what to do when people freak out about your knife

I often get remarks on my knives, even my Kershaw Chive and BM40T:eek: . Funny thing is they people making the comments are usually in the military, and we all have rifles(demilled M14's) in our dorm rooms. No one freaked out about shooting an M16 during bacis, but they do about me carrying a knife:confused: They also think it quite odd that a girl would want/need a knife for anything, , even the guys who normally carry knives.
 
naggalowmo said:
when i do use my knife in public i only open the knife half way and hold the blade and make my cuts. it works fine and is more discreet then whipping the thing out and flicking it open.
Click to expand...

hey i do the same thing sometimes !!! :)



but usually if someone says anything, my usual response is: "once a boy scout, always a boy scout." everybody shuts up after that.
 
Hateman said:
I tend to carry a SAK for those sheeple situations. If I have to use a larger blade, I try to be discreet. However, when people say 'THAT'S A WEAPON!' (even with a SAK) I'll try some humor to lighten the atmosphere or, depending on how I feel, sarcasm.

sheeple: "THAT'S A WEAPON"
Me: Weapons are illegal in this facility according to section 2, paragaph 6 of the OSHA manual, fifth edition. I keep the weapons in my car.

sheeple: "THAT'S A WEAPON"
Me: (looking confused) That's not a weapon (pulls out Manix, Skirmish, etc and holds it high) THIS is a weapon.

sheeple: "THAT'S A WEAPON"
Me: You're right. I'm sorry to carry it. I'll just carry these 4 inch blade scissors around. I couldn't possible hurt anyone with these. Thank you so much for setting me on the straight and narrow.

sheeple: "THAT'S A WEAPON"
Me: (glares in their eyes with a hateful look and says) Yep. They walk away after a few seconds of staring.

Strangely enough, few people, especially at work, even ask me about my knives.
Click to expand...

or

sheeple: "THAT'S A WEAPON"
Me: <in Emo Phillips mode> That's what the voices tell me.
 
Sheeple: "That's a weapon!"
You: "Hey, why didn't I think of that earlier?! You're a genius, thank you so much!"
 
I usually tell them that it's the same knife I got for all the groomsmen for my wedding(Spyderco Cenofante III).
I find that personalizing the knife to the surprized person often changes thier perception of what the knife really "is".
When I carry a small Uncle Henry that I was given to me by my grandfather, I say just that." My granpa got that for me for my 10th birthday." Personalizing the knife turns it into a story and the person forgets that it's a tool/weapon/ etc.

Try it. it works.
 
I carry a fixed blade sometimes a large one everyday, plus a couple of folders.I see no reason for discreet carry.I personally have never had anyone say anything to me about it,and even if they did it wouldn't bother me.Dave:)
 
..and as I drove one (he's 11)of them home he had forgotten his housekey and his older brother had misplaced emergency key from garage AND he had to go the the bathroom VERY badly and couldn't wait even 3 minutes so I could drive him to a McDonald's or something nor would he pee in the bushes so looking around and saw nothing to use(i.e bucket) I improvised and cut up a windshield wiper fluid container to use as an "emergency urinal".Problem solved.Later that night as I picked him up to go fishing with me and other nephews he wanted to carry a knife like I do(that day a Griptilian)seeing as how useful a tool it was ..his mother said that "only criminals carried knives etc"I said that I had EDC'ed some knife for all the years that I had known her and that the knife prevented her son that day from peeing his pants.My other nephew (six year old) however is knife savvy-he knows the words.Griptilian ,710,Spyrderco etc.
 
I guess you need to work somewhere sensible like Texas. I operate computers at work and my partner is a 50 some odd lady and during the years we have worked together she has purchased three quality knives including a Mini Skirmish which she keeps in her purse. Smart lady!! Oh, yeah, when I need to open a box or do something knifish, I whip out a full sized Skirmish. My boss has said that he feels well protected with me around.
 
