Are you ashamed of your hobby?

Charlie and I have made it a point to donate a knife or two each year to local organizations for fundraising auctions. Churches, schools, Sports Boosters you name it. We donated a "Desk Dagger" with an alligator sheath to the Botanical Gardens at Georgia Southern University last month for a silent auction. This was just the kind of crowd you would expect and I wondered about the dagger and the alligator in that environment. It was very well received and we got some very nice compliments. They are glad to have them and the exposure is hard to beat. Nothing gets the word out like a lady that has found a gift for her husband that he doesn't expect. They make good gifts for the Chamber of Commerce to give visiting execs too. It's kind of fun to hear that the next corporate exec that is coming down wants a fancier knife than the other guy got, and three of the ladies in the Chamber office want knives for their husbands. When we tell people we make knives they are always interested in seeing what we have made. We have never had a bad reaction.
 
I don't care what people think. I get made fun of a lot, and some people think I'm scary, but whatever. I get comments when I wear my Busse shirt, like "Woah, watch out for this guy!", and "Don't mess with him, he'll stab you." and stuff. I show up to bonfires with my FBM strapped to my leg, and it cracks people up for some reason. I like splitting the wood and stuff. People give me japes like, "Why don't you go sharpen your knives." and little things, like that too. It's annoying, but I truck on. I get just as many people admiring my knives and wanting to learn about them. I've even gotten a few people to buy some great knives. One guy bought a Scrapper 6, and another bought a Leatherman Charge Ti. Both absolutely love them. I just be myself and don't really think about. Half the people are going to think badly of you no matter what you do, anyway.
 
A lot of ignoramuses automatically equate "knife" with "WEAPON" . . . even if it is a SAK or a slipjoint.

I have had jobs in the past where you would be instantly fired for having a pocketknife.

A brother of mine was once arrested on a trumped up (non knife related) charge and placed on 5 years probation. Because he had several collectible knives in his motel room at the time of his arrest the court stated that he needed to forfeit his entire knife collection and was prohibited from "possessing or using any knife" during the course of his probation.

And police will use a knife on your belt or clipped to your pocket as an excuse to interrogate you or subject you to an unlawful search . . . even if the knife and its possession are legal.

Knives upset people anywhere outside a kitchen. Even at campsites where they are necessary.

When my Dad was in the Navy during the late 1960s you'd get written up and denied liberty if you were found without a knife. When I was at basic training during the late 1980s we were told that possession of any knife bigger than a SAK was a felony and a court martial.
 
I'm not ashamed of my interest, but I don't bring any attention to it. I don't really see the point in carrying a dozen blades on your person, either. In my mind, that goes from interest or hobby to just plain cooky.
 
I don't exactly hide my fondness for knives, but on the other hand I don't exactly talk it up either. I'm a private person so I don't like to talk about myself much. Anyone who knows me though knows how much I like knives. I got married this past weekend and gave my groomsmen knives as gifts. I also commissioned a custom knife for the big day. No one was surpised by either move on my part, in fact they said that the gifts were perfect coming from me.
 
kamagong said:
I don't exactly hide my fondness for knives, but on the other hand I don't exactly talk it up either. I'm a private person so I don't like to talk about myself much. Anyone who knows me though knows how much I like knives. I got married this past weekend and gave my groomsmen knives as gifts. I also commissioned a custom knife for the big day. No one was surpised by either move on my part, in fact they said that the gifts were perfect coming from me.
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Same here. Getting married in a couple weeks and I have engraved knives (Spyderco SS Dragonflies) for my groomsmen and the minister, who is also a friend and likes knives. Tried to convince my fiancee to use a custom puukko to cut the cake, but she had other ideas:p

I teach for a living and schools are very knife-unfriendly. I tend to stick with SAKs and the like when I need to use a knive publicly on campus. Otherwise, I'm not afraid to pull out a knife in public if I need to get a job done.
 
Some will never get it. I've had people I've gifted knives too that take them home and put them away and never carry them. It's the same with people that laugh at others that keep candles, batteries etc. during hurricane season. I've found the less time I spend on such people the happier I am.

I'm not ashamed of my knives, but I don't flaunt them either anymore than I would my stero, Guns, TV, whatever. I tend to be private about my life typically, other than the more anonymous forums obviously where other people have similar interests. Joe
 
A. G. Russell said:
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.
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In Alabama....... :eek:
Which bank was it [I know you probably can't say] .... but if I found out it was mine I think I'd have to bank elsewhere....... :thumbup:


shecky said:
I don't buy it. Knife nuts are born, not made. For us, the knives sell themselves. You can't talk a non knife nut to go under the spell anymore than I could be talked into playing Dungeons and Dragons, or watching ballet.
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I buy it.

It is just like anything else... if people don't understand it & have misconceptions sooner or later some kind of legislation will be passed banning it or at least restricting it.

Sure for us it is a passion / addiction, but not all have even been exposed to our passion. Some think a knife is only for slicing a tomato.

I used to work with a guy and started showing him some of my knives. No pressure, "trying to talk him into anything, or casting a spell on him" mind you....... well he made the decision it was for him. He is now a full fledged knife knut.

As you said about Dungeons and Dragons....... you made a decision it was not for you. So evidently you were exposed to it and made an informed decision. [It is not for me either I might add.]

True, some if not most; knife knuts are born....... BUT, some grow into it............ :thumbup:

No shame here....... talk it up and let people decide for themselves.
 
A universal truth can be value, from a collector's standpoint.

