Why is carrying a knife looked down upon by those who dont?

[Klok]

Try explaining to a cop your reasoning for having a spaznats shovel strapped to your back, funny thing turns out its legal for me to carry the shovel but not a little folder that had a sharpened swedge...

 

[M67]

Some people always look at me like I'm freaking crazy for carrying a knife or two.

I don't see what the big deal is.

 

[Folderguy]

Some people always look at me like I'm freaking crazy for carrying a knife or two.

I don't see what the big deal is.

Ummm.... maybe these pics are in people's minds when they see you carrying a knife or two...

 

[M67]

I've actually been called that I think.


I don't carry a knife on me that big all the time though.

 

[Robert.B]

In KS where I'm moving to they would notice that he's Mexican before noticing the machetes (really REALLY small town, mostly farmers and 4 hours from nearest major city) lol...but in Australia where I am atm they'd call in the military for that!

I find it funny how the local media can twist the people's mindset...seems a lot of people are easily persuaded to the anti side of the fence with no rational thought to things, which is why i often play it cool and identify who the sheeple are and who will be ok if i use a knife for a genuine task.

 

[Buffalohump]

I think its a symptom of a bigger picture of just how far we have moved away from doing stuff ourselves. Now everything gets done for us by corporations and the government.

I think of those really fat people in their little flying chairs in WALL-E. That's where this society is headed it feels to me. Everyone just taking orders, staring at a screen, too fat and lazy to get off their asses and think for themselves or do something for themselves.

The more removed we become from the LAND the more useless we become.
Fishing and hunting for the pot and growing your own veggies are essential skills that should be passed on from generation to generation. And if you think of it, a knife is an essential tool when you grow/hunt and prepare your own food.

But I guess there's always McDonalds....

 

[Foilist]

I think its a symptom of a bigger picture of just how far we have moved away from doing stuff ourselves. Now everything gets done for us by corporations and the government.

I think of those really fat people in their little flying chairs in WALL-E. That's where this society is headed it feels to me. Everyone just taking orders, staring at a screen, too fat and lazy to get off their asses and think for themselves or do something for themselves.

The more removed we become from the LAND the more useless we become.
Fishing and hunting for the pot and growing your own veggies are essential skills that should be passed on from generation to generation. And if you think of it, a knife is an essential tool when you grow/hunt and prepare your own food.

But I guess there's always McDonalds....

Well put. I have been feeling the same way for some time.

 

[Tyronethepro]

Where I live in Washington state it has always been socially acceptable to carry a knife, but when i go into town i get a lot of surprised looks from people, when i pull it out to open up a simple wrapper or piece of packaging, you wouldn't believe the looks i get, they think i might be insane. I don't understand how people are against carrying the most useful thing ever made.

 

[Folderguy]

I think its a symptom of a bigger picture of just how far we have moved away from doing stuff ourselves. Now everything gets done for us by corporations and the government.

I think of those really fat people in their little flying chairs in WALL-E. That's where this society is headed it feels to me. Everyone just taking orders, staring at a screen, too fat and lazy to get off their asses and think for themselves or do something for themselves.

The more removed we become from the LAND the more useless we become.
Fishing and hunting for the pot and growing your own veggies are essential skills that should be passed on from generation to generation. And if you think of it, a knife is an essential tool when you grow/hunt and prepare your own food.

But I guess there's always McDonalds....

A friend of mine (who passed away a few years ago) had only one tooth left on the top, right in the middle, and there was a gap in his lowers for that tooth. I really don't know why he didn't get a set of dentures to fix the problem, that one tooth and his chomping action could handle all McDonald's fare all day long. He tended to go for softer foods. He was a terror to see laughing with his mouth wide open and that honkin' long tooth exposed for all to see. I wasn't the only person to strongly suggest he get his teeth fixed, but he never did so. Guess he didn't want to spend the money on it. And there very likely was a large element of laziness present too...

 

[ubuwalker31]

Why is carrying a knife looked down upon by those who dont?

