Had my first "non knife" guy moment.

[Indiana Joe]

My usual response to "why do you have that? don't you knives are dangerous?" is to usually say, "it's for utility. monkeys use their teeth, I use these."

Rhino, I laughed when I read this because I think if this was said with the correct "delivery," then it would diffuse the situation and prevent a possible escalation -- at least in my knife-friendly state of Illinois. <---- yes, that was sarcasm!

 

[Strong-Dog]

People like that sales guy are hilarious.

 

[GronK]

People like that sales guy are hilarious.

Yeah, we can laugh at them as they have their pols vote in more knife restrictions. . . . . or we can be sensitive to their lack of knowledge, be aware of the image we, as knife owners project, and maybe continue to be able to enjoy our sharp and pointy toys.

 

[HappyDaddy]

Next time someone asks "why do you have that?", cut the tip off their pencil and hand it back to them.

I hope "pencil" isn't a euphemism.

 

[bladeboss]

I hope "pencil" isn't a euphemism.

Why the heck would you think it was?!? Kinda weird that you would even assume that.

 

[dishcore]

Meh, you were at Best Buy. Pull a knife out (on request) and they step back. Pull a phone out (or any portable electronic device) and they step closer lol.

Maybe Gerber will make a phone case that has a folding knife on it for us.

 

[Bob6794]

I think he might have just backed up because he doesn't know how careful a stranger is with their knives. Might have been afraid their arm and knife would swing back as he was cutting or something.

Even as a knife enthusiast I may take a step back or move a bit if a stranger busts out a knife and quickly makes short work of a box. Some people don't have the control to safely cut things when others are around. I am more afraid they will be cutting towards me using a bit of force and will continue with said force right up to the edge of the box and it keep going towards me.

Do I need to take 4 very quick steps back, nope but I may take 1 or 2 if the guy is going at it like mad. Or I may just reposition myself to be out of the way, no need to have my head or other body part in the crossfire if it doesn't need to be. Especially if I don't know if the guy is competent with a blade.

Lets be honest most of us will do something like this to some extent. If I were near a box and leaning towards it for whatever reason and my buddy who I trust needs to cut it open I may just lean the other way and create some more clearance. It be a small subtle move that neither of us will think twice about.

And quite honestly when the day comes that I have a kid and teach them how to use a knife, I may end up teaching them the "blood/safety circle" that someone else posted that the boy scouts used. I have never heard of it, but it help till they get older and be a better judge on whether to trust that person with a knife in that situation or should they move out of the way. Because after reading the OP's post and reading about that, it wouldn't surprise me if that store worker was a former scout.

 

[Charlie_K]

I wouldn't exactly call it a non-knife moment, but this is the encounter I had earlier today. Keep in mind my EDC is a BK9, and most people never say a word about it.

I was at the store in the checkout lane, and the older woman behind me asked if the thing on my belt was a knife. Naturally the answer's a yes. Naturally there's the question of why I'd carry something to big. The first part of the answer was economics, and how some quality folding knives can cost over $100, whereas mine was $75 on sale. She didn't say much, but you could tell that she could see the logic in it. Then I moved onto the practicality of carrying it, and how it came in very handy for processing wood and tree limbs that get in the way. By that point I couldn't tell if she was agreeing with me because she really got it, or because she simply didn't have anything to offer up as a counterpoint. Either way it ended on a positive note.

 

[RemyKaze]

I wouldn't exactly call it a non-knife moment, but this is the encounter I had earlier today. Keep in mind my EDC is a BK9, and most people never say a word about it.

I was at the store in the checkout lane, and the older woman behind me asked if the thing on my belt was a knife. Naturally the answer's a yes. Naturally there's the question of why I'd carry something to big. The first part of the answer was economics, and how some quality folding knives can cost over $100, whereas mine was $75 on sale. She didn't say much, but you could tell that she could see the logic in it. Then I moved onto the practicality of carrying it, and how it came in very handy for processing wood and tree limbs that get in the way. By that point I couldn't tell if she was agreeing with me because she really got it, or because she simply didn't have anything to offer up as a counterpoint. Either way it ended on a positive note.

Not many tree limbs in the checkout lane. XD