Anyone ever been embarrassed about fellow knife enthusiasts?

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soupah

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First off, let me say that this post makes me sound like a jerk and a narcissist, plus I'm aware that it's a complete generalization and why should I even care? But...

Something has been bothering me lately, so I'll come out and say it: I can't help but notice that lot of the guys I've met over the years who are into knives are overweight slobs. I'm starting to be embarrassed to admit that I like and collect knives- not because I'm embarrassed of the hobby, but of the mental image a "knife enthusiast" label conjures up.

I've seen these knife guys at the sportsmans' shows, talked to them at the store counters while buying knives, and personally know some that are casual acquaintances. Almost all have big guts (even the younger guys) & poor muscle tone. The knife clipped in the pocket almost looks a little ridiculous, since the users seem to have physical limitations that would limit the effective wielding of a knife. My wife has met some of them occasionally and made the same independent observation. I'm not talking about the old timers, which seem to be in better shape than the youngins.

I'm no underwear model myself, but I try to keep fit and avoid the excessive use of stained flannel in my wardrobe. Maybe I'm being an elitist, but what's the deal? Anybody else notice this, or am I just imagining things?

ps- sorry to offend anybody here who is overweight, I'm just making an observation. I'm sure I have lots of personal shortcomings of my own.
 
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You'll be happy to know that I'm an extremely lean slob, and none of my stained clothes are flannel.
 
No, never been embarassed about my overweight knife friends. I've noticed the larger they are, the bigger the heart.
 
i know what u are getting at but im 19, in the army, and score a 270 on PT tests. im 6 ft and 180lbs. i own prolly 15-25 knives that ppl on this forum would consider respectable. i love this hobby and spend 10+ hrs a week shopping, researching or fondling knives.

think of it this way....knives are a hobby, working out is a hobby.
everyone only get 24hrs in a day and when ppl have jobs, families, and possibly other hobbies, sometimes going to the gym consistantly just isnt a priority or possibility. i enjoy keeping fit and my job definitely helps out, if one sits at a desk for 8, 10, 12 hrs a day, sometimes staying in shape is hard.

i know what u are getting at tho.

great thread +1
 
Just because a man carries a few extra pounds, it doesn't mean he is inferior in any way. If a fat slob declares himself a "knife fighter or mercenary" that's a different story but don't judge a man because of his poundage. Everybody has a vice or weakness, the vice of overindulging in food just happens to the most visible to the average person. By the way I'm 5'8" 175 lean and mean. Don't dismiss this post as some lard ass defending his unhealthy way of life. If you can't get past the initial perception of people you see at knife shows, find another hobby, join PETA or something.
 
you are way over generalizing. im not trying to come off as a self righteous prick but im in pretty damn good physical fitness. before i injured my leg at ranger school i was running 2 miles in under 12 minutes. i can do about 10 pull ups with a 35 pound weight on my back or an IBA on, i can go out and run ten miles and do obstacles along the way and then go do my days work. i competed in the TOG iron guard competition (havent won tho the sit-ups is what kills me who the f@@@ thought to make it 98 in 2 minutes :confused: ) so does that qualify me as fit or what r ur standards here...???

i think the problem is with society as a whole most people sit around and drink soda and eat mcdonalds and kfc and then they drive whereever they are going and sit at a desk all day for work. its not just the knife people....
 
soupah said:
I'm starting to be embarrassed to admit that I like and collect knives- not because I'm embarrassed of the hobby, but of the mental image a "knife enthusiast" label conjures up.
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You should be embarrassed then to say you are North American.
It conjures up images of fat, VERY fat people in the minds of many.
Get over it already.
 
The only time I am embarrassed is when I am at the shop, and there are idiots behind the counter cutting themselves trying to flip bali's and playing with the emerson wave feature on the Karambit they are fiddling with. No better way to scare off a future customer than to look like a cliche. The overweight thing, well I agree with the previous poster's More Heart comment.
 
This is an awesome thread. There is a similar phenomenon with hunters. But I guess if you only hunt a few times a year you don't have to be lean if you are just sitting in a low spot waiting for you game to walk up. Gun guys too. It might just be that people collect things and food might be one of those things. Or because knife collecting is a sedentary hobby. I am a fish keeper and i see a lot of those guys are fat too. You don't have to walk your fish. Or it may be totally unrelated to knives it could be that United States residents eat too much.
 
Hey that isn't true. Most knife hobbyist I seen are pretty fit. Okay maybe abit chubby but not overweight.

Plus how about me??

Not everyone is fat chubby and what not. I'm, like so many knife collectors out there, pretty normal. Not fat but not absolutely fabulous either.

