What makes a knife look "weapony"?

stabman

stabman

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I'm trying to find out what features people consider as making a knife appear more "weapony".
So far I have found that:
-most hawkbill locking folders make people think "Claw!", and hence scary weapon.
-black blades seem to be neutral, with some thinking they look scary, and some thinking they make the blade look less scary. No hard and fast rule there.
-double edged is a no brainer; looks too "stabby" for most folks.
What would you guys add to the list? And keep in mind I'm trying to get a feel for what "average" people have reacted to with your knives.
 
fast opening maybe, tactical colors like digicam too. i think that the average person would consider those weaponry, or military type names for the knives.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
The mindset of the observer.

Nothing "average" about sheeple.
Click to expand...

Quite true, but there ARE cues which trigger the mindset more than others. I'm trying to figure them out.
The "sheeple", as some term them, ARE average unfortunately, as they are the majority of the population.:(
 
Wet blood?

A knife of any design or sort is a knife. How it is used (or the evidence of how it is/was used) makes it look like a weapon. Just like a hammer or a screwdriver (IMO) they are tools, but cover them with blood and most people assume they are weapons.

Attempting to educate the masses to think like we do, and change their focus on things is probably as much of a lost cause as their efforts to change our views.

Not trying to be a wise-aker (at least not totally). My point is that it is more about the circumstances in which the item is presented.
 
One of the things I noticed is if I open the knife fast, this sets off :eek: eek's
Also if there is a CLACK thats a tactical knife!
Never a problem with a slip joint, but there no fun:p
 
unit said:
My point is that it is more about the circumstances in which the item is presented.
Click to expand...

It often is, but I have noticed that some of my knives get viewed as weapons even though they're being used as tools.
I've even encountered this from fellow knife enthusiasts("mine is a tool, but yours is obviously a weapon":rolleyes:).
I'll still keep carrying what I like, but it might be handy to know what triggers such thinking(like how I think of the Superhawk as pure tool with its sizeable choil, slow deployment, and width which makes kubotan strikes impossible, but others saw a nasty claw weapon).
 
dc50 said:
One of the things I noticed is if I open the knife fast, this sets off :eek: eek's
Click to expand...

I've noticed that too, which is why I open them with a controlled motion.
So perhaps AO should be added to the "weapony" list.
 
well, we can say sheeple whatever, but I don't think anyone in their right mind, would say an entrek commando doesnt look more weapon like than say a butter knife...

i chose an extreme example, just to make the point that there are things in almost anyone's mind set that make some knives look more like a weapon, regardless if they are a military special forces or sheeple...

for example, would anyone say that a bark river mountain man looks less like a weapon than a bark river mountain man dag or a bark river sts 5...

So here are some things that I would say makes a knife look more like weapon (in general, not necessarily an absolute)...

strong sharp point good for thrusting
double sided blade or a false edge
tanto tip
 
To my mind, I'd say anything with an excessively shiny, decent-sized blade. Hawkbills and a fine penetration point, certainly. A strong tanto point always seems to equal "scary knife person" to sheeple. I think anything over about 3" long also freaks people out. Anything black and tactical-esque usually set cops on edge, too. I think if you carried a bead-blasted, uncoated drop-point or spear-point, about 3" long, nobody will bother you over-much. A friend of mine has a first generation Spyderco Civilian, and to be honest, rational as I am, every time he's taken it out, I think even I tense up a little. I carry a fully serrated Delica 4 as an EDC/emergency tactical knife, and aside from an occasional question from a cop suffering from apparent knife envy, I don't get bothered. That's in super-hippie-liberal Ann Arbor, Michigan too. I think it's area related, though. I can remember backpacking across the northern Pacific, and walking through towns with a KaBar strapped to my pack with nary a questioning glance.
 
obviously what sends shivers down a persons spine. so...
anything with a full set of nasty looking saw teeth or serrations.
is considerably massive that it appears frightfully large.
has spikes or knuckle dusters attached.
is ballistic in nature.
even a crudely built knife which has completely rusted (think rambo IV!) can look pretty nasty.
but more than anything else, it's intend of the bearer which automatically translates mere knife into weapon.
IMHO, the whole knife weapon thing must come as a complete package to include the general appearance of a knife bearer at the point of when it's drawn.
 
Machinig them like Carrillo/Airkat knives makes them look mean. Also angular designs like Carrillo or American Kami look meaner. Skull crushers, integral knuckles or big guards/subhilt make knives look like fighters. Dagger shaped knives and those with a sharpened swedges...
 
all black or black bladed with a combo edge, digicam handles, full serrations, hawkbill blades, maybe bowie type blades. Hell in that one horror movie, last house on the left I think, one of the killers had a Spyderco Caly with a full serrated spyderedge. ??? I mean the Caly PE is not tactical at all, but apparently knives with alot of scary "teeth" send ppl running. Oh and I think this is as scary as a knife can get, my CS Black Talon ;)
 
stabman said:
I've noticed that too, which is why I open them with a controlled motion.
So perhaps AO should be added to the "weapony" list.
Click to expand...

I second that, even my Spydies scare folks, because it's one handed opening.
 
stabman said:
It often is, but I have noticed that some of my knives get viewed as weapons even though they're being used as tools.
I've even encountered this from fellow knife enthusiasts("mine is a tool, but yours is obviously a weapon":rolleyes:).
I'll still keep carrying what I like, but it might be handy to know what triggers such thinking(like how I think of the Superhawk as pure tool with its sizeable choil, slow deployment, and width which makes kubotan strikes impossible, but others saw a nasty claw weapon).
Click to expand...

I think this is turning into a timely conversation for me.

Previously I liked black on black knives because they are nearly invisible to people I encounter while carrying. If it is clipped in my pocket and my pants are black (or dark colored) there is not too much to draw attention.

Recently I have adjusted my philosophy a bit regarding this. I bought a Pacific Salt in yellow and replaced my black on black Military as an EDC. I noticed that when I pull it out in restaurants to cut my food, I feel less eyes bearing down on me. Could be my attitude, could be the color?

The thing is...most of the time my knife is in my pocket. If it is less visible *most* of the time, but more "weapon-ey" when in use, does it that have a lower degree of weaponicity than one that is constantly drawing attention with a pastel tone?

I am sure every onlooker has different triggers but perhaps bright or pastel colors appear less threatening to some or most? I saw a piece on 60 minutes (or some similar show) about painting holding cells pink to calm violent detainees...I do not think I want to carry pink knives though.
 
So:
-Hawkbill
-double edged
-sharpened swedge
-rusty/rough finish(unless it looks "rustic")
-knuckle duster guard
-skull crusher
-serrations(although may depend on overall knife design, as with blackened blade)
-AO
-big
 
Oh yeah, autos scare the crap out of sheeple. The only thing as awesome as the snap of a Severtech opening is the racking of a shotgun. :D:eek:
 
The color of the knife seems to make a big difference, too. Black and camo are more weapony than pink and orange. Wood handles tend to look less aggressive compared to synthetics or metal. General statements, of course, there are exceptions.
 
With folders wide eyed, slack jawed reactions are often the result of sudden deployment with an audible metallic "snap".
One hand opening can be interpreted as too aggressive.
Blades with a recognizable "weapon" profile suck as hawkbill, scimitar or tanto.
And size does matter!
I had to first look over my shoulder and "rig for silent running" anytime I wanted to use my Emerson Persian at work.
My CQC15 generally prompted reactions about two degrees lower on the "OMG" scale.
And a canoe style slippie seemed to provoke the least Baaaaaad reactions due I think to the "Grand Dad had one" mind set.

CP
 
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