Q: What is the
primary exposure that "Joan Q. Public" has to people carrying/using one-handed folding knives?
A: Bad guys in action movies.
I'm fairly convinced that the reason that many of my friends carry knives now is that they've seen how useful doing so has been for me. Give them numerous practical relentlessly peaceful counter-examples to the bad-guy/action-movie image and, over time, they will get over this.
Amongst my circle of friends (primarily smart/active/computer types, in their late 20's and 30's), I've been spreading the knives-are-cool virus for years. There are probably half a dozen women in the group who now have/carry knives (always as tools, not weapons, BTW). And I've run into some interesting opinions and preferences along the way, some of which probably don't match the preconceptions of most of the (predominately male Knife Knut) crowd 'round here...
They've expressed a strong preference for (partially) serrated blades, which I found rather surprising. They tend towards liner-locks, complaining that lockbacks are too hard to close (which rules out many of the smaller Spyderco knives that might otherwise be appealing). Thumb studs win out over Spydie holes, both for ease of opening and aesthetics. As well, a short radius between the thumb stud and pivot can be easier to open for their often smaller hands. They tend to shy away from G10 and Zytel handles, some expressing a preference for aluminum. They really like the tactile feedback from opening knives, though they tend not to flick them open fast the way "boys" do. But some will, in fact, occasionally sit around opening and closing their knives for the sheer enjoyment of the tactile feedback -- one of them rates my knives by the quality of the "snick" noise they make when the liner drops into place upon opening.
(Note that I'm not saying "all women react this way", but rather, "here's how a few women I know have reacted".)
Silverwing is probably pretty well known to long-time forum members, but I thought I'd mention some interesting comments from a few of the others...
Tamson expressed an interest in having a knife, so I showed her my collection, and gave her a bit of knife education, with the intent that I'd buy her the knife of her choice once she decided what she liked. Well, she not only decided that she liked the BM Stryker 910SBT best (yep, all black, very pointy, tanto, and serrated), but that she liked
my Stryker best, and now she won't give it back
Actually, this worked out pretty well, because I'd already effectively replaced my early 910SBT with a 910HS. She reports gleefully using it to open packages in the office, which unnerves her boss a little...
And Valerie, bless her heart, was the one who, back when I had 4 or 5 knives, and was trying to justify each one and why I needed another, said "silly, you're a
collector -- you don't need a
reason to get another one". She's also helping to spread the knife virus amongst our friends, and often buys knives as birthday presents for not-yet-infected friends. She has a pair of green Benchmade Leopards (one full size and one Cub) but covets a William Henry T-10CF Lancet, and my baby Sebenza.
Anyways, where was I going with all this? Oh yeah... yes, I think that marketing knives to women would be a great idea, but I don't think a stereotypical response (i.e. make them small, inoffensive, and pink, with matching lipstick cases) will fly. The industry first needs to find out what would
really appeal to them.
And, if you want to make a difference on a personal level, enough so that you are willing to spend some time and maybe spring for a decent knife, expose your friends/relatives to the practical uses for carrying a knife; and if any show an interest, be willing to sit down with them, and show them different styles of knives, locking mechanisms, and such, along with some discussion of knife safety, the local legal aspects of carrying a knife, etc. If they're still interested, take them to nearest knife shop that has a good selection, and be willing to buy them their first knife if one particularly appeals to them.
I've found that this process is much more likely to plant the seed for a future enthusiastic knife user, compared to simply presenting someone with a knife with no prior introduction, which is just as likely to end up with the knife taking up permanent residence in a dresser drawer.
By the way, my favorite first answer when someone asks me why I carry a knife goes something like this:
"You know how hard it is to open that d*mned plastic packaging they use on everything these days?"
"Yes..."
"Well, not for me
"
My $0.02...
------------------
Carl /\/\/\ AKTI #A000921 /\/\/\ San Diego, California
Think this through with me ... Let me know your mind
Wo-oah, what I want to know ... is are you kind?
-- Hunter/Garcia, "Uncle John's Band"