My jackknife is not a switchblade!

gooeytek said:
Whenever I come across ignorant people making ignorant comments, I always go to my standby line.

example 1: I've got a dodge magnum with a stroked hemi.
Guy at the track: "You think this station wagon can get out of it's own way?"
me: "Go ignorant language yourself."

He avoids me all day, so do his other ignorant friends. This is great because I don't have time for people like that.

example 2:
At the office. This woman is trying to carry a big box. It's not heavy, just cumbersome and unwieldly. I ask to carry it for her, but she insists that she has it, and just wishes it has cutout handles. I ask her if it's alright for me to make some cuts to do that, and she says ok. I take out a ZT0400 and flip it open, making that loud 'thwack'. There's a guy a few feet from us smoking a cigarette watching the whole thing.

Guy: "jeezus, do you really need to carry a weapon like that?"
Me: "go ignorant language yourself."

I continue to make handle cutouts on the box, and the woman thanks me and goes on her way with a smile. I don't think I heard any comments from that guy.

Try it.
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(( same problem ))

:D
 
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My experience is that many people see any sharp object as a weapon and nothing else, they could be cutting vegetables with a knife, but in their mind the object in their hand is only good for hurting people.

These aren't crazy people either, they are well educated and have good jobs. It's people like this that make me think, just for a moment, that everyone should take a test before being allowed to EDC. It's not like that's actually anything new, just that it was the responsibility of parents, and now it seems like it's not done at all (thus society now expects the government to do it).
I have pretty much given up on expecting people to behave rationally around knives. We know they don't, and they're not going to start any time soon. At this point you pretty much have to assess every person individually and pick up where their parents left off.
When people look at your knife, assume they are doing so through the eyes of a five year old who was never told anything beyond "don't touch".
 
Joshua J. said:
When people look at your knife, assume they are doing so through the eyes of a five year old who was never told anything beyond "don't touch".
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I'll be adding this to my sig line. That would keep so many folks out of trouble.
 
zignal_zero said:
When I was 9 years old, the two guns I always shot were a Colt Gold Cup and a Ruger Mini 14. I knew very little about guns, but I shot those two quite often and quite well. Every time I saw a handgun, in a movie, I called it a Gold Cup. Every time I saw a rifle, in a movie, I called it a Mini 14. Sounds like your friend has the same mindset I did in 4th grade. I outgrew it, maybe he will too :-)
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This is the reason I think. He probably calls all pocket knives switchblades and not because it's a weapon but because that's what he calls them.

Though I have to ask, is a locking one hand folder even a jackknife? I thought slippies were jackknives.:confused:
 
I take out a ZT0400 and flip it open, making that loud 'thwack'.
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Not the wisest move in a public situation especially in an office. Might be better just to open the knife make the cut and put it away rather than include the drama.
 
There was no drama. We were outside. I made the cuts and helped her out, then she thanked me and moved on. The ignorant person chose to make himself known by the comment he made. It's legal where I am, and the knife sees a lot of use at work.
 
And maybe there would not have been the confrontation/comment by the knucklehead if you had just opened the knife and made the cut rather than flipping the knife open with a thwack. (I like the sound too, but sometimes when the sound triggers attention, it is better just to open without the thwack.) ;)
 
Bastid said:
And maybe there would not have been the confrontation/comment by the knucklehead if you had just opened the knife and made the cut rather than flipping the knife open with a thwack. (I like the sound too, but sometimes when the sound triggers attention, it is better just to open without the thwack.) ;)
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Kind of hard to avoid on an assisted opening flipper, though I suppose two-handed opening always works. Might be a bit difficult if the blade doesn't stick out that much though like on my R.J. Martin Overkill.
 
It is not that hard at all, just an application of common sense and slight pressure on the spine as you open the knife to suppress the motion and sound a little.
Use a knife that makes a distinct thwack by flipping it in public, common sense tells me someone is going to make a comment out of ignorance.

I own and carry switchblades and assisted openers legally, but sometimes a little discretion is needed when using these types of knives. To non-knife people they can be intimidating. It is up to us knife folks to show the utility of the knives which can diffuse the intimidation they perceive in an object. I know the thought process they use is foolish, but why feed it? Sure beats the heck out of telling them to 'go $#$* themselves'. If we take that route all we do is confirm their fear of the object. I just think that there is more opportunity for discussion/education when a different tact is used in those situations.
 
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Bastid said:
It is not that hard at all, just an application of common sense and slight pressure on the spine as you open the knife to suppress the motion and sound a little.
Use a knife that makes a distinct thwack by flipping it in public, common sense tells me someone is going to make a comment out of ignorance.

I own and carry switchblades and assisted openers legally, but sometimes a little discretion is needed when using these types of knives. To non-knife people they can be intimidating. It is up to us knife folks to show the utility of the knives which can diffuse the intimidation they perceive in an object. I know the thought process they use is foolish, but why feed it? Sure beats the heck out of telling them to 'go $#$* themselves'. If we take that route all we do is confirm their fear of the object. I just think that there is more opportunity for discussion/education when a different tact is used in those situations.
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+1 on your comments. If we want to reverse the "knife bigotry" that is out there, we cannot hide from it, but we also need to act responsibly and educate the ignorant. If we do not work to turn around the ongoing cultural shift to treat knives as weapons first, not as tools, we are done for. It matters not that our right to own and carry a knife is protected by the Second Amendment because of their traditional, and today very rare, use as an "arm." If we cannot change the bias towards knives around, then we can still lose that right. This is why the Knife Rights slogan is "Essential Tools - Essential Rights." As responsible knife owners and tool users, it's up to us to set a good example and educate those who don't get it. Being arrogant doesn't work, it only makes things worse. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem....
 
I understand the whole issue of educating the uninformed and biased. However, without going into too much detail about where I work, who the guy was, and the tone of his voice when he made that comment, I can say this: The A/O ZT makes a loud enough sound at lockup even without any wrist action. We were outside, the building has several tenants who lease individual offices and storefronts. One of these is a hunting/archery/taxidermy store with its own range, although the range is in a separate building. I'm not the only one who carries a knife here, and certainly not the among those who have firearms on their vests/belts. A lot of police officers and military types frequent the site, on and off-duty. I don't know if that guy was just being snide, or genuinely concerned (doubt it). My point is, my comment was based on the ignorant remark that he made.
 
Whenever I come across ignorant people making ignorant comments, I always go to my standby line.
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gooeytek said:
I understand the whole issue of educating the uninformed and biased. However, without going into too much detail about where I work, who the guy was, and the tone of his voice when he made that comment, I can say this: The A/O ZT makes a loud enough sound at lockup even without any wrist action. We were outside, the building has several tenants who lease individual offices and storefronts. One of these is a hunting/archery/taxidermy store with its own range, although the range is in a separate building. I'm not the only one who carries a knife here, and certainly not the among those who have firearms on their vests/belts. A lot of police officers and military types frequent the site, on and off-duty. I don't know if that guy was just being snide, or genuinely concerned (doubt it). My point is, my comment was based on the ignorant remark that he made.
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Based on your own statement that this is your standard reply to the uneducated, you don't understand at all.
 
RevDevil said:
Do not display knives to people that have no idea what they are. Sounds like your friend has a Hollywood movie grade education on cutting tools. No everyone has the same perception or appreciation of knives as you might. Some people are very stupid and can relay incorrect information about your knife to other people, creating a level of infamy that you might find unflattering at best. You really can't change it without substantial investment of time on your part. Maybe it is just not worth it.
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+1 your friend is a moron. we all have them but some times they tend to want to give themselves away as complete morons! tell your friend to hand in his man card!
 
I don't like bashing the sheep (as much as they annoy me) because you guys have got to understand why they think what they think. Does it honestly surprise you that they're so sensitive about knives with the kind of media we have? (sorry mods i'll keep the rest to a different forum)
- Back on topic: Show others your knives when they need a knife, and they will respect its utility. Whip it out just for the purpose of flashing your new steel, don't expect them to react like we do on these forums about cool knives.
 
Stab him in his neck a few times...That should shut him up about your "switchblade".:D.:D.
 
Bastid said:
It is not that hard at all, just an application of common sense and slight pressure on the spine as you open the knife to suppress the motion and sound a little.
Use a knife that makes a distinct thwack by flipping it in public, common sense tells me someone is going to make a comment out of ignorance.

I own and carry switchblades and assisted openers legally, but sometimes a little discretion is needed when using these types of knives. To non-knife people they can be intimidating. It is up to us knife folks to show the utility of the knives which can diffuse the intimidation they perceive in an object. I know the thought process they use is foolish, but why feed it? Sure beats the heck out of telling them to 'go $#$* themselves'. If we take that route all we do is confirm their fear of the object. I just think that there is more opportunity for discussion/education when a different tact is used in those situations.
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For a knife with thumbstuds yes, that can be done by putting the pointer finger in the path of the blade so that the spine stops against the finger and doesn't open up as loudly. But for a knife that's flipper only, assisted or not, two-handed is the only way. Though some knives with both stud and flipper doesn't always open up as easily with the studs, if at all(see Galyean Pro Turbulence).

I typically don't bother with trying to mute the sound though. I don't open it in anyone's face. I pull it out, open it, cut what I need to, and put it back. All of which takes about 6-8 seconds at most.

If anyone makes any drama about it, I'll squeeze as much annoyance in my tone of voice as I ask them if they have any clue what was used to hijack those planes 10 years ago.
 
You simply can't save stupid people from themselves. I had a co-worker ask me for a knife once, so i gave him my 1 7/8" blade ss Camillus & said "be carefull, it's very sharp". He laughed & & said "this little thing" as he proceeded to run his thumb lengthwise down the blade. I was amazed---simply amazed. He cut what he needed to & gave it back to me. It took a minute to start dripping blood, but he was cut good. So I asked him if he also touched the stove burner when his mother told him it was hot-when he was a kid.
 
TwinStick said:
You simply can't save stupid people from themselves. I had a co-worker ask me for a knife once, so i gave him my 1 7/8" blade ss Camillus & said "be carefull, it's very sharp". He laughed & & said "this little thing" as he proceeded to run his thumb lengthwise down the blade. I was amazed---simply amazed. He cut what he needed to & gave it back to me. It took a minute to start dripping blood, but he was cut good. So I asked him if he also touched the stove burner when his mother told him it was hot-when he was a kid.
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Interesting. My knives normally don't cut much shallower than 1/8" whenever I cut myself, and I always feel it. Kind of wonder if a razor edge makes it harder to feel, though I never quite bought that. Anytime I find mysterious cuts on my skin it always looks like something tore the skin rather than cutting it clean.
 
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