Knives, traditions and lore

quattromori

quattromori

Joined
May 7, 2011
Messages
3,426
Hi guys,
a couple of feedbacks on another thread were more than enough to convince me to open this thread...we'll see what comes out of it.
Coming from a land of knifemakers and old (and deeply rooted) traditions, I'm curious to know about any traditions or use or lore or taboo about knives in different cultures....to help you understand what I'm talking about, I will start with one of the basics about knives here, which is also a question for you.
Is it fair in your homeplace to give a knife as a gift?
Cause around here, it's not.
I mean, you can obviously give a knife as a gift, and it will be very appreciated, especially if it's well made, handmade and so on...but it can't be a full gift and I will explain you why.
I come from an island of shepherds, not really overly populated for sure, and even tho the coasts have been conquered by many "foreigners" during the centuries, the inland kept itself preserved from everything...including the law. So for centuries local matters have been solved with metal (blades and bullets), even after the law came.
So around here, giving a blade (knife, scissors, whatever) as a gift would mean to stab someone (symbolic meaning of course). So if you wanna give a knife to someone as a present, no matter who this person is, you can't give it away for free. It must be sold.
So if I want to please my boss and give him a custom handmade folder with horn handle and damascus blade as a retirement gift, still I will ask him for some money, and only in that moment I will handle him the knife. Otherwise, that blade will bring him bleedings.
This is the kind of ancient tradition about blades which is still fulfilled today. I wonder if there's anything similar where you come from...

Fausto
:cool:
 
Last edited:
Sounds like you are from Sicilia, Fausto. Or somewhere in the Mediterranean.
A tradition where I was born, in western New York State is similar. A coin must be provided to puchase any knife that is handed over.
The reasons are less clear. Some say it is to avoid bad luck, others say a knife must be earned. Still others say a gift of a knife will sever a friendship.
The melting pot that is America, and the passing of time have blurred this and other traditions!
 
Last edited:
Very interesting. I have always wondered where that tradition originated from. Until now, I had always thought it was a superstitious belief. I didn't know it was an actual tradition.

I have heard the tradition mentioned on the forums a few times but I have never been called on it when giving knives to people. I have given away quite a few knives in my time. As far as I know, all those people are still OK.

I hope I haven't cursed anyone.:eek:
 
When my neighbor bought a new mower I asked about the old one. He said the engine needed tuning (and maybe more repair) and the blades needed sharpening; he would sell it to me for $1. His reasoning was if I hurt myself working on or using his old mower I had paid for it so the problems were mine. I still keep an eye open for an electric motor to convert this old gasoline mower to less polluting operation.

As for knives, it has never bothered me to give someone a knife or to receive a knife (or gun) as a present. In fact, I just gave away a knife this past Sunday, and no one thought it was any different than any other thing given to a friend. Customs are interesting.

Thanks,
Steve
 
I gave a knife to a friend about a year ago, he reached into his pocket for a coin and didn't have one. I said "don't worry about it, just a superstition" he agreed and we sort of chuckled over it. To make a long story short, we are not friends anymore.
 
I don't usually subscribe to the coin for a knife tradition unless it's face to face. For me, the object is to give one away for every one I receive from a give-away here on Bladeforums.

I don't expect a coin in return and I don't send a coin to those generous enough to give a knife away here. A pay-it-forward gesture goes a lot further than a coin in my book. I'd like to see it become a new tradition here on the intrawebz or otherwise.
 
While I was in Korea, it was specifically pointed out in the cultural guide they gave us not to give knives as gifts, because it is considered to be announcing the severing of the relationship. Good thing I read that too, cuz I have a habit of giving knives as gifts!
 
When I was deployed to Central Asia, the tradition of giving a coin is practiced there too.
 
festerfromnzed said:
Here in New Zealand...the tradition of giving a coin is practised also...my circle adhere to it........FES
Click to expand...
I have witnessed Fes doing this personaly...although..once the bourbon cans and bottles were cleaned up, both the knives AND the coin was gone!! :eek





:D
 
festerfromnzed said:
Here in New Zealand...the tradition of giving a coin is practised also...my circle adhere to it........FES
Click to expand...

