How would you explain to someone that knives are tools and not weapons?

[master_nylo]

Most non-knife people have this idea in their heads that knives are weapons and not tools. I think this is because of the fear mindset that most people have, and Hollywood. Whenever you see a knife in a movie, it's used as a weapon. I know a knife can be used as a weapon, and some knives are meant to be used as weapons, but almost anything can be used as a "weapon." Now, I know that not all people are like this. I also know that not all of you carry a knife as a tool and some of you carry a knife as a weapon (or both). But I think it's safe to say that most of you knife-people will use a knife as a tool. Now to the question, how do you explain to someone that knives are tools and not weapons? I say anything can be used as a weapon, and I also say it's good not to generalize people who carry knives just because a few use knives as weapons. Not all people carry knives as weapons, and more people carry knives as utilitarian tools. Looking forward to your replies!

 

[Fonedork]

Every time I try explaining this to someone I wind up stabbing them

 

[Silent H]

I just tell them I'd rather not use my teeth or fingernails to rip something open. The human body is great at many things, but we don't have natural cutting implements like other animals have, so I carry a tool to cut things.

As others have said, weapon vs tool comes down to how it's used. As for the hollywood argument, when was the last time you saw a chainsaw used to cut wood in a movie? I'll bet the last chainsaw you saw in a movie or TV show was used as a weapon (and I'm not counting reality/outdoors shows). Yet most people would agree that a chainsaw is a tool.

 

[Slice O Life]

You could point out how cavemen, even, needed a knife, do you want to be more prepared than a caveman? You could always carry a SAK, which is really worth it, because people like things with a point of familiarity.

Also, be patient, kind and non-assuming, as there is really just a lot of misinfo and uncertainty, especially around pocket knives, but most people are not truly super against knives, they just don't quite get it. Good of you to help create understanding.

Bahaha, I gotta use the “You want to be more prepared than a caveman” now in real life.

 

[ac3boyz]

I think it's interesting how differently people perceive knives and guns across geographical locations of the US. Living in Tennessee, most people don't even think twice at the sight of either. Almost every male I know regularly carry's a knife with no attempt to keep it out of sight.

 

[soc_monki]

I just don't bother, of course I almost never have to. Actually sold a few knives the other day at work. However did have a guy on reddit from the UK say that anyone who carries a knife every day just wants to stab people. Pretty much told him how stupid he was for thinking that, and that I know absolutely zero people who carry a pocket knife who want to stab people.

I just don't have time to waste on people who are like that. Just like I don't have time to waste on people who berate others for their political or religious beliefs, or lack thereof.

 

[Knives&Lint]

I would point out to them that the edged tool (along with the harnessing of fire) were likely the most significant breakthroughs of humanity ever, to the extent that it impacted our development as a species and allowed the human mind as we know it to evolve. Therefore, the logical conclusion and only answer needed to those who find the carrying of knives to be uncivilized, is that without knives here would be no civilization to be uncivilized in.



🖐

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Pretty much it's all about intent.....

All can be tools.
Even a weapon is a tool. What is it's intent to be used?

*also I don't see "weapons" as a bad thing...... Was it used for breaking the law, or was it used in self-defense???
Big difference in meaning!
Violence for bad vs violence for Good.

As noted earlier...... a car isn't a weapon to people like You, and Me.

But that disgusting piece of Sh*t in Waukesha ran over 60 people, killing many of them. To him, it was.

Do people want to ban cars? ..........
Not a weapon!

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I would point out to them that the edged tool (along with the harnessing of fire) were likely the most significant breakthroughs of humanity ever, to the extent that it impacted our development as a species and allowed the human mind as we know it to evolve. Therefore, the logical conclusion and only answer needed to those who find the carrying of knives to be uncivilized, is that without knives here would be no civilization to be uncivilized in.



🖐

Also the wheel, and brewing beer!

 

[CyberRacer]

Carry one of these.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

Don't they use knives?

 

[jlauffer]

You could point out how cavemen, even, needed a knife, do you want to be more prepared than a caveman? You could always carry a SAK, which is really worth it, because people like things with a point of familiarity.

Also, be patient, kind and non-assuming, as there is really just a lot of misinfo and uncertainty, especially around pocket knives, but most people are not truly super against knives, they just don't quite get it. Good of you to help create understanding.

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[mobilerd]

Considering literally millions of people and animals have been killed with knives over the centuries arguing that they are not weapons would be moot.

 

[jatt47]

Weapons are sacred.