Once I explained to someone what one of my Loveless knives were worth now vs. what I paid for it close to 10 years ago, and all of a sudden the fog lifted.

The only "shame" manifested itself in "dang, that's a heck of a lot better than what my mutual funds have done over 10 years!"

Professor.
 
Hey, cool. First, we get some insight from a teacher, and now a professor. Nice transition. (Sorry, just notice silly things like that. Kind of like Amelie in that way).

I believe it takes a special kind of person to fully develop into a knife knut. Some people take a little longer than others to get into the knife scene, whereas some, who can appreciate a sharp knife, won't ever really reach it. They might be more tolerant and understanding, but it just might never reach their interests. After all, a knife is nothing more than a tool used for cutting stuff.

Then again, a pen is nothing more than a writing instrument, and yet there's people out there searching high and low to find as many Parker 51's as they can.
 
I'll give another example since I am on a roll........ :D
I visited a friend in SW Florida last winter for a while. He is originally from Nassau Bahamas. Since he left Nassau back in the early 70's the only thing he has used a knife for is in the kitchen.

He has never carried one. He didn't even own one until Chuck Ochs gave him one a few years ago. A special auto he had made a small run of I think it was. Well my friend rarely carried it.

He introduced me tho C. Ochs and I of course had to snag some of his BLACK KNIVES [along with a fixed blade also...... :D]

Anyway, during my visit I always had a knife in my pocket and showed him some of mine I had taken with me. I gave him one of the Auto's and he started looking it over closely. He was really pretty amased when he took time to really check it out.

Well he started carrying it and then started telling "how usefull it was to have a knife with you" and how many times a day he actually used it. I said, "yep... that's what I have been telling you all these years." ...... ;)

Now, most likely he is never gonna turn into a full blown knife knut......... be he now sees value in having one with him.

That, to me anyway; is a good start........ :thumbup:
 
I don't really care if people like knives or are just not interested in them.
But what I do care about is if people judge me based upon my interest
(in anything really for that matter). If you don't like knives, fine. But
don't look at me like I have a 2nd head because I do. Generally speaking
people fear that which they don't understand. But further to that they
also tend to be critical of people they don't understand. That's where I
have the issue, and that's why I just keep it to myself.
 
Knife collecting is a hobby that some folk will never get their arms around. It is just that simple. I don't understand stamp collecting .... :confused:


Great timely topic AG ...
 
I'm proud of my hobby, especially when someone actually wants to watch me sharpen their knives instead of just asking me to sharpen them.
 
I am in no way ashamed of my hobby. Of course, I have no need for custom knives, Sebenzas etc. I have made a lot of friends and acquaintances in this hobby.

Some friends stick with Frost fantasy crap, some carry Moras and SAK's. Others have some of the most expensive custom folders and fixed blade knives I have ever seen. I like to think I fall in between.

However, to the average citizen, I don't care if they know I carry a knife or not. Actually, at work, I don't carry one, but I don't want people knowing I like knives and guns. It is not illegal to carry a knife at work, there is a 2.5" blade rule, but I am not going to test the waters at work. I like my job too much. If keeping a roof over my head and my fat belly full, and my pups bellies full, I don't say word one about knives or guns. Unfortunately, a lot people out here today don't like guns and knives. I know there are some gun and knife lovers at work. I talk to them about that outside work if I am friends with them, but nothing at work.

I tried to be an ambassador to the non knife wielding public. People got the necessity of a good kitchen knife, or a SAK. But, why else would you need a knife, let alone one that cost more than 20 bucks.

I have a Spyderco Military in my pocket right now, that I use for working at home. I have switched over to carrying Sebenzas every day. I want to carry the best, that's why I have an order with Scott Gossman, and am placing orders with J Neilson and Butch Harner.

But why would I waste my time explaining my reasons to anyone besides family and friends?
 
I have been spending hundreds of dollars on knives since I was 15 years old and I tell everyone I know about my hobby.
 
My own father carried the same little Case pocket knife from the late 1930's to his passing in 1981. It was badly worn, but he never thought of buying another knife. People gave him a few knives along the way, and when we were going through his stuff after the wake, we found the new gifted knives still wrapped up in their boxes in his sock drawer. Never used. He had a knife, and that was that.
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This describes my grandpa to a T. He has the old BSA knife that he won off of a Scout when he was a youngster and carries that poor thing every day. Sure, he owns a few others that were gifts, but I wonder if any of them have seen the light of day once they hit the sock drawer. My dad is pretty similar too. For the longest time, I remember him carrying a Barlow folder. Then I bought him a Buck 110 for Father's Day when I was about 9. It got stolen, so he went back to the Barlow. I bought him another knife a few years back. It sits in the bottom drawer of his desk. Now, he has retired the Barlow and carries a cheap folder since he is always doing tasks that he wouldn't want to risk losing his good blade while doing. My brother bought him the Gerber Fairbairn a while back and it sits in his hunting bag, not getting any play at all. I almost wish I could do that, sell all but the few I really use and be satisfied with them.

As to the OP, I am not ashamed at all. Though my friends joke about my habit, I still carry multiple blades regularly...However, I do not spend all of my free time looking for new ones or buying them and I certainly cannot justify spending hundreds on a blade. In all honesty, the most expensive blade I own is an RC-4 I picked up for $80. I am totally content with it and could probably survive the rest of my life with what I currently own.
 
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No Im not achamed. I talk knifes with those interested, but like my other interests I try not to be poschy about it.
 
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