Am I weird for cutting my steak and chicken with a folder?

[FlaMtnBkr]

The paranoid will be paranoid. Yeah, anything is possible and there is probably some microscopic chance of getting arrested for minding your own business and using a personal knife to cut up food in a restaurant. But there is a many orders of magnitude greater chance that you will get in a car wreck on the way to the restaurant. Does that mean you never leave the house because you COULD get in a car accident? Or do you live your life as best and as safely as you can and enjoy the things that make you happy?

If using your knife to cut up a good meal that you are paying good money for, and that makes it more enjoyable, then do it. If you think it is silly or are so self conscious that you let what others may or may not think effect your actions, then do that if it's what you are comfortable with. Now if people were being arrested left and right for using a knife to cut up a meal, then yes, it would not be a good idea to do it.

I carry a knife or more accurately multiple knives, because I enjoy carrying and using a quality made tool and it comes in handy on a daily basis. Sure, I could use a key to saw through some things but it isn't ideal and won't work for many things that need a knife. I carry them for me and no one else. I don't post pictures showing what I decide to put in my pockets. Or post to some website every time I do something or go somewhere like people really care where I'm eating. I could care less what others think and I do what I need to do while trying to be courteous to others around me. That whole treat others how you would like to be treated thing. But I'm not going to inconvenience myself if I am doing something legal and minding my own business and not bothering others. I don't use a knife to get attention just like I don't dye my hair or play my stereo at deafening levels so others have to hear my musical choice. I live in a liberal college town where knives are not common and I cut things I need to cut whenever I need to cut them. That includes cutting things in public and I have done so for quite a few years and I have never had a bad reaction or seen anyone give me crazy looks. I also don't act like I'm doing something wrong or look over my shoulder in a paranoid manor. Usually your mannerisms and the way you act are more noticeable than what you are actually doing so if you are paranoid about using your knife you will probably get more strange looks than someone just going about their business. IMO, YMMV, my 2 cents worth, etc

Weird. Not weird. Who cares? In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter and there are far more important things to concern yourself with.

 

[Chefget]

Man, knife people in sheeple clothing....sheeesh 👎

 

[bdmicarta]

I could easily see someone who has dentures cutting a chicken sandwich up into bit sized pieces

About 7 years ago I was beat up pretty badly by a girl and had a lot of stitches in my face and lip. I couldn't open my mouth enough to get large bites in so I had to cut up everything before I could eat it. A lot of restaurants where you are assumed to eat the food with your teeth don't provide any kind of knife. And I've also been in places where the provided plastic knife wouldn't work sufficiently. If I need to use my own knife then I will.

It's really sad to read the responses from people in northern states and other countries where they think that just pulling the knife out of their pocket brands them as weird or criminal.

(BTW- the girl that beat me up used a Toyota to do it. I propose that we ban all Toyotas.)

 

[kniferbro]

If I saw someone eating with their blade at a restaurant I'd probably chuckle, then try to see if it was anything cool. If it was and the opportunity presented itself, I'd totally strike up a conversation because well I'm a friendly dude :thumbup:

 

[BitingSarcasm]

About 7 years ago I was beat up pretty badly by a girl and had a lot of stitches in my face and lip. I couldn't open my mouth enough to get large bites in so I had to cut up everything before I could eat it. A lot of restaurants where you are assumed to eat the food with your teeth don't provide any kind of knife. And I've also been in places where the provided plastic knife wouldn't work sufficiently. If I need to use my own knife then I will.

It's really sad to read the responses from people in northern states and other countries where they think that just pulling the knife out of their pocket brands them as weird or criminal.

(BTW- the girl that beat me up used a Toyota to do it. I propose that we ban all Toyotas.)

You can take my Sienna when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. But when my kids are old enough I can drive a real car, I never want to see another minivan again.

 

[r8shell]

I use a traditional slipjoint folder to cut food at restaurants pretty often. I've never gotten a negative reaction beyond perhaps an eyeroll from my friends. A few times the waitress has commented, "What a pretty knife!" The vast majority of the time, no one notices or cares. Maybe it's stupid or weird, but I hate trying to cut the stem on lightly steamed broccoli with a butter knife.

