why am I looked at like such a weirdo for having a pocketknife

[strategy9]

Some of the suburbs near NYC can be a problem too, but upstate tends to be more relaxed. Actually, upstate NY is basically northern Pennsylvania. NYC is a big problem, and they don't care if you know it.

Northern PA with NY property taxes... Big reason why Scranton/wilkesbarre, Pocono region has a huge population of folks transplanted from NY (and NJ).

 

[Rey HRH]

Nothing wrong with it, unless said restaurant has a policy against it, but others may look at you like a psycho or a fool for doing so.

I hardly think any restaurant would have a policy against people bringing in their own eating utensils; the number would be pretty small and chances are, me being in them would be pretty small. I don't see how using my knife instead of the restaurant is going to make me look like a psycho. If I brought in my own plate, fork, drinking glass, and napkin, then I can see how that may project "crazy." With regards to being considered a fool, as someone said, "Toughen up." As least, I'll be the fool with his own knife.

On further consideration, I suppose if you take out a survival knife or an 18" long blade in a restaurant, that would look foolish. You are sending a message instead of simply enhancing your eating experience by using your own knife.

The problem people have may very well be with you and your demeanor as much as or more than with the knife.

I agree with what you say here and my first response to the OP is aligned with yours.

This. I prefer to fly under the radar. Unless you really need it, it's just showing off. That second dish didn't look like it needed a sharp knife.

If it's a gun or having $20,000 cash on your person, I can understand the preference to "fly under the radar." But what is it about having a knife that needs to "fly under the radar?" One's actions/behavior considered in context of the situation determine whether it's acceptable. The thread title asks, "why am I looked at like such a weirdo for having a pocketknife?"

I don't understand the "unless you really need it, it's just showing off" sentiment. Do I really need to use my own pen when I sign the credit card slip? Is it showing off when the person probably won't even recognize it as a high end pen? People don't really need BMWs or Mercedes Benzs to get from point A to point B when a Toyota Camry will do; are they just showing off? Or could it be that's their preference for themselves and not so much as what it may mean to other people?

 

[Cory Hess]

I've been a little taken aback by the posts in this thread. You want to know why you have a problem? Look to the people in this forum. Half of these posts are talking about "flying under the radar" or otherwise talking about how you can discreetly use your knife as if carrying a knife is the equivalent of a heroine addiction. In my life, if somebody has a problem with me using a knife it's exactly that, their problem. From reading this thread I get the feeling that it's not the other person's problem at all in many cases. It's the knife carrier's problem. I'm beginning to agree with marcinek when he says that it's the person with the knife that's overly sensitive. When did knife toters become such pantywaists? What's the need to be 100% accepted by 100% of people 100% of the time? You all act like somebody taking a second look at you is life threatening. Maybe the problem isn't the politicians or pop culture at all. If a "knife knut" thinks that pulling a knife out when it's not absolutely necessary (you can bite those hanging threads off of your shirt) is "showing off", what do you expect people that aren't into knives to act like? Carrying a knife around doesn't have to be a dirty little secret, but if you make it one don't be surprised when other people treat it the same way. I'm with leghog on this one. Stop trying to be "ambassadors" and try living like a normal human being. If you want to use your knife, go ahead and do it. Ignore the people around you. Hell, I wouldn't even know if people had a problem with my knife most of the time because when it's out I'm focusing on what I'm cutting. I'm not looking around to see what the grandma at the next table thinks about what I'm doing. What they think about my knife is their business, not mine. Just like what I have in my pockets is my business, not theirs. I think that you'll find that most people around you don't want to get involved in your life, as long as you don't get involved in theirs.

 

[22-rimfire]

For the most part it is a problem that does not exist except in random kinds of events as long as you don't make using your knife too showy. I honestly don't worry about it, but I don't own any knives that I use that I would ever think would cause the slightest problem with normal people.

I don't sit in a restaurant killing time and play with my assisted opening knife for giggles. If I play, I play at home.

 

[marcinek]

From reading this thread I get the feeling that it's not the other person's problem at all in many cases. It's the knife carrier's problem. I'm beginning to agree with marcinek when he says that it's the person with the knife that's overly sensitive. When did knife toters become such pantywaists?

