City folks and knives

[Itch Blade]

As I said before, today I'm carrying a Poliwog, which is not the most intimidating of blades, for sure. I have carried larger knives, and HOW you open it and use it can have as big an impact as the knife itself. Open it discreetly, with both hands even, cover a lot of the knife with your hand and use just the tip, etc., and the sheeple won't run and scream. I frequently open my knife halfway, use the tip, and return it to my pocket.

Now, let's face it. We've all seen the guy who flicks open his automatic straight up and out at chest height, in a fashion best suited to Hollywood, then uses the knife to open his Chee-tos. Puh-leeze. That's the kind of stuff that sends people running for cover, screaming "the Zombies (replace with favorite bad guy) are here!"

So, social conformity and all that notwithstanding, common sense and a bit of judgment goes a long way indeed.

I don't think we as a community can advance until we advance past the concept of "sheeple." Assuming that "they" are somehow generalizing knife users as serial killers is no worse than us assuming that "they" are just ignorant.

I am a knife nut. If I see someone flip open a knife in public, I will be intimidated and scared. I don't care if it's a gas station auto or a Strider, I will feel threatened. I also condone and personally take part in the safe, regular usage and carriage of knives. Am I a sheeple?

 

[heekma]

This is a subject that has been beat to death here. Beat to death.

We get it. YOU are a manly man following his instincts to carry a large cutting instrument and you need to show it to others. All others that don't appreciate this are weiners.

Some suggestions:

- Change jobs and work with other manly men
- Leave you knife in your pocket and avoid the disappointment you are feeling when you see other's reactions
- Use the appropriately sized knife if you are in a sensitive environment. A properly sharpened "peanut" will open even the most ferocious of coffee bags. It can also easily perform other office tasks such as opening mail, cutting tape, lifting a staple, etc.

I live in San Antonio, about 4 1/2 hours south of you. With our urban sprawl it is estimated that out entire metropolitan area encompasses about 1.4 million people, so we are out of the small town category. Folks around here are more surprised if you DON'T have a knife in your pocket than if you do. Around here even most women carry something with a cutting edge on it.

Robert

Thanks for your contribution Robert.

Best,

Heekma

 

[pilote]

...I am a knife nut. If I see someone flip open a knife in public, I will be intimidated and scared. I don't care if it's a gas station auto or a Strider, I will feel threatened. I also condone and personally take part in the safe, regular usage and carriage of knives. Am I a sheeple?

by definition of your fellow "knife nuts" here, yes.

by definition of everyone else, you're also "normal".

 

[jackknife]

We can piss and moan all we want to about the sheeple society, and stamp our feet in rage, but it will never change one very important fact; this IS the society we live in, it's not going to get any better, and you just have to get over it, and deal with it.

You all are knife knuts, so you are different than the rest of what you call sheeple. You obsess over knives, use them at every opportunity, and collect them in numbers far larger than needed by any sane person. You even spend time here on a web site just about knives. By the standards of the rest of society, WE are the ones with the problems. And in the real world, they are half right. And they rule the real world.

Any hobby can be over done, and we over do it on many occasions. If we are working in an office environment, why not, when you have to cut something, use a small pen knife? Our fathers and grandfathers did this. I remember most of the men I grew up around in the late 1940's and 1950's, carried a small plain pen knife. I see a great deal of sheeple with the little Victorinox classic on a keychain. Some sheeple actually are smart enough that they know they need a cutting tool, so they carry a sak. The sak is the favored knife of hippy back packers, bird watchers and other outdoor sheeple. So why not, if you work in an office environment with the sheeple, use something that will not be noticed?

Like it or not, we have to go along with the society we live in. The majority make the rules, as well as the mores and customs of the society. We are the minority. Admit it, the only reason you carry what you do carry, is that as a knife knut, you over do it. This is not the wild west, you're not going to be fighting wild injuns on the warpath, you're not going to be skinning any buffalo in the course of your day. You really don't need much knife in the course of a real world day in suburbia and normal office cubicle work environment.

BUT...

You are the ambassador of your hobby. The impression you make on the ignorant sheeple can be a very powerful first impression. You can get along with them and maybe even make a good impression on the of the knife as a tool, or you can be the young guy who flashes a one hand wonder knife of the month like a modern James Dean, and make a bad first impression. Then something comes up on the ballot, and you find yourself living in someplace like Boston with ridiculous blade limits, or San Antonio where you can't carry a knife with a locking blade, or worse. Think of England. Sheeple vote, remember that.

