Manager doesn't know about knives

N

NateReed

Joined
Jan 20, 2013
Messages
543
A couple different stories. My manager is in his early 40s. He has previously worked for one of those private security companies. Now he works for the school district in the day and at a grocery store evenings and weekends. He mostly works in the produce section. And always questioned why I spent so much on knives (I don't even spend a lot).

About a month ago he asked if he could borrow 'the biggest one you have on you' to cut a pineapple they were sampling. The next day he asked if I had a knife I would sell to him, but wasn't a 'machete' like he used the day before. (It was an Endura). He said his current one was too little. He pulled out a SOG Twitch II. He didn't know what he had. He said one of his son's friends had left it at his house and he'd been using it. Long story short, I traded him a RAT I for a Twitch II. I found it funny how he had to ask me how to close it. Just a simple liner lock...

Saturday, I was telling him that my ZT 550 chipped after another coworker dropped it (there's a thread about it). He said that the knife was defective and I should send it back. I said that the company had free sharpening, but he kept insisting that knives can somehow be pretty much be thrown on the ground and not chip (they were small chips, but noticeable). I wanted to get into a discussion on how the harder steels will chip easier, compared to the softer steels, but eventually just said OK and got back to work.


When I have other stories I'll update this thread
 
A friend of mine, who is one of those guys who is always busy fixing and building things, has a big shed full of tools, welding equipment, etc. etc. did not know how to close my frame lock knife either.
Almost nobody carries a pocket knife, they only use stanley knives or very rarely a Victorinox.
 
I went to a local camping store a while back and asked to check out a couple of knives. One was a liner lock and I had to show the guy behind the counter how to close the thing!
 
ozgooner said:
I went to a local camping store a while back and asked to check out a couple of knives. One was a liner lock and I had to show the guy behind the counter how to close the thing!
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Hilarious. I asked someone at Bass Pro if they had a CRKT Ripple I could check out. They just gave that look... I said 'Colombia River Knife and Tool.' and they knew it
 
A guy with a table full of old knives for sale at a gun show. He explained to me that 440c stainless steel was no good because it didn't have enough carbon in it to heat treat. You can tell if there's not enough carbon because a magnet won't stick to it.
I wonder what my refrigerator is made of?
 
I was buying some .22 ammo at Wal-mart a few weeks ago, and while I was waiting in line, a guy in front of me was looking at a Kershaw Blur. Being the salesman of the week, the guy behind the register told the guy that Kershaw barely sharpens the knives before they send them out.......as he pulls the blur across the inside of his hand. Being a kershaw/zt nut, I of course....said nothing. Bloody hand, bloody counter, bloody sales phone. I lol'ed in my mind a little and waited for another customer service rep to ring me out.
 
i have a neighbor who is a "knife guy" ie Mall ninja TNP worshiper, he asked me if he could borrow my knife, so i gave him my smaller of the 2, a friction folder i just finished making. he opened it, used it, & complemented me on the knife then spent the next 3 minutes trying to figure out HOW IT LOCKS!!!!!
 
A worker at one of my accounts knew that I liked knives based on a discussion we had after he saw me using my SAK OHT to break down some heavy cardboard display boxes after using the Philips head to build the display. On following visits he always had a knife of his own to show me. Usually a Gerber. I always said what a great knife his was and never tried to sway him to get better stuff. What he had was sufficient for him and he liked it.
My stepson has always fancied himself a sword and knife collector and has mostly inexpensive display pieces , which proudly hang in his office. I compliment each new addition and he also asks what my latest addition is.
Bottom line for me is that if someone is happy with any knife then I am happy for them.
 
jeffwithaj said:
A worker at one of my accounts knew that I liked knives based on a discussion we had after he saw me using my SAK OHT to break down some heavy cardboard display boxes after using the Philips head to build the display. On following visits he always had a knife of his own to show me. Usually a Gerber. I always said what a great knife his was and never tried to sway him to get better stuff. What he had was sufficient for him and he liked it.
My stepson has always fancied himself a sword and knife collector and has mostly inexpensive display pieces , which proudly hang in his office. I compliment each new addition and he also asks what my latest addition is.
Bottom line for me is that if someone is happy with any knife then I am happy for them.
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I don't mind if he has a crappy knife. I just hate his tone, especially when he asks to use a knife, calls it a hand machete, then asks to buy one from me
 
NCCNC said:
I was buying some .22 ammo at Wal-mart a few weeks ago, and while I was waiting in line, a guy in front of me was looking at a Kershaw Blur. Being the salesman of the week, the guy behind the register told the guy that Kershaw barely sharpens the knives before they send them out.......as he pulls the blur across the inside of his hand. Being a kershaw/zt nut, I of course....said nothing. Bloody hand, bloody counter, bloody sales phone. I lol'ed in my mind a little and waited for another customer service rep to ring me out.
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That is awesome! Was he trying to impress a girl? My brother sliced his hand once showing his GF how tough his skin was from working out all the time
 
A lot of people don't carry any sort of tool other than a mobile phone (which, truth be told, does a lot of what urban folks need done daily), few have some sort of pocketknife/multitool/flashlight in their pockets, and even fewer are really interested in the materials and design aspects of those items.

