Why do most people like pocket knives?

[ursamajor]

Andy Rooney also considered the Ball Point pen to be one of the 5 worst inventions in human history.

 

[trevitrace]

You obviously just skimmed over my posts... I said I could not understand someone carrying a fixed blade knife openly... Particularly in an urban environment... You had to really skim a lot to miss that part I must say...

And by the way, Andy Rooney pretty much made it his life's work figuring out the practical from the absurd, gaining a huge following and writing dozens of books on nothing but the subject of everyday practicality, and he found pocket knives second rate. If it makes you feel any better, he also said he was impressed when he saw a man carry a pocket knife, it's just that he did not find them useful...

For delicate crafting tasks, a pocket knife would be of no use, and would make a mess of most really precise tasks... This even more so at the accepted 20 degrees per side that is common on these things...

When I need a knife it's usually for a big task, usually with a hint of improvisation, and I reach for a sensible 10" blade hollow handle.

Gaston

So carry an x-acto for fine work and a 10" hollow handle for bike repair/flotation needs. Got it. :thumbup:

 

[craytab]

Andy Rooney also considered the Ball Point pen to be one of the 5 worst inventions in human history.

Brilliant man! Those went out of production ages ago

 

[chickenfried]

I'd rather not carry anything than carry around those two

So carry an x-acto for fine work and a 10" hollow handle for bike repair/flotation needs. Got it. :thumbup:

 

[Bobby3326]

I'd rather not carry anything than carry around those two[emoji14]

Then you're obviously not qualified enough to join the hollow handled Rambo club. [emoji33]

 

[Final Option]

Gaston444 relative to your post #90, maybe you should inform the Boy Scouts of America of your revelation.

This quote was taken from Scout Magazine

"The Scout Outdoor Essentials are ten items to take whenever you hit the trail (BSA Fieldbook, Chapter 11, Gearing Up). First on the list is a pocketknife, the most useful tool a Scout can carry.
Cut a rope, whittle a stick, open a can, punch a hole. Slice an apple, clean a fish, tighten a screw. Keep a pocketknife handy and you'll be prepared for these and a thousand other tasks at home and in camp".

 

[Bobby3326]

Gaston444 relative to your post #90, maybe you should inform the Boy Scouts of America of your revelation.

This quote was taken from Scout Magazine

"The Scout Outdoor Essentials are ten items to take whenever you hit the trail (BSA Fieldbook, Chapter 11, Gearing Up). First on the list is a pocketknife, the most useful tool a Scout can carry.
Cut a rope, whittle a stick, open a can, punch a hole. Slice an apple, clean a fish, tighten a screw. Keep a pocketknife handy and you'll be prepared for these and a thousand other tasks at home and in camp".

You dare question the all knowing Gaston with mere boy scout regulations, what do they know. [emoji57]

 

[Gaston444]

Then why the interest in a BLADE forum?

You mean you actually can't conceive of an interest in knives other than pocket knives? I do get this a lot around here... This should be called Foldingbladesforums really...

Gaston

 

[Gaston444]

Gaston444 relative to your post #90, maybe you should inform the Boy Scouts of America of your revelation.

This quote was taken from Scout Magazine

"The Scout Outdoor Essentials are ten items to take whenever you hit the trail (BSA Fieldbook, Chapter 11, Gearing Up). First on the list is a pocketknife, the most useful tool a Scout can carry.
Cut a rope, whittle a stick, open a can, punch a hole. Slice an apple, clean a fish, tighten a screw. Keep a pocketknife handy and you'll be prepared for these and a thousand other tasks at home and in camp".

Funny but I had an exchange about this very thing not too long ago, when someone pointed out Boy Scout knives were not big and more along the lines of the "Bushcraft" fad: Unfortunately for their argument, there are other Boy Scouts than the Boy Scouts of America...

