don't look for trouble, I don't owe anyone any explanation or apology.

This nonsense of people aggressively asking you why you need a knife is a symptom of brainwashing, pure and simple. Growing up in Alaska in the 70s and 80s, nearly every male prepubescent and teenager carried a knife, even to school, and it was never an issue.

Many of my students are younger. Occasionally they'll bring a friend along. Sometimes one of these friends may be a left-leaning, know-it-all type who will ask me why I need a knife, or a gun, or whatever else happens to be in my pocket that day. I simply ask them why they feel the need to ask such a question, and then point out that the very nature of their querry is aggressive, its intent to cause conflict rather than a genuine academic curiosity. They don't want an explanation, they simply want to show you how much more intellectually evolved they are.

You could point out that in every society in history free men and slaves are separated by the right to carry weapons. You could point out that, just like a seatbelt or insurance policy, it's better to have it than not need it. If they try to raise some pseudo-Freudian analogy you could point out that Freud said fear of weapons is a sign of sexual and emotional immaturity. In most cases you'd be wasting your breath.

Even within the military, the warrior ethos is considered an anachronism. There's no place for it in a globalized, socialist world. I am who I am, I like what I like. I'm not bothering anyone, so I'll probably tell them to fuck off and get a life if they don't like it.

Unlike wlifter123, I'm not much of a diplomat or a Southern gentleman.
 
In the late 40's, we all carried crappy little knives meant as weapons. You know, the switchblade knockoffs that the hardware store would sell, or some cheesy, rapid deploying lockblade with the pivot loosened, stuff like that. We never actually used them as weapons, they were more just a show off thing, and any disputes were usually solved using the good ol' knuckles. Still, there was no question as to whether or not these were tools or weapons, that much was obvious. My old man would have taken the belt to me if he ever found out I carried such a thing, but he never did, heheh.

Now, I carry a multi-tool almost everywhere I go. It is after all called a multi-tool and not a "multi-weapon", and I have never considered it to be anything other than a tool. I find myself needing pliers more than the blade these days... Anyway, I guess the point I am trying to make here is that some knives are meant solely as a weapon, and would be nearly impossible to explain as a tool, especially in an urban environment. Conversely, some pieces are merely utilitarian cutting aides meant to assist in daily chores. As mentioned many times before, anything can be used as a weapon, and some improvisations are far more effective as a weapon than is a knife anyway. Things like a cue ball in a sock, piece of rebar, fireplace poker, louisville slugger, fireman's-axe... you get the point; all those things would be far more nightmarish to square off against in a scuffle.

Concerning public perception, I would think a person insane to frown upon me for carrying a multi-tool down the street, but I could certainly see the concern if I was to walk into a bar with a bowie strapped to my side. It's knid of a when and where thing, a matter of being appropriate. Toting a 6" blade while grocery shopping is a bit like wearing your skivvies to a wedding, imo.
 
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Some knives are tools, some knives are weapons. A karambit is a weapon, it's designed for use with silat, which is a very aggressive very violent martial art.
A hunting knife is a tool. You use it to skin your deer or what have you, or if you are using a survival knife to split wood and perform other cutting tasks.
Knives are not inherently weapons. But some are designed as such, other are designed as tools. I'm sure baseball bats are used to kill people a lot, it makes a perfect bludgeon, but it is inherently a piece of sports equipment. But if you saw a guy, walking towards you with an angry look on his face brandishing a bat, you aren't going to think "Oh, he's off to the diamonds." No, you know that bat is a weapon.
It's about attitude and demeanor. Even if you pulled out a folding karambit to cut a piece of cardboard, if you did it casually, no one would really be afraid. If you pulled it out, started spinning it around and doing silat drills in the middle of a crowd then it would only be a matter of time before a cop shot you before he thinks you can cut him.
Same way, if you pulled out a swiss army knife and promptly slit the throat of the guy next to you, the same thing is going to happen. But if you just pulled out a swiss army knife and set down on a table as you ate, no one would care.
In any event, if you don't know what you are doing, (which a lot of us knife collectors don't) if you try to defend yourself with a knife, you are more likely to end up in jail for manslaughter.

