Basic Safety Rules of Knife Handling

S

Skunkabilly

Joined
Jun 29, 2002
Messages
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Are there a set of widely-accepted basic safety rules for knives like there are for firearms (finger off the triger, treat all as if loaded, etc.)?
 
Two come to mind...
Don't test sharpness on something you don't want to cut.
Don't try to catch a dropped knife.
 
In terms of handling:

1) Know where your blade is at all times...this may sound obvious but I have read so many stories about people who leave unopened blades on the table and "forget" about them until it is too late

2) Never underestimate the sharpness of a knife ("treat all as if sharp" so to speak)...some knives may feel dull to the touch but thanks to their edge geometry, they can sever an appendage if you don't give them the proper respect

3) always use a secure grip...the impact of stabbing, slashing, or chopping can wrench a knife out of your hand (or worse, make your hand slide down the blade!) if you don't hold on tight...in reverse grip, you might want to "cap" the butt of the knife with your thumb (especially if your knife does not have a guard)

You might want to consider "tip-down" carry because you are far less likely to cut yourself if the knife happens to open in your pocket.


In terms of knifefighting, to quote Mick Strider:
"Sharp, pointy parts toward enemy.
Safe warm parts toward self."

Another famous quote (or two):
"never bring a knife to a gunfight" or "the best knife to use in a knifefight is a Glock or 1911"

NEVER pull out a knife to scare/intimidate someone...speed and surprise are the best tactics for using a knife in self-defense

RL
 
Here ar a couple of thoughts from one who has the scars to prove they are worthy thoughts:
Always re-fold your folder if you set it down, even for a minute. It is easy to get distracted and absent mindedly grab it by the sharp end, or have it slide out of your lap onto an awaiting toe.
Second item closely related to first. If you are going to practice flicking or other maneuvers, wear closed toe shoes. Preferably leather. I found this out the hard way with a Sifu :(
Keep 'em sharp. A sharp knife is a safer knife since it takes less force to cut. This minimizes deflection or cutting through the item you intend to cut and going on to cut something you didn't, like your supporting hand.
This last one is a superstition but I believe it is based in common sense. Always return a knife you have been handling back to it's owner in the same position as he/she handed it to you, open or closed, tip or handle first. This will match the owner's paradigm of what they are expecting.
There has to be others Good thread!
Dave
 
Well, the most basic of all: always cut away from yourself, never toward any part of your body...or anyone elses.
 
Cut blueberry pie bare-footed!
(a true, bloody, and painful story that is now funny)
Mongo:cool:
 
Originally posted by shane45-1911
Two come to mind...
Don't test sharpness on something you don't want to cut.
Don't try to catch a dropped knife.
Click to expand...

I personally would reverse these rules...
 
Rule #6: Don't lick the edge of the blade, in-order to see how it tastes.:D.
 
When sharpening, never wipe the filings off on your pants backside's cheek. Still have the scar.
 
I don’t know if you have access to a Boy Scout troop but their “toten-chip” badge is pretty good for basic knife/edged tool safety. If you can find a Scoutmaster or somebody associated with a troop, I’d ask him if he has a copy of the test or an outline they follow when teaching it or something that list their rules.
 
Your fixed bladed knife should either be in your hand, or, in its sheath. Never leave it out where you or someone else might run into it.

If you are the type that would rather stick the point in a tree or something, rather then in it's sheath, drop me an email. I'll send you my address so you can mail me the knife before you lose it in the woods. :)

n2s
 
I would suggest something like in the image below when you're practicing alone. Specifically alone, as when you're sparring w/ someone else, masking tape isn't going to stop a jab to your partner's center-mass (Spyderco makes a blunt unsharpened training model which works well in this situation). W/ that said, it's effective at preventing the knife from biting you when drilling opening/closing (something I do constantly when I'm reading or otherwise would have my hands free, like a stress ball). This would've come in quite handy a few times, but I didn't like how it added to the weight of the blade. After trimming back the two layers of quality 3M painter's masking tape (which leaves no residue), I've found it has negligible effects on the blade's weight. I now do this w/ my (cheap/disposable) Gerber folder and now w/ my Spyderco (it's not fun getting bit by one of those :)

taped_knife.jpg
 
Don't try to slice a motorcycle's handlebar grip off of the handlebar. Can't bend the tip my index finger because of the tiny little slice that just happened to sever a tendon.
 
Never hand a knife fresh off of an Edgepro to a guy to which you wouldn't entrust your truck.

I'm sick of cleaning blood off of expensive knives.
 
When your best buddy says, "Hey, that's a great looking fixed blade, can I see it?" Don't toss it to him! You may have to catch it on the return toss.
 
I like the boy scout rule of always saying thank you when a knife is handed to you so the other person knows you've got a hold of it. The other part of the rule is they don't let go till you say it. I still say thank you out of force of habit sometime I get a weird look. oh well!
 
Always think about how much force you're using.

I'm not saying that low force = high safety, but when you're hacking at something with large amounts of force, just a little slip of the tip or the cutting surface can be extremely dangerous.

KNOW WHAT IS AROUND YOUR CUTTING AREA. I once sawed through a little piece of plastic, my finger was behind it, and ouch. Hehe. I guess this rule would be similar to the firearms shooting rule, where you're supposed to always know what's around and behind your target. A big no-brainer, but it always helps to be reminded.
 
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