This below is what for 60 years was known all over Europe, and most of all France, as THE "Boyscout Knife" , it was in fact so standard that it is referred to as a "Boy Scout Knife", and never any other name, in all the catalogs of the numerous makers that made them in the millions for the Boyscouts of France, Germany and Belgium: This is the most common French model, a 7" blade, 11" overall Sabatier Jeune "Couteau Scout":

Ask any Frenchman of a certain age and nothing else comes to mind for a Boyscout knife... A bit light-bladed, owing to the true distal taper, but superbly made and very sharp, and often used by soldiers as a combat knife, including my father who fought carrying it, and sometimes with it, in Algeria...

There are other styles, including some heftier ones of about the same length, meant for older kids, but basically this was THE standard to be issued to ten or twelve year old Boyscouts from the 20s until the 1960s. They were rarely much shorter than 6 inches, though for younger kids they went smaller.

Of course in the 1970s, political correctness and all that meant that subsequent generations had to make do with a lot less knife than that... So you see, no, not even your most blithe assumptions as to what constitutes a "Boy Scout knife" can be relied upon...: This is actually the only knife that bears this name and no other, and even the soldiers that carried it into battle called it "The Boy Scout Knife".

Man, if you can't even rely on the Boy Scouts, what is a pocket knife fan to do?

Gaston

 

[killgar]

This..[emoji106]

A knife is a tool not a weapon, the thought of packing a "combat" knife for the only reason of using it on someone is absurd and not realistic. Stop watching movies and believing you can recreate the scenarios you've seen, cause you can't and won't.

Many knives are made specifically as "weapons". Some are made specifically with self-defense in mind. I believe that Spyderco has produced a few models of folding knives over the years that were/are specifically designed for self-defense. And I believe they were designed by self-defense instructors.

I also know of two police departments who have incorporated the use of knives for self-defense and weapons-retention into their regular training (and I don't doubt there are more). I imagine that the senior LEO's making the decision to spend money on such training, and on supplying their officers with knives, know more about dealing with violent criminals than most people on this forum.

The only scenario where i could reasonably see a knife being used for self defense is in a last ditch effort to protect yourself and you're literally fighting for your life

This I agree with. And I would like to believe that it applies to handguns as well (using it only as a last resort if one is in mortal danger). I was taught throughout my self-defense education- if you find yourself in a situation where you need a knife for self-defense, then you're REALLY going to need it, and you'll be very glad you have it.

but to even be in that badly involved in the situation you made some horrible choices leading up to that point.

While it's true that people often make bad decisions and put themselves in dangerous situations that they could have avoided, sometimes people are victimized by criminals through no fault of their own. I wouldn't go blaming the victims and say that it was their fault that they were attacked by a criminal, or that a criminal was able to get close to them and attack them at contact range.

What is truly "absurd and not realistic" is any notion that a person can control exactly how a criminal will attack them, or believing that they can always spot a criminal in advance, and from a distance.

And one could just as easily say "If you had to shoot someone in self-defense then you must have made some horrible choices leading up to that point". But I wouldn't say that, because life, and violent criminals, can be very unpredictable. And as mere mortals we are neither omniscient nor infallible.

Here's a story of a a 50 year old man who was walking down the street, saw 4 guys walking towards him, so he crossed the street to try and avoid them. They pursued him, began beating him, and he pulled out a knife and used it to stop the assault and possibly save his life. http://www.krem.com/story/news/2014/09/22/14963340/

What "horrible choices" did he make? He was paying attention to his surroundings- he saw the guys in advance. He listened to his intuition- he regarded them as a possible threat. He tried to evade them- he crossed the street. Now being 50 years old he may have lacked the ability to run, so that may not have been an option. The 4 "youths" were not armed, so prior to being assaulted he would have had no legal justification to pull a gun and shoot them, or pepper spray them. Up until they physically assaulted him the "youths" had not broken any law.

Such is the nature of living in a "civilized" society- people have a legal right to walk up to you on the street. And if those people decide to do you harm, you might not realize it until they are already on you. Then what?

Sometimes bad people are determined to do bad things to good people. And sometimes the bad people succeed despite our best attempts to prevent it.