Also, it is farely well known by my friends that I collect knives, but the other day I flicked open my spyderco, nice and quick. MY YOUTH PASTOR, got nervous, so it is definitely about demeanor and actions, because my youth pastor is much bigger than I am and knows me quite well.
 
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In my country generally,the law doesn't recognize knives as a weapon.But some sort of blades does;bayonet,daggers,switchblades,swords,sabers...But anything suitable for making injuries or used for an assault will be regarded as a weapon if carried in public places or used in that manner.That means when I go to Court I leave my knife at guard,and pick it at my way back .
I look knife as a tool,essential,and if I was in need of weapon I'd rather take some sort of club.Anyway,axe played much bigger role as a weapon in history,and yet no one looks it that way.And it was much more effective.
 
IMHO, any knife (leaving aside purposeful designed bladed weapons like stilettos, daggers etc, every single knife on this planet which has a sharp edge and bares a point) automatically becomes designated as a "weapon" when it's "used as a weapon" to threaten, intimidate or cause bodilly harm or injury to both man or beast alike.
So long as no other party feels threaten by it's mere presence (in this context, another human being); a knife remains a tool (like a kitchen knife, box cutter, etc) for all its practical uses and purpose just like any other tool designed primarily to help man carry out his everyday survival chores within the legal confines afforded to his environment of choice.
 
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GIRLYmann said:
IMHO, any knife (leaving aside purposeful designed bladed weapons like stilettos, daggers etc, every single knife on this planet which has a sharp edge and bares a point) automatically becomes designated as a "weapon" when it's "used as a weapon" to threaten, intimidate or cause bodilly harm or injury to both man or beast alike.
So long as no other party feels threaten by it's mere presence (in this context, another human being); a knife remains a tool (like a kitchen knife, box cutter, etc) for all its practical uses and purpose just like any other tool designed primarily to help man carry out his everyday survival chores within the legal confines afforded to his environment of choice.
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I could not have said it better my self, infact i was going to post pretty much that exact same thing until i saw your post.
 
"dtownknifekid", thank's!
Indeed a good many of us here are all very human afterall; besides the criminally insane (and ungodly beast and roving creatures of the night) want and feel the same things.
Nobody in his/her or it's right mind wants or wishes to hurt anyone or anything for no reason whatsoever, not unless it's a life threatening situation in question.
Nature has it designed that all things require to kill in order to survive, but that's just following the natural order of things in the food chain.
Unfortunately there are many weak and sickly living in the fringes of humanity.
They are the most affected by the culture of "might is right" to tip the balance to thier favour.
Like I said only unsound people do unsound things.
The trouble is in knowing how to address social problems and knife related crimes perpetrated by unstable individuals with mainly unstable lives.
 
45stops-em-quick said:
Huh???


"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
Thomas Jefferson


Laws curtailing the carrying of arms have never prevented a crime, and have only allowed those who perpetrate them to do so with greater confidence, frequency and success. After all someone who is willing to rob, rape, and murder has already made peace with breaking the law, and will carry any tools they need to do their job. An honest citizen should not be curtailled from carrying those tools that he or she needs to do their job, that is to live, and those tools are guns, knives, and anthing else that helps to level the playing field with an attacker. After all the attacker, by virtue of choosing where, when, and how the confrontation will occur already has a huge advantage.

ETA

Knives and guns are by definition tools, as are all weapons. Tools seek to give a mechanical advantage in performing a task. Sure you could throw a piece of lead fast, just not as fast as firearm. All weapons are tools, and most tools can be used as weapons. As an example, the hell's angels MC's weapon of choice is the ball peen hammer, should we now curtail the carrying of hammers?
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Somehow I just don't see this working in Baltimore city. I suspect that there would be a lot of itchy trigger fingers and unsolved homicides if guns were displayed at the hip. It's already dangerous enough around here with gang initiatiions. I think the police here would be against it.

