What percentage of the public actually carry a knife?

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I carry a knife every day . I live in the uk so whilst at work ( construction) normally a locking knife and at all other times a slipjoint of some description. The only time I’ve not got a pocket knife on me is in the pub !! Not that it’s illegal, it just could cause a problem in certain circumstances
 
shinyedges said:
The future of the pocket knife and other things rests in our fervor in teaching it to our kids and everyone we can. I know you're older than I, my kids are just now teenagers but they will pass it on to their kids. I've made many a non knife guy, into a knife guy with gifts. It's not over yet, not by a long shot. Maybe it's silly hopefulness but I refuse to accept defeat.
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I tried the next generation thing, passing it on. But modern life interfered. Of my three kids, only the youngest, the police officer, is a kind of knife nut. And then, mostly traditional. My oldest carried a SAK classic on his keys, and insists thats all he needs for his life around the Washington D.C. are. Ditto my daughter Jessica out in California and her job as a state parole agent dealing with adult felons. She has her little SAK on her keys and thats all she will carry. Of my grandkids, I had hopes for my grandson Ryan, but as a computer geek that takes them apart and puts back together just for kicks, he carries a Leatherman micra and some small specialized tools, and thats it. He used to carry a small pen knife, but thats been tossed in a drawer and forgotten. He's a real computer geek, and earns great money at it, so tools are more important than a knife. If the tool ha a knife on it, thats good enough.

My granddaughter Christy, is a young vet with a practice in rural Maryland and carries a bag with her tools in it to include scalpels with replaceable blades. She does keep a Leatherman micra on her keyring though. Loves the scissors. My granddaughter Briana is still in high school so no daily knife carry for her, but I see her following in her mothers footsteps with a small SAK. When she needs, she borrows her moms SAK classic. She lusts after Jessica's smart watch, and guards her own iPad with her life. Has had her own smart phone for a while now, its a prized possession. She definitely leans to the techno side of life.

My two great grandkids are still in the young pup stage so too young to tell yet.

Our kids will be living an increasing techno lifestyle, and like my grandson Ryan, any small multitool with a blade will do.
 
l have carried a knife for decades and feel wrong when one isn't in my pocket. I see a lot of knives with the clasps in people's pockets here in southern Az. I've gifted several knives to men and women both. Knives are not uncommon here and are not generally looked down upon.
 
I've carried a knife since I was in 2nd grade. I usually have at minimum two on me 95% of days. Most every boy carried a pocket knife to school.

And I would guess over 75% of men and some women carry some type of knife in their pocket as adults. The only time I don't have a knife on me is when I don't have a pocket on me and I would venture to say that holds true with most men in this area.
 
jackknife said:
I tried the next generation thing, passing it on. But modern life interfered. Of my three kids, only the youngest, the police officer, is a kind of knife nut. And then, mostly traditional. My oldest carried a SAK classic on his keys, and insists thats all he needs for his life around the Washington D.C. are. Ditto my daughter Jessica out in California and her job as a state parole agent dealing with adult felons. She has her little SAK on her keys and thats all she will carry. Of my grandkids, I had hopes for my grandson Ryan, but as a computer geek that takes them apart and puts back together just for kicks, he carries a Leatherman micra and some small specialized tools, and thats it. He used to carry a small pen knife, but thats been tossed in a drawer and forgotten. He's a real computer geek, and earns great money at it, so tools are more important than a knife. If the tool ha a knife on it, thats good enough.

My granddaughter Christy, is a young vet with a practice in rural Maryland and carries a bag with her tools in it to include scalpels with replaceable blades. She does keep a Leatherman micra on her keyring though. Loves the scissors. My granddaughter Briana is still in high school so no daily knife carry for her, but I see her following in her mothers footsteps with a small SAK. When she needs, she borrows her moms SAK classic. She lusts after Jessica's smart watch, and guards her own iPad with her life. Has had her own smart phone for a while now, its a prized possession. She definitely leans to the techno side of life.

My two great grandkids are still in the young pup stage so too young to tell yet.

Our kids will be living an increasing techno lifestyle, and like my grandson Ryan, any small multitool with a blade will do.
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I understand, sounds like they are all doing well, which is good. I hope to pass on my hobbies to my sons, they were raised on a farm and both carry a knife. It's something we share together that I hope will remain after I'm gone. Since they can remember I've opened my new knives with excitement and taken them outside to use, butchering, camping, and everything in between.

Times have been changing, that's for sure. Carrying a knife will and has been changing as well, but so long as those of us who refuse to see it disappear continue to educate and spread it, it will live.

Butchering and processing animals is in the same boat actually.
 
I started carrying a knife everyday/everywhere when I was around 7 or 8.

At first it was a fascination. I watched the men in my family carry knives, and I was fascinated by the idea of carrying a knife around in ones pocket.

Then it was a matter of preparedness. I recognized the value of carrying a knife, and obtained a sense of satisfaction from knowing that I was prepared to overcome obstacles that life put in my path (obstacles that needed cutting).

Then it became a discipline. I would never leave home without one.


