Do you talk to strangers?

The Magician

The Magician

Illusionist
Joined
Jan 19, 2000
Messages
1,580
I often notice other folks with clips showing on thier pockets. I always want to say hello and ask about the knife, but, I am not so sure it would be a good idea. One time when getting my car inspected, while chatting with the mechanics knives came up. They all pulled out their blades and we had a great talk. So, does anyone talk to strangers with clips?
 
I was waiting on line at Wendy's a few weeks ago, and this guy was behind me. We were waiting a LONG time, and I had noticed he was wearing what looked to me to be a Sebenza cliped to his hip pocket. Upon asking him about the knife, he got real...stand-off-ish, pulled the thing out, flicked it open, and then closed it, and put it away in his jacket pocket. He turned away from me, not saying anything to me for the next 20 mins we were on line together.

I was dressed up-suit and tie-and still managed to have a Viele AND BM 705 on my person. This THUG, was actually carrying a POS wannabe, just with a familiar(copied) clip style. This was a good area, and this guy was dressed like a pimp. I hope he thought he was hot "S" because he sure made a foul of himself!

Steve in NYC

------------------
What we do today in life...echoes in eternity...
Every man dies...not every man lives...
 
Yes I do this all the time,see a clip I ask.Last week at a skating rink with the kids a high school age guard had a crkt clip on his front pocket,talked to him about knives for sometime.Told him about Bladeforums maybe he's reading this now.
smile.gif
 
I do all the time, I cant help it, there can be a risk, but it has been good for me, I just cant help, finding out what kinds of knives other guys carry, its pretty cool, thanks all and take care. from the one and only,

------------------
blademan_007
 
I am the only person who is not a BG that carries a knife in Wales
frown.gif


Hell I don't know any non dealer that could tell the difference between a Buck 110 and a Paki import...

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
I talk with strangers all of the time. That's how I meet so many interesting people. I have learned far more by talking with strangers than I have from talking with my friends, so I'm not bashful about asking questions of complete stangers. Pretty soon, we are no longer strangers!

On the other hand, there are some things one can only talk about with friends.
smile.gif


AJ
 
I did see a guy at work (a customer, not an employee) who had a clip sticking out of his pocket. I asked him what type of knife he was carrying and he looked at me like I was going to throw him out or something! I think he was confused about my motives for asking about his cutlery, and he didn't seem real interested in talking after I tried to straighten it out. So far he's the only stranger I've noticed sporting a pocket clip.
frown.gif
. Too bad that more people don't appreciate fine tools.
 
Whenever possible! I can always spot someone wearing a pocket clip. Sometimes they're even willing to talk to me about them!
smile.gif


One of my roommates works at a bookstore. She was helping someone with a question when she noticed that his left forearm was completely hairless. She asked him, "hey, do you collect knives?" He looked kind of confused and said, "Yes, how did you know?"
wink.gif
 
As one with NYC roots and ties I NEVER talk to strangers. I might talk to Cindy Crawford if she started a conversation, but we'd have to see.

I recognize that in many parts of the country its "right neighborly" to talk to strangers, but I think in most big cities it is unusual for a sane normal person to initiate a conversation with a stranger. City dwellers always ask themselves "Why is he talking to me? What is he up? to What does he want?

 
10-5K: I think that mentality has radiated outward to all of Long Island. I moved to the island about 5 yrs ago. Seems many people here just don't care to say hi or acknowledge someone.
Oh well, I talk to myself more now. -just kidding

[This message has been edited by jwv3 (edited 02-28-2001).]
 
That's exactly why I refuse to live in any large city anymore.
biggrin.gif

I talk to strangers all the time. If I see a clip sticking out, I'll usually ask, Hey, is that a _____ you've got there? Taking a guess, and I'm not always right, but at least this conveys to the guy that I'm interested in the knife for the knife's sake not for any ulterior motive.
I was at a party this last weekend and noticed a guy there with a CRKT sticking our of his left hip pocket. Since he was wearing a jacket I "made" him on the spot that he was carrying the blade for weapon retention and sure enough, we talked a bit, he was a cop and left his gun in the car, as did I, but we both still carried our knives in with us.
Pretty soon he was bragging about how fast he could get the CRKT open and was really proud of himself until I showed him how the Commander wave works. He'd never seen one and I'm pretty sure he's ordered one by now.
Made a friend of him and we're going out to shoot IDPA this weekend!
So yeah, I always talk to strangers.
biggrin.gif


------------------
Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
Usual Suspect
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by 10-5K:
I think in most big cities it is unusual for a sane normal person to initiate a conversation with a stranger.
</font>
Click to expand...

