How public are you with your knives?

[Charlie Mike]

I've been told that I would look "out of place" if I didn't have a large combat knife on my hip.

 

[sabre cat]

Normally, I will pull it out when needed but I do take my surroundings and the people in the area into consideration. For example, I am not going to pull out an assisted knife in front of our patients or people that I feel may over react. I also try to pick a knife that is suitable for the environment. You never know about those around you in public. The last thing I need is to have a chat with the city's finest because someone freaked out over a simple pocket knife that is legal to own.

Oh, about the politics, I don't really see a need to post that information in the general knife area but, I will. The area I live in is very left wing and I do take politics of an area into consideration when choosing a knife to carry in public. Most of the knives I own are pretty conservative though.

 

[rushilo]

I like this thread a lot because you really see how someone's environment affects the way they use their knives.

I work in a retail environment and my coworkers all carry knives and we use them pretty loosely because everyone is comfortable around them. But when customers are around, we're a bit more cautious with how much attention we'll attract to the knife.

My only gripe with the ZT 0450, my newest go-to EDC blade, is that you can't slowly deploy the blade or open it with two hands because the blade digs itself back into the handle and the detent on it is super strong. The only way to open that knife is to flip it with full force and that bastard flips fast and loud every single time.

I'll admit freely- there are times that I don't want to open my blade like that around certain people. If certain people are going to be made uncomfortable, yeah I'll do my best to be respectful of that by trying to open the blade slowly or work with it away from people. That small sign of respect is usually enough to make them feel safer anyways and nobody is bothered.

 

[22-rimfire]

I use a knife when I need to as was said. I have no desire to be noticed or to stand out in a crowd for whatever reason.

 

[TheWambo]

The only way to open that knife is to flip it with full force and that bastard flips fast and loud every single time. I'll admit freely- there are times that I don't want to open my blade like that around certain people.

I find myself using a slower or two handed opening technique around certain people, don't know if it's my own assumptions making me paranoid or what but unless I truly need to open the knife one handed or fast, I typically don't when in public.

I think of it this way, if I was out with my fiance and I heard the distinct thwack of a folder locking open, I'd probably turn to see what kind of knife it was, just because I'm a knife nut, but also I'd be assessing the situation to see why that person is whipping out a blade. I would assume the person probably just needed to cut something, but I'd scope it out just the same. I think it's probably the unknown intent that unsettles most people, we're living in very unsettling times. Everybody responds to that differently.

 

[needler420]

I do whatever I want with my knives so long as I'm lawful.

I don't purposely try to scare people but I'm also not going to be discrete just to makes others happy.

 

[rushilo]

I find myself using a slower or two handed opening technique around certain people, don't know if it's my own assumptions making me paranoid or what but unless I truly need to open the knife one handed or fast, I typically don't when in public.

I think of it this way, if I was out with my fiance and I heard the distinct thwack of a folder locking open, I'd probably turn to see what kind of knife it was, just because I'm a knife nut, but also I'd be assessing the situation to see why that person is whipping out a blade. I would assume the person probably just needed to cut something, but I'd scope it out just the same. I think it's probably the unknown intent that unsettles most people, we're living in very unsettling times. Everybody responds to that differently.

Right! We can judge our own situations and concede that it's better to keep a low profile sometimes.

I do whatever I want with my knives so long as I'm lawful.

I don't purposely try to scare people but I'm also not going to be discrete just to makes others happy.

I think that's where we might have a small disagreement. I don't mind being discrete if it means other people aren't on edge. Just less stressful for everybody.

 

[smith357]

I really don't care if the sheeple get their panties in a twist because I have a knife and use it. I wear a fixed blade on my belt all the time and carry a SAK and a large folder, except when I dresses up, then I nix the fixed blade. Sometimes I open carry a tomahawk, let the sheeple chew on that.

 

[kawasemi]

As many of you will know, here in the UK we have pretty draconian knife laws. However, I carry a UK legal folder every day and will not be concerned about discreet use.
My work and social colleagues know I carry a knife and have a selection at home. Both my children own/have access to a knife if they need one. They have been brought up seeing them as tools for a job.

K

 

[needler420]

Trying to please others you'll bring new knife law regulations into law. You should be worried that everything you do with the knife is lawful more so then worrying what people will think around you. If I know I'm lawful in the manner I'm using my knife and someone comes to me with negative comments about my knife I'd probably just curse them out if I know I'm lawful. Not my job to makes others comfortable and happy.

I'll tell them call the police. I didn't do anything criminal nor civil offense..Then I will use my freedom of speech to hammer them with a emotional barrage of comments that they won't be able to hang around and take.

 

[64Ford]

It is good to read and see different opinions on the subject. Being a knife nut I usually have two or more knives on or around me. They can range from big to small dependent upon the need of the day. I try to be situationally aware and not use or show what I have unless i need to. My current EDC is a buck 375 (gift from my daughter) that is my mini and amazing at what I can accomplish with the little one. Then there is the one that continues to amaze a spyderco delica 4. I have carried others but for me the delica keeps winning out over all others. Tried to go traditional only but that delica is a easy carry and easy to access for sure then just decided to carry moderns and traditional together. Sure works for me.

 

[TheWambo]

My reasoning for being discrete has more to do with avoiding undue attention. I enjoy being just another face in a crowd.

I agree that there is a fine line between appeasing the fearful, and being courteous, but I think that that line is best sussed out by the individual according to the situation.

 

[dozer2025]

When I use a knife, as long as I open/use it in a natural, non-threatening manner I find no one gives me trouble.
I was on the Cold Steel website forum (don't go there much anymore) and some dude complained about the looks he got when he wrist-flicked open an XL Voyager at the laundromat...and I didn't feel sorry for him, because he's in a small space, whipping his arm out so he can fling open his big 5.5" blade as loudly as possible! Give me a break!
Use a knife as a tool and I find no one will look twice. That means using the thumbstuds or flipper, or calmly removing it from the sheath. Don't fling them around, or swing them, or snap your fingers while performing a spinning ballet jump kick.

 

[SCWillson]

I really don't care if the sheeple get their panties in a twist because I have a knife and use it. I wear a fixed blade on my belt all the time and carry a SAK and a large folder, except when I dresses up, then I nix the fixed blade. Sometimes I open carry a tomahawk, let the sheeple chew on that.

It's that sneering contempt for ordinary fellow citizens, such as disparagingly calling them "sheeple," that really aggravates me. Nothing wrong with being courteous. Not everyone was raised around knife users and understands that knives are primarily tools.Treating them as imbeciles because they are a bit uncomfortable around an edged weapon just makes the problem worse. You're emphatically not a sterling example of a knife user; in fact you're a glaring example of why knives continue to have a certain fear factor to the general public. You make knife users look like lunatics.

I've openly carried a knife daily for nearly 50 years, but it costs me nothing to be courteous around others who don't and open the knife slowly, often with a calm "I'm going to cut this with my knife, okay?" if need be. What is to be gained by terrorizing the general public? Ever heard of pubic relations?

 

[FullMetalJackass]

At home/on the farm, I open carry a huge fixed blade like a Fallkniven A1 or something in these line, along with a very easy to access folder with an apparent clip.
In town, I just have a little knot of paracord dangling out of my pocket at best. No knives are visible when I'm in a public place. I do use one at the restaurant tho.

 

[ATJ999]

It is all about using common sense. Use the right tool for the job. When I go into the city, usually a folder and maybe a smaller one for light duty. At places like the hospital, like I mentioned above, something even less threatening. At the farm and woods, whatever I need that day. Usually my favorite machete, but maybe a small fixed, axe, etc. The right tool for the job. I think nearly everyone here would laugh or maybe get angry if a grandma at a diner asked a person passing by to help her cut her heart pill in half, and they whip out a 12 inch bowie. Hold that pill for me granny, thwwakk! Your welcome grams! Just joking around, but that stuff does happen, not quite that bad, but that guy whipping out a XL cold steel, come on!

 

[22-rimfire]

I really don't care if the sheeple get their panties in a twist because I have a knife and use it. I wear a fixed blade on my belt all the time and carry a SAK and a large folder, except when I dresses up, then I nix the fixed blade. Sometimes I open carry a tomahawk, let the sheeple chew on that.

Talk about low profile.

I see little reason to carry a tomahawk in an urban setting. I barely see one in a rural area. The woods, sure. To me, general carry of a tomahawk is clearly intended to be a weapon which I frown upon. Better to keep your weapons concealed.

 

[ATJ999]

That knife/tomahawk setup is pretty sweet! I would probably take that out tracking, other than that, not sure where else. That is awesome though

 

[skyhorse]

This is me too. And sometimes I do wish I were in Texas. In LV, we also have city and county ordinances to consider, and I'll leave it in the car if I'm going through a security checkpoint.

But criticism or contempt from random people who are a little too concerned with what I'm doing is generally not welcome or met well.

There are cities in Texas with some of the worst knife laws in the Country.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

You don't have to appease people (jobs may dictate otherwise), but then again you don't have to be in your face attitude either. I have never been bothered just going about my own business.
Everyone(babies and people with some disabilities being a couple of exceptions) uses knives in some form, so the use of knives as tools is not foreign to them.