What do you need all those weapons for?

Treg said:
It happens to me quite often I must say and each I try to explain like you did I get the coucou look...so now I go with the " you know they're coming, who's coming, you know them from above..." they usually get off after that...:) knifefreak!!!
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Lmao, I've gotta remember to do this!:D:thumbup:
 
as John Steinbeck said; "The mind is the ultimate weapon, all else is supplemental".
 
I can maybe understand that over a Jungla... but I can beat you.

I handed a gentleman at work the other day my Camilus Barlow and he asked why I had a "weapon" at work.

I responded with my common response. "Its not a weapon, its a tool". What a dork.

Of course another response is often "I wouldnt need a weapon to kick your ass". but that one is a little more aggresive and probably not appropriate with an old lady. lol
 
Why would anyone be surprised about taking knives to the woods? Personally I think I would probably be asking someone, "Where are your knives?" if I didn't see at least one on their belt. Most people around here take a pocket knife just to whittle a stick even if they don't realize how useful of a tool it can be.

Then again, a lot of gang members here take them to the same places and use them to mug and intimidate hikers. So I guess it's kind of a slippery slope, and when people wonder why most see knives as weapons, I think it should be obvious because most of what people using knives as these days are weapons. Someone was saying, "When's the last time you saw someone use a knife in a mundane way on mainstream TV?" and even when it's something somewhat positive ( like MacGyver and his lucky swiss army knife ), there's still not many "mundane" moments when they're used. They're always saving the day, whether that be by stabbing the badguy, or by assisting in making some weird MacGyver contraption. Either way it seems like people will look more at the knife as a weapon--whether it be the bad guy's or the guy's, and whether it's used violently or resourcefully. Having watched a lot of TV Land for the last few years, I can say that I think it's more a reflection of modern TV, and most of the stories I saw it happen in older television revolved around a boy cutting himself and the father teaching him how to use the knife properly.

Most people here don't really question why someone has a knife, but it's kind of strange and there's a lot of racism and prejudice involved in it. I remember one time I was driving around with some of my Mexican friends and a cop pulled us over, and had us get out of the car and pat us down. When they found my knife, the question was,"Do you work in a warehouse or something?" when they found their knives, the question was, "You carrying this for self defense? What gang are you in?" I've had other people just assume that it's for self-defense, but I still find it strange how because I'm white it's self-defense, yet when one of my Mexican friends carries they're just "up to no good". Anyway, I don't want to politicize anything, I'm just saying people can make up their minds in weird ways about anything, and when it comes to why someone has a knife I just don't think the idea of a knife serving the role as anything but a weapon is a commonly held idea anymore. At least if it is, the people who realize a knife is a tool are generally not the ones asking why someone has it.
 
I was asked for a knife awhile back at work and handed my coworker a Spyderco Tenacious. His reply, "Damn.....Why do you need to carry a "Booyee" knife at work?"

Yet again, he recieved my classic one word response.
 
moosez45 said:
People tend to see what they want to see, but its up to us to show them the other side of their thought coin. If we act like asses or make up a smartass remark, that is how they "see" the knife owners community. Most of the kids (18-22yrs) that I work with and teach knives too, are amazed that a knife can be anything but a weapon.

Show me where in our modern "tv" society, where a guy or gal uses a knife in a mundane manner on a mainstream tv show. You don't see it, or maybe they do, I don't watch tv.

2 weeks ago, I taught 3 people how to use just a knife and some paracord to make a bow drill kit, and a fire. Until that point, none of them, and I do mean none, had any idea that a knife can be used to MAKE OTHER TOOLS. It was a weapon, to use against people. Now, they view it as an essential tool that they must have on them, at all times. Nice to see how they view skill over gear too. One of them went home and showed his dad what he had learned. Then he taught the old man. I got a phone call from his dad, asking me where I learned that "trick" from. I told him years in the woods with a knife.

Now, they have a hike planned where they are BOTH taking new outdoors knives, and some knowledge, and going to have fun. Oh, the best part? This is the first knife the kids dad has ever owned, until his boy showed him how to make a bow drill kit, they were evil, life taking steel demons from hell.

Pay the knowledge back, don't smart off to sheeple asking silly questions, teach them, and show them the other side of the coin.

Moose
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Moose, you are 100% correct! :thumbup:

Doc
 
I'm at the point I just reply " Zombies" smile like I know something they don't, and walk away.

edit: dammit shotty!
 
My stock answer to this sort of thing is that my woods knives are not 'weapons' any more than the 8" cooks knife in my kitchen. They are tools.

SP
 
People are strange. Though it's easy to forget as a knife nut how our perspective changes. I used to think my Gerber LST was huuuge, now it's one of my smaller, more friendly looking blades.

I was showing a buddy a folding razel over coffee yesterday, he's a hard working guy and had just broken the tip off his old beater folder. The nasty looks from a lady a few tables over were very amusing.
 
The people who give me the most crap about having knives are usually the first to ask me to cut something.
 
TGR.Shadow said:
While in the process of putting my RC-6/Rat Pack kit and Junglas (newest family member needed some love :D) onto my bet an older woman from the family wandered over an began to ask me a few questions about the trails and asked me how far we were going. I told her a few miles at most mabey 1 in 1 out or so. Then from out of left field I was shocked when she asked "What do you need all those weapons for?".....
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"AH, but you see, madam! I come from a land of sweet waters and rolling hills. Where cool breezes fill the nose with the wonderful scent of 'Out', and solace fills every heart." Display knife, axe, or both. "The measure of the smith is the strength and the straightness of his steel, and it is in the heart of every man to test his mettle in the wilds. To wield sharpness of steel and strength of arm with grace and precision was to be Man. To taste the bounty of nature and make his mark on the world around him spoke the story of Him to his descendants!

