Knives and Family Gatherings

zatch

zatch

Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
460
Alright I have a question about knives and family gatherings. Growing up as a kid, I was never really introduced to knives and guns. I knew about them but it was never a part of life. Well, I found one of my dads knives one day (kershaw blackout) and since then I have loved using knives as tools in my everyday life.

However, it seems that at every family event I attend, I get mocked/ridiculed for carrying and using a "dangerous weapon". I haven't been able to figure out why. I get it from almost every member of my immediate family, including my father. I don't ever carry anything "unreasonable" - for me its usually a BRKT Mikro Canadian, small kershaw, etc. Even some times an SAK will set them off. My thought was that if I stayed away from knives 3 inches and above, and only used them when necessary, I would be ok. Maybe they would get used to it. I tried being discreet and being more open about it, nothing seems to work.

Nope. No matter what I say or what I carry, I always get comments like "WHY do you carry a knife all the time? That's a big dangerous weapon!" "You could kill someone!" 23 years of age is pretty young, but I am mature enough about knives that I don't feel like I have generated anything to get this kind of feedback.

Has anyone else faced problems/situations like this? How did you overcome them?
 
If I were mocked and ridiculed at family gatherings, I would stay away from them and associate with friends who share my values. Once we grow up we no longer need to have our family approve of us and our choices, so why seek out abuse? Love them from a distance and be happy. They will be happy without your deadly weapons nearby, too!
 
Same problem here, but i can pretty much guarantee that they wont get used to it... oh well... but i overcame it by just using my Benchmade Mini-grip all the more, eventually they will either stop bugging you, or just avoid you
 
Vicarious Reality said:
How about stop waving it in their faces
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I typically don't. The times I do "wave it" in there faces, is usually pretty discreet but it seems as if everyone is determined to plaster weapon all over a knife with a blade no bigger than my pinky - quite small compared to their kitchen knives.

I have thought about not carrying or having a knife on me for family gatherings - I just think its lame to not stand up for my own beliefs.
 
tenordrumr said:
Growing up as a kid, I was never really introduced to knives and guns. Well, I found one of my dads knives one day (kershaw blackout) and since then I have loved using knives as tools in my everyday life. However, it seems that at every family event I attend, I get mocked/ridiculed for carrying and using a "dangerous weapon", including my father.

tenordrumr, I don't understand part of your post. You say you found one of your dad's knives, but he also is one of your relatives that makes comments about you carrying a knife. One, are you sure this was one of your dad's knives, & two, maybe there was an event or accident in your dad's younger days with a knife that happened, & maybe did not turn out for the best. I think I would ask my father when I could get him alone & ask him point blank why he has the views he has. I was lucky, my father involved me with knives & guns at a young age, & it has continued with my son as well. If you get your father to open up of why he feels the way he does, then you & he can work on whatever the problem is. Good luck.
Be safe.
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Meh. I can't say I've had that problem to the extent you seem to have. Some of my extended family think I'm a total nutbar for owning or carrying knives. A lot of them are/were military, though, and most of the rest at least go camping or have some kind of reckoning of knives as tools (as opposed to thinking all knives are weapons).

They'll get used to it. If you carry a knife around all the time and show them that you're being responsible about it, they'll probably just get used to the idea.

If they don't, they're probsbably a bunch of wine-sipping commies, and you should abandon all hope of turning them into reasonable human beings. :D
 
JUST1MOR said:
tenordrumr, I don't understand part of your post....
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My dad did gift me the knife, and yes, he is one of the ones to constantly nag me about carrying knives. I don't really understand it either, since it ONLY happens at family events. I have tried to get him to talk about why he does so, but he's very closed about it mostly by avoiding/changing topic. And no accidents have occurred, at least that I know of.

Guns are brought up with no problems though, several people own guns and hunt in the family, including myself. Those same people also own knives and never say anything negative about them.

Also, I didn't mean for this to sound overly dramatic; just that I am very annoyed that I can't help someone out when they spend 20 minutes looking for scissors/boxcutters/keys to try and open a box.
 
Dorito Monk said:
They'll get used to it. If you carry a knife around all the time and show them that you're being responsible about it, they'll probably just get used to the idea.

