"What do you need that weapon for?"

"What do you need that weapon for?"

Because I believe in using the right tool for the right job.

(The observant and open minded person would see what your doing and probably not feel threatened as it's an appropriate response if they observe whats going on and take that into context. Her, well I think that might scare her off. Either way it's probably good you didn't say this.)
 
I've never had a situation like that happen because I try to be discreet and use discretion. I've had situations where I needed to say, open up a cardboard box but there were people that might've been a little "sensitive" around me so I took out my key to open the box instead.

A 15 yr old (or a person of any age for that matter) sitting in a park with little kids, old people, and soccer moms openly using a knife of any length is poor judgement IMO. If you're going to do something like that and draw negative attention to yourself, don't be surprised when stuff like that happens.
 
jazub said:
A couple of weeks back I had a CHP officer get into it with me about the "weapon" (Spyderco Military) he observed in the glovebox due to invasively shining his light into it after my girlfriend got out her insurance. She had made a bad lane change at 5:30am and he pulled us over. Her bad, as I had already pointed out that he was sneaking around in the slow lane behind/beside us. Anyway, despite only having seen the closed folding knife in the glovebox due to his nosiness, he then proceeded to try and lecture me that knives are "weapons by definition" and that I need to re-think posessing them. I told him that my pocket knife is legal to posess, and a tool not a weapon, at which point he threatened to give my girlfriend a ticket for the lane change if I, the passenger, did not "change [my] attitude."
He tried to tell me something more about knives; I looked away and ignored him. Good news: he got to harass citizens for a while -and my girlfriend did not get a lane change ticket due to her boyfriend sticking up to a power-tripping jackass. So everybody won. :rolleyes:

There will always be somebody somewhere willing to give us strife over a knife.
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Glad to hear you made it through - California LE sure does have some heavily misinformed individuals on the subject of guns and knives.
 
I carry a ZT 0550 regularly in the office at work. My job has me in and out of the office all day, out in the field working with mechanics and equipment operators - so I'm not hauling around a tank of an envelope opener. That being said, even though most folk in the office know I'm into knives, there is a level of discretion that should be observed - especially in public. Bummer, I know. I wish we could all walk around with whatever we wanted. I'd be in full plate armor all day. Won't stop a bullet but I would look wicked awesome.
 
"What do you need that weapon for?!?"
#looks downcast# "B b but..my grandmother gave it..sniff...to me before she...sniff... died...last month...she said to remember her when I, whenever I...use it......I'll never forget my grandma...sniffle #wipes eyes#"

"What do you need that weapon for?!?"
"To wave around with gay abandon whenever someone asks me a mind numbingly stupid question."

Seriously, it's undeniably a tool as evidenced by the use you were putting it to as any observer could see, judging by your posts. And an appropriate tool for the job at hand.
Interfering busybodies are out there, fact of life. Doesn't mean you can't have some fun with them tho.
 
You gotta have swift reflexes and get into a tactical mindset. You're carrying a weapon in public, you're a sheepdog now. Keep it at red alert, and don't let them see you sweat. When a sheep (that's what those people going about their day are. You are the sheep dog, they are sheep, the bad guys are wolves) when a sheep comes into your outer perimeter (we'll say 6'. I'm a little more swift so I do it at 3', but to be safe you do 6') when a sheep comes into your outer perimeter you gotta revert to weapon retainment mode. First, you need to blade at 45 degrees to edge your weapon side away from the target. You grab your weapon with your strong hand, and with your slightly less strong hand you shove toward the sheep and authoritatively yell "YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY KNIFE!" They should comply and rejoin the sheep herd because you have a weapon, and they can't touch it. Never wear headphones, you might not hear the wolves coming.
 
Doing interesting things in public attracts attention, both good and bad. I have a son about your age and have similar conversations ALL the time. Some day the positions will reverse and there are some things you will remember and think WTF was I thinking, trust me.

If you wanted to chill in the sunshine making paracord accessories that could have been done in the back yard at home or at a buddies. By taking it all to a park to do leans toward attention getting, JMO.
 
Of course the more that the normal usage of a knife is pushed into the closet (so to speak) the more people can be indoctrinated that they are somehow frightening scary weapons.

Remember that that woman can vote, then weep for your republic.
 
At my old house i went to the local post office to ship something, and i got out my Case Peanut to cut the tape off the box. The post office lady looked at me and said "i feel very uncomfortable that you are using your weapon near me, could you please leave?" I said really? she said yes really could you please leave before i have to call the authorities. I put my hands in the air and slowly left the building. That lady also called the cops on me for hunting on the public land in town lol. Good thing i moved :P
 
It's always good to be grey. I have a friend who constantly introduces me as someone who collects knives to strangers, and I have to thump him on the head all the time. Some people do not know the meaning of discretion.
 
