Disappointed in one of my oldest friends

chickenfried

chickenfried

Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
1,065
Went to visit one of my oldest and closest friends for a couple of days. Known her for about 13 years, since senior year in high school. She used to be a tough girl in the old days but ever since she got married to a good guy, moved to the suburbs, and started living the california soccer mom life, she's turned into a wimp.

This morning we had breakfast after dropping off my god daughter at school. Well she was having trouble opening a new hot sauce bottle because of the plastic wrap on top. So she says hey you carry a knife why don't you open this for me. So I pull out my knife a Benchmade 710 and open it for her. She freaks out! "Whoah, what do you need that thing for?" "what are you going to do stab someone?", etc. Well I've known her a long time so I know there's no use trying, but I do try. But it's no use.

Just wanted to vent to some people that would understand. I'm just sad because it seems over time ,though this is someone I love dearly, she keeps losing more and more of my respect. Is there something in the California air?
 
Standard problem with non-knife people. She asks you to use a knife and then freaks when she sees it. This seems illogical. That's because negativism towards knives IS illogical, it's an emotional issue, carefully primed by certain people to maintain that air of hysteria that allows them to manipulate other people's feelings.

Simply remind her the knife is FOR whatever you just used it for: to open an obdurate object. Remind her that, no, you don't stab people, never have, and you don't reach for a knife in an argument. Mention that while a tiny knife can do tiny jobs, a large knife can do tiny jobs, too, and can also do larger jobs, giving you a more flexible, useful tool.

Don't oversell it. Just say it, then drop the subject. And smile. She may not get it right away, but some day it might click ... and meanwhile, you may diffuse an immediate, unnecessary argument.

Nobody is perfect. Don't give up on a friend who obviously needs you.
 
Don't forget to reassure her that you would NEVER even think about stabbing anyone who wasn't looking to be stabbed, and that you'd only stab them in just ONE eye, not both eyes.:D.:D.
 
I love my 710, but I'll be the first to admit it's a bad looking mf'er and I wouldn't be shocked if it scared the piss out of most people!
 
Me being me, I would have gone immediately over to my friend's cutlery drawer, taken out the biggest carving knife she has, and said something like: "Wow! I'm not coming around here on Thanksgiving! Who are you gonna do in with THIS, eh?"

:D :D :D

(Being a Canajun, we're supposed to say "eh" a lot, eh?)
 
On a serious note, a rarity here, it behooves us as Forumites to explain the knife phenomenon as best we can. If that won't work, resort to the rapid waving of the knife in front of your face looking as much like Charles Manson as you can.
 
I feel for you. I go through this with my peers. A guy is having trouble opening a dropper-style medicine bottle that needs to have the plastic tip cut off. He complains to me that he thinks he's gonna cut off his fingers withe the scissors before he manages to get the tip off. I offer him my Chinook II. Of course I get the "What are you carrying this for?" Tip comes off in a flash, no problem. I tell him, "For opening medicine blottles." He asks me the same question again. I give him the same answer again.

Next time maybe I'll give him that thimble-sized knife from the Swisscard in my wallet and let him struggle.... :D

In all seriousness, I suppose I can't blame him too much. That thing sure is nasty looking. The 710 looks quite innocent in comparison (and sometimes I carry it for that reason).

There are basically two choices: carry a wimpy knife or grin and bear it.

Regards,
cds1
 
Anytime someone asks what are going to do with that, refering to my knife. I smile, (I'm told I look like Charlie Manson) and say "Anything I want." They usually drop the subject.
 
I prefer the positive reinforcement approach. I'll say something like, who would you rather have at your party; me with my 6" double edged martini stirrer:
http://www.manicreader.com/gallery/latest/barry-dagger1.jpg

...or my totally knife-less brother Steve:
http://www.manicreader.com/gallery/latest/steve2.jpg

At this point, my knives suddenly become much less of an issue, especially with those who have met Steve.

Actually, most of my knives are customized (by me), and when people see the exotic wood handles, it really diffuses the situation dramatically. I think the 710 will be tricky to re-handle, but I have one and I'm going to try it.
 
severtecher said:
On a serious note, a rarity here, it behooves us as Forumites to explain the knife phenomenon as best we can. If that won't work, resort to the rapid waving of the knife in front of your face looking as much like Charles Manson as you can.
Click to expand...
...says the guy who carries one BMF of an automatic knife. :D
 
I carry this big knife to cut the heads off of people who ask dumb questions. You have any other questions for me?
 
Carry an SAK in your pocket for those times you need a knife and do not want to hear the questions.

Brownie
 
I can relate to that myself have had comments made to me about mine. in fact I have a 710, very sweet knife. Im a minister so believe me when I say Ive gotten some interesting comments myself. When I lived in the south it was normal, hardly, if ever, in fact I do not remember having any comments made when I lived in arkansas (about carrying a knife). Here in ohio, much different. I have a friend in church who was saving deer legs for me for knife handles. He brought them one day to church during winter and we put them in the snow by the entrance until service was over. well someone watching us asked, "what's in the bag?" I said about 25 deer legs. The person said "ha ha, your joking". I said, "no, no Im not joking". Well that person turned green and said no more about it. Ive carried a pocket knife since I was 4 years old and have ever since!!!! I come from a family of farmers/outdoor people, its only natural for me. The only thing I can say its good to be yourself!!! if there is nothing morally wrong with carrying a knife Im fine with it! I do not carry one where you should not, being respectful. Howver the paranoia has really gotten out of hand. Its much like the outlawing of switchblades years ago. This all started with James dean's "rebel without a cause". People all of a sudden thought there was a big problem with switchbldes being used in wide spread crimes (ridiculous).
 
This originally applied to guns, but with a change it applies to knives as well. I don't know who originally stated this:

"If knives are made to stab people, all of mine must be defective."
 
I've started carring a Blue Benchmade 960 to avoid the "whoa, what do you need that for?" comments. The guys I work with are mostly retired Navy or Marine aviators so if it elicits a response from them I rethink my EDC. A blue knife with a stainless blade is much less hostile than a black knife with black blade :rolleyes:

The 960 works for most everything I do daily. I keep the larger knives out of sight (backpack, truck etc). Pulling an BM 806D2 or an 710M2 to open an envelope or cut the plastic seal on a bottle is probably overkill.
 
Thanks for all the comments guys made me feel better. Maybe that's one of the reasons I'll use to justify keeping the small sebenza that's on the way. It won't scare the squeamish folk.
 
chickenfried said:
Maybe that's one of the reasons I'll use to justify keeping the small sebenza that's on the way.
Click to expand...

"Beauty is its own excuse for being." :D

I showed my new Umfaan to a neighbor and she was shocked. She asked me, "Are you allowed to carry that?" Ultimately we have to make our own decisions: if you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one.
 
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