Does your knife scare people?

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RevDevil said:
^^^ Nothing to be amazed about really. Not everyone is into the same thing. The guy probably hasn't ever been around knives or guns or anything else. On the other hand the Contego isn't exactly a small knife compared to the average Victorinox variants that people have seen for decades.
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The guy sells lawn and garden tools. A 4" cutting tool should seem tiny and insignificant compared to the other cutting tools in that line of work. Now if Sixate pulled out a lawn mower blade with a leather wrap handle, I could see someone getting a little frightened (Slingblade anyone?). But to be a grown man that's afraid of a folding pocket knife, well I can probably tell you who he voted for...
 
I had a discussion with the person that made the comment sharing that it was a large knife and that I enjoyed carrying the knife because of the large handle. A knife with a long handle is really comfortable to me. But I can see how the 710 would look a bit scary. I've never had this happen before but I have always carried a Case knife or a modern folder like a kershaw.
 
00ChevyScott said:
The guy sells lawn and garden tools. A 4" cutting tool should seem tiny and insignificant compared to the other cutting tools in that line of work. Now if Sixate pulled out a lawn mower blade with a leather wrap handle, I could see someone getting a little frightened (Slingblade anyone?). But to be a grown man that's afraid of a folding pocket knife, well I can probably tell you who he voted for...
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Actually, he sells farm equipment and commercial grade landscaping equipment. The store only sells Kubota, Stihl, and Toro equipment. The only thing inside are chainsaws, trimmers, and blowers. The amount of equipment they have at this place is quite staggering. I could clearly see that 2 other salesmen were carrying pocket knives. Heck, one salesman was carrying a fixed blade. I'm normally cautious about revealing my Contego, but I didnt think twice at a place like that.
 
I carry something with a 3" blade at work, outside of work I don't really care as much they can deal with it.
 
It all depends on where you live. In my neck of the woods, a Contego or ZT0200 would get a smile and a "nice"!
 
I've carried my 710 for 10 years or so. Had a coworker comment on it once but my boss was fine with it.
I'm a woodcarver and use a 4" blade often for initial roughing out work so the 710 seems like an average size blade and perfectly normal.
I sometimes carry my smaller fixed blade sheath knives.
Back in the day, many of the guys around here carried a Buck 110 on their belt.
 
I attempt not to use a folder in front of others people some people are just ridiculous in the mindset of edged tool=offensive weapon + crazy person with a knife. That said, I generally stick to three inch folders for things like office carry and prefer knives with things like inlays and damascus because, in addition to liking how they look, I find many people react completely differently and on knives with extensive styling, many people shift out of the mode of "that's a knife" to "that's a piece of artwork". It alters their perception and helps avoid some crazy person from freaking out because I wanted to cut an apple.
 
RevDevil said:
...The behavior of the person carrying the knife is also a large factor.
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You hit the nail on the head, RD.

MobileFireLord said:
You know when the people stair at your hand that is holding any knife with anything but smile, it IS your responsibility to your fellow blade enthusiast brothers / sisters to make certain that carrying knife is "OK". Remember, our land makes laws based on majority of people wishes it. I believe it is important to let sheeple know it is nothing to be alarmed about...
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I recall a time that I was in the Post Office and the clerk was putting some extra tape on a package of mine. When it came time to cut the tape, she couldn't find a knife or scissors. I said that I had a knife (my Military) and not to get excited. She said that it was not a problem, as she had seen lots of people with knives in town. Just before I drew my kinfe, I said 'Man with a knife', in a calm voice, drew the knife, cut the tape, and had the Military back in my pocket before anyone noticed. No one was alarmed or upset because they knew what to expect.
 