As far as ones choice of weapons for self-defense, there is no one weapon that is perfect for every situation. I would no more call a person a "wanna-be Rambo", or a "mall ninja" for carrying a knife for self-defense than I would call someone a "wanna-be commando", or a "wanna-be gunfighter" for carrying a gun for self-defense.

 

[Gaston444]

Very good points Killgar.

To which I would add that not only are knives much lighter (and less expensive) than guns, but also that this weight is not a compact mass but a long thin and slim mass, which takes them in a completely different territory of ease of carry... If I had to deal with the mass of a gun, I'd rather move elsewhere than carry this heavy lump on a routine basis...

Gaston

 

[Bobby3326]

Many knives are made specifically as "weapons". Some are made specifically with self-defense in mind. I believe that Spyderco has produced a few models of folding knives over the years that were/are specifically designed for self-defense. And I believe they were designed by self-defense instructors.

I also know of two police departments who have incorporated the use of knives for self-defense and weapons-retention into their regular training (and I don't doubt there are more). I imagine that the senior LEO's making the decision to spend money on such training, and on supplying their officers with knives, know more about dealing with violent criminals than most people on this forum.

Yes, but now you're talking about TRAINED individuals, not a everyday civilian who decided to go buy a knife and carry it thinking that it'll save him in the event of being attacked. For a normal person without any training to think they're going to be ready when that mugger with a machete decides you're his next victim just bc your packing a "combat"knife from bass pro is absolutely absurd and not realistic. We're talking real life not the movies where the good guy always wins.

 

[Quiet]

Funny but I had an exchange about this very thing not too long ago, when someone pointed out Boy Scout knives were not big and more along the lines of the "Bushcraft" fad: Unfortunately for their argument, there are other Boy Scouts than the Boy Scouts of America...

This below is what for 60 years was known all over Europe, and most of all France, as THE "Boyscout Knife" , it was in fact so standard that it is referred to as a "Boy Scout Knife", and never any other name, in all the catalogs of the numerous makers that made them in the millions for the Boyscouts of France, Germany and Belgium: This is the most common French model, a 7" blade, 11" overall Sabatier Jeune "Couteau Scout":

Ask any Frenchman of a certain age and nothing else comes to mind for a Boyscout knife... A bit light-bladed, owing to the true distal taper, but superbly made and very sharp, and often used by soldiers as a combat knife, including my father who fought carrying it, and sometimes with it, in Algeria...

There are other styles, including some heftier ones of about the same length, meant for older kids, but basically this was THE standard to be issued to ten or twelve year old Boyscouts from the 20s until the 1960s. They were rarely much shorter than 6 inches, though for younger kids they went smaller.

Of course in the 1970s, political correctness and all that meant that subsequent generations had to make do with a lot less knife than that... So you see, no, not even your most blithe assumptions as to what constitutes a "Boy Scout knife" can be relied upon...: This is actually the only knife that bears this name and no other, and even the soldiers that carried it into battle called it "The Boy Scout Knife".

Man, if you can't even rely on the Boy Scouts, what is a pocket knife fan to do?

Gaston

You spout so much nonsense, it makes my head hurt. No one here cares about some French knife called a "Boy Scout Knife". In fact, nice attempt at discounting the Boy Scouts of America, an organization that's over a century old. There are actually PLENTY of "Boy Scout Knives" which are all folding Swiss Army style knives. THOSE are what come to mind when someone says "Boy Scout knife", not this large camp knife you're showing (well apparently unless you're a "Frenchman of a certain age). If you don't like that, then go join a French knife board and you can talk about them to your heart's content. But here, in America (where a majority of BF members are from), this is what a Boy Scout knife brings to mind:

Actually, they sell these knives as "Boy Scout Knives" today, so you're 100% incorrect that that knife you posted is somehow "the only knife that bears that name". You really need to get your facts straight, thanks.

The fact that you always post something seemingly designed to denigrate or condescend makes me wonder why you're even a member here.