Also I am proud to say that I collect knives,
 
soupah said:
First off, let me say that this post makes me sound like a jerk and a narcissist, plus I'm aware that it's a complete generalization and why should I even care? But...

Something has been bothering me lately, so I'll come out and say it: I can't help but notice that lot of the guys I've met over the years who are into knives are overweight slobs. I'm starting to be embarrassed to admit that I like and collect knives- not because I'm embarrassed of the hobby, but of the mental image a "knife enthusiast" label conjures up.

I've seen these knife guys at the sportsmans' shows, talked to them at the store counters while buying knives, and personally know some that are casual acquaintances. Almost all have big guts (even the younger guys) & poor muscle tone. The knife clipped in the pocket almost looks a little ridiculous, since the users seem to have physical limitations that would limit the effective wielding of a knife. My wife has met some of them occasionally and made the same independent observation. I'm not talking about the old timers, which seem to be in better shape than the youngins.

I'm no underwear model myself, but I try to keep fit and avoid the excessive use of stained flannel in my wardrobe. Maybe I'm being an elitist, but what's the deal? Anybody else notice this, or am I just imagining things?

ps- sorry to offend anybody here who is overweight, I'm just making an observation. I'm sure I have lots of personal shortcomings of my own.
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....frankly since you're asking, I think it's a rather shallow and "youthful" observation. And this is coming from someone who pretty fit for his age.....if you can consider someone my age fit. :D. You know...the whole thing about not judging a book by it's cover. Good guys come in all shapes and sizes.....in Brooks Brothers and in Walmart flannel.

- regards
 
You live in a country where half the population are overweight slobs. It's a fact I've accepted; fitness isn't as important to everyone else as it is to me.

You cannot avoid having overweight friends, my friends are not an embarrassment to me. Are the three-hundred pound "knife-fighters" an embarrassment to me? No. I take them no more seriously than anyone else does. Just as with the three-hundred pound "mercenaries" who loiter in the gun shops, I smile politely, and walk away.

If someone wants to fashion their personal idea of a stereotype after one of these fellows, that's their problem, not mine. If someone wants to fashion their personal stereotype of a gun owner after an overweight, khaki shorts and vest clad, Glock fannypack and NRA hat wearing buffoon, that's their problem, not mine.

As long as no one's scrutinizing me, why should I be embarrassed?
 
Gramps said:
....frankly since you're asking, I think it's a rather shallow and "youthful" observation.
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You are correct, I do feel shallow for bringing this up. I still can't help but think it's worth discussing.

And for what it's worth, I'm not embarrassed of my overweight friends, this is more about the knife community.

I'll say it again-I guess I am a jerk.
 
From what I have come across most not in the knife community would not stereotype knife knuts buy body type. Usually we would be lumped into the "psycho" category and whatever other images that conjures up.

I think a large reason for the overweight knife enthusiast is just biology. Once you reach middle age the metabolism slows plus males are desighned to carry their fat in the stomach/gut area. I have met a few guys who are a little paunchy but otherwise fit.
 
You will see different shapes and sizes in any hobby. Even some police look sloppy. not every one can be the same. I am thin and i hate to see fat children I don't understand how parents can let that happen. The answer is right in front of them.
 
Well, I suppose the days of Roman Centurions,Japanese Samurai and other lean and wiry types who wielded swords(longer knives...)are well over..but I think the OP MAY be on to something.You don't have to be a fitness maniac but letting yourself get beyond your natural size and under your required condition is a hazardous choice to make.Posture is very important, lolling around in sedentary jobs or idling about here on the internet...most of us slouch about and that gives a shambolic appearance weight or no overweight.

Maybe the knife addict is more weighed down by their hobby,literally,you CAN'T have an excess of knives!
 
soupah said:
You are correct, I do feel shallow for bringing this up. I still can't help but think it's worth discussing.

And for what it's worth, I'm not embarrassed of my overweight friends, this is more about the knife community.

.................
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A for Honesty;.....and it's not like I can't be accused of making similar mistakes from time to time.

- regards
 
To me a person is a person and a friend is a friend. Doesn't matter to me what a person looks like or their gender. I've had the pleasure to interact with many great people on this forum and would walk up and shake their hand if I had the pleasure of doing so. Knives are what brings us together on BF but friendship and knowledge is what we gain.
 
I think our culture has cultivated this myth that to be "in shape" is to look like an extra in a Spartan movie or some kind of underware model-some guys and gals just carry more weight on thier bones.I have a good buddy who is a cop and an avid martial atist who can out run,out push up,out pull up,out sit up me any day of the week.To look at him you would think he is a short overwieght guy.I think this can be filed in the"don't judge a book by its cover"category.
 
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