Public perception of people carrying knives

Haven't had many people comment on my knife carrying one way or the other. Although I don't pull my knife out unless something needs to be done, and none of my knives look scary or tactical at all, and I open them with two hands most of the time.

I have found that older people are less likely to be surprised, while younger people seem to find it surprising, or ask if its legal.

To me the responses have a lot to do with how the knife is presented, as well as the design (opinels don't get a comment, all black half serrated etc gets noticed).
 
I have experienced ignorant comments quite often actually. Just two weeks ago I was carrying a mini-Griptillian and a friend of a friend asked me whether I have ever "shanked" anyone with my knife. Ridiculous.
 
It's not so much as carrying the knife that gets 'em, as "What do you say you paid for this knife?!?" 3:-) (admittedly, I'd be ashamed to admit to my family I spent my last* 200$ on a BM 710 :-) ) But I'm anti-social, and at my last job every time my employer started harping on me, I'd look him straight in the eye, take out my 4" navaja, start sharpening it and ask- "and you were saying..." 3:-)

* not last as in no more knives for me this month... *last* as in overdrawn on the account and no income either :-D
 
Wolf_HR said:
I spent my last* 200$ on a BM 710 :-)

* not last as in no more knives for me this month... *last* as in overdrawn on the account and no income either :-D
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Here's one of the few times I'd advise caution in your knife spending habits... the no income part worries me a bit. I've been there, sometimes for long stretches... it's tough not to buy knives even then, but I knew it would be a terrible idea so I didn't. I don't know your situation at all, I just hope that the no income part will soon change for you bud.
 
I think those people that get surprised about seeing somebody with a pocket knife were raised in a sheltered child hood and probably never had a father that was handy with tools, so they were raised not seeing a man that carries tools and they automatically label it as a weapon the moment they spot it, and those same people always have to pay somebody to fix simple things because they just don't have basic skills to do simple repairs.

I remember a few months ago I went to dump a bunch of tree branches at the city dump and I had to cut the rope that was tied on the back of my truck holding the branches and when I flipped out the knife ( it was a Enlan EL01 knife) there was a hipster guy looking at me and the knife with a surprised look on his face like he saw a ghost.
 
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KBnCO said:
Funny thing is atavist, Colorado used to be the same way. And as far as Montana goes...you're being Californicated as I type this. We were up there last summer looking at the possibility of moving and looked at Bozeman, Kalispell and Missoula and after talking with many locals who had lived there in each of the towns for years, they all agreed that there was to many people moving there from California and none of them were to pleased. I admit that your state has some incredible scenery and may still make the move if CO gets any worse than it already is.
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No arguing with you on the californication unfortunately ... would definitely NEVER live in Missoula. Place is packed with hipsters and yuppies. Outside the major cities its not bad thiugh... with the slowdown (read: hippy shutdown) of logging growth and urbanization have slowed to a crawl. Which is a good rhing in my book... and we got lucky in the area we found... you have to change counties to get back into our area so the county we are in won't put in blacktop or power and LE can't come up here without both counties coordinating... so a bad rep for lawlessness... pretty much all the year rounders are old time homesteaders and no one wants more neighbors so when a lot does come up for sale we are all pretty good at being unfriendly or someone already up here buys it just to keep out new owners.....
Hard to know what will happen in 20 years though... or even 10...

On the up side if they do ever put in utilities and roads the land values will go through the roof and we can sale up and maybe I can talk the wife into moving back onto a sailboat...
 
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Regarding the Kalifornia comments in this thread, it's a huge state where the big cities are mostly anti gun or anti knife and then there are other areas where tons of people own guns and pretty much everybody in those areas have a knife clipped to their pocket, you'll be surprised of how many people you would see carrying knives in some areas of the state, and there is no blade length limit here, we actually have more relaxed knife laws compared to some other states that are more pro gun.
 
I haven't had anyone comment on my knife(s) for a long time now, and I live in CA. A lot of people in-state and out complain about CA and Californians, but I was born here, as were my parents, and I'm betting most of today's Californians originally came from other states.

But last week at work, in the break room, I was online looking at a photo of an old Case stockman, and a young (maybe 20 year-old) girl happened to look up from her iPhone, saw it, and out of the blue asked, 'Do you wanna be a street fighter?" Numbskull question not deserving of an answer.

Jim
 
I don't get many comments except what it is, how much and where to buy.
 
I use my folding knife in a reasonable/responsible manner. People may see me using it reasonably. Perhaps, with time, they will see that it is reasonable. Can't help it if they don't; I'm not a teacher or a revolutionary.
 
Silvanus said:
Literally an hour ago we were out buying dinner for the fire house at the local grocery store. A lady walked up to my captain and asked if he had a knife and if he could help her cut something. He did, she was thankful.

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Well I'm glad you use your knives in public spaces. Your life obviously differs from mine, considering I said that "I've never had a legit use for a knife in public". My main question to op was what he was doing with them, I could understand cutting a package, but doing something unnecessary will obviously warrant looks...

P.s.
Nice attempt at sarcasm, I didn't know this was a battle of who's right...
 
Different styles of knives have a different gestalt. A one hand opener modern will get much more of a reaction than a slipjoint. The OP said he got reactions now from his pocketclip. I wonder if previously he had a slipjoint down in his pocket.

This is just a fact. It's an unfortunate and an unfair fact but still.

I am a slipjoint schmoe carrying modern and considering purchase of a modern for various reasons. These advantages are steel choice, my left hand/wrist is healing, cost, yadda. As I make the choices of purchase and when/where/how to carry I also have to consider disadvantages like... thumb studs and clothing, thicker blades, and... public perception.

One of the sweetest things about "Grandpa knives" is the perception as "Grandpa knives".

Lottsa other facts come into play as well. The area you live in, some people are just busybodies, yadda.
 
I get weird looks all the time when I use my knives for mundane stuff that a blade can be used for. I just stopped caring. I am within my rights to carry a knife in Indiana, so they can bite me.
 
I live in a large, cosmopolitan European capital city. In the many years I've lived here, I've toted everything from a SAK Classic or Case peanut, to bigger knives like an Endura, Opinel 8, or Case trapper. The only odd reactions I've ever encountered came from other Americans.
 
A lot of the public think that people that carry a knife will pull it out to settle disputes quite readily.

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If/when I bust out my knife in public I try to fly under the radar and make it as small and harmless as possible. I don't take it out and fling it open. I have been carrying my new Spyderco Military and it is pretty intimidating to a non-knife person. When I get a reaction I usually blow it off by saying something like..,"Weapon? Na! By the time I get this thing out of my pocket - you would have already stolen my wallet! He he..."
 
Nobody ever comments on it in Tennessee...at least where I live. People open carry guns and knives in most grocery stores. Benefits of living in a rural community.
 
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