The chicken or the egg question for knives

S

swatpup

Joined
Feb 6, 2010
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This is my deep thought for the day (I get a maximum of one:D):

Do you carry a knife because you find yourself in situations where you need one? Or.... Do you put yourself into situations where you would need a knife because you are already carrying one?
 
The first...and I do need one at least once every day. The second sounds like a mall ninja.
 
Bit of both, I guess. I certainly find myself using my knives for things I probably could've used something else for, if I didn't have a blade in my pocket.
 
There have been times where I wanted to use my knife so bad that I looked around for something to cut with it. :o
 
Certainly there are things I use my knife for than can be done otherwise, usually much less efficiently though. I often see people struggling to untie a bag or tear open a package, ill casually flick out my knife and cut it for them with a smirk, to which they stupidly reply " why do you have a knife !!??" As if they didn't just witness its utility first hand... Perplexing.
 
it's a tough call.
see what you mean.
but yeah,
always have felt a little naked without 'em.
(a sure sign of insecurity).
but then again if it helps define and reenforces
the feeling of some control over a situation.
then, we are not helpless victims of circumstances,
but optimistic knife users at every turn.
 
It's a tool I always have on me, plenty of things to cut daily, I don't have to think up reasons to use it.
 
The first because I have been using knives since I was a child(mother and father both had farms). And I was a farmer for a long time too. I just discovered knife forums because I was looking for a good pocket knife.
 
I think I'm a little of both. I use my knife several times a day for things with good reason. But then there are times that if my knife hasn't come out of my pocket I will look for an excuse to use it ie: helping someone with that plastic bag or zip tie who didn't necessarily ask.
 
HardTripper said:
Certainly there are things I use my knife for than can be done otherwise, usually much less efficiently though. I often see people struggling to untie a bag or tear open a package, ill casually flick out my knife and cut it for them with a smirk, to which they stupidly reply " why do you have a knife !!??" As if they didn't just witness its utility first hand... Perplexing.
Click to expand...

^This.

But in my experience, the exclamation is usually, "Why are you carrying a weapon?!!!"
I reply, "It's not a 'weapon', it's a knife."
They reply, "A knife IS a weapon!"
I reply, "A knife is a tool, same as a hammer or wrench, and, as demonstrated, appropriate for the task at hand."
*Look of incredulity and empty-mindedness.*
The next day, same person approaches me, "Can you open this for me?"
Deploying my knife, I ask, "Why are you NOT carrying a knife of your own?"
They reply, "I don't need a knife."
As i open the package or complete the required cut, it is my turn to present them with a look of incredulity.

Perplexing indeed.
 
I think the answer is--does it matter? :)

People carry things sometimes for their practical reasons, but sometimes what makes it interesting are the non-practical ones. Just like kids who like to bring their toys to school with them to show to their friends, sometimes people might be carrying their knives or tools just because they like to have them close-by.

So as long it is not intended for illegal use or causing unnecessary troubles , whatever makes the day go.
 
I'm lucky to work with a few other 45-55 year old guys who like me use a blade of some sort in daily work. Doesn't matter if I pull out a Case peanut or an SnG as long as it cuts. One guy keeps his Klein scissors razor sharp and does everything with them, another always has the same old Leek with a broken tip and I'm the guy with a different knife every week.
 
I carry a knife because I frequently need one.

I carry the type of knife that I carry because I'm an enthusiast and I enjoy carrying that type of knife. Otherwise I could get by with a lot more mundane knife, and have at times in the past.
 
Ive always worked around kitchens and while knives are everywhere, theres one in the freezrr/cooler where I need to open dozens of boxes.

box cutter is either gone or as blunt as house keys.
 
Occasionally both, but mostly option 3. I find that a knife just makes life easier, I can get by without one but life would be more difficult for small day to day things. Opening clam shell packages would be impossible and require me to find scissors or a knife to open, opening boxes would require me to do the same or be uncivilized and tear it open, same thing again with letters, etc. I'd rather just pull out a knife an do a nice clean cut instead of running around to find something or ripping it up in an uncivilized fashion.
 
Daniel J said:
More likely man's first tool was a stone ;)
Click to expand...

More technically correct is to say that our best evidence indicates that homonids' first tool that required deliberate modification to create it was a knife. Deliberately crafted knives were first made by homo habilis, which means they predate modern humans. ;)
 
Both. I generally will need my knife at least once a day, but sometimes I'll find an excuse to use it just because I can.
 
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