Do your morals have any impact on your knife purchases?

[shinyedges]

I don't think any one was looking for approval.

Im not sure I follow what your saying

I am not looking for OP approval.

Would like to think that I have moral fiber and go from there....fi, after 911 I purchased a new American made vehicle.

I have been a knife collector for 28 years, and the approach and veritas of many makers and companies have been revealed to me over time....

So....I go with the moral truth that has been revealed to me and may not be revealed to the masses....does that make sense?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[RedLynx]

Why should it be that way for everyone? Does everyone have to make all of their decisions based solely on moral motivations? I don't have a problem with anyone doing that, but I also don't have a problem with anyone choosing knives based on price, personal taste, perceived investment value, or the flip of a coin.

I have bought knives from some of the "bad" makers mentioned, do you think that makes me a bad person?

I think it's always a good idea to stick to our guns and hold ourselves to whatever our own standards are, whilst encouraging others to perhaps at least look at the same. But that's pretty much where I draw the line.

Example: I believe we as humans and as a society have a moral obligation to help those less fortunate than ourselves. I believe we should do what we can to help people in need. I believe all people should do this. BUT, I don't believe I have the right to MAKE anyone do this just because I think they should. That would be wrong and they should have the freedom to not care, based on their own choices and reasons.

 

[shinyedges]

I agree, good post.

I think it's always a good idea to stick to our guns and hold ourselves to whatever our own standards are, whilst encouraging others to perhaps at least look at the same. But that's pretty much where I draw the line.

Example: I believe we as humans and as a society have a moral obligation to help those less fortunate than ourselves. I believe we should do what we can to help people in need. I believe all people should do this. BUT, I don't believe I have the right to MAKE anyone do this just because I think they should. That would be wrong and they should have the freedom to not care, based on their own choices and reasons.

 

[shinyedges]

I agree good products can be made right here in USA for a decent price. Problem is profits are less so people out source there production to country blah blah. Greed in my opinion.

I haven't read through this whole thread but what I would say for myself is +1 to anyone who has mentioned STEEL COMPANY steel. The STEEL COMPANY just seems like kind of a shady corporation, before during and after WWII. I just really don't want them to have my money. Though I do like KNIFE COMPANY... who's recieved my money... and then used it to buy STEEL COMPANY steel to put into their knives... though I did not buy a knife with STEEL COMPANY's steel in it.

I would say I also prefer to buy American when it comes to a knife I would really depend on. If not American, it's important for me to know that the maker loves what their doing. I own a fallkniven f1 and love it. It seems like the fallkniven company is passionate about knives and it's evidenced buy the beautiful and functional products that come out of their factories.

Randall's has a great line on their website about believing a reliable tool can be made in an American factory at a price working folks can afford. I think there's some good companies doing that right now and we are lucky to have our pick of great knives. I am not averse to non-American products by any means though. I'm really impressed with the fit and finish of the Kershaw cryo for examples and the Spyderco Tenacious.

Update: I updated and edited my post to remove any negative comments to the companies I named. They have been replaced by STEEL COMPANY and KNIFE COMPANY. I want to see this discussion keep going and not get closed.

 

[bpeezer]

For me my morals are more important than any knife or product. You make your own choices, some people just don't care about right or wrong and simply do whatever they want that's there choice.

My opinion is all people should be guided by morals. The world would be a lot better off, but that won't happen. Morals have taken a back seat to
Greed
Desire
Personal pleasure
What's cool
And a long list of other things in today's society.

I think it's always a good idea to stick to our guns and hold ourselves to whatever our own standards are, whilst encouraging others to perhaps at least look at the same. But that's pretty much where I draw the line.

Example: I believe we as humans and as a society have a moral obligation to help those less fortunate than ourselves. I believe we should do what we can to help people in need. I believe all people should do this. BUT, I don't believe I have the right to MAKE anyone do this just because I think they should. That would be wrong and they should have the freedom to not care, based on their own choices and reasons.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[stabman]

My opinion is all people should be guided by morals. The world would be a lot better off, but that won't happen. Morals have taken a back seat to

Whose morals? Yours? Mine?
Everyone has a different set of morals. Even the supposedly "self-evident" ones...not everyone believes that theft and rape are immoral (for the record, MY morals say those things are wrong).

 

[shinyedges]

By there own morals, given they are within the scope of "regular" peoples morals. There is a generally accepted moral range, if someone's morals allow rape and murder I believe they have a LACK of morals.

Whose morals? Yours? Mine?
Everyone has a different set of morals. Even the supposedly "self-evident" ones...not everyone believes that theft and rape are immoral (for the record, MY morals say those things are wrong).

 

[stabman]

There is a generally accepted moral range, if someone's morals allow rape and murder I believe they have a LACK of morals.

But not according to them...or in some cases, their entire society.

That's the problem with morals; they're subjective and variable.
Which is why we largely live in societies based on laws, to provide something external which cuts across those subjective boundaries.

 

[shinyedges]

I get what your saying , no paint brush covers everyone. There will always be lunatics and exceptions. That said MOST people share similar definitions of right and wrong. If someones morals allow them to commit horrendous acts that's not the norm its the exception.

But not according to them...or in some cases, their entire society.

That's the problem with morals; they're subjective and variable.
Which is why we largely live in societies based on laws, to provide something external which cuts across those subjective boundaries.

 

[RedLynx]

I get what your saying , no paint brush covers everyone. There will always be lunatics and exceptions. That said MOST people share similar definitions of right and wrong. If someones morals allow them to commit horrendous acts that's not the norm its the exception.

That's true but he makes a good point (that I think you probably agree with) in that laws provide a basic framework for societies in which people's morals differ. I don't necessarily agree with all laws, but I do my best to follow them. I may skirt or bend them so long as no one is directly hurt by my bending, depending on the situation.

I had a discussion in one of my university courses once, on how it was morally right in a certain culture to throw acid into a woman's face. By and large, the whole culture believed that was not only okay, but moral. To not believe that would have been an exception, rather than the norm that it is for many other cultures.

As you can probably see by my responses I think you raise an interest point in your thread--one that I think does need to be expanded to include more than just knives, from time to time--I'm the kind of guy who believes what is lawful isn't always right and what is right is not always lawful, so I'm not trying to say we should or shouldn't do something just because it's a law. But, as Stabman points out, it is a good framework for a society that, by and large, will have differing sets of moral values.

To get back to knives for a minute, I think a lot of people would agree that putting racist/white supremacy symbols on your knives at least borders on immoral. I know I do. But maker(s) who engage in that practice clearly have no problem with it, and let's face it, very few people actively, regularly, go against their own moral standards. One could say "I don't agree with putting such symbols on knives but it makes a profit so although I find it morally repugnant I do it anyway," but I'm inclined to think that the truth is closer to "I actually have no moral qualms about this at all." And therein lies the crux of the matter, morals are not only subjective but, one could say almost individualistic. I agree in general, most societies have a "norm" in that sliding scale, but that's not something we can count on.