To us, knives are a hobby and we enjoy them beyond their practical uses. Most users just want something that will work for them, at a price they are willing to pay. They might do a bit of research on the subject and spend a good amount of money on a blade even if they aren't "knife guys". I've met a few guys at my shooting club that have really good EDC knives (Benchmades, Spydercos), but don't collect them and don't want to buy more.

I'm sure each and every one of us knife enthusiasts uses some appliance or piece of kit that he doesn't care much about as long as it functions properly. In my case, computers would be the perfect example. I need the darned things, but I really don't care about very detailed information on how one model performs versus another one, and I don't own more of the infernal machines that I absolutely have to. However, I've got friends who build them for fun, who understand every little one of their secrets and who think I'm a caveman. But when I ask them for advice, they know they just have to give me a list of three or four models that will do what I need and not try to teach me too much. The same applies when they ask me for knife or gun advice, I try to keep it simple. Any knife is better than no knife at all and there's always time to learn more.
 
NCCNC said:
I was buying some .22 ammo at Wal-mart a few weeks ago, and while I was waiting in line, a guy in front of me was looking at a Kershaw Blur. Being the salesman of the week, the guy behind the register told the guy that Kershaw barely sharpens the knives before they send them out.......as he pulls the blur across the inside of his hand. Being a kershaw/zt nut, I of course....said nothing. Bloody hand, bloody counter, bloody sales phone. I lol'ed in my mind a little and waited for another customer service rep to ring me out.
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Hehe...poor guy:(
 
I hear you on all of that. I'm a girl, and cycle through ZT 550 and a BM 950. People freak out constantly. Why do you need that? Ect ect. But when they need something opened they come over to my desk.
 
I was riding along with a friend who was a county police officer back in the late 70's. We pulled along side of a city officer who proudly passed an 11" stag Italian stiletto to my friend. After snapping it open he spent quite awhile trying to close it. I finally told him to give it to me and I closed it for him. I was collecting autos back then and it was a simple bolster release. He said: "You know how those work don't you?" I just smiled at both of them.
 
I think that your manager is kinda setting a bad example for his kids, using ,and trading other peoples property without their permission. I think that's pretty crummy (ok maybe the kid's friend never intended to come back for it). Back to the subject, Sounds like you're rubbing off on him, he could become a knife nut, who knows. Knives are very easy tools for everyday people to become enthusiastic about IMO.
 
whetrock said:
I think that your manager is kinda setting a bad example for his kids, using ,and trading other peoples property without their permission. I think that's pretty crummy (ok maybe the kid's friend never intended to come back for it). Back to the subject, Sounds like you're rubbing off on him, he could become a knife nut, who knows. Knives are very easy tools for everyday people to become enthusiastic about IMO.
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I don't think he will. He's hard-headed. Although he has seen that my method of facing aisles was better than his so he changed. Maybe there's hope
 
I'd like to think that if anyone here saw someone about to do something very foolish or dangerous with a knife that they would speak up and warn them (but I guess I'd be wrong about that). The warning might not work, but at least you tried. Stupid people often need the most help and consideration in this world. No one deserves to cut themselves or take a trip to the ER for stitches.

I don't think that there is anything to be gained by standing by and watching a person needlessly cut themselves. Sounds kinda jerky to me. And it's just the sort of thing that might turn someone off of knives altogether. I would hate to think that someone would have just stood by and let me cut myself back when I was ignorant about knives
 
@OP - I work in a grocery store too and every time I use a knife, some co-worker asks either A.) Is that thing legal? (referring to the AO, usually) or B.) Why don't you just use the box cutters? Which are flimsy and IMO unsafe. Literally no one I work with carries a knife, ever. But most of them will borrow mine constantly. I always carry 2 or 3 at work just for that.
 
killgar said:
I'd like to think that if anyone here saw someone about to do something very foolish or dangerous with a knife that they would speak up and warn them (but I guess I'd be wrong about that). The warning might not work, but at least you tried. Stupid people often need the most help and consideration in this world. No one deserves to cut themselves or take a trip to the ER for stitches.

I don't think that there is anything to be gained by standing by and watching a person needlessly cut themselves. Sounds kinda jerky to me. And it's just the sort of thing that might turn someone off of knives altogether. I would hate to think that someone would have just stood by and let me cut myself back when I was ignorant about knives
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Idk... An average adult that thinks it's a good idea to slide a knife across their hand might need to just do it once so they'll never do it again, not even with a plastic one. We've all done stupid stuff but when it backfired on us directly, we usually remembered that lesson forever.
 
Egnar T Seinnhoj said:
@OP - I work in a grocery store too and every time I use a knife, some co-worker asks either A.) Is that thing legal? (referring to the AO, usually) or B.) Why don't you just use the box cutters? Which are flimsy and IMO unsafe. Literally no one I work with carries a knife, ever. But most of them will borrow mine constantly. I always carry 2 or 3 at work just for that.
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I carry a small box cutter that has a little slide thing that exposes it. I stick it right in that small pocket on the right side. I use it when I have to be precise, but lately I've been on cashier, where all I cut is those rolls of coins, and freezer, where I don't need a box cutter. Back when I worked the aisles It certainly came in handy, but it is mainly knife now. I've gotten pretty much everyone addicted to knives, or they've noticed that they should carry one
 
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