 

[James Y]

I worked in a massage therapy center for 13 years, and used my knives to cut open boxes of supplies, cut plastic strapping around bundles of sheets, break down boxes for the recycle bin, etc. Let me point out that my boss and co-workers would be the type that, by their appearance alone, many (most?) knife people would probably judge to be anti-knife.

During the 13-year period I worked there, not once did someone behave fearfully over my using a knife. Why? Because I never made a big deal out of it. I quietly (and subtley) opened my knife, used it for the task at hand, then quietly put it back in my pocket. They all knew me. They saw with their own eyes that I only brought my knife out when needed. Even the two business owners knew and didn’t care. They saw how useful it was.

The knives I carried at work ranged from: Spyderco Delica, Endura, PM2, Para 3, Military, serrated SS-handled Police, Manix 2, Spyderhawk, Tasman Salt; CRK 21 Insingo, CRK Regular Sebenza, etc.

Without even trying to, I was quietly showing them how useful a knife can be for simple tasks in daily life. One co-worker even ended up ordering himself a knife for work, IIRC, an S30V Kershaw Blur, after seeing how convenient and useful carrying a knife can be.

Jim

 

[GmpaJim]

You can just refer them to “AA“ (Aichmophobics Anonymous)

 

[catspa]

To a large extent, much human activity depends on tool usage. In fact, the success or failure of a particular attempt often depends on choice of tool and method of usage. For thousands of years, those who chose their tools wisely and used them well have accomplished more than those who did not.

Self defense is a particularly tool-dependent human activity, utilizing tools we call “weapons”.

Function: I believe that any common inanimate object becomes a weapon when (and only when) it is taken up by one human against another. Until then, it remains a food slicer or package opener.

Intent: I believe the instances of evil intent are greatly outnumbered by the uses of benign or useful intent. However, the purpose of modern entertainment is to distort our perceptions and manipulate our thinking. It can be fairly effective on those lacking the mental discipline to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Unfortunately, it also puts them at a disadvantage when faced with a sealed bottle of aspirin (great story, Killgar). To those people, I can only say, “my intellect is no
match for your superstition.” No further explanation issued from me.

From a brutally pragmatic standpoint, knives lost a lot of ground in the “weapons” category before my grandfather’s time, with the invention of reliable repeating firearms. Since then, they’ve just been tools to me.

Parker

ETA: mobilerd, are germs weapons? Even more people and animals have died from germs, and your body is chock full of them (as are we all). Sure, they have been weaponized in some times and places, but for most healthy humans, they’re just germs.

 

[jbmonkey]

by filling a boot with meat and showing how it cuts through the boot and the meat. obviously a tool there used for cutting.....

 

[littleknife]

There are people who are so entrenched in their beliefs that no amount of rational arguments will convince them.
I once gifted a nice handmade wooden walking stick to a colleague. Another coworker, a PhD researcher, a muslim woman from Pakistan couldn’t help herself but made the following remark: “Who do you plan to beat with that stick?” Knowing her for years I can tell you that she did not mean it just as a joke, and her very first spontaneous reaction spoke volumes of her narrow-minded worldview. By the way, she considered herself a liberal, open-minded person. She was, to the extent that she didn’t wear hijab or head coverings, but always made nasty remarks about American customs.
I would never even mention knives in her presence.

So my advice, for whatever it might be worth, is that consider the person, and unless you see some chance that rational arguments could work, don’t try to convince them about the error of their ways. Stand up for yourself but don’t try to convert them at any price.

 

[Lesknife]

Out here in sw Kansas and the surrounding area including where I grew up, a large percentage of the population carries at least a pocket knife rather it be modern or traditional. Then there are about 10% of those who carry a fixed blade on their belt. I’ve seen lots of females that grew up on the farm and ranch and they carry a knife as well. Around here they are considered tools and are used as such so most people are accustomed to seeing knives around.

For protection they carry a gun. Kansas is a constitutional carry state for guns and knives, no questions asked. The only restrictions are the obvious places like the court house, jail, and school.

The only knife fight I ever saw was between two drunks at a local tavern. After each one cut the other and blood was flowing they both gave up the fight to wait for the ambulance to the hospital.

 

[stabman]

Just use your knife.
If you aren't using it to cut something, why would they see it, right?

The easiest knife explanation I ever had was when I working in the lab, cutting open a new box of solvents.
Girl comes into the room:
Her: "Why do you carry a knife?"
Me: "This." (as I gesture towards the boxes I am opening)

She fully understood it with that amount of explanation.

Would have been a more challenging conversation if I was flicking it open and closed while leaning on the fume hood, looking like some 1950s movie portrayal of a street thug.