Superstition, Tradition ?

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blaze148

Joined
Oct 3, 2005
Messages
96
Not sure how I heard about this one ?
Does anyone have any background info on a knife gift giver expecting a token monetary exchange from the recipient of the gift.I think Ive heard that it is an important responsibility to posess a knife, and as a result, money should be exchanged to show respect. Or something ?
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

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Yeah, I have heard that too. I have seen someone give the person who gave them a knife, a quarter.
 
I think that it's called Commerce. I want a Spyderco Persion; New Graham Knife sends me one; I give them $ 95 as a token of my appreciation.

It's an old traditon and goes on all of the time. :D :D :D
 
I've heard it's an old Scottish tradition, you give a coin if given a knife so it doesn't "cut" the friendship.
 
The superstition is that if you give a knife to a friend that the friend should give a token payment or the friendship will end.
 
i come from an asian family and, an old superstition is that its bad luck to gift a knife. it holds overtones of injury or death.

give a little, take a little or add a little. pretty much the same meaning in other cultures.

giving a coin, sorta takes a loop-hole through the whole thing, as it is technically not a gift anymore.

i have a batch of steel pennies that i give when ever i get one.
i participate in the tradition mostly in tounge-and-cheek.

i should hope its only superstition... as i am giving my whole extended family, name engraved alox classic and bantam SAKs this christmas:(
 
I am also Asian and pretty much agree with Drano's answer except that it was explained to me this way by my parents.

You don't want to give a gift that could potentially harm the reciepient, i.e. cut them. Therefore, if they give you money in return (say one penny), it technically is no longer a gift but rather a purchase. Now the gift giver won't feel so bad if you cut yourself with a knife you bought yourself.

Watches are also bad as they portend death as it symbolizes watching time pass.

MIke
 
There is another superstition; its bad luck if you close a pocket knife, unless you are the one who opened it. Yes, I have also heard that if a Knife is given to you as a gift, you give them a coin, or the friendship will be severed (also used in the movie The Edge). (old wives tale) A knife placed under the bed during childbirth will ease the pain of child labor. A knife given as a house warming gift, will make your new neighbor your enemy. At least this is what my grandfather told me when I was a kid.:)

God Bless All

-ROOK-
 
leatherbird said:
What TLC and Keith said. :)
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Yes, that is what my mother told me when she gave me an 18" Granton slicing knife she couldn't get on with. That was in England of course and she was of Scottish descent.
 
Maybe this is why my father asked me to stop giving him knives as gifts... or maybe he just has enough knives... I don't know...
 
Interesting theories from Scotland, and Asia. Hey Drano, I'll keep a good thought about your family members. No one takes these things seriously, but it is fun to keep them alive.
 
The Last Confederate said:
I've heard it's an old Scottish tradition, you give a coin if given a knife so it doesn't "cut" the friendship.
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when i delivered a blade to a customer,after paying in notes, he gave me a coin saying it was a tradition when u're given a knife to hand over a coin.
 
I've heard pretty much the same thing. If you are given a knife you give the person giving the knife a coin. If you don't it severs the friendship. By giving the knife you are actually purchase the knife.
 
drano said:
i come from an asian family and, an old superstition is that its bad luck to gift a knife. it holds overtones of injury or death.

give a little, take a little or add a little. pretty much the same meaning in other cultures.

giving a coin, sorta takes a loop-hole through the whole thing, as it is technically not a gift anymore.

i have a batch of steel pennies that i give when ever i get one.
i participate in the tradition mostly in tounge-and-cheek.

i should hope its only superstition... as i am giving my whole extended family, name engraved alox classic and bantam SAKs this christmas:(
Click to expand...
I knew about this superstition from some Jewish Russian families
 
blaze148 said:
Does anyone have any background info on a knife gift giver expecting a token monetary exchange from the recipient of the gift.
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First, welcome to BladeForums.

This one comes up occassionally - especially around Christmas and gift giving time.

My understanding of this old tradition/custom/superstition is that giving a knife signifies the cutting/severing of friendship, and this might be important to some people - YMMV.

The custom is to ask for a very small demonination - like a penny - so in effect the person is actually "buying" the knife from you.

Although it sounds silly - I quite like it, as it makes for good conversation/discussion.

Take a look at these previous BFC discussions/threads -

Old tradition about giving knives as a gift

and

Giving Knife as a Gift

--
Vincent
http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
 
This is still an active tradition in Sheffield, England. You give a penny (or a token amount) so the knife doesn't cut the friendship.
 
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