Why do YOU care what OTHER PEOPLE think of your knife?

[AndreLinoge]

I've noticed an alarming phenomenon among members of this forum-set.. The concept of 'sheeple friendly'... I see people not picking certain knives because of how other people might percieve the knife. I see things like 'people get nervous when I pull out x knife'.. Or 'I use this knife when people are around because its not intimidating'.. Or something along those lines..
Why would you let someone elses stupidity/fear/ignorance dictate what choice you make for a cutting tool? If you were going to do that 'for realz' you would have to forgo carrying one at all.. Because maybe someone you might see, or that might see you with your knife wouldnt be comfortable around ANY knfe.
As a knife person, I have never once given any thought to what people NOT carrying MY KNIFE might think if they see it get whipped out and used, so this concern for other people's 'comfort' is completely alien to me.

Whatchu talkin bout, Willis? How do you justify it? Why bother? Whats wrong with growing a set and carrying what you like?

 

[The Aflac Duck]

Why do YOU care about OTHER PEOPLE that care what OTHER PEOPLE think about their knives?

 

[benchwarmer380]

I carry what I want.

With that said, I can understand why some people would opt to carry a nice clean traditional as opposed to an XL Cold Steel to the park just to cut up some fruit.

Caring what other people think and understanding how you are perceived by the world aren't always the same.

 

[blade dude]

there are situations ie church, weddings etc when i guess a traditional folder would just be overall dressier and better looking than atanto or something but unless its a self defense knife in which case skulls and crap on it wont look good in court when you stabbed someone in self defense with it covered in skulls or something, "scariness" really shouldnt matter. im a tactical guy for sure when its edc so i know my black spring assisted tanto may scare people but atleast in this area people dont care.

 

[AndreLinoge]

Why do YOU care about OTHER PEOPLE that care what OTHER PEOPLE think about their knives?

I see what you did there...

I must study things that baffle me.

 

[THR-Thumper]

I'm fortunate to live in an area where people don't really give a second glance to knives.

...I am careful, however, not to go out of my way to shock folks with some of my larger knives. Mostly because I'm not socially retarded.

People vote.

 

[herisson]

I live in an era and a time where knives are perceived as agressive and weapons... Not much I can do about it. However, understanding the current situation around me, the attitude of people, the "temperature"of the surroundings is to me a part of "natural skills and common sense". I like to keep this as sharp as my knives, so to speak. So, while I actually don't care what people (whatever they may be) "think", I am applying reasonable care in deploying my knives. Including not using any in a hospital, air terminal, railroad station, whatever, while "the fear is on !".

 

[firefighterguy]

I encountered my first experience like that. My father asked if I had a knife on me. I whipped out a rat 2 and my father said, wow I would say you have a knife!" He couldn't believe how big it was.

So ya, I did care about it when it was my father. Had it been a stranger I wouldn't have cared. I'm still going to carry the same knives, but I am considering getting a smaller one like a dragon fly to carry as well.

Ever since that I have been a little cautious about whipping my large knives in public.

Knife people simply don't understand the needs for larger knives. It makes them uncomfortable. I would rather than say to themselves, "I'm really glad he had a knife maybe I should start carrying one". Versus, "wow that knife was huge I don't understand why someone should carry that."

 

[jc57]

i believe that is shorthand for "I don't want to get in trouble at work." Either there is a "no knife" policy that is not enforced strictly so they can get away with something small, or there isn't a policy yet but they don't want an official rule created.

I don't think most people are particularly concerned what a stranger might think about them if they were out in public and not violating laws.

 

[davek14]

I mostly care about if my knife matches my shoes.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

A. Common courtesy. Indulging your own knife whims despite the discomfort of others is, frankly, rude. B. Avoiding unwanted attention. Pulling out a large tactical folder in a crowd is going to get you noticed. Some of the attention may actually be positive, i.e. "Cool knife, man! Can I see it?" but even that can be a hassle many want to avoid. C. Often, no matter how much of an iconoclast you view yourself as, what others think of you MATTERS. If your boss or, in my case, customers think you're a psychopath do you really think they're going to want to be around you? Heck, if someone gets stabbed on my street I DON'T want to be the guy they immediately think of, the one who's always waving around his collection of great big, pointy things. Just because these things have not affected you does not mean they cannot/have not affected others here.

I carry large modern folders because I find them convenient and comfortable and the majority of my cutting is done out of sight of the public. I carry a SAK style slipjoint because of the reasons listed above.

 

[AndreLinoge]

...
Caring what other people think and understanding how you are perceived by the world aren't always the same.

They are never the same, but always related: if you do the former, the latter comes into play.
So the question sharpens to: why would the world's perception of you based on your knife choice concern you?

I open carry. I see people notice it and either disregard it or avoid me. I notice their perception of me, but I dont care. The fact that it might make some 'uncomfortable' doesnt change my habits regarding it. The fact that I may be percieved in a certain way is noted, sure, but it doesnt make any decisions for me. My willingness to tolerate perceptions is what has the biggest impact on my decisions concerning others' perceptions.