Have you been deprived of such men? Have they no heart, no soul? Where oh where, great lady is your men, and why do they not know the steel?"

Proceed on hike.
 
Her reality has created the perception that knives are dangerous. In my opinion, not having a knife on you is dangerous. It is up to us to courteously and respectfully change these perceptions by sharing knowledge. I have done this to a few people around me in my life.

Knives are one of the most basic, essential tools that man has ever known. Without a knife, our species would have never been able to create the world around us that keeps the non-knife people safe and comfortable.

Knives help me enrich my life by giving me a means to practice skills in the out doors. Some people don't get this, but some do. By displaying ourselves as a passionate, sane person with morals, we can engage their attention and change their perceptions of what knives are. If a sane, passionate person with morals happens to like knives and learning knife skills, they must not be that bad, right?

JGON
 
BearKinder said:
"AH, but you see, madam! I come from a land of sweet waters and rolling hills. Where cool breezes fill the nose with the wonderful scent of 'Out', and solace fills every heart." Display knife, axe, or both. "The measure of the smith is the strength and the straightness of his steel, and it is in the heart of every man to test his mettle in the wilds. To wield sharpness of steel and strength of arm with grace and precision was to be Man. To taste the bounty of nature and make his mark on the world around him spoke the story of Him to his descendants!

Have you been deprived of such men? Have they no heart, no soul? Where oh where, great lady is your men, and why do they not know the steel?"

Proceed on hike.
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Beautiful!!! :D I'm going to commit this to memory, in the off chance........

BTW, welcome to the forums.

JGON said:
Her reality has created the perception that knives are dangerous. In my opinion, not having a knife on you is dangerous. It is up to us to courteously and respectfully change these perceptions by sharing knowledge. I have done this to a few people around me in my life.

Knives are one of the most basic, essential tools that man has ever known. Without a knife, our species would have never been able to create the world around us that keeps the non-knife people safe and comfortable.

Knives help me enrich my life by giving me a means to practice skills in the out doors. Some people don't get this, but some do. By displaying ourselves as a passionate, sane person with morals, we can engage their attention and change their perceptions of what knives are. If a sane, passionate person with morals happens to like knives and learning knife skills, they must not be that bad, right?

JGON
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100% :thumbup:

Doc
 
KennyB said:
Someone was saying, "When's the last time you saw someone use a knife in a mundane way on mainstream TV?"
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the last time i watched a cooking show. doesn't matter if it's Martin Yan, Rachel Ray, The Barefoot Contessa, Paula Deen or a number of others.... unless they cheat and have stuff precut they're using knives at some point. there's also Iron Chef.

Julia Child worked for the OSS in WW2, but she was a typist, so it's unlikely that she ever used a knife as a weapon during that time.

they occasionally use a utility knife to cut something on This Old House... not sure if that's "mainstream" or not.

and they use knives in mostly mundane ways on Survivor.
 
Thanks for all the replies, insights, and suggestions guys! I think I'm going to start using "Zombies" Works well to keep me looking like the crazy knife murderer that most of society views me as. What happens to salmon after they spend all that time swimming against the current? Thats how I'm handling this one from now on!
 
All anyone has to do is to watch your local news at night to see why this woman ask what she did. All of our local station's reporters are required to know what the word "sensationalism" means & they have to construct their reports around that. One report a few weeks ago had a man barricaded in his home who had "an assault weapon" (Ruger 10/22 .22cal. rifle) & an arsenal of ammo (150 rounds) with him when he surrendered. I am sure at one time or another, the woman was probably introduced to "your weapons" on her local news channel.
Be safe.
 
moosez45 said:
People tend to see what they want to see, but its up to us to show them the other side of their thought coin. If we act like asses or make up a smartass remark, that is how they "see" the knife owners community. Most of the kids (18-22yrs) that I work with and teach knives too, are amazed that a knife can be anything but a weapon.

Show me where in our modern "tv" society, where a guy or gal uses a knife in a mundane manner on a mainstream tv show. You don't see it, or maybe they do, I don't watch tv.

2 weeks ago, I taught 3 people how to use just a knife and some paracord to make a bow drill kit, and a fire. Until that point, none of them, and I do mean none, had any idea that a knife can be used to MAKE OTHER TOOLS. It was a weapon, to use against people. Now, they view it as an essential tool that they must have on them, at all times. Nice to see how they view skill over gear too. One of them went home and showed his dad what he had learned. Then he taught the old man. I got a phone call from his dad, asking me where I learned that "trick" from. I told him years in the woods with a knife.

Now, they have a hike planned where they are BOTH taking new outdoors knives, and some knowledge, and going to have fun. Oh, the best part? This is the first knife the kids dad has ever owned, until his boy showed him how to make a bow drill kit, they were evil, life taking steel demons from hell.

Pay the knowledge back, don't smart off to sheeple asking silly questions, teach them, and show them the other side of the coin.

Moose
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You sir are a great ambassador to our world. Thank you for taking the time to teach others using your knowledge and more important, your patience. :thumbup:
 
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