Have people reacted to your knife with shock or fear?

[Zombie Zeke]

I pulled my Rajah 2 out at the 4th of July BBQ to cut up some meat...I didn't really give two nickels as to what adults with all the BS rules and social mores thought, the meat got cut. The kids did the ooooo's and ahhhh's thing so that was cool.

 

[The Logical One]

Somebody mentioned this in a different thread, and it is VERY true. People are not scared of the knives, they are scared of the person with the knife or in the manner they are using it.

I can't recall too many incidents where someone took out a knife and used it right in front of me. The couple that I vaguely recall were situations where they were trying to cut open a box, and the blades were no longer than 3 inches. At the time I was what some people here would call a "sheeple", but I did not for a second thought it was a "weapon" or wondered why the heck the guy was carrying a knife on him.

But if I were to see a guy cutting his food in a restaurant with his own folder, or unnecessarily taking out a knife to do something that doesn't require one.... even now as a knife guy I'd be a little taken back. Not because I'm afraid of knives, but because I'm thinking.... "WTF is he doing??"

 

[geckoblink]

I feel that it is usually a reaction to how you pull out and open (if it's a folder) knife moreso than actually having one.

Case in point, my friend likes to simply whip his out and open it one handed as fast as possible. It is not terribly difficult to see why this might alarm people. If someone near me pulls a knife next to me with what appears to be an exaggerated arm motion I would be wary, too. He gets very negative reactions whenever he takes his knife out. On the other hand I, as a somewhat less flashy type of knife guy, will take out my folder and open it with both hands (not necessary - completely easy to open one-handed) slowly and deliberately. I very rarely get negative reactions.

It may be that you are simply alarming people by acting super cavalier about a tool that others feel should be given (perceivably) more respect. And it may be simply that there are people who don't like knives.

 

[XxdrpxX]

I don't think most people are being flashy when they use their knives. My brother actually tried to talk to my dad because my dad opened his knife when someone needed to cut some plastic ties on a present. My brother just doesnt understand why people need to carry knives. This even knowing that as an Leo I have my off duty, and knives. I have even been stabbed, when I didn't have a weapon available. You will just never convince the blind of things they can't see.

 

[geckoblink]

I don't think most people are being flashy when they use their knives. My brother actually tried to talk to my dad because my dad opened his knife when someone needed to cut some plastic ties on a present. My brother just doesnt understand why people need to carry knives. This even knowing that as an Leo I have my off duty, and knives. I have even been stabbed, when I didn't have a weapon available. You will just never convince the blind of things they can't see.

To be fair, most people can get through most/all of their lives without needing to carry a cutting tool of any sort. Carrying one makes the average person's life easier. Not carrying one does not make the average person's life impossible. The worst thing you can do is berate a non-knife person for not carrying a knife. Billions of people do not EDC cutting tools.

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

To be fair, most people can get through most/all of their lives without needing to carry a cutting tool of any sort. Carrying one makes the average person's life easier. Not carrying one does not make the average person's life impossible. The worst thing you can do is berate a non-knife person for not carrying a knife. Billions of people do not EDC cutting tools.

I think that's a solid assessment. We are in fact in the minority.

 

[Ankerson]

To be fair, most people can get through most/all of their lives without needing to carry a cutting tool of any sort. Carrying one makes the average person's life easier. Not carrying one does not make the average person's life impossible. The worst thing you can do is berate a non-knife person for not carrying a knife. Billions of people do not EDC cutting tools.

There is a lot of truth to that...

Even if they do need a cut something there are other tools available like scissors and utility knives, box cutters ect that people use.

 

[stormyone]

Yep, I've heard the "Whoa! Who you gonna kill with that thing?!" comments before.

Silly sheep. bah baaaahhhh knife bad baaaaadd baaah

 

[Noctis3880]

Pretty sure only assisted knives and hawkbill blades like a karambit or Spyderhawk ever got that reaction. But then again, I don't pull out a folding knife in a restaurant to cut my steak. Nope, I have to be satisfied with that dull "steak knife" they provide.

In today's enlightened times with power tools and purpose built cutters like scissors and box cutters, a folding knife is quickly becoming obsolete.

 

[ben317]

Somebody mentioned this in a different thread, and it is VERY true. People are not scared of the knives, they are scared of the person with the knife or in the manner they are using it.

I can't recall too many incidents where someone took out a knife and used it right in front of me. The couple that I vaguely recall were situations where they were trying to cut open a box, and the blades were no longer than 3 inches. At the time I was what some people here would call a "sheeple", but I did not for a second thought it was a "weapon" or wondered why the heck the guy was carrying a knife on him.

But if I were to see a guy cutting his food in a restaurant with his own folder, or unnecessarily taking out a knife to do something that doesn't require one.... even now as a knife guy I'd be a little taken back. Not because I'm afraid of knives, but because I'm thinking.... "WTF is he doing??"