 

[Carboniferous]

If I'm going to carry something that is too big for my pocket and is being carried for the purposes of self defense, I'm going with a handgun over a fixed blade. If the other guy doesn't have a knife I'm not going to escalate the situation, if he does have a knife I'm certainly not going to get into a knife fight with him, and if he has a gun I'm either going to do whatever I possibly can to avoid a violent resolution or I'm going to pull something that gives me a chance of surviving (ie not a knife).

 

[Quiet]

This is actually the only knife that bears this name and no other, and even the soldiers that carried it into battle called it "The Boy Scout Knife".


Gaston

I'm sorry Gaston, what was that? What? Sorry, I can't hear you over that giant sucking wind sound.

http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/camping/knives-accessories/knives/knife-bs-pocket.html#.VmSYdeKpoT4

 

[Wilsonhome]

Very good points Killgar.

To which I would add that not only are knives much lighter (and less expensive) than guns, but also that this weight is not a compact mass but a long thin and slim mass, which takes them in a completely different territory of ease of carry... If I had to deal with the mass of a gun, I'd rather move elsewhere than carry this heavy lump on a routine basis...

Gaston

I won't at all argue with you on what you might carry for your own protection, your choice. I will point out that there are a number of pistols you might look at which can be carried just as easily, if not more so, than an 8-10 inch knife. The Ruger LC9, Kahr & Kimber Solo Carry (my favorite of the three) can be concealed easily and in a proper holster are barely noticeable. I am sure there are others.

Back to knives...

 

[johned]

Doesn't that French "Boy Scout Knife" have the blade and handle profile of a genuine Period Bowie. Being made from the old Trade Knife the Bowie didn't have any belly as the Frenchy doesn't.

I found the European history interesting. he International Boy Scouts have a jamboree annually and the intent is to introduce our scouts to Scouts of the world and trade information and experience foreign customs. OUR refers to all nationalities as spoken by them.

We are BSA and that stands for B...S...America. They seem to be careful to be specific and I doubt that has anything to do with PC.

I have traveled all over the world and I have experienced the same resentment everywhere: We tend to think of our nation as superior in all things regardless. The French are particularly offended by our expectation that everyone speaks English and they turn a deaf ear to anyone that will not even try to speak French to a Frenchman in France. But if you try to muddle thru with some French they will usually smile and start to speak English. They have rules and you should know them if you visit. On the other hand I have never been so offended as I was with the French nationals that worked on the Air Force base outside Paris. Horrid manners.

John

 

[craytab]

Very good points Killgar.

To which I would add that not only are knives much lighter (and less expensive) than guns, but also that this weight is not a compact mass but a long thin and slim mass, which takes them in a completely different territory of ease of carry... If I had to deal with the mass of a gun, I'd rather move elsewhere than carry this heavy lump on a routine basis...

Gaston

The basics of why a gun is far, far, far better for SD is well documented. If you are serious about SD you will get a gun. If you are serious but choose not to get a gun then you are a fool. If you are serious about SD but can't get a gun then you are at serious disadvantage. To think other wise is ignorant. Silly weight mass distribution arguments and what not are dumb. I am not an overly large muscle man. I carry a glock 26 with an extra mag from a Glock 17 with me everyday. If someone is too weak to do this, it sure as hell won't help them to have a 10" hollow handle knife on them. They might as well already be dead if it came down to it.

And you really want to post stuff about how awesome the French are with their weapons? How well has that gone for them in recent history? Seems like they are getting their ass's saved all the time by countries with real weapons. I won't even get into the boyscout garbage you posted. You really hate us don't you.

If you keep posting this stuff and you are not trolling on purpose then I truly feel sorry for you.

 

[craytab]

I won't at all argue with you on what you might carry for your own protection, your choice. I will point out that there are a number of pistols you might look at which can be carried just as easily, if not more so, than an 8-10 inch knife. The Ruger LC9, Kahr & Kimber Solo Carry (my favorite of the three) can be concealed easily and in a proper holster are barely noticeable. I am sure there are others.

Back to knives...

He can't carry any of them.

 

[johned]

"If you keep posting this stuff and you are not trolling on purpose then I truly feel sorry for you" Now that is well done.:thumbup: