Who gives a penny when gifted with a knife?

I do. Mostly it's a coin, but it could be anything else, as in a trade.
The sense of the tradition (which, at least here, applies to an cutting tool, not just knives) has two explanations. At least, I've heard two.
First, is that a gifted knife would "cut" the relationship between the giver and receiver.
Second, is that the only situation when you "gift" a knife is when stabbing someone...otherwise, it has to be bought or traded.

Fausto
:cool:
 
I'm amazed at the geographical spread of this old knife tradition, I wonder how far it goes back.
 
Kadmos said:
1997.

It got popularized in the movie "The Edge" with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin,(co-starring Bart the Bear)
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:D That's cynical! :)

It was certainly a strong tradition in my Grandfather's day, and I suspect in his Grandfather's too :)
 
stabman said:
Never.
A knife given or received is its own reward.
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I had not heard of this practice until a couple of years after I joined BF. As far as I know, none of the Norse Sagas include giving a coin in exchange for a bladed instrument, so I don't feel like I'm stepping on my ancestors toes by just gifting the knife. I usually give out more than I receive, so it's just the universe taking its time completing the trade, among different people. Or to use another phrase- I'm just borrowing it from the last owner while it looks for a new owner!
 
Jack Black said:
:D That's cynical! :)

It was certainly a strong tradition in my Grandfather's day, and I suspect in his Grandfather's too :)
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Probably is a bit. I'd never heard of this tradition (if in fact it is one ;) ) until the movie came out. But afterward someone seems to always offer a coin, or someone else says to offer one.

Frankly I find it a bit annoying as it makes no sense. Why if you want to end a friendship would you give someone a piece of cutlery? That doesn't seem wise, for a start. But also why give such a good gift to end a friendship? Seems to me if you want to end a friendship a more effective gift would be a flaming bag of dog poo or pictures of you shagging their wife.

And then the coin. Well in the movie, if I recall, they put it as a native American tradition, which makes no sense as there were no coins in America before Columbus. But also there is the notion that if given a gift that was to end a friendship the simple act of giving a coin, and one that never seems to be reasonable to the value of the knife anyway, now somehow magically changes the persons mind. That's not even taking into account the idea that now the other person is really buying a knife from you, on the cheap, but from the other persons perspective that they need to buy friends, an insult in itself.

"Here's a sharp object, go away you annoy me!"

"Wait! Here's a dime, will you be my friend?"

The whole exchange is riddled with insults. This is one bit of knife lore I could do without. ;)
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
I had not heard of this practice until a couple of years after I joined BF. As far as I know, none of the Norse Sagas include giving a coin in exchange for a bladed instrument, so I don't feel like I'm stepping on my ancestors toes by just gifting the knife.
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I'm not saying the tradition goes back THAT far! :D

Kadmos said:
Probably is a bit. I'd never heard of this tradition (if in fact it is one ;) ) until the movie came out. But afterward someone seems to always offer a coin, or someone else says to offer one.

Frankly I find it a bit annoying as it makes no sense. Why if you want to end a friendship would you give someone a piece of cutlery? That doesn't seem wise, for a start. But also why give such a good gift to end a friendship? Seems to me if you want to end a friendship a more effective gift would be a flaming bag of dog poo or pictures of you shagging their wife.

And then the coin. Well in the movie, if I recall, they put it as a native American tradition, which makes no sense as there were no coins in America before Columbus. But also there is the notion that if given a gift that was to end a friendship the simple act of giving a coin, and one that never seems to be reasonable to the value of the knife anyway, now somehow magically changes the persons mind. That's not even taking into account the idea that now the other person is really buying a knife from you, on the cheap, but from the other persons perspective that they need to buy friends, an insult in itself.

"Here's a sharp object, go away you annoy me!"

"Wait! Here's a dime, will you be my friend?"

The whole exchange is riddled with insults. This is one bit of knife lore I could do without. ;)
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I nearly fell off my chair laughing at this. Brilliant! Hard to fault your cold logic Kadmos! :D

Years ago, I thought it was just a Sheffield tradition, but then a guy from another part of this sceptic isle asked me to send him a penny for a knife he'd given me. Judging from this thread, it clearly has an even wider currency! ;)
 
Jack Black said:
I'm amazed at the geographical spread of this old knife tradition, I wonder how far it goes back.
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45,000 years ago Og gave a stone bladed-knife to Um. Um gave Og a bone in return. A tradition was born. (I always try to follow the tradition)
 
sitflyer said:
This has been a tradition between my father and I since I was a young boy, if a knife was gifted the giftee was expected to hand over a coin at the exchange. He told me it was an old tradition, and before the interwebs, these things were just kind of accepted at face value...
Often when gifting a knife, when I am face to face, I will ask for a coin. When mailing a knife oftentimes I will include a coin or other memento...for luck.
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Whew. I feel much better now. I was suddenly wondering if I was supposed to send the penny back. ;)

Jack Black said:
Years ago, I thought it was just a Sheffield tradition, but then a guy from another part of this sceptic isle asked me to send him a penny for a knife he'd given me. Judging from this thread, it clearly has an even wider currency! ;)
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Oh, c'mon. It's not that dirty, is it? :confused:






:)




This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England....


~ P.
 
I have always given a coin if I have been given a knife, in fact I have one all picked out to send to jackblack once I get the knife I won in his giveaway. Both of my Grandpa's always told me to do it and that they had learned it as kids. So its at least kind of old.
Brian
 
I was taught it's bad luck for someone to give you a knife if you don't have something to give back. Much like Humppa's post. Don't believe it though, a gift that's paid for isn't a gift.
 
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