Am I being rude?

I don't think it's rude at all - if the circumstances are taken into consideration (as others have mentioned). Personally, I always wait for someone else to initiate the conversation - after all, if they recognize a folder clip, they're probably at least "part" knife-people and we don't even enter the "Wow! A weapon!" arena of discourse. OTOH, if I feel a hand that's not mine groping in my right pocket looking for my SAK, all bets are off. :mad:
 
i agree with everyone else, it's not rude as long as you're not rude,
you know what mean?

i ask whenever i notice (on a friend or friendly looking fellow),
and am asked myself every once in a while by other knife-aware people.
this one guy at my local army/navy shop always recognizes my clip,
it's either a benchmade or an emerson, and he always asks.
then he'll show me his strider fixed.. are fixed's legal in nyc? :rolleyes:
at the last family gathering i saw my uncle and he was like
"is that a benchmade?", and we had a little pass-around.
i had my mini-tsek and he had his 942 osborne,
and my cousins were like :eek:

cockroachfarm said:
OTOH, if I feel a hand that's not mine groping in my right pocket looking for my SAK, all bets are off. :mad:
Click to expand...

..not if she's looking for the bottle opener.. ;)
 
Be afraid if some dude walks up to you and says "Is that an AR in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me." Be happy if a chick asks the same.
 
Unless you really do have an AR in your pocket, in which case the implied tryst will end up with her feeling cheated and disappointed and you feeling... well... small.
 
Actually met a new friend that way. Asked if that was a Sebenza in my pocket. I was impressed he knew. Turns out he is also a knife collector.
 
Plumber576 said:
usually it has ended up some guy carrying a Wal-Mart gerber
Click to expand...
lol, isn't that the damn truth. & when you show them yours, they often have a odd blank look, as if they're trying to appreciate something thay've never seen or heard about.
 
I wouldn't find it rude at all. In fact, I enjoy it when someone with an interest in knives asks about one that I am carrying. Many a fine conversation has taken place just by someone asking about the knife I have on me.
 
I've tried a few times to strike up a conversation with a girl I see in a public place......after a little small talk, I invite them to my place to see my knife collection.......

All it's ever gotten me was a, "Gee, I'd love to, but I've got to run! My number? Oh, my number's in the book! See ya!" :ox
 
After reading this thread the other day I decided to ask the next person I had a chance to talk with when I noticed they carried a knife.

Saturday during a CERT class where an FBI agent was teaching us about terrorism I noticed the top of his knife and on break asked about it. He pulled out and showed me his Spyderco I handed over my Kershaw (yes I got it back) and we had a nice conversation about knifes and EDCing.
 
I would not take offense at someone asking me what knife I was carrying. I would actually like that.
 
I've done it a few times. Sometimes with pleasant results, sometimes not.

When I used to work security at the Airport I surprised the hell outta some guy when I saw him walking around unloading luggage and walking up to him I commented "Hey, I hate to be a busybody or anything, but just wanted to mention that you're still carrying those two Microtechs in your pockets, I'd hate to see TSA get thier grubby hands on those." He actually thanked me profusely because he really had forgotten them. He showed them to me then (with some expectation of "ooohs and ahhhs" I think) He looked really surprised when I commented "hey, I used to have a SOCOM and a UDT, mighty nice little autos, wish I'd never gotten rid of them!" Evidently that was way too much knowledge for the average rent-a-cop to possess.

Last time though was some real beligerent dude wanting to yell at the top of his lungs about the greatness of Cold Steel Voyagers, and how they far surpass Benchmade, Spyderco or any other knife out there. Somewhat sarcastically I finally commented "gee, and all I have here is this S-30V Lonewolf folder and a crappy old Handmade knife with 52100 steel and a convex grind" Not too surprisingly didn't even slow down as he continued to educate me and anyone else within 300 yards of the superiority of Cold Steel knives. Between that incident,and a couple similar ones as well as running across the guys with cheapies and clones I've pretty much decided I don't like talking to strangers about guns and knives. Most of them are way too strange.:D
 
I am a "stealth carrier" although someone may knowingly glance at the Victorinox Yeoman in my pocket they more likely think I've popped a chubby or something!:eek: I carry either a CRK Mnandi clipped next to my pen in my shirt pocket or a Microtech UTX-70 which is a bit risky here in PA, but 99.99% of the people have NO CLUE it's a knife, let alone an OTF auto!;)
 
It is definitley not rude to ask someone what knife theyre carryng as I live for the day when someone will ask me about what knife im carrying so i can go off on an hour long knife convo :-). I get comments sometimes like "what kinda knife is that" but mostly from people with cheapies or no knives just wondering about my knife. Please if you see me please stop me and ask me!
 
I normally enjoy when people talk to me about a knife I'm carrying. Only negative experience I had was at a local bar. I was sitting next to a guy who had a Strider folder, either SMF or SNG, in a belt-rig kydex sheath. I said something along the lines of nice Strider, how do you like it, etc. He came back with "I like it fine, wish you could afford one huh?". I said yea even though I had my SMF on me as well. The most interesting was earlier this year I spied a gent carrying 2 old BM 45 balis in a leather shoulder rig. He was very cool to talk to, big in Kali\Escrima, etc.
 
I've asked a few folks about their knives, usually ended up with a good conversation. Do wonder how other people view two guys talking animatedly and suddenly pulling out big folding knifes.
 
If they were trying to hide the knife it would not be clipped to their pocket! It is extremely bad form to ask someone about a concealed handgun that you may suspect or know they are carrying but a knife clipped to the pocket is an entirely different story in my book. No one clips a knife to thir pocket and does not realize that the clip being exposed will not be nioticed by otehr people carrying a knife. When I first started carrying a spyderco several years ago pocket clips were rare. People would ask about the clip thinking it was either a pen or a pager in my pocket.
 
and being a knife guy, I never thought that it was rude to talk about the other person's knife. I see police and sheriff's personnel who need quick cut and abrasion clean up and who bring suspects in. I also see paramedic and rescue personell.

I have never hesitated to ask them what they carry and show what I carry. It's always led to a good conversation and built some bonding.

cliff
 
Well, my EDC is not visible or esay to identify, being a paracord handle wrapped Greco Whisper in an invert belt sheath. I have noticed/identified other peoples' knives, but never ask about them. I'm a private person, is all.
 
I have only approached one or two people in the past and I didn't think it was rude as the conversations went well and I approached them in a non-offencive way. At work(firefighter) I have actually told partners about the risks of carrying crappy knives. This is usually done in a joking way with the hope they see the truth in what I'm saying. It's actually quite surprising how many rescue personnel (around here )carry junk and can't imagine spending any more than 10 bucks. They'll look at my Spyderco Rescue and show me their department store 5$ job and think they aren't any different with the exception that I got RIPPED OFF! Thankfully, some have seen the light. As with almost any subject of conversation, a polite lead is almost always well received providing its not done in an awkward moment, like at the urinal!!:eek:
 
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