Frustrated over knife carrying!

keninshiro

keninshiro

Joined
Apr 19, 1999
Messages
2,259
Why are people (non knife carriers) so up tight about knife carrying? The intention of most people (speaking on behalf of all forumites, i think) are good! I basically use it for utility and in rare (maybe never) occasion of self defence. I get people bashing me up about it being illegal or "you're dangerious because you have a knife". Have they never thought of 'I might save you in emergency cases?' Basically, i carry a delica on daily basis, and if a fight were to break out with someone armed with a water pipe, i'd be killed. Now tell me which is more dangerious? Can someone express their thoughts over this?

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 04 August 1999).]
 
I've been hearing those things from non knife people for ten years. It doesn't go away. The best thing you can do is try to educate them, because that's basically the problem. Hollywood has made knives into the tools of the 'Bad Guy' and society has fallen into a pattern of fearing anything that might prove dangerous. My favorite response to the 'you're dangerous because you have a knife' thing is "well, if I give you the knife, and then kill you, does that mean that you were more dangerous?"( you should see the looks I get for that one
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).
But seriously, people in general seem to have this inexplicable fear of knives. We all use them every single day. It also helps if you don't constantly play with them, or so I've heard
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.

Joe
 
It also helps if you carry a less hostile looking knife. I used to carry a Spyderco Delica too (and before that, an Al Mar folder), but with all the dirty looks I was getting from my less enlightened friends, I switched to carrying a Swiss knife. You know, one of those new-fangled ones with the locking button. Nice thing is that the blade is still as long (about 2.5 inches). Trouble is I can't open it with one hand like with the Delica.

Oh, and it helps if you are well-dressed/groomed too. People seem to think you're less likely to kill them if you're decently dressed.
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Its conditioning and some weird kind of irrational fear that somehow one can be "possessed" by the particular implement (knife, gun) and be induced to commit violence. Hence, without the implement, you are safe to be around and trustworthy.

In rural areas, knives (and guns) are considered tools. Where I live, if you have to ask to borrow a knife, you are considered ill-prepared for normal duties. If you are a chronic knife borrower, you are considered a slacker and should move back to the city.
 
I agree, actually. As Americans, we are being increasingly taught that violence, of any sort, is "bad". I actually sat and listened, mouth agape, as one of my co-workers told me in all seriousness that if I were willing to kill someone else to defend myself or my family, then I must be perfectly willing to kill innocent people (!?!?!?!). She would hear no argument to the contrary. I refuse to get a more "civil" looking knife. It seems to me that no matter how innocent my knife looks, somebody will say "Hey, shouldn't that be illegal?" when I use it.
To adopt an old metaphor. There are those that are lions, willing to fight the wolves to protect the sheep. Unfortunately, the sheep will alway see the lions as a threat and exclude them, even while they invite wolves into their midst. Lions must become accustomed to loneliness and exclusion from the sheep, and never fail in their duties.

Zog

P.S. Thank goodness that there's often other lions around . . .

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For reality as we have it is only one of many possible realities; it is not inevitable, not arbitrary, it bears within itself other possibilities.
-M. Bakhtin
 
Hi All,
As far as "those" people are concerned, I really don't care any more. I'm just too old to give a rip wheather they like it or not, or are fearful of my blades. It's their problem to work out as best they can, not mine.
Dan
 
Thanks guys for the in-put! It somehow feels better after reading your replies.
 
Well, it seems people around me got accustomed to it, and stopped bothering. OTOH, my daily carry knife is a Leatherman Wave. That it is on a tool might be why they finally got to accept it. Some people just don't seem to understand why anyone would carry a knife around, and think it is far more convenient to walk back to their desks and search for 5 minutes for something sharp each time they need a box cut open.

Greetings, Eelco
 
I haven't gotten too many dirty looks from my knife carrying, but i don't dee too mny people and most of my friends and family are pretty "enlightened" so I haven't had much of a problem. However, I never intend to not carry any legal knife because it "looks" scary. If I have to use it to defend myself, I want it to look like the baddest a$$ knife on the face of the planet! But thats just me.

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Just because I talk to myself doesn't mean I'm crazy. What's wrong with getting a second opinion?
 