If they don't, they're probsbably a bunch of wine-sipping commies, and you should abandon all hope of turning them into reasonable human beings. :D
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That's what I figured. I didn't think it would take this long though.
 
i just wait untill they need something open... and i harass them for not carrying a knife.
 
That's sad, but a trend too. I think you're not alone in this. Friends of mine and especially those who grew up in the city, never learned to use a knife and are suspicious about knives. But they're used to seeing me with a knife; I often tell them about my outdoor trips and how my knives and multitools support me.

I had the luck to grow up in the country side where knives were considered tools and many people carried one. My grandfather and father weren't into knives, but did carry one, just because it was an indispensible tool for them. Just like their watch. They never left home without their watch on their wrist.
 
When asked why I carry a knife, I say because no one carries scissors in their pockets.

When asked why I would carry a pistol, I'd say because who in their right mind carries a hole puncher? (ok, this one was a joke, but the first one stands).
 
tenordrumr said:
However, it seems that at every family event I attend, I get mocked/ridiculed for carrying and using a "dangerous weapon". I haven't been able to figure out why. I get it from almost every member of my immediate family, including my father.
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That's because he is trying to fit in with the other family members. ;)

It's obvious that there is some huge influence by one or more people in your family against knives.
 
Bill1170 said:
If I were mocked and ridiculed at family gatherings, I would stay away from them and associate with friends who share my values. Once we grow up we no longer need to have our family approve of us and our choices, so why seek out abuse? Love them from a distance and be happy. They will be happy without your deadly weapons nearby, too!
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*The above post has been marked as the correct answer!;)

Ask to borrow a pen and then illustrate how it can be used as a deadly weapon with an eye and neck thrust. For that matter, roll up a magazine and show how a thrust to the esophagus can crush a wind pipe. I could go on, but I am sure you get the point.
 
Hmm, for a family gathering I'm not sure which situations would specifically require a folding knife and not a kitchen knife or scissors. I guess I can somewhat understand if there are children at the gathering.

While my brother is somewhat cool with me and my knives, he freaked when I tried to cut my birthday cake with one.

So I just try to keep in mind that my knives are mostly just for me, and not anyone else.

If anyone were to accuse me of carrying around a deadly "weapon", I would have to point out that:
-I'm severely concerned about their mental well-being as they apparently only use knives to kill people and not to perform a useful task that can't be done with another tool(try cut that medium rare steak with them scissors or box cutters).
-It probably wouldn't be any safer if I stuck this ball-point pen into your eye socket.
-Statistically speaking, most knife attacks are done with common kitchen knives.
-I did not pay $400 for this knife just to stab you with it, because I would have bought a gun instead.
-This paring knife I personally sharpened to a hair popping edge is just as capable of severing everything between your skin and your bones as any folding knife. The only difference is that the paring knife is not in the least way perceived as a weapon, which would leave one clueless as I bring it up to their throat and slit it:D.
 
harkamus said:
When asked why I carry a knife, I say because no one carries scissors in their pockets.

When asked why I would carry a pistol, I'd say because who in their right mind carries a hole puncher? (ok, this one was a joke, but the first one stands).
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Actually, the correct second response to why you carry a pistol is "Because I can't carry a policeman in my pocket."
 
How do they even know you have it?

My family never comments on any knife I have because they don't know I have it...unless someone is asking for a knife.

Over the years they pretty much know I have a knife in my pocket and just ask me if they need one, but it's never been a topic of any conversation.

I find it odd that a knife in your pocket draws so much attention.
 
Next time you are together for dinner at someone's home steal all their knives so they have nothing to eat with and look smugly at them while eating your dinner with your own knife :cool:
 
My family is so used to me having knives that they don't even blink. One day I forgot my EDC and was at a function and someone asked be to cut a box open. They were totally shocked that I'd forgotten my knife.

I think you're family has found something to rag on you about and they know that it's bothersome to you. So they keep doing it.

If it were me, I'd wear my shirt tails out and the next time they ask me why or if I have a "dangerous weapon" I'd pull a pistol out and say "Yes, this time I do."

But then I'm not adverse to telling my family and friends to f-off about something either, when they annoy me. And they know that.
 
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