Thanks! The irony is that folks on the one hand are bemoaning the demasculinization/rainbow flagging of America, and, at the same time, are mewling like delicate little flowers when they get looked at funny.

It's pretty funny stuff.

When, as a knife fan, you don't get to marry another knife fan, or get paid 78 cents for every dollar earned by non-knife fans, or some "sheeple" shoots up Blade, etc, then start complaining.

You get looked at funny? Wah. Seriously. Buck up. Heh, heh...I made a "Buck" joke.

 

[marcinek]

It's not about how shitty the restaurant is. When they give me the credit card slip to sign, I don't like using their pen, I use my Montblanc pen. That's my preference, no matter how much the charge is for.

When I order steak at a restaurant, despite its cost or tenderness, what's wrong with my preference to use my knife?

Agreed, Customer is king in a restaurant.

That said, if you need a knife to eat that braised lamb shank, time to find a better restaurant.

 

[Ankerson]

I've been a little taken aback by the posts in this thread.

Don't know why that would be, most of it is really nothing more than common sense really.

You want to know why you have a problem? Look to the people in this forum.

I don't have a problem, but then I use my brain and am aware of my surroundings.

Half of these posts are talking about "flying under the radar" or otherwise talking about how you can discreetly use your knife as if carrying a knife is the equivalent of a heroine addiction.

Not so much flying under the radar as thinking before one acts.

In my life, if somebody has a problem with me using a knife it's exactly that, their problem.

Not really, they can make it everyone's problem and that's not good.

From reading this thread I get the feeling that it's not the other person's problem at all in many cases. It's the knife carrier's problem.

It's not a problem until it becomes a problem and that can be a bad thing for all of us.

I'm beginning to agree with marcinek when he says that it's the person with the knife that's overly sensitive. When did knife toters become such pantywaists?

I don't think people are, it's more about awareness.

What's the need to be 100% accepted by 100% of people 100% of the time? You all act like somebody taking a second look at you is life threatening.

Not hardly, it's more about blending in and not standing out.

Maybe the problem isn't the politicians or pop culture at all. If a "knife knut" thinks that pulling a knife out when it's not absolutely necessary (you can bite those hanging threads off of your shirt) is "showing off", what do you expect people that aren't into knives to act like?

Why would one pull out a knife if it wasn't necessary?

One wouldn't pull a gun out in a crowed place just because now would they?

Knives are in most peoples eyes the same thing, that is weapons, like it or not that is how they are seen.

Carrying a knife around doesn't have to be a dirty little secret, but if you make it one don't be surprised when other people treat it the same way.

Same as the last one, knives are seen as weapons.

I'm with leghog on this one. Stop trying to be "ambassadors" and try living like a normal human being. If you want to use your knife, go ahead and do it. Ignore the people around you.

Bad advice, everything does actually matter these days.

Hell, I wouldn't even know if people had a problem with my knife most of the time because when it's out I'm focusing on what I'm cutting.

Interesting.

I'm not looking around to see what the grandma at the next table thinks about what I'm doing. What they think about my knife is their business, not mine.

That's bad, back to the perceived weapon thing.

Just like what I have in my pockets is my business, not theirs.

Sure, until you pull it out, then it becomes anyone's business that sees it.

I think that you'll find that most people around you don't want to get involved in your life, as long as you don't get involved in theirs.

Unless they view you as a threat, then things can change very quickly.

 

[Etna]

I've been a little taken aback by the posts in this thread. You want to know why you have a problem? Look to the people in this forum. Half of these posts are talking about "flying under the radar" or otherwise talking about how you can discreetly use your knife as if carrying a knife is the equivalent of a heroine addiction. In my life, if somebody has a problem with me using a knife it's exactly that, their problem.

