Non-Threatening Knives? or What Designs Can Anyone Love?

[Marion David Poff]

Good Day,

What knives do you think can be appreciated by everyone?

Let's not argue the exception, in that vein, let us not say that daggers can be loved by everyone.

But, as Custom Knifemakers who meet 'normal non knife people' at shows, as Collectors who have 'normal non knife people' as friends and relatives, as Dealers who sell, only sometimes maybe, to 'normal non knife people'....

What designs and traits make for a Non-Threatening Knife?

What knives will my mother-in-law fall for?

Marion

 

[Will Leavitt]

Marion,
I've found that women seem to like wharnies, I know that's an overly large generalization but in my experience women tend to pick up a wharnie blade design on my table more than men do.

I generally use the "wife test" for designs like my SFC (sheeple friendly cutlery) if my wife goes that's cute or actually picks it up and handles it I'm pretty sure it's a safe bet for "normal" people.

Basic rules for "normal" people knife design (in my experience):
No false edges
Nice wood handles or wild synthetic handle material
Small blade
Guardless design (they tend to associate a guard with a fighting knife )
Curvy
Wharnie or very low drop point

Think about this, if you showed normal people a 12" chef's knife or a 7" camping blade which would they say is more deadly? I'd rather fight with a 12" chef's knife if pressed to knife fight but most people don't associate a kitchen knife as a "weapon". Kind of have to shift your way of thinking. My "lemon cutter" is a fighting knife that looks like a kitchen utility knife. I call it a subtle defense weapon.

 

[Jon Brand]

I'm starting to get more into slipjoints because they can't be considered a gravity knife. Also they don't seem threatening, since you need two hands to open them and if you attacked someone with one, youd probably cut your own fingers off.

 

[TrailWolf]

I think everyone can appreciate an Opinel or SAK....

Maybe a plain edge purple Spyderco Ladybug?


.

 

[defaultuser]

Slip joints, non-locking SAKs, custom friction folders.

 

[Jon Walker]

Kitchen knives, Slipjoints, anything with a sub 2" blade.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Small folders.... But I like makin big scary knives

 

[Kyle Royer]

Miniatures. I have yet to find anyone that did not like a miniature I made after handling it. The people that like them the most are the "normal non knife people".

Take these two for example.

Cool thread!!!

 

[Lorien]

Small folders.... But I like makin big scary knives

and we are all better off for that, Don! Now with that being said, I bet you could make a damn scary big kitchen knife.


Will's suggestion of the wharncliffe design is sound, in my experience as a small straight knife user, (Will made it!). I've been using a small pocket straight knife of that design and its performance and general acceptance have been amazing for about a year so far. Actually, I have this;

and this;

which I am in the habit of carrying in my pocket each day, these days. Don't worry, Will, the EDK has earned itself a breather, but is far from retirement. The Foster is a little scary looking, but is so small that it doesn't register with most people until after I've already used it. It looks like a claw to me, and that's one of the reasons I like it. If I had real claws, I probably wouldn't really be into knives

Pointy is fun, but not-pointy is more digestible. If it's gonna be pointy, it ought to be small.

I live in a rural(ish) area and people understand knives. If I were addressing this thread and lived in the heart of the big shitty, then I'd probably be thinking slipjoints like swiss army knife type stuff would be the least threatening option. But for me, a small straight knife in my pocket has never caused any alarm. Then again, I never really get out much.

 

[A. Brett Schaller]

Well, I think this one's pretty non-threatening. The blade's only 2 1/2" long.

I think the model name can enter into the equation as well. This one, for example is called the "Worker." I would much rather be sitting in a witness chair being grilled by a D.A. for carrying this than for carrying a knife of identical design called "The Assassin" or some such name.

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

A non black handle , people tend to see black and think of SWAT , military , special ops , bad guys , tacti-cool , etc. ( of course we know different right ? ).

Blades under 2 1/2" (approx). My personal carry fixed blade , with tan g10 handles , and a 2 3/4" blade also doesn't seem to bother people when I use it.