The fact that it's practiced in NZ as well as the US and Canada makes me wonder if it might have originated in the British isles.

As for myself, I first heard of this custom when watching The Edge starring Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, and a nice Brian Lyttle lockback.
 
Glad to know I'm not the only one interested in such things....
For Waynorth: near miss :) I'm from Sardinia actually...quite a different culture from Sicily (on Medterranean standards) but I assume we do have lots of things in common...just alot more sheeps here :D
I was sure this was not something belonging to Sardinian culture, but I'm impressed to see how spread this thing is. I'm no anthropologist, but around here the reason for the coin exchange is that the only blade which is given "for free" is the blade used for stabbing or wounding, so any blade given without being paid will result in some sort of bleeding.
Steve and Rick, you are obviously right in thinking the way you think...it's just that I was raised with those traditions deeply rooted in my homeland, and even if my super rational mind agrees with you, still I'm not leaving my traditions behind...and a couple of months ago, when a friend handed me a solo blade alox SAK, I would have never taken it if I weren't giving him a 1 euro coin.
More on customs and knives....
Here it is a tradition to kill and cook a sheep in big farm/village parties (grape and wheat harvest, shaving sheeps for wool, etc). I have seen a curious habit a couple of times when I was younger: when a sheep is killed to eat it, the shepherd who kills it would stab the knife he has just used into the ground, to avoid other sheeps of the herd to see fat or blood from the blade and running away in fear.

Fausto
:cool:
 
Last edited:
It's an interesting discussion which I imagine would fascinate some sociologists or anthropologists. In some ways, I like the tradition of "paying" for the knife-gift; the "payment" shows the receiver intends to remain a friend worthy of such a gift. Absolutely nothing but respect for each person's traditions; thanks to all for sharing.
 
I remember one about spitting on the blade that someone told me as a kid. Anyone know this one?
 
That's exactly the sense of this thread Steve...never judge, just get to know and discover some more :thumbup:
About spitting on the blade, I never really heard of anything like that...what would spitting be for? sounds like either a curse or a blessing of some kind...
Any weird thing on how u hand a blade to someone else? cause here u should never hand the knife with the tip towards the other person, not just for a matter of security, but also because handing it with the tip ahead resembles alot the act of stabbing someone.
In some parts of my homeland (but I've heard this in other places too) people tend to get offended if they sit at a table and the table is set with the knife with the blade facing outside (meaning opposite to the dish), no idea where this thing comes from...
Fausto :cool:
 
Superstitions about Knives

"Never hand some one a knife. Set it down and let them pick it up, or else you will get into a fight with that person."

A knife as a gift from a lover means that the love will soon end.
A knife placed under the bed during childbirth will ease the pain of labor.
If a friend gives you a knife, you should give him a coin, or your friendship will soon be broken.
It will cause a quarrel if knives are crossed at the table.
It is bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it.

Knife falls, gentleman calls;
Fork falls, lady calls;
Spoon falls, baby calls.

Leaving a knife in the dirt will either stop or bring rain.

If you drop a knife someone else must pick it up for you or you will have bad luck. (That might explain my last hunting trip)
 
Last edited:
The story about the knife and labour pains sounds really really interesting to me (guess it's some sort of professional interest) and the thing about not closing a folder that someone else opened is thought-provoking too. I have heard that somewhere here in Italy (maybe in Sicily but I'm not sure) people put a knife in a newborn's cradle to bring him good luck.
And of course, around here, it is still considered impolite to cross knives (or even a fork and a knife) on a table. But I think that's more for the meaning of the cross as a symbol and not really depending on it being blades...I will sort that out.
Fausto :cool:
 
Last edited:
I know that in goes on in Germany and Britain, but it has to be a silver coloured coin. Good job it's not gold:D:eek:

I follow it if the knife is given face to face, but if its a giveaway in the post etc I send a spiritual word or two with it to secure friendliness.:thumbup:
 
Just never been the superstitious type. I use knives as gifts often. Have not lost any friends yet. :D.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top