Almost no one cares if you're using a knife

I once went to pick up my grandmother from her "old folks home" with a Mora Companion on my belt. All of the nurses yelled "he's got a knife!" I politely explained that don't you use a knife in the kitchen? But they couldn't calm down. Besides that I haven't noticed a negative reaction to me using a knife in public.
 
That's funny but unfortunately that's reality these days in certain environments. That would have certainly caught me off guard. But I probably would not have been carrying a fixed blade on my belt visible and kept to folders in the pocket.
 
It's all about location location location. Down here in the deep south, the special snowflakes haven't migrated yet. Seeing a pocket clip is a common occurrence. There's no shortage of people willing to help if a knife is needed.
 
I just about never have any problems with public knife use . Midwest but very" country " area here .

But I did mess up one time a few years post 9-11 by unintentionally walking right into a security checkpoint in a Federal building in a neighboring county . The building had not been federal or had any security whatever in previous years and I wasn't paying attention that day .

So I just nonchalantly dump my wallet , glasses case , keys etc and TWO large tactical folders into their little basket . Got some hard looks from security and noticed a bunch more show up (maybe it was shift change ?).

Didn't help when the metal plate in my leg set off the walk thru detector . Had maybe 7 big guys gather in close for some wandiing .

I kept cool and talked about why I was there ( for a license plate for somebody else) and had the paperwork . Luckily I looked pretty harmless even then and don't fit any terrorist profiles .

They calmed down and let me thru and returned my gear with no comment , but I learned to not be TOO casual where and what I carry in the the post 9-11 world .
 
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I've told this story before but I will again... I was routinely flying every week or so for a few years for work. It was okay to carry a knife on your person on the plane then. BUT, one time going through the metal detector at the airport... my brief case was stuffed full of stuff..... metal detector scan showed something knife like.... I shrugged and I had no idea what it was and we fished around until we found it.... Italian switch blade still in the box had slipped behind the fabric in the brief case.... We laughed a bit and I promptly checked the brief case in as regular luggage.... problem solved.

I periodically do work inside court houses. I almost always have a knife on me as I need one often. I tell the security people before hand and they escort me around the metal detector unit. They also escort me out of the building as well by the way when I'm done. That was a federal court house. County court houses... not so much. I just leave when I'm done like anyone else.
 
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Gideons said:
I remember I think, it was 2016 thanksgiving I was in the kitchen with my family and other(s). We ran out of clean knives, I had a ZT 0350 in my pocket so I started to use it to help prepare some food. The reaction was not pleasant to say the least, many people stared my brother after a little bit just told me it would be best if I put it away. I did, dinner took longer to make because of it... So, many "nice" stories... but at least in my experience these are much more likely.
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Might be that people did not think your ZT is sanitized enough to prepare food.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
I guess I carry a nice knife because it makes me happy ... and even if I've got a $500.00 or $600.00 knife in my pocket ... it's very very rare that anyone knows and less likely they see it ... so no need to show it off.
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Agreed. One Wilson/CRK Sebbie, one S!K GSO 2.7, one nice 9mm Walther PPS auto...
The Survive Knife fixed blade is the only one that ever sees the light of day...
 
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I'm a knifeguy and I would look at you funny; sitting in a mall and cutting on some bamboo stick
 
Gideons said:
I remember I think, it was 2016 thanksgiving I was in the kitchen with my family and other(s). We ran out of clean knives, I had a ZT 0350 in my pocket so I started to use it to help prepare some food. The reaction was not pleasant to say the least, many people stared my brother after a little bit just told me it would be best if I put it away. I did, dinner took longer to make because of it... So, many "nice" stories... but at least in my experience these are much more likely.
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If that's how your family reacts it might be you, man.
 
Yeah no one really cares. I was in line at the drug store behind an old fart buying some reading glasses. After payin he asked the cashier chick if she had a pair of scissors to remove the tag. She didn’t and was going to call the manager. I was pretty buzzed at the time so I said “no need I got a knife.” I produced a milli and full on mall ninja style flicked it open and cut the tags off the gentleman’s glasses. He thanked me and told me he usually carries a knife himself. No one else cared either. The end.
 
SV-97 said:
I'm fairly sure she rocked a 10" Bowie
as a neckknife :D
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Well, she does engrave knives at least. :)
They have a couple of Swiss Army Knives there that are pretty nice.
A little overpriced being in a mall, but not by too much.
 
Oh the shame!!!
:D

stabman said:
I hereby revoke your "knife-guy" status.
You have proven to be less of a knife-guy than the girl at the Things Engraved booth...and she likely does not even carry a knife. ;)

You may now hang your head in shame. :D
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The reactions are all about context and reasonablness of use...

My kids love panera. They are 8,6 and 2. They always get the little water cups with lids with their meal. When they were even younger and you put the straws in, they are huge and my dumbdumb children poke their noses and struggle to drink from them. So I use my ever present Spyderco Military to cut the straws down for them. I have done this dozens of times. Nobody has ever looked at me funnywhen I did it. I believe this was becuase it was a dad helping out his kids.

Now if I was by myself, whipped out my mcirotech tachyon 2 and started flipping while I was waiting for my salad to be made, people wouldnt approve.
 
Most every job listed here would have been easily performed by the littlest SAK with scssors. Don't leave home....
 
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I had forgotten about this episode until I read this thread. Courthouses and judges DO care when you have a toy knife money clip.
Fortunately the judge was more interested with the security guard than me.
 
BBuser said:
Most every job listed here would have been easily performed by the littlest SAK with scssors. Don't leave home....
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Don't care for Swiss Army Knives so I don't carry one.

In my little story no one flinched at 4" blade being used in public.

So for me it's ...Never leave home without a Military. :)
 
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