A.P.F. said:
I recall a time that I was in the Post Office and the clerk was putting some extra tape on a package of mine. When it came time to cut the tape, she couldn't find a knife or scissors. I said that I had a knife (my Military) and not to get excited. She said that it was not a problem, as she had seen lots of people with knives in town. Just before I drew my kinfe, I said 'Man with a knife', in a calm voice, drew the knife, cut the tape, and had the Military back in my pocket before anyone noticed. No one was alarmed or upset because they knew what to expect.
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No disrespect, but that kind of behavior just seems to reinforce the stigma to fear a knife. The fact you had to ask permission, then announce you had a knife, before cutting a piece of tape is absolutely ridiculous. I guess things are just different down here in Texas, but I'd never even think twice about pulling a 5" fixed blade out to cut something, even in public. I've had people say, "damn that's a big knife" before, but it's never been in a negative way really. Even so, I'm well within the law to carry a knife up to 5.5" in public, and I'll do so without regards to what other people think.
 
The operative principle for me can be summed up in two axioms, "discretion is the better part of valor" and "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". If a knife I carry could be considered threatening, I assume it WILL be considered threatening. And just because I behave in a non-threatening manner doesn't mean that someone might not consider it threatening anyway. I make my carry decisions accordingly.
 
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APF, that's interesting. I can't imagine actually saying "man with a knife", but I do try to warn people nearby before wipping out my knife. Especially if it's a bigger blade (like your milie was)
 
I got a dirty look at a boy scout camp. (was acting as a parent to my younger brother)
now I would have been ok if i took out my 7" fixblade just because but I took out a 3" knife to cut sausage.
 
mybladesatool said:
I got a dirty look at a boy scout camp. (was acting as a parent to my younger brother)
now I would have been ok if i took out my 7" fixblade just because but I took out a 3" knife to cut sausage.
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Honestly, probably would have gotten it either way. They do not allow locking knives or fixed blades at scout camps....that's why Swiss Army knives are so popular. No offense to scouts, but they like rules. As long as all you got was a look, you got off easy, I would have thought there would have been a scouting executive council to talk about the indiscretion ha ha
 
One of my favorite knives is an old Mora 4 inch BSA marked fixed blade.
Guess times have changed for the scouts.
 
bld522 said:
The operative principle for me can be summed up in two axioms, "discretion is the better part of valor" and "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". If a knife I carry could be considered threatening, I assume it WILL be considered threatening. And just because I behave in a non-threatening manner doesn't mean that someone might not consider it threatening anyway. I make my carry decisions accordingly.
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I second that. Even when I am within legal limit, why would it benefit me to "do as I please" attitude to aggravate non blade enthusiasts? My indiscretion may count against future restriction law and thus affect fellow blade carrying folkes.
 
RAAM said:
Honestly, probably would have gotten it either way. They do not allow locking knives or fixed blades at scout camps....that's why Swiss Army knives are so popular. No offense to scouts, but they like rules. As long as all you got was a look, you got off easy, I would have thought there would have been a scouting executive council to talk about the indiscretion ha ha
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really I got my first knife when I was in scouts it was a 4" lock back buck and it didn't bother anyone?
 
MobileFireLord said:
I second that. Even when I am within legal limit, why would it benefit me to "do as I please" attitude to aggravate non blade enthusiasts? My indiscretion may count against future restriction law and thus affect fellow blade carrying folkes.
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But if you're so afraid to do it, is it really something you're free to do? Catering to the weak and foolish is a recipe for the future this country is heading for. What was said earlier about the boy scouts is a great example. The very fact that the rules do not allow our younger generations to bring a fixed blade knife to a camp to learn about wilderness and survival says a lot. Are they worried these young men are going to go on a stabbing rampage around the camp fire or what? I'd guess they're not allowed to shoot anything more powerful than a Red Ryder BB gun as well :mad:

Now, if you've got someone acting irresponsible with ANY size knife (tool, weapon, vehicle, etc), that's a problem. However, when people are so out of touch with reality that they freak out over an extra inch or two of a sharpened edge, I will not curb my lifestyle to suit them. Welcome to America. If they can't handle it, there's a country called the UK where they'll be right at home.
 
710s are fairly big. The vast majority of people think of something like a Case Peanut when they think "pocket knife". A modern EDC folder with a pocket clip looks huge in comparison. I work in an office, so I limit my EDC knife to 3" and always have my Spydie Manbug on my keychain for most office knife work. It just avoids the whole conversation.
 
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