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Caleb M. said:
I thought I would share a recnt experience I had involving some rndom stranger. I was sitting on a bench in a downtown park while making some paracord accesories for friends. I had a couple people come up to check out some check my works, and they all asked if I actually made them. After the few people wnt about their day, I put my earbuds in and started rockig out. I was minding my own business while cutting and burning cord endes, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I took my earbuds out and somE random lady started berating me with a ton of different questions. My favorite was, "What do you need that weapon for?" Kep in mind, this is my Mini Griptillian, so I would have undertood if i was using soe type of rambo knife. I calmly explaned that it was a tool, not weapon. She kept trying to tell me all knives were weapons, so I finally srrted heing a smart ***. I am fifteen and I try to be more mature than my peers, but I decided not to be right then. I tarted telling her that the purse she had was also a weapon and tha I felt threatened by it. From there I wnt on a rant about hw everything was a weapon, to which she stormed off. I am typically a very calm person, and love sharing and teaching about knives. Most peope are understanding of my knife after I explain, but this lady was just being an idiot about my "dangerous weapon".

I hope you guys enjoyed m little story about the other day. I know a lot of you people can relate. Have you had any smilar experiences?
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As she tapped you on the shoulder was the knife in your hand or on the table?
What did you do with the knife.immediately after she got your attention?
 
I would have told that bitch to "f*** off". It's not worth getting into heated debates with sheeple. They never understand.
 
"Weapon is in the eye of the beholder. Did you know the chef's knife in your kitchen is very similar to the early bowie knives? Did you know most stabbings are done with the same type of steak knives people like you have on hand?"
 
Sonnydaze said:
YES.
p.s. She is an idiot. I know some just like her.
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Wow, guys, lighten up just a little. She was a little old lady who doesn't understand your hobby.

A chance for some education and an olive branch so as not to antagonize one without the knowledge of a blade and a tool.

What you did is make it more difficult for all of us.

Why is everyone so angry.

What has happened to respecting ones elders and a little yes maam and no sir.

Am I that old that a member of a hobby that I enjoy can't take a few seconds of their time to educate and respect one who has experiance far beyond your short life.

Wow, do the terms idiot etc fall from our lips so quickly and is that how we will embrace those who don't get it (they vote ya know).

We have a responsibilty to others who own and use blades to @ least make an effort to those who don't get it.

Life is too short for such vitriole. You routinely call your grandmother and idiot, how about your mother. Well she was someones relative and she asked you a question, your answer (in my view) was less than satisfactory.
 
jkwithawave said:
As she tapped you on the shoulder was the knife in your hand or on the table?
What did you do with the knife.immediately after she got your attention?
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I had just put it away to singe the cord. After she asked what I needed a weapon for, I pulled it and if she meant this. She said yes, so I put it away then she kept questioning me after i showed some of my projects.
 
kvtcomdo said:
Wow, guys, lighten up just a little. She was a little old lady who doesn't understand your hobby.

A chance for some education and an olive branch so as not to antagonize one without the knowledge of a blade and a tool.

What you did is make it more difficult for all of us.

Why is everyone so angry.

What has happened to respecting ones elders and a little yes maam and no sir.

Am I that old that a member of a hobby that I enjoy can't take a few seconds of their time to educate and respect one who has experiance far beyond your short life.

Wow, do the terms idiot etc fall from our lips so quickly and is that how we will embrace those who don't get it (they vote ya know).

We have a responsibilty to others who own and use blades to @ least make an effort to those who don't get it.

Life is too short for such vitriole. You routinely call your grandmother and idiot, how about your mother. Well she was someones relative and she asked you a question, your answer (in my view) was less than satisfactory.
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I do agree, I could have handled the situationdifferently. I was calm up until she kept harassing me. I am sorry if I in any way offended you, that was not my intent.
 
You didn't open it in front of her right? Just pulled it out of the pocket and showed it to her closed?
 
I disagree with those who say you were wrong to be using your knife in public.

While I am mindful of my surroundings before using a knife in public, it sounds to me like you were using your knife for a reasonable activity, and that you were using a very inconspicuous knife. You weren't sitting there repeatedly flicking your knife open. You weren't throwing it at a tree or carving your name into the bench. You were using a reasonable tool for a reasonable task. And you have just as much right to be in a public park doing your handicrafts as anybody else has to be doing whatever it is that they choose to do there.

I can think of several very reasonable situations where a person might use a knife in a public park. Let's say a person is flying a kite with their kids and they need to cut some string. Or a person is fishing at a lake in a public park. Or you want to cut a sandwich or a piece of fruit. And on, and on, and on. I disagree with anyone who says that we should NEVER use a knife in public.

I see a big difference between acting irresponsibly with a knife in public, showing-off, or causing unnecessary panic, and someone using a knife in a reasonable and responsible manner. And it sounds to me like the OP falls into the latter category.

For anyone who thinks it's a mistake to use a knife in public, I would ask "Do you carry a knife when you are out in public?". If you do carry a knife in public, then I assume that you are willing to use your knife in public. Otherwise, why would you be carrying it? Why not leave it at home or in your vehicle?
 
killgar said:
I see a big difference between acting irresponsibly with a knife in public, showing-off, or causing unnecessary panic, and someone using a knife in a reasonable and responsible manner. And it sounds to me like the OP falls into the latter category.
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He was using a knife in public, showing off, and causing unnecessary panic, in a reasonable and responsible manner.

He was in a park, showing his knife to kids( with parents consent it seems), and unnecessarily freaked an old lady out.

I agree he was in his rights, just could have handled it better.
 
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