I've never had someone freak out or feel threatened but funny enough, nobody touches my knives with their fingers when I offer it for them to observe. I think its hilarious, most of the time I just say "dont worry, I got someones prints on files already" The few times people have asked why I carry a weapon, my first response always shuts em up. I say "a knife is a tool, anything can be a weapon, I could jam a pencil into your temple or gouge out your eye with a grapefruit spoon, and that would be a weapon..."
 
I went to a family Christmas Eve get together this evening. I was all dressed up in my best shirt and pants and my brother in law grabbed my knife and belt and said 'Hey, Andrew's got a knife'. I just ignored him as I was talking to another family member. Later in the evening they had this present opening game. He ended up with something well taped up in a box. I called over and said 'hey John, want to borrow my knife :)
 
I work in an office so I generally carry a smallish slip joint at work, like a small stockman or whittler. The other day I guess I splurged and carried my Shapleigh cattle knife to work. I was doing something or other in my office using the main blade and someone came in and said "What are you doing with that big knife?" We're talking about a 3 3/4 inch slipjoint here. Later on someone else came in and said "Do you always carry a knife?" in sort of an accusing way. In both cases I showed it to them and tried to explain how it was completely unsuitable to be used as a weapon, with limited success I think.

It just reminded me how hard it is to EDC anything without raising eyebrows. I consider my Spyderco Delica to be one of the tamest and least "tactical" knives I own, but if I ever pulled that out at work I'd probably have the authorities called on me.
 
"Why do you carry a weapon?"

"I don't"

"Oh, it's a 'tool' then?" :rolleyes:

"Well, I haven't stabbed anybody yet."




The funniest thing about sheeple reacting to your "weapon" is that they always seem to do so when you're very obviously using it as a tool. Like opening an envelope, or a box, or trimming a loose thread, or whatnot. I mean, you're standing there with a package covered in reinforced packing tape, cutting the thing open, and they look at your knife and see a weapon. It's like them walking in on you whilst you're taking a crap, and they ask why you're on the toilet.
 
Planterz said:
The funniest thing about sheeple reacting to your "weapon" is that they always seem to do so when you're very obviously using it as a tool. Like opening an envelope, or a box, or trimming a loose thread, or whatnot. I mean, you're standing there with a package covered in reinforced packing tape, cutting the thing open, and they look at your knife and see a weapon. It's like them walking in on you whilst you're taking a crap, and they ask why you're on the toilet.
Click to expand...
Good point.

A good reply, then, would be to say "Well, notice how I am [inset cutting task here]? It would be hard to do this with mental telepathy. Also, I tried sharpening my finger once, and it didn't work out. So, I carry a knife with me for tasks such as this."

I must be lucky that I haven't got any crap for my knives. Maybe it is because San Diego (though part of California) is a pretty conservative city. Also, it's a military town. I live not far from Camp Pendleton, and within driving distance of the Miramar Airforce base, and the Naval base on Coronado. It also might be because there are "The Edge" stores in all of the local malls. So even sheeple see knives when they go to the mall, and probably check out the "fancy knives". And like I said before, I work in the packaging department of a newspaper, so my coworkers all understand that knives are tools.

I am amazed how many people I know and meet like knives.

I actually wish I had more chances to correct sheeple who are taking offense to my knife. More chances, for me, would be just ONE!
 
With my best "Renfield" laugh I just say "he he he he he he". Most sheeple turn and go away. Quickly!

Brian
 
Just thought of another one:
THAT'S A WEAPON!
-Where? *look around like you're suddenly scared and want to find this weapon before it will do anything.*
If they then point out your knife, lift it up, turn it around and pretend to be looking for something behind it.

Gotta try that next time somebody goes nuts on me:D
 
intheusa said:
ever take out a knife to cut something, and have someone say, "thats a weapon!"
Click to expand...

Just say that's not a weapon, THIS is a weapon. :D

TRS_esmeralda_left_small.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top