Simple answer: The knife itself causes fear. This isn't unreasonable, cultural, or liberal. It is a rational response to perceived danger. People will behave differently in the presence of a knife, rifle, or other potential weapon or dangerous tool. It is a matter of self-preservation. These types of initial reactions are hard (if not impossible) to control, since it is an instinctual hardwired response. This is a good thing. If someone entered your house late at night with a knife, I sure as hell want my wife to scream LOUD to alert me and the family.

That said, AFTER this initial response, people need to calm the heck down and put everything in context. Am I sitting at my desk peeling an orange? Am I in the breakroom kitchen cutting up ingredients for a salad? Am I breaking down cardboard boxes?

I would understand someone being upset if I were tossing throwing knives while at work. Or menacing other employees with it.

The real issue, of course, is that some people don't understand why you would carry a knife, since it is a dangerous tool. This requires a brief explanation along the lines of:

a) I am going fishing after work, and besides, I was an Eagle Scout, so I always carry one with me anyway.

b) I was walking through the mall one day, and my shoe laces got caught in the escalator. Luckily, I was able to cut them with my knife before I got mauled, unlike these unlucky people.

c) If someone challenges the legality of my life, I quickly cite the rules: It is less than 4 inches with only one side sharpened. If someone replies, "but it is a switchblade" I'll calmly reply that it is an assisted opener, and that this knife does not open automatically or by gravity, and that switchblades have buttons in the handle of this knife.

d) If someone is especially snarky about my need to carry a knife, I say that I carry it just in case to perform emergency first aid tasks, like cutting bandages, seat belts, and performing an emergency episiotomy [Warning: Graphic].

 

[batosai117]

I wonder why they don't realize that these are still the same tools and weapons in the hands of LEOS. And why there's no objection from them when the LEOs here in our country are often less responsible than legally armed citizens.

That's one hell of a generalization :thumbdn:

I constantly hear about some of the local LE getting kicked out of the shooting range because they forget firearm safety. That's who I want busting down my door and accidentally discharging all over the place just to arrest me .

I hear that all the time about the average guys at my local shooting range...one actually rented a firearm and commited suicide not more than a few months ago...

It's not just at the shooting range that I'm talking about. How I wish that that was all we have to be worried about here.

I really wish you'd keep your personal bias about Law Enforcement out of this thread which is about people giving "the look" when knife users need their knives in real world situations.

My firearm and my knife are there and ready when they are needed. My duty knife is for seatbelt cutting and window breaking. My duty weapon is for protecting those who can't protect themselves and a last resort to make sure I come home to my family at the end of the day.

 

[A.P.F.]

I think its a symptom of a bigger picture of just how far we have moved away from doing stuff ourselves. Now everything gets done for us by corporations and the government.

I think of those really fat people in their little flying chairs in WALL-E. That's where this society is headed it feels to me. Everyone just taking orders, staring at a screen, too fat and lazy to get off their asses and think for themselves or do something for themselves.

The more removed we become from the LAND the more useless we become.
Fishing and hunting for the pot and growing your own veggies are essential skills that should be passed on from generation to generation. And if you think of it, a knife is an essential tool when you grow/hunt and prepare your own food.

But I guess there's always McDonalds....

Well said! Just recently I had occasion to go to the Doctor for an examination. I was wearing my Buck 110 as I always do. I mentioned this fact to him and said that I collect knives as well as carry them. He asked what I use them for and I replied that I use them for general utility purposes. He said that was as good a hobby as anything and was not otherwise bothered. Now, I have been carrying a knife for some 50 years and I'll be dipped if I am going to stop now, but from my experience, if you prepare people ahead of time, many problems can be eliminated.

 

[kurtras]

Although where I live (Saskatchewan, Canada) we are allowed to carry legal knives (i.e. not switchblades, gravity, etc) and I always carry a multitool and my EDC everywhere I go...even to work. But I get the feeling that people are looking at me as I carry them in sheaths on my belt along with my flashlight. However, I can't even re-call the amount of times that 'mockers' have needed my knife or flashlight. I try my best to be respectful and not showy with my knives and use them discretely...although sometimes I just want to show them off!

