Why is it that most Women don't seem to GET it?

Rick

Rick

Joined
Nov 27, 1998
Messages
2,602
Out of the 2000+ forum members, how many are female? Perhaps five or six? Why aren't women interested in knives? Is it societal conditioning? Genetic imperative or the lack thereof? We're "hunters" while they're "gatherers?" I've amassed a rather beautiful (to me) knife collection and my wife doesn't give it a second glance. Or, I'll show her a breath taking, newly acquired Damascus hand made and she'll say "don't ya have one of those already?" How strange! I definitely don't what to step on any female toes here (gawd forbid)!!! I just want to understand why women seem so indifferent to that which most of us are so very obsessed over. Knives don't strike me as being in the same category as guns, cars, and other smelly "guy stuff." They are quiet, graceful, works of art (well, some of 'em are anyway
smile.gif
).

I'll bet there's a forum out there somewhere with a post that reads: "Why don't Guys GET needlepoint?"
 
It has always puzzled me too! God love em all, they're just differently made. I've finally decided to enjoy both the similarities and differences. What else can you do?

There are those few rare ladies who enjoy knives. I always enjoy hearing their opinions on knives, because they come from a different make up/perspective than I do.

To sum it up - Viva La Difference!
 
Just think about all the guys who don't "get it." All of your friends who jump when you open a 3" folder, or who constantly ask you "what's that for?" while clawing helplessly at a package or trying to open their potato chips with their teeth. Yeah, it seems as if so few women are interested in knives, but I like to look at is 99% of women not understanding the value and beauty of knives and 97% of guys feeling likewise. Doesn't seem like such a huge difference then, does it?

Of course, my sweetheart has a nicer collection than I do, so I speak from a certain bias...

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 
women don't get excited about knives for the same reason we don't get frantic around a shoe store, go figure..
 
Perhaps there is not enough sales on knives or they do not have anything that accesorizes with it. They should make handbags, skirts, etc. with hidden pockets that are readily accesible. Perhaps sales would increase. Ever notice how a woman will spend $100 on something she does not want, but it is on sale - and a man will spend $100 for something that is really worth $80 if he wants it? What gives?

Regards,
Glen
 
I´ve been selling custom knives for some eight years now and got very used to my mother saiyng "Isn´t it just like the one you already have?".
Serious. I have met only about two or three women with a slight interest in knives, and only one who really knows about it.
I really have no idea on how to change this situation but maybe men are just more willing to collect things in an orderly way than women, as they seem to prefer to choose the things they collect in a random manner - at least to our untrained eyes!

Ivan
 
hey hey hey!

I was very fortunate to not have a father who only expected me to wash dishes and get married. I went out shooting with him and my brother since I got big enough to handle one, even though most of the time the rifles would be longer than I was tall. Knives came at my own accord; neither of them had any real interest in them other than absolute utilitarian purposes.

I think more dads should realize that we are not "dainty little flowers weak and helpless". The longer this senselessness is beat into our heads, then we will continue to be easy victims of violent crime and abuse. I was fortunate to not be one.

I also don't consider guns, knives, and cars to be a "guy thing", even though it seems to "traditionally" so. I'd much rather go to a good gun or car show than to a garden club meeting or doily making workshop.
 
Oh, and one more thing. I have a really good guy friend who's not into guns and knives. He caught me looking up holsters the other day. He looks at me and shakes his head and thinks something is wrong with me. I'm not sure if that's because of the gun/knife/freak thing, or because I'm a female gun/knife/freak. I guess I should be crocheting a blanket or something!
 
I can echo some of runt's sentiments...
Women can be informed, educated and interested about "guy stuff" without being a total gear-head. Some guys are turned off by women with testosterone driven interests, some are turned on.
Truthfully, in younger days...(ok ok ok its still true) I favored gun and knife shows, and racetracks (I LOVE the races) 'cause thats where the MEN were.....lol!
Now that I'm older, I can respect the craftsmanship and quality in a good firearm or piece of cutlery, and appreciate the time and effort that goes into making them. There's certainly no shame, nor should there be any honor in having hobbies like guns, knives and cars.
Of course, working at Spyderco kinda makes you an instant collector, too.....
Danelle
 
PJ, LOL

No but the new high tech sewing machinces now have a knife pattern stich
smile.gif


Just kidding ladies....

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
www.wowinc.com




 
My wife tells me all knives look alike ...
How can that be?
I really don't understand how she thinks that?

