Are you ashamed of your hobby?

People do know about my love of knives (and multitools). I use every occasion I can to show responsible, useful, and safe handling of tools. And yeah, when something needs sharpening, or cutting, I get a call.

Good story - the other day the neighbour broke a piece of plastic threaded pipe inside a metal one. They were trying to use pliers and wrenches and anything else. I walked home, picked up the fixed blade I knew would fit, came back, jammed it in the plastic, it bit, and I turned out the broken piece. All the wide eyed stares were great. And it got me a free beer.
 
I have never been ashamed of my hobby!! Anyone who knows me, KNOWS I AM a knife nut.
 
jill jackson said:
People around here not only carry knives to church they carry concealed pistols.
As long as you have a permit carry it wherever you go and it's allowed. It's not going to do any good if you need it and it's home or in your vehicle.
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:D Here too (Georgia). We can't legally carry into a church meeting here, even with a CCW, but I'd bet that at the church we attend, there's almost as many guns in the cars outside as there are Bibles. I know the Bluegrass group that I play with on Saturday nights (mostly folks from our church) can "take care of business" either way (guns or guitars).

I talk about knives to anyone who'll listen and everyone who's on my gift list has gotten a knife from me at one time or another.
 
Its just not in me to not express my interests. I like to hunt, fish, vegetable garden, smoke cigars/tobacco pipe, eat chicken wings, and make knives. All of which are considered not politically correct....with the exception of gardening. As a matter of fact, each year for the past 3 hunting seasons, I've held an archery contest at work. The winner, with the largest whitetail rack receives the total of the entry fees (usually $60 to $100) plus a custom forged knife from me.

Check out my buddies (at work) with their winnings.

http://s657.photobucket.com/albums/uu295/bobbywett/?action=view&current=DSCN0265.jpg
http://s657.photobucket.com/albums/uu295/bobbywett/?action=view&current=DSCN0105.jpg
 
I think educating the public and trying to change the way knives are viewed is important. As for being born a knife knut, I agree with a little of that but disagree with more.

Example:

I have a good friend that used to never carry a knife or even think about buying one, he simply had no interest and is sort of the type to fall into the sheeple classification (for example, he likes guns a little and owns a shotgun, but he doesn't understand why we need pistols and he said he wouldn't mind if they were illegal), now he had an old SAK classic that he never used and kitchen knives that were dull as sin, thats it. After hanging around me for a couple years, he has already made three pilgrimages to SMKW and he now has a few Case knives and a good set of Opinel paring knives that he takes very good care of.
He started to like the tactical style knives for the convenience factor, but by me carrying traditional slip joints, he learned those features aren't required and liked the beauty of slippys better. I think it is possible to influence other peoples hobbies.
 
I am very proud of my work, and I find that I am among two groups of people. Firstly those who like knives, and are always bugging me to make more, and perform repairs. These people enjoy and use knives.

Then there is that 'other' group of people, who believe that I am making weapons in my 'weapon making shop' by day, and slitting throats by night.
 
What really concerns me is that- while other hobbies or passions can bring on "negative" reactions ranging from mild amusement to being labeled an eccentric, it does not seem so for the knife community. For example: A woman who has a large expensive purse collection will probably be looked upon with envy by other women. For the most part society will not attack that woman's character. However, it seems that a person with a large knife collection/hobby is considered potentially dangerous, with negative character flaws, something is wrong with that person. If there are any legal troubles, then it could affect that person very negatively in a court of law. If the woman with the purse collection got into legal trouble, her handbag collection would not even be an issue... I love my hobby and knives are my passion. But it saddens me that in this modern day, society looks down more and more on any type of edged knife/tool. I believe that an honorable man like A.G. Russell was alluding to this. I've heard that even carrying a knife with a pocket clip could be looked down upon by law enforcement eventually.
 
Is there any parity among the people replying? Sure, we're all BF members, but how many knives do you have, how many do you carry at once, what is your reason for carry, how much of your disposable income do you spend on knives, etc?

Just seems a little broad to me. There are people here who like to talk about knives that have edc'd the same one for a couple years, and there are those who change them more often than underwear. Seems more like asking a group if they are ashamed of drinking alcohol, and you don't know who has a couple glasses of wine a week and who kills a fifth every other night. Some people probably should be concerned, not necessarily ashamed, of how they go about buying/using knives.