 

[tonijedi]

Although where I live (Saskatchewan, Canada) we are allowed to carry legal knives (i.e. not switchblades, gravity, etc) and I always carry a multitool and my EDC everywhere I go...even to work. But I get the feeling that people are looking at me as I carry them in sheaths on my belt along with my flashlight. However, I can't even re-call the amount of times that 'mockers' have needed my knife or flashlight. I try my best to be respectful and not showy with my knives and use them discretely...although sometimes I just want to show them off!

Just switch Canada to Portugal and it's the same for me man!
I have people coming here just asking for help "hey, do you have that tool of yours?" Some come directed by others "[insert name] told me you have a tool that solves everything..." I love multi-tools!

Edit: I remember once I made an improvised tweezers from a wire and used my flashlight at the same time to remove some paper that got stuck on the printer... it was like a surgery! My mate was so amazed that in the end I gave him my flashlight.

 

[zippin44]

I agree 100%, but I am not sure about the laws of having a knife on campus. Us "knife-carriers" view a knife simply as a tool(well, I imagine military,police,etc use it as a weapon) while everyone else automatically assumes its a weapon.

I started EDC'ing a ZT 0200 recently, and take it everywhere including work, but I didnt even try to take it to college because I know it would raise suspicion lol. Thats just the way it is.

Geesh, where I went to school, back in the early '80's, half the people were carrying guns and couldn't care less about a knife - and I met more than a few of the gun carriers that were girls!

 

[Folderguy]

I try my best to be respectful and not showy with my knives and use them discretely...although sometimes I just want to show them off!

Hey, if you have a good knife and you know the person you'll show it to will like it, why not?

However, it's wise to find out ahead of time if the person likes knives. If I have any doubt, I'll casually ask "Do you like good quality knives?" to check first. If there's any reluctance to answer in the affirmative, I'll likely not show anything. Some guys are skittish even about small knives, depending on their appearance, or how quickly they can open.

It's not a bad idea to have something like this one in your pocket if you absolutely need a blade for something, and you're somewhere that may be knife averse:

This little knife has a blade under 2 1/2" and the Damascus is thought to be cool by many.

Or perhaps one of those Case slip joint that your grandpa used to carry. Very little resistance to those, too.

 

[M67]

Geesh, where I went to school, back in the early '80's, half the people were carrying guns and couldn't care less about a knife - and I met more than a few of the gun carriers that were girls!

I went to a country high school and people had guns, they were muzzleloaders and shotguns that we used for hunting before school and as students, we didn't care, it was the teachers geting pissed and calling the cops.

Same way for the knives, people had them, some teachers cared, some didn't. Our day went on the exact same way each day.

When I got to college I carried one on me everywhere. A little pocket knife. Some of the city kids got freaked out. Country kids had one too so they didn't care. We weren't stabbing each other and slashing tires or mugging people. We just had them becuase they were a tool that we'd rather have on us and not need than need it and not have it.

It starts where you were brought up.

 

[Thalestin]

I've already responded once but you may as well ask...

Why is freedom looked down upon by the enslaved?

Never seen this before, but sure. BTW Freedom is not something that is black or white. Much like justice, happiness etc. By saying is something you have or you don't is not only ignorant, it is outright stupid.

 

[Dr Heelhook]

The opinion of many people around here, is basically that a sheath knife is something you carry in the woods, or possibly if you're a construction worker or something, a small swiss army type knife is something a normal person could carry sometimes if needed and a switch blade/butterfly knife is something that criminals carry. Many people don't know much about manual one handed opening knives and will probably mistake them for a switch blade if the saw one.

The knife laws in Sweden are a little diffuse. A lot of people have the preconception that it is illegal for a civilian to carry a knife in a public place, period, when what the law actually says is that it is illegal to carry a knife in a public place IF you plan on committing a crime with it. Reasonable carry and use of a pocket knife is therefore quite legal and the purpose of the law is of course to be able to catch criminals carrying knives, NOT to confiscate the pocket knives of honorable people. A lot of people don't know this though and therefore have a negative opinion of carrying a knife in the street.

 

[Krieger]

Deleted.