The church example is moot. If you need to use a knife in church, you need a knife. The knife needs to do a chore and be put away. It doesnt need to sit there and make everyone else more comfortable around an 'evil' blade while its not knifing. That's not the purpose of a knife, rather the responsibility of the knife operator. Safe, casual use of a blade will do more for perception enhancement than appearances ever could, I think.

 

[palonej]

I could care less.....BUT......I live in NJ.....the land that is ruled by soccer moms. If anything but a SAK is removed from a pocket in public you'll see them pull their kids in closer and reach for a phone.
No joke.
Joe

 

[Mike45ACP]

This, in upstate NY no one really cares what you carry. In all my years I don't think I've ever had anyone comment on a knife I was carrying. Then again as Thumper said I usually don't carry a machete into my local bank.

Mike

I'm fortunate to live in an area where people don't really give a second glance to knives.

...I am careful, however, not to go out of my way to shock folks with some of my larger knives. Mostly because I'm not socially retarded.

People vote.

 

[bld522]

Whatchu talkin bout, Willis? How do you justify it? Why bother? Whats wrong with growing a set and carrying what you like?

Walk a mile in my shoes and then we'll talk about it. Until then, the notion that one needs to grow a set and do something that puts their livelihood in jeopardy is simply preposterous. That's not the definition of courage. That's the definition of stupidity.

 

[Yalius]

Because most of the people I spend time around are co-workers, friends, family members... People who I prefer to be solicitous of their feelings and prefer to keep at ease. It doesn't really affect me that much if I change to a slightly smaller or less aggressive-looking blade, and it sets the people around me-- who I do have some fondness for-- in a more comfortable mood, why wouldn't I?

 

[AndreLinoge]

A. Common courtesy. Indulging your own knife whims despite the discomfort of others is, frankly, rude. B. Avoiding unwanted attention. Pulling out a large tactical folder in a crowd is going to get you noticed. Some of the attention may actually be positive, i.e. "Cool knife, man! Can I see it?" but even that can be a hassle many want to avoid. C. Often, no matter how much of an iconoclast you view yourself as, what others think of you MATTERS. If your boss or, in my case, customers think you're a psychopath do you really think they're going to want to be around you? Heck, if someone gets stabbed on my street I DON'T want to be the guy they immediately think of, the one who's always waving around his collection of great big, pointy things. Just because these things have not affected you does not mean they cannot/have not affected others here.

I carry large modern folders because I find them convenient and comfortable and the majority of my cutting is done out of sight of the public. I carry a SAK style slipjoint because of the reasons listed above.

Psychopath, he says... Do you judge folks' mental stability by what knife they carry, or how they act? How would the safe, casual use of your large assisted folder make you look like a psychopath moreso than if you whipped out your SAK and started chewing on it mumbling how it tastes like squirrel blood still?

If my boss or my client is willing to make that perception call on what knife they see me cutting something with, then they are the LAST people's perceptive judgement I should worry about. They have problems, and I wont work for the one, and the other isnt welcome in my store.

 

[AndreLinoge]

Walk a mile in my shoes and then we'll talk about that. Until then, the notion that one needs to grow a set to do something that puts their livelihood in jeopardy is simply preposterous. That's not the definition of courage. That's the definition of stupidity.

Elaborate. Please.

How does my pocket knife choice get me killed?

Editops.. You meant job. Sorry. I would't know. I'm self employed.

 

[Boats]

This context of "scaring the sheeple" isn't so much what is going on with many folks. In clothing, when going out you put on your "Sunday's best" to get a bit formal. Why not go to a Mother's Day brunch in cut-off fatigues and a wife beater if you find that comfortable? It's about propriety.

Many people have what is called a "barbecue gun" that they conceal carry for social occasions rather than hiding a huge lump of utilitarian plastic. This piece is usually a polished blue, nickel plated, or stainless snub nose revolver with fancy grips, smaller and more "social" than a Glock or a 5" 1911.

I don't carry a Spyderco Military while in a suit. That is the time for a traditional folder with bone scales or the like, or something tremendously slim like a Douk Douk.

When I volunteer and am wearing jeans around people I don't necessarily know, I carry a large folder for those just in case moments where its size or lock strength matters, and it never comes out to play when my SAK Farmer can do the job without providing a "teachable moment."

 

[stabman]

Elaborate. Please.

How does my pocket knife choice get me killed?

Livelihood, not life. (great, now I see you edited it as I typed )
As in your job...having one tends to make lots of things easier...like buying more knives.

I know you say you'd stop working for someone that doesn't accept your knife, but would you really throw away a good job just to be able to whip out whatever knife you feel like?
Good jobs aren't really very plentiful in most places.

I carry what I want and use them as I like, but there's a difference between that and being crass.
Some venues aren't appropriate for some topics...I didn't tell the people I met today to discuss a university presentation coming up about the 12 gauge shotgun I just ordered which has 12 inch barrels (which is damned cool :thumbup. It would not have furthered things in a positive fashion.