Already had a fairly lengthy thread by a member who admitted he was spending too much on knives, to the detriment of his family. And we regularly get posts about people wanting a tactical that they can use to scare off the bad guys. IMO, not things to be proud of on the subject of knives.

I'm not ashamed of my hobby, but sometimes I wish I didn't buy so often. Hell, I just ordered another knife 2 minutes before starting this reply. That said, I will talk knives at the drop of a hat with anyone who shows an interest.
 
I am proud of my hobby. Some like stamps, some coins, some firearms, but for me I like a piece of steel transformed into a workable piece of art that can be enjoyed, touched, used and does not take away from my view of value. My collections are on the wall where friends and anyone who stop in my living room get to see. I remember when my New York cousin really admired my Ek and Randall Collections. She was a knife nut and I never knew.

And if someone states that these are weapons, I remind them first any item can become a weapon. And that really these are tools, due to the knife has other duties than killing. I also remind them that weapons are a form of tools.
 
Yes, everyone that knows me understands I'm a knife nut. I'm a gun nut too, but the ones I like are beyond my reach, and I'm content with both collections anyway.

I've recently joined Face Book and I showed my hobbie there and seem to have little negitism among the women folks I grew up with. We were raised to be socialist and I just happened to escape it; most of them are the same.

Several of the men at my Church family are into knives and a B-17 crewman from WWII has the largest collection among us. Mr. Russell I appreciate all your knowledge here and have always enjoyed your catalog sir. On the 25th could you post one of your excellant service stories here for all of us to view for Memorial Day(sorry if I put you on the spot!)?
 
Only people i am close to know I like knives. I wouldn't call myself a knife knut though. I have about 7 knives which ive collected over the years. I dont really enjoy owning knives I don't use-- so I don't horde. I have been edcing the same knife for two years. I also use one other knife recently since my main edc just stays on my work clothes
 
No shame, but I'm definitely wary. Too many misguided do-gooders with knee-jerk reactions who can really cause a lot of grief. I'll share my opinions and try to persuade others, but truthfully I keep everything I do as private as possible. This extends to more than just knives.

I can accept ignorant opinions, as no one can know everything about everything. But it's the increase in the number of people who will spring into action, without thinking they should educate themselves about the issue and are convinced of the righteousness of their cause based solely on how they feel, that I find worrisome.

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.

-Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).

The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.

-Robert A. Heinlein
 
My family and most people at work know that I collect knives, no one has a problem with it. I bring them into work and show off the new ones, and while people admire then, they just can't grasp spending more then $20 on a knife. I think that's the biggest disconnect for me. Not that I have knives, most people understand that, but that I'm willing to spend $400 on a Sebbie or a Busse, they just don't get that part of it.
 
I'm not ashamed. Everyone needs a hobby. I understand some people dont understand my hobby, but I try to be polite and dispel any misconceptions that people have and try to educate them. I also dont try to judge folks who have hobbies that I dont understand. I cant see the appeal of collecting mac n cheese boxes but to each his/her own. Thats why the bay got so popular. World wide garage sale. One man's junk is another man's treasure.
 
This is kinda like me asking you if you're ashamed of selling over-priced knives. I have no shame over my hobbies,although I've lost at least one job due to it.




A. G. Russell said:
How many knife people do you know that tell every one about knives and how much fun they are?

Who calls themselves a knife nut and never lets anyone know about them and knives.

Do all the folks in your church know about your knives.

Do the folks you work with know how you feel about knives.

I had a Bank VP from another bank come looking for my business and he confessed to me that he had to get permission from his head office in Alabama to google the word "knives", that word falls under the classification of "Weapons" on the Bank's web search engine.

Hiding our hobby will not help it spread, and it needs to spread.

Talk it up or watch it die!
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TWBryan said:
This is kinda like me asking you if you're ashamed of selling over-priced knives. I have no shame over my hobbies,although I've lost at least one job due to it.
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I hope I'm not going to Hell for getting a little chuckle over that.

No, to the subject line.
 
TWBryan said:
This is kinda like me asking you if you're ashamed of selling over-priced knives. I have no shame over my hobbies,although I've lost at least one job due to it.
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Well TW, only my customers can say that I have sold "over-priced" knives and that has been pretty well covered in another thread of 27-28 pages of my customers who think not. now back to the point, I am sorry about your losing a job over knives.. Some of us will always pay the price for any freedom we strive for.
 
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