I am very cautious usually not using my knife in a threatening manner around people or even letting anyone know that I have one. I would not have even called myself a knife guy until very recently. Up until recently I carried a very average looking buck knife that cost less than $50. It was not even possible to open it one handed. I remember another incident where I shared a hotel room with a coworker on a trip to Vegas and emptied my pockets before going to sleep. He saw the knife and asked in a disgusted way why I felt the need to carry one. He was from New Zealand though... i think they probably don't allow them there. But anyway, like it or not, there seem to be plenty of people who will just fear the site of a knife no matter how non-threatening you try to be.

 

[softrockrenegade]

Last week at work I was stripping wire withy spyderco vallotton and recieved a " what the he'll is that " comment .... I answered "stripping wire" to which the response was " that looks more like a car jacking knife to me " !!! Lol !!!

 

[The Logical One]

To be fair, most people can get through most/all of their lives without needing to carry a cutting tool of any sort. Carrying one makes the average person's life easier. Not carrying one does not make the average person's life impossible. The worst thing you can do is berate a non-knife person for not carrying a knife. Billions of people do not EDC cutting tools.

+100000000000000000000000

Before I got into knives, if I needed to open something up like a box, I either just tore it open with my bare hands like a real man.... or I used a key or pen to tear the tape.

 

[Noctis3880]

I pulled my Rajah 2 out at the 4th of July BBQ to cut up some meat...I didn't really give two nickels as to what adults with all the BS rules and social mores thought, the meat got cut. The kids did the ooooo's and ahhhh's thing so that was cool.

My brother's reaction to that would be to criticize me cutting with something that potentially has pocket lint and all other crap stuck in the knife, even if I flush it with water first:thumbdn:.

 

[Cold Kill]

I carried my 7in. Ka-bar to Wal-Mart the other day. I may as well have been wearing clown shoes, parachute pants, and a my hair had been on fire. Because nobody carries a knife apparently.

 

[The Logical One]

My brother's reaction to that would be to criticize me cutting with something that potentially has pocket lint and all other crap stuck in the knife, even if I flush it with water first:thumbdn:.

IMO unless you wash it with hot water + soap or put the blade on an open flame for a few seconds on each side.... it is probably not very sanitary. And even then, imagine getting meat juices in the hinge/washer/bolt assembly. That's just bad juju IMO.

 

[stabman]

I carried my 7in. Ka-bar to Wal-Mart the other day. I may as well have been wearing clown shoes, parachute pants, and a my hair had been on fire. Because nobody carries a knife apparently.

Well, practically no one (even on this forum) carries a 7 inch fixed blade to go shopping.
Can you seriously say that you weren't shopping for a reaction with that choice of knife for that venue?

 

[knarfeng]

Have people reacted to your knife with shock or fear?

I only remember one occurrence when somebody reacted. It was at one of my daughter's soccer games about 10 years ago. One of the other fathers needed to cut to cut something and I gave him my knife to do so. He kept saying, "that's a BIG KNIFE." as he was using it to cut. Think it had a 3 1/2" blade.

That's the only time in roughly 50 years of carrying a pocket knife that anyone has cared. IMO, how you present it and use it makes a big difference. If you act natural, it is natural. If you make a big deal out of it, it is a big deal.

It probably also helps that I don't make a habit of carrying a 7" blade, except maybe when camping.

 

[Hadji Flip Me Over]

I think people who freak out when knives are around have never held one.

An EDC knife is a tool that can also be used for self-defense. Most people see it the other way around though, and that causes a lot of headaches.

 

[Ankerson]

I only remember one occurrence when somebody reacted. It was at one of my daughter's soccer games about 10 years ago. One of the other fathers needed to cut to cut something and I gave him my knife to do so. He kept saying, "that's a BIG KNIFE." as he was using it to cut. Think it had a 3 1/2" blade.

That's the only time in roughly 50 years of carrying a pocket knife that anyone has cared. IMO, how you present it and use it makes a big difference. If you act natural, it is natural. If you make a big deal out of it, it is a big deal.

It probably also helps that I don't make a habit of carrying a 7" blade, except maybe when camping.

Yeah I got those reactions before, big knife, pig sticker ect.. Those are more funny than serious reactions though, been carrying knives for about 30 years myself.

But I don't just whip it out just anywhere, never have, just have to pay attention to the people that are around from my experience.

 

[ben317]

To be fair, most people can get through most/all of their lives without needing to carry a cutting tool of any sort. Carrying one makes the average person's life easier. Not carrying one does not make the average person's life impossible. The worst thing you can do is berate a non-knife person for not carrying a knife. Billions of people do not EDC cutting tools.

First off, I don't look down upon or berate non-knife people but...

This made me think of a nutnfancy video I watched a few weeks ago where he sorta goes into a rant about how we live in a push button world where you get everything you need on a sliver platter. You don't need anything (including a knife) if you've got a few bucks and a Walmart nearby. For me, the knife thing, is just one facet of an overall effort by myself to try to make myself a little less reliant on "the push button world" (as nutnfancy would call it) and a little more self sufficient.