Why do people stare at someone wearing a multitool or a knife??

Probably mostly out of curiosity.
It doesn't so much bother me.
Most people think it's odd to see a girl carrying around pocket knives.
So that could be part of it.

But mostly I think it's because they haven't seen it and they really do wonder what that is hanging in your pocket or on your belt, and if they figured out what it is they may wonder what type or what it looks like, so they look at it lol.

Other people find it odd or scary. If it makes them nervous they may keep their eye on it to make sure it stays where it is.

It's ignorant but it's how it is.

I don't let it bother me and continue to enjoy my knives and carry them as I please.
 
markksr said:
Only in California...

:p :D :)
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In Texas, it depends on the tone. If someone said something like what was described here, the "friend" would likely be taken as sarcasm as well. Hell, there's even a John Wayne movie where he comments on it(The Commancheros, I think). "There's another one of those fellas that uses that 'friend' word real carelessly"
 
DShiflet said:
In Texas, it depends on the tone. If someone said something like what was described here, the "friend" would likely be taken as sarcasm as well. Hell, there's even a John Wayne movie where he comments on it(The Commancheros, I think). "There's another one of those fellas that uses that 'friend' word real carelessly"
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I know this is off topic butt that is my favorite John Wayne movie of all time!
 
I talk to cops about what knives, flashlights, and pens they carry. I think they're surprised to see that I know the knives and stuff lol.
 
Especially nowadays, threats can come from anywhere and everywhere. People see what you're carrying and thus who you are, as a threat instead of an individual who is prepared.
 
The VA clinics and hospitals greet entering vets (as an added thanks for the service I guess) with a sign prohibiting not only firearms but any knife whatsoever regardless of size as well as "any weapon" just as a catch all so they can nail you for having a fingernail file or scissors I suspect. I would bet it especially rankles those who are only recently returned from war zones where carrying their M4 was mandatory but are now not trusted with a sharp pencil.
 
I don't need to "wear" knives, so I don't. For me, discretion is the better part of valor.
 
They are scared. Those not into knives probably would not be able to tell the difference between a multitool and a knife. People like to keep an eye on things such as knives, guns that can potentially wound or kill. Perhaps he was staring and wonder what knife/multitool you had.
 
Sparq said:
They are scared.
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Yes, they are. The last thing I want to do is draw attention to myself by frightening them further, especially if I have no good reason to do so. And neither my convenience nor my desire to prove to everyone how hip, slick and cool I am by wearing a knife are good enough reasons for me.
 
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I would say depending on were people live and their backgrounds it's likely due to them not being around knives and or used to them and or people carrying them so they look.

It's very possible that it makes them nervous, and that also depends on how the person looks that is carrying the knife and or how they handle themselves.
 
Ankerson said:
It's very possible that it makes them nervous . . .
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. . . especially in this day and age. So unless I absolutely have to, I choose not to run that risk. For me it's a matter of being willing to put other people's feelings in front of my own as well as protect myself from their prying eyes and unreasonable biases. This much I can tell you. There's far more danger lurking in simply wearing my knife than I'll likely ever have to rely on my knife to counteract.
 
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bld522 said:
. . . especially in this day and age. So unless I absolutely have to, I choose not to run that risk. And so far, at least, I haven't had to. For me it's a matter of being willing to consider the feelings of others. But that's just me . . .
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Yes society has a lot to do with it I think and the fact that knives are portrayed as weapons on TV and in the movies along with the tactical type advertising really doesn't help the whole situation.

Then there are those types who think they are (enter actors name) and dress like them and think they are some kind of operator dressing like they are going into a combat zone, that just adds to the above problems.
 
angle iron said:
The VA clinics and hospitals greet entering vets (as an added thanks for the service I guess) with a sign prohibiting not only firearms but any knife whatsoever regardless of size as well as "any weapon" just as a catch all so they can nail you for having a fingernail file or scissors I suspect. I would bet it especially rankles those who are only recently returned from war zones where carrying their M4 was mandatory but are now not trusted with a sharp pencil.
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Same stupid **** here, german soldiers may not carry their issued knives off-base (one-hand-lockers are forbidden to carry) because they might "young and not stable enough in their character". Old enough to die in some third-world ****hole they are, but carrying a knife is verboten. Makes my blood boil :mad:
 
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C_Becker said:
Same stupid shit here, german soldiers may not carry their issued knives off-base (one-hand-lockers are forbidden to carry) because they might "young and not stable enough in their character". Old enough to die in some third-world s***hole they are, but carrying a knife is verboten. Makes my blood boil :mad:
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I'd recommend watching your language in the General section. Might get in trouble if a mod sees.
 
Ankerson said:
Yes society has a lot to do with it I think and the fact that knives are portrayed as weapons on TV and in the movies along with the tactical type advertising really doesn't help the whole situation.

Then there are those types who think they are (enter actors name) and dress like them and think they are some kind of operator dressing like they are going into a combat zone, that just adds to the above problems.
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So what do we as responsible knife owners do about it? Do we flaunt the fact that we're carrying knives in the public's face by wearing them when most of us don't really need to? Frankly I don't see that as a solution. Keeping a low profile by concealing my knife in my pocket and displaying it only when I really need to use it seems to be a lot more sensible approach to me.
 
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