It's all up to you all in how the public sees us as knife knuts. You can try to get along with society, or be the rugged individualist and look like a nut in their eyes. If you want to carry whatever you want, quit your job and move to the boonies and become a mountain man. Go work on a ranch. But if you have a family and need the income, then you have to get along with the populace of the office cubicle world. Sheeple.

There's a reason that the wolf in the old fable, put on sheeps clothing.

 

[Itch Blade]

by definition of your fellow "knife nuts" here, yes.

by definition of everyone else, you're also "normal".

In my mind, that underscores the issues in using "sheeple"

I'm not ignorant, I'm an informed knife user and collector. That doesn't mean I won't be threatened by a folder being clacked open by a stranger in an unfamiliar environment.

I've seen three too many stabbings, but I'm not afraid of knives being used responsibly. Quick openings in public do not constitute responsible use.

In my mind, there is nothing wrong when someone makes a conscious effort to not draw attention to their blade being used in a normal manner. I'm not quite sure if "stabbing," as the OP said, falls under that category.

 

[knifertheworks]

atleast you didnt get eyes for having a baby blue mini grip -___-

 

[heekma]

In my mind, there is nothing wrong when someone makes a conscious effort to not draw attention to their blade being used in a normal manner. I'm not quite sure if "stabbing," as the OP said, falls under that category.

Let's be realistic here, "stabbing" was meant as a descriptive, humorous term. I don't stab bags of coffee...

Best,

Heekma

 

[Itch Blade]

Let's be realistic here, "stabbing" was meant as a descriptive, humorous term. I don't stab bags of coffee...

Best,

Heekma

I am being realistic, because I've had kids working in warehouses that did that kind stuff all the time, murdering boxes open. I didn't mind it as long as they weren't injuring themselves or others or ruining stock.

I've also seen that behavior translated outside the warehouse.

 

[ayz]

i mean is it really necessary to flip open your blade

i carry a BM635, in atlanta and now chicago, one of the more "sheeple" cities in the US, and nobody freaks out about it. then again, i open it with my thumb and don't flip it out like i'm jason statham or something

i'm an MBA student, and if i were carrying a manix, then yes people would freak out. but i don't, because it's not necessary. a bm635, shoot, even a little al mar hawk would do the job for my daily needs.

bottom line is carry something appropriate for your profession and needs. if you work a job that requires a heavy duty folder or fixed blade, then most people won't give you a second glance for having one. If you are a corporate lawyer and carry around a Camillus CUDA Maxx or CS Vaquero Grande, then that is completely unnecessary and I'd say you're trying to overcompensate for something a bit lacking down there. Or you've been watching too many movies.

 

[ayz]

also re: the original poster

the mini rukus, especially black coated serrated, does look like a "i'm going to stab you weapon" in the office. part of it is because of the way the handle is shaped.

i sometimes edc a BM710 PE in satin finish and nobody even bats an eye.

 

[heekma]

This is not the wild west, you're not going to be fighting wild injuns on the warpath, you're not going to be skinning any buffalo in the course of your day. You really don't need much knife in the course of a real world day in suburbia and normal office cubicle work environment.

I agree 100%. I was genuinely surprised something like a Mini Rukus stirred up a mini rukus at work. I didn't whip it out, opened it slowly and deliberately, neatly sliced the top of the coffee bag to avoid a coffee explosion--after cleaning up the coffee all over the counter, under the microwave, toaster oven, coffee pot, floor a couple times I've learned my lesson.

Even though I know some parts of society are anxious about knives in general, before yesterday I wouldn't have put the Mini Rukus in that category.

A Benchmade Onslaught? Sure. A giant Cold Steel folder? Yup. Mini Rukus? Guess so.

Best,

Heekma

 

[heekma]

also re: the original poster

the mini rukus, especially black coated serrated, does look like a "i'm going to stab you weapon" in the office. part of it is because of the way the handle is shaped.

i sometimes edc a BM710 PE in satin finish and nobody even bats an eye.

While I agree about the black, serrated version, mine is the PE satin finish like your 710. I'd think people would be more averse to the 710's blade shape, but then again it's obvious I don't know which knives the general public are averse to.

Best,

Heekma

 

[Jesse B.]