From my experience , knives with high flat grinds seem to intimidate folks less. perhaps they associate them with their kitchen knives. Perhaps as the grind goes almost to the spine it looks less "evil".

Example , I can use a Remington Baby Bullet around people at work and not even get a glance , but I use a Strider PT CC ( which has the same size cutting edge ) and get looked at like I just ran over someone's cat....twice.

Wood handles also seem " sheeple" safe , as long as its not a beast of a blade. I have got more compliments from non-knife people on wood handled knives I have made , than on any G10 or micarta handled knife . I take knives that I make to work to show co-workers often , one knife recently had a 6" blade , the women all said " one of these would be handy in the kitchen" , a 3 3/4" knife with a G10 handle was not so well received , and they were not even interested in handling it saying it looked scary.

 

[RogerP]

I work in an office full of skittish sheeple. This Dave Kelly knife resides there and causes no panicked bleating whatsoever:

Of course, if they examined the "Ghost Riders" hamon a little more closely, they might get a touch spooked.

I think the elegant desk stand classes up the joint some:

Roger

 

[jvan]

I have a Will Leavitt EDK and a Will Leavitt designed and Rob Johnson made Minori that are both readily accepted in any company in which they are seen.

An elegant presentation can make just about any knife acceptable as they are perceived as much as a work of art as they are a weapon or a danger.

 

[SharpByCoop]

Small, stubby, and round aren't considered weapons. The 'threat' is that the knife is a weapon. (We all know a book is a weapon too, but.... whatever.)

This one I carry often. Especially to sheeple-friendly gatherings:

It not only receives well, it's fun for ME, too!

Coop

 

[Jon Brand]

Coop- that Prinsloo you carry is a cute little knife.

 

[Kevin Jones]

A knife never threatened anyone, only those who use them do.

But seriously, I believe whether it's instantly recognized as a "weapon" or a "tool" determines whether a knife is considered threatening to most people.

 

[ddd]

Everyone catches their breath when they see this one by Dellana.
Women and men alike.

Then when they see the pendant Dellana made for my wife they
all want to know everything about this new-to-them art form....

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)

 

[the possum]

Interesting replies, guys. Sometimes I wonder if the knives we knuts percieve as less threatening are really the same ones the general populace would agree on. So the first hand accounts are welcomed.

Let's not argue the exception, in that vein, let us not say that daggers can be loved by everyone.

I'm not so sure about this one- I wouldn't be so quick to discount daggers. In my very limited experience, ladies seem to like daggers. I don't know if it's the symmetrical design, or something imprinted during childhood while playing princess & knight in shining armor , but the times I witnessed they were well recieved.

Also, in my limited experience, mother of pearl seems to change a knife from threatening to "pretty".

(edit-) I'd also agree with Kyle that miniatures seem to do well. If I wanted to introduce non-knife people to handmades, a mini would help set the mood before bringing out the bowies.

 

[John T Wylie Jr]

also consider how the knife is carried or deployed has a huge effect on perception and acceptance of a knife.
example:
If you are whipping out the wonder folder with a super dramatic opening technique with a THWACK ( like the sound of a nice shotgun racking ) , the public perception is going to be " oh my god , he has a knife " . Now the same knife , opened carefully , used , then put away may not even raise a brow.

When using your fixed blade around non knife folks do you :
yank the fixed blade from it's sheath and go straight to an ice pick grip or draw the blade from its sheath slowly and using it with a calm demeanor ?

perception...it might not be reality...but we can somewhat control it.

 

[Will Leavitt]

Expanding on John's thought there....

I remember when I was prototyping the EDK, I mentioned to my friendly bartender that I was carrying my new pocket knife.... "let me see" he blinked a lot and stepped back when I brought it out. He wasn't expecting a fixed blade, then he was like "aw neat" and that was the general reaction of everyone else but what stuck in my mind that the fast deployment of a "non-threatening" blade is as threatening as the deliberate presentation of "threatening" knife. By the way, this guy is a knifenut, he's the owner of my first lemon cutter subtle defense knife.

Ladies may like daggers but if you were to whip one out in your office you'd probably have a less than positive reaction from female co-workers.