Those weird looks when you tell people you make knives... Helping people understand?

When I tell people about this hobby I put the emphasis on the techniques and interesting materials you can work with.
"I enjoy making someting both beautifull and usefull"
That takes away the prejudice that knivemakers are scary weirdows grinding shanks to stab people.
 
If I get weird comments or looks, I take it that the person has a major malfunction, not me. I am very proud of what I do, and I certainly will not show them any sort of apology, shame, sugarcoating or explanation. I don't have room in my life for knee jerk smartasses like that. "eww that's a creepy hobby!" Well then... you can go jump in a damn lake sir or ma'am.

For the friendly curious and uninformed, I will gladly share with them what I do, and what I love.
 
When you are use to telling people that you make and sell machine guns, sawed off shotguns and silencers, the whole knife thing is a piece of cake :)
 
Once you answer the question and get the expected response about you being an international terrorist and weapons manufacturer, the next thing that comes up is "How would you feel if someone used one of your knives to kill someone?".

The smartass in me wants to say, "I'd be proud my knife held an edge well enough to do the job." But the real answer I give is more along the lines of, "Any tool can be misused. My knives aren't designed for killing."

As a sidebar, there are some in the hobby (even on this forum) that do seem to focus their energies on creating edged weapons that are designed for concealment and killing. I know most of us don't think that way, but you can easily understand why anyone that encounters such a person might well think all knife makers have that thought in the back of their minds. One look at my Trench Knife Redux would convince anyone I was such a person. And maybe somewhere deep in my soul there is a dark spot that wanted that weapon just in case I need to take someone off the planet.

Why else would I make the trench knife? Why do any of us make big Bowie knives or swords?
 
I am looking to relocate my shop into a tourist community in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. I enjoy doing demos and figured I could get the foot traffic during the high season. Who doesn't like watching someone make stuff in a oldtime smithy workshop, right? Getting zoning or community cooperation is tough when you say you make knives and calling myself a blacksmith gives most folks visions of billowing smoke, horses and constant pinging. It took a lot to get past that initial impression with town planners. I now refer to myself as an "Artisan Bladesmith" and oddly enough, even the people who were previously hesitant, are welcoming me with open arms.... I've even been offered funding under regional arts organizations.

Rick
 
What do you do? I make knives.----Might be a better question than looking at one you made
and asking "what the hell is that?" LOL
Ken.
 
tryppyr said:
The smartass in me wants to say, "I'd be proud my knife held an edge well enough to do the job." But the real answer I give is more along the lines of, "Any tool can be misused. My knives aren't designed for killing."
Click to expand...

I have on several occasions used the line.... "Well, using that twisted logic, we should be blaming spoons for making folks fat."
 
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