From reading this thread I get the feeling that it's not the other person's problem at all in many cases. It's the knife carrier's problem. I'm beginning to agree with marcinek when he says that it's the person with the knife that's overly sensitive. When did knife toters become such pantywaists? What's the need to be 100% accepted by 100% of people 100% of the time? You all act like somebody taking a second look at you is life threatening. Maybe the problem isn't the politicians or pop culture at all. If a "knife knut" thinks that pulling a knife out when it's not absolutely necessary (you can bite those hanging threads off of your shirt) is "showing off", what do you expect people that aren't into knives to act like? Carrying a knife around doesn't have to be a dirty little secret, but if you make it one don't be surprised when other people treat it the same way. I'm with leghog on this one. Stop trying to be "ambassadors" and try living like a normal human being. If you want to use your knife, go ahead and do it. Ignore the people around you. Hell, I wouldn't even know if people had a problem with my knife most of the time because when it's out I'm focusing on what I'm cutting. I'm not looking around to see what the grandma at the next table thinks about what I'm doing. What they think about my knife is their business, not mine. Just like what I have in my pockets is my business, not theirs. I think that you'll find that most people around you don't want to get involved in your life, as long as you don't get involved in theirs.

I do not know, and neither will I claim to understand how knife regulation works in the US, but where I live in my part of the world, it ceases to be their problem and it becomes your problem when knife laws explicitly deem it illegal to carry a knife around without any lawful purpose. Let's be really honest here, many carry a knife on them while actively looking for reasons to use it. Things like "I have a knife on me in case I need to cut open a package" or "I carry a knife to cut my shoelace should it get caught in the escalator" do not constitute lawful purpose under the eyes of the law; law enforcement officers can and will bluntly point out that since you have not received a package and have not had your shoelaces caught in the escalator at the time you were searched / frisked, your knife serves no lawful purpose and it will be automatically assumed to be intended for unlawful usage and you have no defense against it (our laws explicitly state that the inability to prove legitimate and lawful purposes for possession of a knife in public automatically assumes unlawful intent or motivation, regardless of your claims to the contrary). Say hello to the lockup and look forward to have criminal proceedings for weapon possession brought against you.

By the way, where I live the cops also have the right to stop anybody in public and frisk him if they so much as suspect that someone is behaving shadily. I have been stopped and searched and questioned by officers for carrying two screwdrivers and a pair of wirecutters on me. My supervisor had to come down from work to confirm that I have a legitimate purpose to carry them with me at all times (i work in tech support, go figure).

Under such circumstances, to not be extra sensitive about the mindset and stereotypes of the average person is really asking for trouble, especially in an environment. Even the simple act of extracting your knife from your pocket to perform a legitimate cutting task in a public area can constitute unlawful possession of a weapon if the cops receive a call from a paranoid person who happens to be in the vicinity, and you will be detained for questioning. In the end, it all boils down to basic common sense; I'd rather be a wuss and protect my precious rear end.

Lastly, just a point I'd like to make: if the laws and culture in your country or state or town or community or neighborhood or suburb is such that the very first question a friend asks you upon seeing your knife, be it in jest or not, is somewhere along the lines of "Do you know that it's illegal to carry a knife for no reason in public?" or "Who are you going to kill/hurt/stab/cut?", you should really go back home, sit down and think hard about whether your preferences and individuality are worth risking a criminal record for.

 

[thatsaknife]

I carry a pocket clip or a belt folder. No one cares. Most people think belt folders are leather man tools nowadays.

 

[22-rimfire]

<snip>....your knife serves no lawful purpose and it will be automatically assumed to be intended for unlawful usage and you have no defense against it (our laws explicitly state that the inability to prove legitimate and lawful purposes for possession of a knife in public automatically assumes unlawful intent or motivation, regardless of your claims to the contrary). Say hello to the lockup and look forward to have criminal proceedings for weapon possession brought against you.

That's scary. In most cases in this country, a knife is no big deal unless you make it a big deal. But there are places that you should not have a knife on your person for any reason. Generally speaking, in most cases here, unlawful intent must be proven or demonstrated. I think it usually happens as part of another fisk or encounter with a LEO for other reasons and the person simply has a knife on them. NYC is different here; possession is illegal except within certain guidelines.

 

[whp]

Occasionally at a store, I ll use my pocket knife to help a salesperson remove a tag or binding. I don t think that much about it, and they don t seem to mind. Home Depot most recently. Maybe it's about the user s attitude more than anything else. I think the idea that one has to define a "legitimate" reason to carry a pocket knife is ridiculous.