It is perfectly legal to use a knife in a public place to cut food. The only circumstance I can imagine that would lead to legal problems is if I were to threaten someone with harm while handling the knife. I'll bet I'd be in trouble if I threatened them with the restaurant supplied steak/butter knife, too.

 

[kniferbro]

I use a traditional slipjoint folder to cut food at restaurants pretty often. I've never gotten a negative reaction beyond perhaps an eyeroll from my friends. A few times the waitress has commented, "What a pretty knife!" The vast majority of the time, no one notices or cares. Maybe it's stupid or weird, but I hate trying to cut the stem on lightly steamed broccoli with a butter knife.

It is perfectly legal to use a knife in a public place to cut food. The only circumstance I can imagine that would lead to legal problems is if I were to threaten someone with harm while handling the knife. I'll bet I'd be in trouble if I threatened them with the restaurant supplied steak/butter knife, too.

Where's the best steamed broccoli in the 512?

 

[Eliteone2383]

My conclusion after all these responses to my original post is if you have paranoia about others perception why carry a knife or sidearm to begin with? Why make this a hobby of yours? Paranoia has no place in a hobby where tools that can also be weapons are carried. I could go deeper into it but I erased the rest. Some of you can see why I say the above statements without further explanation.

 

[Chefget]

My conclusion after all these responses to my original post is if you have paranoia about others perception why carry a knife or sidearm to begin with? Why make this a hobby of yours? Paranoia has no place in a hobby where tools that can also be weapons are carried. I could go deeper into it but I erased the rest. Some of you can see why I say the above statements without further explanation.

^^^ +1!

 

[sabre cat]

If I saw someone eating with their blade at a restaurant I'd probably chuckle, then try to see if it was anything cool. If it was and the opportunity presented itself, I'd totally strike up a conversation....

Yep. Me too. However, I live in an area that is so PC it is sickening. Many of the people around here assume your knife is nothing more than a weapon and that your only intent is to harm others. So they over react when they see a knife. Including a little three inch folder that you pull out to cut up your steak.

Over the past few years I have started paying closer attention to who over reacts when a knife is used public. More often than not it is the women that stress. Most of the time they are under 35 years of age. And, I. have never seen a male raise an eyebrow unless there is a woman in the area. Not that I have seen a lot, because I haven't. Just a very small sample.

My favorite folding steak knife is my SOG Flash 2. I don't carry or use it much because I am tired of people thinking I have a switchblade. Just another reason not to own an AO knife.

 

[Ankerson]

Yep. Me too. However, I live in an area that is so PC it is sickening. Many of the people around here assume your knife is nothing more than a weapon and that your only intent is to harm others. So they over react when they see a knife. Including a little three inch folder that you pull out to cut up your steak.

Over the past few years I have started paying closer attention to who over reacts when a knife is used public. More often than not it is the women that stress. Most of the time they are under 35 years of age. And, I. have never seen a male raise an eyebrow unless there is a woman in the area. Not that I have seen a lot, because I haven't. Just a very small sample.

My favorite folding steak knife is my SOG Flash 2. I don't carry or use it much because I am tired of people thinking I have a switchblade. Just another reason not to own an AO knife.

My area is getting more like that too, and I am talking about Raleigh, NC..... Been getting a lot worse over the past 10-15 years..... Very much PC these days..... And going down the drain....

Been going down the toilet ever since it was named the best place to live long ago....... That is never a good thing to have happen...

 

[Officer's Match]

Man, knife people in sheeple clothing....sheeesh 👎

Completely agree. I will use my folder wherever and whenever I feel the need. There is a Chinese food buffet I go to sometimes, and they don't provide knives with their tableware. I have no problem cutting broccoli or chicken with my Sebenza or CQC-7 or whatever I may have in my pocket. I don't "wave" it out of my pocket or thumbflick it open. I use it like a sensible adult that has a need to cut something.

