What's a gent's knife?

hardheart

hardheart

Joined
Sep 19, 2001
Messages
8,968
What do you consider a gentleman's knife? Any materials, dimensions, blade shapes, features to include/exclude? Do you follow this tactical dress knife idea?
 
I'm sure you know that this subject has been discussed many times on this forum. To me, a gents knife is a smaller knife (no more than 3" blade) which is meant to be carried with nice slacks and used in an office or some other non work environment like a church. Although a gents knife needn't have it, they commonly have pretty scales like stag, ivory, anodized titanium or polished micarta. Gents knives are also thin so they don't make big bulges in dress slacks. gents knives may or may not have clips (the Mnandi for instance, has a clip that looks like a pen so as not to be obtrusive). Many gents knives with pretty natural handles, like pearl and ivory, do not have clips. Those are my observations on gents knives.
 
You can also apply the above to Gents fixed blades. Just add a sheath made from exotic leather (stingray, gator).
 
Good Evening Hardheart-

Anthony covered all the bases perfectly. You can do a search using words and search terms like this to get a huge "stack of reading" on your computer:

  • Formal and knife
  • Gentle*
  • Church and knife
  • Office and knife

Hope this helps,

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I'm flattered that you guys think that my definition was good, however, I noticed one mistake. I talked about "offices and non work environments," obviously people work in offices. The difference is that office work usually does not require heavy knife use like someone in a warehouse who is constantly opening boxes. That is why a gents knife is usually a lighter and smaller knife than a knife carried by someone who works with his or her hands and tools.
 
This is a gents knife!

collagecarved.jpg


too bad I can't afford it:)

-Sam.
 
It has to be small and thin. Unobtrusive so that it fits in the pocket of a crisply pressed pant or jacket without being noticed. It doesn't have to be fancy, though some elegance adds to its "gentlemanlyness". The only thing close I own is my all-steel spyderco Dragonfly.
 
Take a look at the CRKT Tighe Tac!
In my opinion it´s the ideal gentleman´s knife. It´s doesn´t look too "aggressive" (how can a knife be aggressive? - you know what I mean...) and it´s an expensive-looking addition to any business outfit.
It´s small enough to not scare any sheeple but still big enough to do serious cutting jobs.
Sure, it´s just AUS-6 steel - but which knife doesn´t have a lil drawback? :rolleyes:
The price is alright IMHO.

http://www.crkt.com/tighetac.html
 
Example of Cheaper, decent quality, Gent folder would be Benchmades Park Avenue..... http://www.benchmade.com/detail.asp?id=2932135364510&item=23

...another peice of the Gentlemans Knife defination would be:
In the corporate white collar world the "Gentlemans" knife also does NOT scare off (aka Get you fired for bringing a "Dangerous Deadly Weapon" to work) when seen by Upper management - You have to open letters, packages, etc.
 
While not quite as "elegant", try the CRKT small S-2, E-Bay usually has them around $30, titanium frame lock (thin), 2.75 ATS-34 blade. Take off the clip, it isn't much use anyway...
 
Good Evening Everyone-

ReaperVelle, that's an excellent corollary to the "Gent's Knife" definition. As an example, I'm an officeworker in an urban, high-rise building. I typically wear slacks and a sportjacket or suit coupled with a starched shirt and tie.

In my pocket I carry a Benchmade Mini-AFCK that I am very careful about deploying. Now, this is nothing on the Scary-O-Meter when compared to my Microtech SOCOM D/A, but sheeple will be sheeple. In fact, I'm going to migrate to a tiny Spyderco Dragonfly or Ladybug and hang a Busse Pepper Shaker around my neck (under my shirt) for any serious needs. This will simultaneously lighten the load in my pants (pun intended) while giving me blade flexibility and functionality.

Just don't get me going on the topic of metal detectors at client sites and having to surrender my little Ladybug to the guards. :mad:

Regards,

~ Blue Jays ~
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top