 

[Shotgun]

I've been a little taken aback by the posts in this thread. You want to know why you have a problem? Look to the people in this forum. Half of these posts are talking about "flying under the radar" or otherwise talking about how you can discreetly use your knife as if carrying a knife is the equivalent of a heroine addiction. In my life, if somebody has a problem with me using a knife it's exactly that, their problem. From reading this thread I get the feeling that it's not the other person's problem at all in many cases. It's the knife carrier's problem. I'm beginning to agree with marcinek when he says that it's the person with the knife that's overly sensitive. When did knife toters become such pantywaists? What's the need to be 100% accepted by 100% of people 100% of the time? You all act like somebody taking a second look at you is life threatening. Maybe the problem isn't the politicians or pop culture at all. If a "knife knut" thinks that pulling a knife out when it's not absolutely necessary (you can bite those hanging threads off of your shirt) is "showing off", what do you expect people that aren't into knives to act like? Carrying a knife around doesn't have to be a dirty little secret, but if you make it one don't be surprised when other people treat it the same way. I'm with leghog on this one. Stop trying to be "ambassadors" and try living like a normal human being. If you want to use your knife, go ahead and do it. Ignore the people around you. Hell, I wouldn't even know if people had a problem with my knife most of the time because when it's out I'm focusing on what I'm cutting. I'm not looking around to see what the grandma at the next table thinks about what I'm doing. What they think about my knife is their business, not mine. Just like what I have in my pockets is my business, not theirs. I think that you'll find that most people around you don't want to get involved in your life, as long as you don't get involved in theirs.

If you pull out a sak classic to cut a thread off your shirt and someone freaks out at you for having a "weapon" and needs to make you feel bad for having it, they're an A-hole for judging you.

If you wrist flick open a tactical gigantor knife in a crowded room to do the same job you're going to scare people. To do that and then say you don't care that you scared people, makes you the A-hole.

"Use your brain and don't be a jerk" seems to be what most people as saying.

 

[Radjxf]

All part of the liberal indoctrination of America.
Carrying a pocketknife is 'bad' but Caitlyn Jenner is courageous and brave. Sad times indeed.

 

[marcinek]

Wow.

 

[jonnyt16]

All part of the liberal indoctrination of America.
Carrying a pocketknife is 'bad' but Caitlyn Jenner is courageous and brave. Sad times indeed.

Yep. See post #18.

 

[Danke42]

My take on this is that it's still rude as hell. At a picnic when you've got a hunk of salami to slice up? sure.

At a starred restaurant with a chunk of filet? Insulting to the chef regarding his ability to cook, and insulting to the owner of the place regarding their flatware.

 

[marcinek]

Yep. See post #18.

Wow.

 

[PURPLEDC]

My take on this is that it's still rude as hell. At a picnic when you've got a hunk of salami to slice up? sure.

At a starred restaurant with a chunk of filet? Insulting to the chef regarding his ability to cook, and insulting to the owner of the place regarding their flatware.

I dont know if I would say rude but I would say that every single time I see someone post a picture of them using a folder or an auto to cut up their food I immediately think of the scene in crocodile dundee when he uses his bowie knife to shave. And just like in the movie no one is impressed.

 

[Shotgun]

My take on this is that it's still rude as hell. At a picnic when you've got a hunk of salami to slice up? sure.

At a starred restaurant with a chunk of filet? Insulting to the chef regarding his ability to cook, and insulting to the owner of the place regarding their flatware.

If it's insulting, maybe they should take it to heart and do a better job.

Wow.

+1

 

[craytab]

Here's something you can do...toughen up and ignore them. For Scagel's sakes, if I had a nickel for all the excuses in here blaming rainbow flags, or "the government," or "society."

Crimoney. "Wah! Somebody looked at me funny!" And the "sheeple" are the ones who reflect the softening of society?!?! Please.

Ha, you said crimoney. Totally agree though. If I am within what is legal I really don't give a flying squirrel fart what other people think. Sad thing is that folks consider knives dangerous, yet every one of them have the most commonly weaponized knife in their kitchen multiple times over. Oh yeah, also take notice that my knife is not the "weapon" you should be worrying about that is on me. I carry a glock everyday. Turns out, if you are an up right citizen, the government hands out licenses to carry such things legally.