Stating the obvious, but~
It's usually about the social norms of a given area, which can vary greatly even over short distances. The closer you are to nature, the more common and acceptable a knife is; (though not an absolute rule.) Knives might even be a tradition in an area that's more green than gray. But when you enter the concrete jungle of a good-sized city, knives may be regarded more as things people get stabbed with than anything else, and not entirely without good reason.
It is weird though. I can take a 20-minute drive and be transformed from an ordinary guy to a potential criminal/gang member/crazy person. So I choose the knife I take with me pretty carefully.
And knives at work are even trickier. If you bring one at all, you should tailor it to your position and to the overall environment. I usually brought a very thin medium-sized knife (pretty non-threatening-looking) to my last job as a supermarket cashier, and I damn sure asked permission to open it when I wanted to show it to the assistant manager.

 

[Folderguy]

Face it... In any kind of office environment, the little SAK on a keychain
Is the innocuous looking knife of choice. I thinl that environment basically requires a short gentleman's folder, probably a slippie. Even my Ripple 2 with a shortened blade had a young fella's eyes popping wide open. After that occurrence, I'm super circumspect until I'm sure those around me are OK with knives in general. If they aren't, guess what? My little penknife will probably stay in my pocket while others reak their fingernails trying to open a box or plastic bag or heavy plastic package.
Thankfully, I'm not always in that sort of environment.

 

[arjung]

Biggest knife I carry in the office is a small Sebenza 21. That or a Victorinox pioneer. I love my SnG but I sure as hell aint whipping that sucker out in the office. Serious overkill for opening boxes, and would draw unnecessary attention.

In my imaginary world I would love to carry whatever I want. But I don't live in an imaginary world, and I need to be sensitive to the fact that someone not into knives would find a loud clack and big blade somewhat worrisome. It's a natural reaction.

 

[Tostig]

I live in what many Americans consider the most liberal state in the Union. My city is about 500k population.
I have carried and used knives at every job I have had. I have never had anyone say or act odd regarding my knives aside from a joke here and there.

Tostig

 

[Yellow Lab]

I think this is how the average person perceives knives:

Mini Rukus = tactical, threatening, only purpose is to hurt someone

SAK = a tool that is for opening boxes, cutting apples, etc.


No debate in the right to carry or use a knife. I think that you should know what others around you perceive. Remember that the media covers all of the work related violence that occurs. If my loved one was working somewhere and a guy whips out a big tactical style knife she may feel threatened. If it is perceived it is reality to that person.

Bottom line is I use the common sense approach. I always have a knife on me except when traveling through airports.

 

[SteelSnob]

I usually carry a slipjoint around 3" closed length along side a modern folder and if people are around I always get the slijoint out to use. I find that people don't look upset or scared and don't question me as to why I'm carrying a weapon.

 

[jackknife]

I think this is how the average person perceives knives:

Mini Rukus = tactical, threatening, only purpose is to hurt someone

SAK = a tool that is for opening boxes, cutting apples, etc.

Couldn't be more right!

I've come to think that moving around my Hometown of Washington D.C. is the acid test of how well a particular knife is accepted. Want paranoid security? try any of the Federal buildings in D.C. The National aquarium is housed in the Department of Commerce building, and the resuruants in the old Post Office pavilion is also federal, as is many of the museums.

In my travels around D.C., I always have a knife on me, but I make it a non threatening knife. In all the security check points I go through, I've never had any problem with a small sak or one of my traditional pocket knives. Of the sak's, half the time nobody says anything, and when they do, it's usually a comment on how they gave their nephew a sak for his birthday, or something like that. The red handle sak with the silver cross on it seems to be a universal 'good' knife.

One time I was going through security to get in a federal building, and my stuff was in the little plastic tray as I walked through the metal detector. A guard was looking at my Little Case peanut with the yellow handle, and I wondered how he could raise any objection. What he did say after looking at it, was how his grandfather had carried one just like it, and how he missed his grandfather. I get that a lot with that knife. Another time I had a small stag handle Hen and Rooster pen knife. The stag handle got admired, but nobody said anything about the knife exept one female guard that said it was a "pretty knife." Women seem to like stag handles for some reason.

So after going through Washington D.C security for years with a pocket knife and never having a problem, I think it comes down to how you take out the knife, and what kind of knife it looks like. How people perceive your knife is over half the battle.

 

[migo]

This is I'm sure the primary reason why the torsion bars kept busting on my speed safe knives. I open them, cut something, close, put away. I wasn't really finished but I don't keep it out, I only have it out when I'm cutting, and if I'm not cutting I'm putting it away. That involves a lot of open, shut, open, shut, and eventually it breaks.

It's sad really that people react that way. I used to worry about having a sheeple friendly knife as an EDC, but it doesn't matter, all they see is a sharp blade.