Of course there may be a few times in my life when the discipline broke down and I may have forgotten to take a knife with me. I can only remember one, so I know it was a very rare event.

Once, many years ago, I arrived at work one morning to discover my knife-pocket empty. At first I panicked thinking I had lost my knife. I called home, asked my girlfriend to check the counter where I kept my pocket stuff, and my knife was there (HUGE relief). Despite there being utility razors at work to use, I felt so uncomfortable without MY knife, and so ashamed of myself for forgetting it, that on my lunch break I rode 10 miles home to get it (20 miles round trip). And it was worth it.

I never step outside my front door without at least one knife on me. I don't carry a knife IN my home, but if I'm just stepping out even for just a few minutes to get mail or take out trash I put a knife in my pocket. That's the discipline.


As far as the question of "How many other people in the general public carry knives?", I wouldn't attempt to guess. It's very easy for a person to discreetly carry a knife in a pocket, attached to a keychain, or in a purse. And considering the almost infinite variety, and massive availability, it would be very easy for just about anyone to pick one up, even if it's a cheap one at the counter of a gas station.

More than a few times in my life I have been surprised seeing a "soccer mom", or a college girl pull out a knife from a purse, backpack, or pocket to cut something. So you never know.
 
Stixmagill said:
Here in Alabama, my guess is that most men carry a knife.. I would guess as many as 75-80% in rural areas. Many carry and adore a hand-me-down from fathers.
In Alabama, we enjoy the God given right to protect ourselves legally with firearms or blades if necessary,
Stay sharp, stay free.
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Also in Alabama, and I would tend to agree, 70-80% sounds about right. I would note that I'd reckon only around 10% carry anything of note, as I see alot of gas station folders...

But out of the 10% I see carrying something nice, I usually see alot of Benchmade, Microtech, Sog, Kershaw, and Case..
 
Fellow German here, writing from Niedersachsen...

In my family it is common to carry a knife. My dad does it, when he leaves the house. My uncle is a long time collector. (I was admiring his collection as a kid.) It is logical that the bug bit me.
My father in law always has a Victorinox in his pocket.

And then it diminishes rapidly. I have one friend who occasionally carries a knife. I neither do not know of a single other person with a knife in the pocket nor do I see any pocket clips on people around here.
 
Well my kids didn’t take up my knife carrying affliction when they were younger and in school. But my son after he got out of school and working a job he eventually saw the need for a knife and he started off with the modern type. He now carries a knife every day a Buck 110 slim pro that I gave to him. My daughters have their kitchen knives they are particular about and take a knife out camping.

My grandkids were interested at an early age around 5 seeing me using my knife out fishing and camping. And most of them have their own pocket knives and multi tools for camping and fishing. I think the only time they aren’t carrying a knife is at school which that’s the rule. I’m glad to see their interest and appreciation for a sharp knife and it’s benefits. Maybe I did alright after all lol.
 
Monofletch said:
I usually have a folder or fixed blade on my person. Plus my Leatherman or Gerber tool is close at hand.
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This for me, Leatherman in my workbag plus another Gerber in each vehicle including the motorcycle and a rat 1 or 2 in the glovebox.
 
I posted this back in February, when it was still illegal under Florida law to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.
Since then, I have talked with about a dozen other guys, all of whom carried a knife. One LEO carried four. I know women who have three or four in their purse.
Lots of Case and Kershaw knives. Bucks and Bugouts are popular, too. Not so many junk knives. Although a friend at a feed store who always carries a knife admitted that he never sharpened a knife. When one got dull, he would toss it in drawer and buy a new one for maybe $10 or $12, at which price you can get a pretty decent Chinese knife with 440 steel. He said he hasn't counted, but he guesses there were about 50 knives in that drawer. Some guys volunteer that they have 50 or 100 knives at home.
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Here in rural Florida, most men and a lot of women carry knives. I know because I have asked. Women I ask only if we are well acquainted. But for random guys at the hardware or feed store, it goes something like this:

Hey, how ya doin?
... Good. How bout you?
Good! You got a minute? Could I ask you a question?
... Sure.
This friend on Facebook said that guys are helpless because they leave home every morning carrying nothing but their wallet and keys. But she says women are prepared for anything because because they carry--well, they carry a lot of s**t in their purse. So I'm wondering, do many guys just carry a wallet and keys? I've got a phone, knife, and flashlight, too. So, if you don't mind telling me, what do you carry when you leave home? Just the legal stuff, please!

Out of 23 responses so far:
- 22 carried at least one knife. The one guy who did not was underage. But two other guys who were underage said they carried a knife.
- 19 carried a phone and basic accessories such as earbuds.
- 15 carried various other tools - pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.
- 9 carried tobacco and matches or a lighter.
- 8 carried a firearm and a concealed carry permit.
- 5 carried various other weapons.
- 4 carried pens or pencils
- 4 carried a laptop, tablet, or other computing device.
- 3 carried a flashlight.
- 3 carried a backpack
- 2 carried bottled water and snacks in their backpack.
- 1 carried a bluetooth speaker.
 
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The more rural the area, the higher the percentage carry knives. In Wash DC where I worked in an office, very few carried them.
 
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