 

[sabre cat]

My conclusion after all these responses to my original post is if you have paranoia about others perception why carry a knife or sidearm to begin with? Why make this a hobby of yours? Paranoia has no place in a hobby where tools that can also be weapons are carried. I could go deeper into it but I erased the rest. Some of you can see why I say the above statements without further explanation.

It is not paranoia that is the issue. It is the over reaction of the sheeple that you come in contact with.

I don't normally carry an AO knife because I am tired of people thinking I have a switchblade. I have better things to do with my time than explain to someone that my knife is perfectly legal. And I don't like having to explain it to a LEO because someone else does not use common sense.

Personally, I don't have a problem with someone having a knife or a sidearm. I wish more people would carry.

 

[Ankerson]

It is not paranoia that is the issue. It is the over reaction of the sheeple that you come in contact with. I don't normally carry an AO knife because I am tired of people thinking I have a switchblade. I have better things to do with my time than explain to someone that my knife is perfectly legal. And I don't like having to explain it to a LEO because someone else does not use common sense.

Personally, I don't have a problem with someone having a knife or a sidearm. I wish more people would carry.

Very true, it's not paranoia when it's real. :thumbup:

 

[stabman]

And I believe pulling a pocket knife out in a restaurant is stupid at the very least, and that is the nicest way I can put it.

I will put this very diplomatically: what you have written is a very sad opinion for a supposed knife enthusiast to hold.

 

[sabre cat]

Very true, it's not paranoia when it's real. :thumbup:

LOL, Just made me think about a sticker I saw once. It said, "It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you."

You know, this thread has got me thinking about how I use my knife in public and how that has changed over the years.

I rarely use a flipper to open a knife anymore unless it is used in conjunction with a thumb stud (all my flippers have thumb studs). Also, most of my collection is OHO but I still use two hands if I am out and about.

I wonder if I cut my steak or chicken any differently than I used to?

 

[stabman]

I wonder if I cut my steak or chicken any different than I used to?

But think of how the cows and chickens might feel...we'd all better switch to steamed organic broccoli and ethically harvested, fair trade tofu.
Then a spoon will be all the tool anyone needs.

 

[Ankerson]

I will put this very diplomatically: what you have written is a very sad opinion for a supposed knife enthusiast to hold.

You live in Canada..... NOT HERE in the US and in the more PC areas....

It's much worse than you would believe.

 

[Ankerson]

LOL, Just made me think about a sticker I saw once. It said, "It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you."

You know, this thread has got me thinking about how I use my knife in public and how that has changed over the years.

I rarely use a flipper to open a knife anymore unless it is used in conjunction with a thumb stud (all my flippers have thumb studs). Also, most of my collection is OHO but I still use two hands if I am out and about.

I wonder if I cut my steak or chicken any differently than I used to?

It's society that changed, not you....

 

[22-rimfire]

LOL, Just made me think about a sticker I saw once. It said, "It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you."

You know, this thread has got me thinking about how I use my knife in public and how that has changed over the years.

I rarely use a flipper to open a knife anymore unless it is used in conjunction with a thumb stud (all my flippers have thumb studs). Also, most of my collection is OHO but I still use two hands if I am out and about.

I wonder if I cut my steak or chicken any different than I used to?

Make it "to go". I got an email about some club considering a smoking ban. This is a place where there is a lot of drinking and socializing going on. Some responded BAN IT.... others said, let them smoke outside. Remember, this is a private club... I bring this up here because there are MANY here that would fall into the camp "BAN IT" but they have no qualms about flicking open their folder loudly in public. The response being... it's legal and it's my knife.... So, I guess personal knives in restaurants need to be banned too.

I have never seen someone in a restaurant using a folder to cut something. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen and it may well happen a lot. My example of the tiny Vic Classic being used to cut a steak or whatever was meant to be humorous. But using something larger to cut makes some sense to me if you need to. After all, I have a knife on me most of the time and if I need it to cut something, I do it whether it be a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a steak, or opening an envelope. Live and let live.