MD gun laws are VERY strict. The strictest. And I think that concealed carry would be safer. The concealed carry law here is a bit too strict. You have to have written proof of threats. Verbal isn't sufficient.
 
hMM, QUOTE DIDN'T WORK RIGHT



"This is total nonsense.
I don't know who told you that you're more likely to hurt yourself than the person you're defending against, but it's certainly a lie.
Humans have been using knives to defend (and attack) other humans, and with great success, for millions of years. "


Millions? we humans are only about 1/10 that old as a species, and unless you mean a pointy stick, we've only had knives for about 35,000 years (stone knives)
 
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MorkalebKN said:
Millions? we humans are only about 1/10 that old as a species, and unless you mean a pointy stick, we've only had knives for about 35,000 years (stone knives)
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This is actually right, do some anthropology research and all should be able to come to a similar conclusion concerning human evolution timelines (I would personally even venture to say that 35,000 years is being generous, most likely less than that even). Still, this doesn't negate the validity of the original statement, however; it remains factual, regardles of whether it be millions of years, thousands of years, hundreds of years, or decades. The initial point remains true all the same, no sense in nitpicking here based solely on one's ignorance of the evolutionary timeline of mankind.
 
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reconranger said:
Sorry, no polite way to say this.....but your brain has been washed by the leftist socialist/communist/Stalinists, who have always been trying to take over Europe.... They just want to make you their slaves, and you are going right along with them like a sheep. Just like a sheep, they have castrated you and you don't even realize it....
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I just look at funktion, how a seax for example was different to a Chefs knife. Weapons are buildt different to tools. Ppl. who were really in need of weapons, have buildt real ones.

Next is, i just look what my real life situation is. Read twice! Only time i was carrying something as a weapons was offensive. I did so. I never needed a defensive weapon. Sorry, if you live bader.

Allen C has very different real life experience to mine. I respect that, but should i start to look at my knife with his eyes? Why?

If i would have the need for a weapon, i may look different at my knife, maybe i take a different one or a second , that serves better (read the above).

If someone, who has to walk armed uses anything as a weapon, his decision. That does not change the original character of the objekt.

If someone has to walk around armed, he should. If he wishes so, he could.

Keep the need in relation to the wish. In that respect: Interesting, that the whole thing comes down to the dig. BTW i am pretty sure about mine. Are you about yours?

My HK 14205 is no weapon by nature nor my BM 520 or my little fixed bladed knife, i usually carry. They are no weapons and i do not consider them that way. Must I?
 
reconranger said:
Sorry, no polite way to say this.....but your brain has been washed by the leftist socialist/communist/Stalinists, who have always been trying to take over Europe.... They just want to make you their slaves, and you are going right along with them like a sheep. Just like a sheep, they have castrated you and you don't even realize it....
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How do you know that your brain hasn't been washed either? Maybe we all have been brainwashed and just don't know it. But your impoliteness is definitely a valuable contribution to the discussion. I am not going to enter this whole conspiracy thing.
 
BladefulArt said:
I have been noticing lately that more and more people are considering knives as weapons even though the majority of them are designed to be used as tools. Is their any way to persuade and educate people what their purpose is without them just saying, "your wrong." (or losing trust of you)

Its getting to a point where even hunters consider them as weapons now, which I find quiet sad. If this continues, how badly will it effect the knife industry and its community?

I am completely aware that most street attacks envolve knives, but wouldn't a required program in school's about knife education and their proper use solve some of these growing problems? (Since everybody will use a knife some time during their life) Or is school part of the problem as well?

(After all, in my school, nearly all knife related sites are blocked saying "This site is characterized as "violence/weapons, even though some of them don't have any violence related material or any knives designed as weapons at all)

Because of this growing problem, I plan on joining KnifeRights as soon as possible, appears to be about our only hope now because of people getting filled with ignorance.

Any ideas on how to persuade people of what knives are actually for would be highly appreciated. I'm sick of people referring to me as a "maker of dangerous objects used to stab people."
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I may be an old man I guess but when the teacher came to class and a couple of us were playing mumbletypeg on the back row he just said to put that up and get out your books. I was in a bar Wednesday night at about 1:00 am talking to this bald headed kid who had just been accepted into the Green Berets and when we got our knifes out to compare and contrast the two bartenders swooped over but they just wanted to see what we had, mainly because they know me and know knife violence isn't what I do in bars.
 
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