I can buy a knife today and buy another one a week from now and she will think it's the same knife!

My daughter is starting to say the same thing as her now. GLAD my twin boys can tell that all knives are not the same so I am not the odd ball at home!

Mark
 
Most women don't think the Three Stooges are very funny either. Go figure.

I agree with runt, to a degree. I am out numbered 3 to 1 (1 wife & 2 daughters), but I still try to assert/argue my male point of view regularly. I want my daughters to be tough (to a point) and understand if not participate in the way that men think and act. I think it gives them a marked advantage in the real world.

Because of this, my girls appreciate the aesthetic value of well made cutlery but, they do so with much reserve and usually a ho-hum attitude. After every one of my well orchestrated diatribes is over, they still prefer to wear dresses and run straight to the toy section at Wal-mart to look at Barbies. They collect and use these with the same vigor I play with knives. Its got to be those darned female genes. Lord knows I've done my best to indoctrinate them.
 
I don't have a ton of female friends, but the majority of the ones I have(in their 20's) are quite fascinated with bladeware(yeah, even the tactical kind). However, only one of them trains in their use(Pencak Silat) and more so than the others, I think she can truly appreciate their functional beauty like most 'guys' can.
I guess I'm just lucky that pretty much everyone I know is comfortable with me and my 'companions'. I just wouldn't have it any other way....

Ken
 
I dont have a daughter, but I decided a long time ago that if I ever have one I will raise her to be independant. I don't think that any woman should have to be dependant on a man. If I had a daughter I would take her shooting, camping, and other things that I would do with my son. I certainly don't want to raise my daughter to be a VICTIM.
 
I think Runt has a good point.
I for one am going to get my daughter interested in my fascination with sharppointythings(she already is).
Of course I will teach her the basics and such. If she chooses to pursue that interest so be it, if not, well, maybe my next kid is a boy.
wink.gif

Either way, art is art, wether it's a Renoir or a Darrel Ralph Damascus Krait it is something to be admired and enjoyed.

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!
 
I'm just lucky I guess - the best knives my wife and I own are presents from each other...she's knife trained (eclectic), and black belts in judo / ju jutsu, and karate. She's a lot of fun and good back-up.

A wonderful lady that won't spend any time in a forum, she's "too busy to sit around and yak all day!"

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The Fighting Old Man

 
Heck, I'm lucky I married one of the good ones. She's an auto racing nut, wakes up before I do half the time to catch the live F1 feed from Europe, and works in a motorsports hall of fame and museum. Great perks. She's a winner with knives and guns as well. Some examples:

On my getting home from the range one day, "You're home early, what happened? (In an Elmer Fudd-type voice) No more buwwets? I'll clear the table so you can clean things up."

On putzing with my ASP baton for an hour or so while watching TV, "This is really cool, lots of play value. Uh, kinda phallic, too, ya know?"

An often heard request when she's out of reach of the Calypso Jr. in her purse, and needs to cut something, "Reeve me!"

Upon waving around my new Busse INFI Steel Heart, "That damn cat better leave my plants alone! Just one lop is all it would take..."

Ah, that's my little wacko.
smile.gif


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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.


 
Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday.

Guys, think of it as an occasion to buy a woman a good knife!

Curious, that knives should be a "guy thing" when in the "traditional" houshold most knife work is done by momma, since she does most of the cooking.

Curious, that guys should buy $100 hunting knives and $10 kitchen knives.

Curious, that I've never heard a guy say "I hate knives!" or "Knives scare me!", but I have seen a few guys guys cringe when I open, in the most non-threatening manner I can, a 2" CA-legal switchblade.

And if we can figure out how to break through that cultural barrier, we folks in the knife trade can nearly double our sales! The tobacco industry
frown.gif
did it but we don't have quite the budget for advertising that they had.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
 
Believe me, I have tried to get my daughter interested in sharpy things as well ... she was starting to at first, but then the wife pulled her over to her side! My boys, don't have to worry about them turning the other way, they think they know as much about knives as I do and they are only 10. They want some of my knives so bad, they can taste it. They just got their first knife, as SWISS ARMY knife. Next year when they become BoyScouts I promissed them they can have their pick of any of the knives I have put away for them, under supervision of course.

Love them all!!! But,
I guess the morrow of my story is:
Like Mother like Daughter,
Like Father like Sons!

Mark


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" Knife Collectors Are Sharp People -- Most of the time, that is! "
Click to expand...




[This message has been edited by Mark W Douglas (edited 04 May 1999).]
 
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