What do you say to "non-knife people" when they say stupid/ignorant things

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Eightleggedfreak

Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
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I could just read a handful of threads and probably get some good responses but, when a person says stuff like "I don't like knives" without offering anything to back up their position or "what do you need THAT for?" Or "That's too scary" how do you respond to these people?
 
I get that quite a bit if I carry anything longer than 3" and have to pull it, and it also has a wide blade.

Having said tha it really depends on the area. I live in Eastern Iowa and I can often go out with a hunting knife on the belt, even to a place like Wal-Mart, and they don't raise too many eyebrows (though obviously I'm not pulling it in Wal-Mart.)

Funny how the general mindset and comfort level varies place to place.
 
"I don't like knives"
That is sad, but it must be hilarious to watch you trying to cut your steak with a fork ;)

"what do you need THAT for?"
It is a knife, what about slicing my food, opening parcels and letters, cut cable ties or string or...

"That's too scary"
No, it is just a tool. People can be scary, people abuse tools to do bad things, tools are just tools.
 
I usually just say its a tool that I find useful to have on me all the time. I like to bet them if they carried one for a week they would want to for the rest of their life.
 
I did get a "is that legal" from my brother when I showed him my Voyager XL. Technically it is, as in New Zealand you can carry any knife so long as you have "good reason" (self defence not being a good reason of course). For me it's just part of the knife/flashlight/multi-tool EDC that I've been carrying for a while.
 
Freman Bloodglaive said:
I did get a "is that legal" from my brother when I showed him my Voyager XL. Technically it is, as in New Zealand you can carry any knife so long as you have "good reason" (self defence not being a good reason of course). For me it's just part of the knife/flashlight/multi-tool EDC that I've been carrying for a while.
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Hi Freman,

That is very interesting about the carrying as long as it is a good reason thing. Somehow I assumed it would be much more restrictive in NZ. I'm glad to hear that it isn't. Regarding good reasons, how does that work? Do you need some kind of documented "I need this tool for my job" thing or something like that, or can you just verbally tell someone what the reason is as long as it is plausible? Is there some official list of reasons? I'm very curious, thanks.
 
Freman Bloodglaive said:
I did get a "is that legal" from my brother when I showed him my Voyager XL. Technically it is, as in New Zealand you can carry any knife so long as you have "good reason" (self defence not being a good reason of course). For me it's just part of the knife/flashlight/multi-tool EDC that I've been carrying for a while.
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Man I just love knife laws; what IS a good reason(other than work) then?
 
"kids with half my salary spend more for gadgets than i do for knives. gadgets depreciate or turn obsolete in a couple of years. my knives will last a lifetime. they can even shorten my enemies' lifetimes."
 
My mission is not to turn non-knife people into knife people - it's to enjoy my obsession and not waste my breathe on those who are so quick to pass judgement on me.
 
I ask specific things.
For instance.
"What brand shoes do you have?"
"Nike"
"Why is it reasonable to spend so much on shoes and not knives?"

"Why do you have that? It's a weapon"
"To cut things. And it's a tool."
 
Food preparation, work (I do a lot of cutting, not necessarily with the Voyager), obviously if you're in the outdoors.

The biggest reason that the Police frown on knives is the kids who take a kitchen knife out intending to use it as a weapon. An adult with a pocket knife (especially an expensive pocket knife) is not high on their list of concerns. Talking with the owner of a local knife shop (we don't have a lot given the fairly small market) she regularly has police officers coming in to look at and buy knives. Of course she also gets the rabid women who accuse her of selling weapons to children. As I pointed out, when you can get a kitchen knife for $3, why spend $100NZ on an Endura or Voyager?

Obviously if you used it as a weapon there'd be hell to pay, and I've switched to a 4" Voyager (or Talwar) because the 5.5" was just a trifle big to be useful, but yes. Unlike states in Australia, where you can't buy a single hand opening knife without a police permit, in New Zealand we're pretty relaxed about the whole thing. I've left the XL laying about after cutting food at work, and no one has batted an eyelid. It probably helps that I've a reputation as "the knife guy" the one who always has a set of diamond plates in his pocket for sharpening the (rather crappy) knives they use around the place.
 
fetzer85 said:
My mission is not to turn non-knife people into knife people - it's to enjoy my obsession and not waste my breathe on those who are so quick to pass judgement on me.
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Exactly. I look at them like they just said something stupid, then tell them to go and worry about someone else.
 
Freman Bloodglaive said:
Food preparation, work (I do a lot of cutting, not necessarily with the Voyager), obviously if you're in the outdoors.

The biggest reason that the Police frown on knives is the kids who take a kitchen knife out intending to use it as a weapon. An adult with a pocket knife (especially an expensive pocket knife) is not high on their list of concerns. Talking with the owner of a local knife shop (we don't have a lot given the fairly small market) she regularly has police officers coming in to look at and buy knives. Of course she also gets the rabid women who accuse her of selling weapons to children. As I pointed out, when you can get a kitchen knife for $3, why spend $100NZ on an Endura or Voyager?

Obviously if you used it as a weapon there'd be hell to pay, and I've switched to a 4" Voyager (or Talwar) because the 5.5" was just a trifle big to be useful, but yes. Unlike states in Australia, where you can't buy a single hand opening knife without a police permit, in New Zealand we're pretty relaxed about the whole thing. I've left the XL laying about after cutting food at work, and no one has batted an eyelid. It probably helps that I've a reputation as "the knife guy" the one who always has a set of diamond plates in his pocket for sharpening the (rather crappy) knives they use around the place.
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See and I assumed it would be similar to Australia's laws. Interesting.

Side note, you mention pocket carry diamond plates. I use a double-sided DMX brand diamond bench stone for sharpening. I know they also sell some pocket-sized stuff, are they, or whatever brand you use, comparable enough to use on your good blades, or do you recommend them only for not so great steels? I'm also looking for good travel-sized sharpening stuff that can preferrably be used even on high end stuff.
 
I just tell them "carry a knife, save a life". You can find these stories often enough, kid's lives saved because a bystander had their EDC on them to cut belt straps loose inside a car filling with water, upside down in a canal.....this stuff does happen and you have seconds to react. I want to be prepared.
 
RedLynx said:
See and I assumed it would be similar to Australia's laws. Interesting.

Side note, you mention pocket carry diamond plates. I use a double-sided DMX brand diamond bench stone for sharpening. I know they also sell some pocket-sized stuff, are they, or whatever brand you use, comparable enough to use on your good blades, or do you recommend them only for not so great steels? I'm also looking for good travel-sized sharpening stuff that can preferrably be used even on high end stuff.
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I've not a huge amount of experience using diamond, only those plates (which I paid about $15 for so they're not high quality) but I'd assume good quality ones will work just as well as any other stone for sharpening knives, and don't require water or oil. I've my eye on a set of credit card sized diamond plates, I think from DMX, that could fit in my wallet so I always have sharpeners available.
 
Freman Bloodglaive said:
I've not a huge amount of experience using diamond, only those plates (which I paid about $15 for so they're not high quality) but I'd assume good quality ones will work just as well as any other stone for sharpening knives, and don't require water or oil. I've my eye on a set of credit card sized diamond plates, I think from DMX, that could fit in my wallet so I always have sharpeners available.
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Sounds perfect for me too. I'll keep a lookout.
 
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