How would you have handled this?

michaelmcgo said:
Yes, lines like this always work on strangers...
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Maybe not. But please allow me to live vicariously for a moment. And actually, now that I think about it, it was the off the wall comments that worked best in my wild youth. I'll have to ask my wife what line worked on her, can't remember anymore.
 
Definatly agree that she was either trying to hit on you or at least add a personal touch. People always try to bridge the gap with comment about something they can observe from you, which happened to be your magazine. We tend to say lamer things just to get the ball rolling. I'm guilty of that for sure.
 
Aw geez, those kind of comments are innocuous. They're just small talk, an attempt to be friendly (probably flirtatious even). If they're really intimidated by your knife, they wouldn't have said anything. They would complain to your boss (at work) or call the cops, but they wouldn't have said anything to your face.

One of the young women that cleans the office building I work in once commented "Are you gonna kill somebody?" when she saw a knife on my desk. If it was my Stryker I would understand (kinda), but it was just a Kershaw Skyline. I just smiled. I should have come back with something smart, but I was busy with work. It wasn't a big deal because I know she was flirting with me. How did I know? Well, she did invite me to stop by her other work place (a restaurant) so she could give me employee discount. Sounds like an excuse for lunch or dinner.

Dial down the paranoia and be more friendly.
 
i am a person said:
I just got home after a day of fishing and stopped by Barnes and Noble to pick up the new issue of Knives Illustrated. There is a Starbucks inside of the store where I bought a drink before purchasing the magazine.

As I got up to the counter I told the cashier that I had already paid for this and she said it was ok but try this flavor next time, etc. She was very nice. (My friend even used his ex-girlfriends membership to save 10%, yes I am cheap.)

So she hands me my change back and smiles, I say thank you. But before she hands it to me she says, "Don't stab anybody" with a smile.

Now I know this is a joke, but the type of people who typically work at Barnes and Noble (Yuppies) may actually think this way, which is frightening. I got a little flustered after the fact and told my friend, "She should try to live without any knives for six months and see what it's like. No knives for food prep, no knives for people at her local super market to open boxes, NOTHING, and then she would probably think twice about saying something like that."

Agree or disagree? She was still a very friendly lady and I certainly appreciate when cashiers go out of their way to involve you and not serve you, and am sure she is a stand-up woman in real life, but wtf? :confused:
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Irony can be a great tool to make people understand they are acting stupid ;)

Last time a coworker said something on that line, I answered "Don't worry, already met my stabbed people quota today".
Another time somebody said something like "Do you use it to kill people?" I said "Not today. We mafia hitmen are on strike" and, on a third occasion "Not today, Even serial killers take a holiday every now and then."
Invariably got a laugh at it and the person understood how dumb he had just been, without need to insult them or point out perfectly obvious facts in a pedantic way.;)
 
I think I get comments like that all the time.

People don't understand or appreciate the value of a knife. When one (That is, one that is ignorant) thinks of a knife, the first thing they think of is probably the media's attempt at fear mongering or generally just crimes associated with them. I can see why they'd be alarmed, I am a huge skeptic (Which ties into my background a little bit) and I have trouble trusting 95% of the people I come into contact with in my daily life.

It has become OK to think of a knife as a weapon, rather as a tool. I just help people try to understand, it is a lot more rewarding than bashing them or cracking jokes ( Though not nearly as fun. :D ).

I'm sure she was kidding, though. I mean, people that are ignorant or are just flirty have to say things that are a little crazy in order to get looks or to make an impact, gauge a response, etc.
 
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quite simply i would have said, "lady don't say stuff like that, im not a criminal and im well within my rights to carry my pocket knife"
 
The appropriate response in those situations is to say "Don't tell me what i can and can't do, the voices can't and no one else can either!" then walk off clutching your magazine and twitching. Or if she was cute make a joke and ask what time she gets off.
 
rookie4real said:
There recently had a similar moment on my behalf, when a cashier at the store (Home Depot) made a comment when I used my knife in front of her. It was a large Sebenza that I used to open a plastic package that I wanted to exchange. She said -" Wow, they let you carry this ?!?". I immediately replied -"Oh, yeah, sure".
But later I questioned myself who are "them"? My parents or who? I guess she meant police or government. Anyways, it felt a little awkward to me.
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Jealousy? I used to work at HD. We were only supposed to carry these worthless store-supplied safety boxcutters. The rounded tip razor blades only stuck out about a quarter inch and the mechanism had a spring so that if you took your finger off the slider, the blade would retract. It seemed like you had to replace the blade after every other box. Carrying a useful cutting tool and being noticed by a manager could get you fired on the spot. All in the name of safety.
 
This is the same kind of comment my mother said to me when I brought home a rifle for the first time.

"Don't shoot anybody."

"Okay, mom."

What did she expect? "Oh, well I was planning on shooting up the neighborhood, but I guess if you don't think I should I won't do it."

????
 
I get this kind of sh!t all the time from co-workers.
"Don't mess with Eric he is the knife guy"
I tell them I would not use a knife in a fight because I have no real training on the use of them in a fight.
 
I would have just said "I'm not making any promises", in a somewhat less joking tone, and gone on living my life. Actually, I'm pretty sure I've done just that, on more than one occasion.
 
I got something like that once. I bought a cheap machete at academy, and the guy behind the counter asked if it was for taking care of neighborhood cats. I smiled, shook my head, and said no. I then asked him if he thought they would have surgical tubing at home depot. He paused and said he didn't know. I finished the checkout process in silence.

As long as you get a laugh out of it, who cares what they think?

Note: that does not apply when questioned by law enforcement.
 
if you won't see her again, if she doesn't pay your bills and if she doesn't warm your bed, it doesn't matter who says what
 
Josh K said:
Harmless joke is how I'd pass it on. Not something to take offense to really. It's not like she said "You know, knives are dangerous. You really shouldn't be reading that stuff." That's something you can argue over. Kinda like when they hand you a hot cup of coffee and say "Don't go burn yourself." Though the latter may really just be for the lawyers benefit.

(checks what forum this is in)

Yes, that's my final answer. ;)
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That's how I feel. People are too touchy about things and get on this ideological high horse about things sometimes. It was a harmless joke. She was sweet to you, so she obviously didn't think you were going to stab someone.
 
I will usually just ignore comments like this from strangers. When its someone I know sayin it then I will sometimes get on to the “a knife is a tool” soap box.
 
Whenever I give a knife to a friend as a gift.. ( in my age group)
I almost always say " Dont Stab anybody" or " Try not to cut yourself".. Its pretty funny at the right time.. Yet im dead serious..
The fact the I own and work on knives does freak some people out.. Whatever...:D
 
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