I've lived in NYC my whole life and I talk to strangers all the time, but I don't make a point of looking and peoples pockets to see what kind of knife they may be carrying? Now that's nuts.
wink.gif


Strangers talk to me all the time also.
One knife related story. I'm on the subway one afternoon, this women gets on the train and sits down next to me. I can see her checking me out from the corner of my eye. She turns to me and says, "Would you look at something for me?" "Sure, I guess so?" I replied. She takes out this large paper bag and dumps a bunch of large kitchen type knives in her lap. I looked at the knives, a little surprised and then I looked in her eyes. Something was not right, this women was nuts. So I said, "May I?" indicating the knives. She said, "Sure, I want your opinion?" I picked up this large butcher knife, figuring if she was going to go beserk I'd like to have the largest knife. So, I'm looking at the knife, feeling the edge and I asked, "What do you want to know?" So she asks very seriously, "Which one should I use to stab my boyfriend?" We discussed the merits of each knife and what kind of wound she could inflict with it. I think we decided on a serrated knife because she liked the idea of that wound being harder to close up. After a few more stops she thanked me, packed up her knives and got off the train.

I don't know why NYC has such a bad reputation?

Anyway, it's when I talk to myself that I get the strangest looks.




------------------
"Will work 4 Knives!"
My PhotoPoint Site
 
Ok, now I am scared
frown.gif


W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
I don't ask anymore since I had a somewhat bad experience similar to one mentioned earlier. Used to be I wasn't interested enough to start up a conversation unless the other guy had a clip showing. Well, one time I ask the wrong guy and he gets all defensive and threatening with (whips out his Spydie police) 'You have a problem with THIS' or some such nonesense. 'No', I say, and 'I love knives, collect them myself'. So Mr. BadA$$ smirks and asks 'You? Oh yeah what have you got?' Just so happened that I had a rather politically-incorrect 5 inch double-edge fixed blade fighter in my pants. 'Just this 'lil 'ol thing' I say and my new friend decides to take his bad manners elsewhere. I was satisfied up-staging that punk but it didn't have to be that way. So unless I already no them, I dont ask what they're carrying.

------------------
It is Us against Them. Whoever they are.
 
Depending on the circumstance I may ask if I could ID a unique knife.

Depends if your from the city to. Sometimes its best to mind your business. Some people can be wacky even with eye contact. Think about what you may be doing. Your asking a stranger most likely to draw his knife from his pocket. Unless its a knife show or some other freindly atomesphere. Just MHO
 
Any time I see a person with a knife, whether it is a folder or a fixed blade, I like to find out if he is a knife knut. If the person is into knives I invariably mention bladeforums and ask if they are members. If not I tell them they should take a look.

Keith.
 
You're not just asking a stranger to draw his knife from his pocket, you're most likely asking him to hand it to you. I've found that genuine knife knuts, like all of us, love to talk knives and will jump at the opportunity, but some people who just happen to carry a knife wouldn't really understand our interest, and some of those people would not feel comfortable handing their weapon to a stranger.

I haven't had the chance to talk to many strangers, as pocket clips are a rare sight in this town. And no one's ever asked about mine.

------------------
Jason aka medusaoblongata
-----------------------
"To give is a need, to receive is mercy." - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
It's interesting to see the attitude difference between "city" and "country." Here in Arkansas, where there are precious few brick and mortar knife dealers, seeing something other than a Gerber or a Buck is usually a good clue that the person carrying it is a knife knut. After all, they had to go to some effort to find it.

I've never once had a bad experiance, but then again, I've spent time in NYC and didn't ask anybody there what they were carrying.

(Luckily no one asked ME either. This ol' country boy don't GO the the big city unless he's loaded for bear!)
biggrin.gif



------------------
Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
Usual Suspect
 
Phil,

Those would YOUR fingerprints on the murder weapon now, ya know!!!! After you handledd the big knife, did she put it back in the bag while wearing gloves?

wink.gif
 
Bri, you'll notice I suggested she use the serrated knife, the one I didn't handle. Besides she didn't really want to kill him just stab him and watch him suffer a little bit. She seemed really pleased with our choice.
wink.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top