A small victory against Aichmophobia

[rickppoole]

I work for a large American company (30,000 Employees) and I was pleasantly surprised while taking this years mandatory harrassment training update to learn that my company has explicitly said it's ok to carry certain knives to work.

In the section covering the ban on all weapons in the workplace, there was a new clause added which stipulates that "pocket knives with small blades" are not to be considered weapons under normal circumstances- (i.e. unless I explicitely use one to threaten someone with), and are ok to carry in the office.

I know that this isn't a lot to go on, but in our modern climate of aichmophobia (fear of knives and sharp objects, I just had to look it up ) I consider even small progress like this a victory.

There have been many times in the past five years when I've been asked for help opening a package or cutting something for someone and have subsequently been asked about carrying a knife. I've always replied that the knives I carry meet all legal requirements for my city, county, and state, and that always seems to quiet the concerns of people who worry about such legalities. It just feels nice to have "pocket knives" defined as ok in the rule book.

 

[wolfsurvival]

Aichmophobia
I believe the majority of the British people and all of it’s government suffer from this affliction…..
But that is cool man, I have never really worked a job where I did not carry a knife regardless of policy. But it’s a good thing to not have to worry about getting wrote up or loosing your job, if you were found to have one.

 

[sodak]

Very cool! I also work for a large company, with a no-weapons no-knives rule. Which I ignore. Once someone mentioned the no-knives rule, and I took them down to the kitchen, opened a drawer, and showed them the 30 or so kitchen knives, some longer than 9 inches.

That was that.

 

[knarfeng]

I work for a large American company (30,000 Employees) and I was pleasantly surprised while taking this years mandatory harrassment training update to learn that my company has explicitly said it's ok to carry certain knives to work.

In the section covering the ban on all weapons in the workplace, there was a new clause added which stipulates that "pocket knives with small blades" are not to be considered weapons under normal circumstances- (i.e. unless I explicitely use one to threaten someone with), and are ok to carry in the office.

I know that this isn't a lot to go on, but in our modern climate of aichmophobia (fear of knives and sharp objects, I just had to look it up ) I consider even small progress like this a victory.

There have been many times in the past five years when I've been asked for help opening a package or cutting something for someone and have subsequently been asked about carrying a knife. I've always replied that the knives I carry meet all legal requirements for my city, county, and state, and that always seems to quiet the concerns of people who worry about such legalities. It just feels nice to have "pocket knives" defined as ok in the rule book.

Yeah, my company allows "small pocket knives" too. But, being an engineering company they went and wrote a specification for "small pocket knife". Their definition is

2" max blade length with a max opened length of 4.5".
​

Folks, that is a frickin small knife. Not only hard to find, but hard to handle when you do find it. Better than nothing, but still unsatisfying.

 

[Erasmus]

:thumbup:Aichmophobia! Excellent.:thumbup:

Now I can look down my superior nose at all those poor lesser beings who accost me with their anti-knife phobias whilst I'm opening some letter, or box.

"There there, it can't be easy living with your anti-knife MENTAL ILLNESS... Is there a medication for that?" <Pauses to fire concerned look of pity at them.>

 

[Absintheur]

The National Parts Warehouse I worked for in college had a no weapons rules, but box-cutters had to be allowed as opening cartons was part of the job. Ever seen a couple of pissed off sisters going at it with box-cutters?

Some rules are so stupid they are laughable...

 

[cbxer55]

3.5 years ago when I attended the new employee orientation at my place of employment, we were told a knife 6" long was acceptable, no larger. I look down at my right front pocket and see the huge clip and exposed part of the Lone Wolf Harsey Tactical sticking out of my pocket.
The following day when I reported to work, there is my lead man sitting at his desk honing a knife that was easily 8". And no one was having a cow about it either.
Since then I have always carried the usual big knives I like. One day the lady that did the orientation asked me to open up a box for her. I whip out my large Rukus and unzip the box for her in a New York City Minute and stick it back in my pocket. She looks at my pocket and replies "now that is one hell of a pig-sticker". Never heard another word about it.
I currently carry both a large Rukus and a small, right and left front pockets. Both have lanyards attached that are plainly visible. No comments from anyone.
But whenever anyone needs something cut, you know who they come to!

 

[Bull Winkle]

I am a fan of spyderco and have many models, but the ones I use at work and always have on me are either the military model or police model. All of my friends know that I always have a blade on my and make use of that fact when something needs cutting. When it comes to crap cutting I use my byrd cara cara, when I ruin it I buy another, its a great knife and cheap.