I've carried my Calypso Jr for around a year and before that, it was a Gerber. One day , I was showing off my Dozier to someone at work and another employee had a problem because of a loosely interpreted "no weapons" policy. I quickly pointed out that the utlilty knife they have in their top drawer has a blade as long as the Calypso Jr. (even though it's one of those cheesy snap-off blade thingys) and that we have knives twice as long in the kitchen that even have (GASP!) serrations. The funniest part is that later that day, one of the gals asked to borrow my knife because they had some heavier duty work to do.

Everybody knows it's strictly a tool for me. If I wanted a "weapon" I could think of much bigger bore items than my Calypso Jr.

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Ron

Is that thing shar...OW!
 
My experience has been mixed as well. I have been stared at because I carry a Cold Steel Voyager. Some think it is just a weapon and give me a hard time while others admire my preparedness in general (fire extinguisher in the car, first aid kit in the glove box, etc.). The most important thing for us knife carriers, however, is not to give smart-ass replies to folks who just don't get it. Being there time after time to open boxes and cut plastic straps or twine or just trim a loose thread (with a smaller pocketknife) is the best answer we can provide. After a while, folks appreciate this and change their tune. As for hurting others with a blade, folks also know how I feel about violence and that don't take it lightly at all. A serious attitude about knives and a responsible demeanor are the the best answers to skeptics.

Simply, if we act responsibly with knives, we'll have the respect of non-carriers who appreciate our preparedness. Those who can't get it, never will.

Zieg
 
I've lost count of how many times I've used a knife for some mundane purpose, and had somebody say "I hate knives and guns" or words to that effect, and I've lost count of how many times I've said, "Ever tried to slice a bagel with a gun?" or "Hate knives - do you hate food, clothing, and shelter?"

So I'll join the chorus of frustration. Aaaaaarrrggghhh!!!

Now, as for that metaphor above . . . Humans raising livestock have managed, over the centuries, to reprogram some wolves into herding dogs or guard dogs, but all lions are unreconstructed predators, and it's a good thing that the kitty on my lap is a lot smaller than I am!
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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
One only gets negative comments and reactions when the knife is noticed. And the presence of a potential weapon is offensive to some, one has to expect it -- not necessarily like it, but expect it.

I'm never without at least one knife and I've NEVER received such a response from anyone anywhere. Of course I've never made an issue of having a knife. That's why they call 'em pocket knives.


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Regards,
Desert Rat

 
Carry two knives. One for people to see, say a harmless looking stockman or trapper and one for more serious work that people don't see.
Chet
 
I was once informed by a lady that I was carrying a deadly weapon when I was cutting paper with the scissors on my teeny tiny Victorinox SAK Classic.
I don't give a hoot anymore how anyone feels about my carry. I don't flash the big folders, so if they have a problem with my little pen knife it's their problem. You can't get more PC than a Victorinox Classic or Executive.
Jim
 
Whew, I'm glad I live in Alaska
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People look at you funny if you're the one asking to borrow a knife
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What? You don't have a knife?!



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"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb

 
Personally I'm fed up to my eyeballs with trying to appease these PC sheeple. If I need to cut something, I pull out my Carnivour or my Axis and cut it. If they don't like it, to hell with'em! Both knives are legal in my state, I'm not breakin' any laws and I have no qualms about "educating" these wussies to that fact! I'm tired of pandering to these people who can't get up enough guts among the whole lot of'em to deal with the fact that law abiding people have the right to carry a knife or knives if they so choose to exercise said RIGHT! WHEW!!

Breathe Misque, BREATHE in, BREATHE out, think pleasant thoughts...calm thoughts...
HONEY!! Where's my Thorazine?!

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If the Enemy is in range, SO ARE YOU!!
 
I know of a lot of people that are a heck of a lot more dangerous with a car.


 
The anti self defence crowd is doing a good job of convincing John Q Public that it is morraly reprehensable to offer any resistance to the predators out there. It is the duty of the citizen to be a good and cooperative victim and hope the predators let you live. I have a real problem rolling over and playing victim.....I guess I jus can't help but be difficult. Chris in mo
 
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