Why wont people realize that above all knives are TOOLS

R

Rifter

Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
774
God some people are so brain dead its just not even funny. I Tried explaining to one of my friends today why i carry a knife. I told him that I used it at work and that I also used it for any cutting task that may present itself. That you never know when you will need to cut/pry something. Or maybe there will be a earthquake(I live in vancouver, there is a VERY HIGH risk of eartquakes) And i may need to dig/cut my way out of a building. He just thinks im running around looking to get in a fight and stab someone. How do you people deal with ignorant little $%^&$%#@$# like my friend. Oh and he said this right after I helped him open a crate. Note that while trying to open this crate(crate contained a heater for there house and was nailed down pretty good at the top) he bent a butter knife to a 90 degree angle, broke another kitchen knife, and snaped a few plastic kitchen utensil's. Then and only then I took out my CS SRK and pryied the damn thing open. Then he has the nerve to ask why i carry such a knife! what a moron! Thats about as close as i have ever felt to kicking the living crap outta someone. How can someone be so ignorant?
 
It's an uphill battle unfortunately. But hang around here awhile and you'll find yourself well armed for dealing with the knife phobic public. I suggest you do a search for my post a few days back about the letter I sent to the editor of my local paper. Do the same. In the meantime, have a great holiday!:)
 
Rifter,

Don't bother with those people. I get my fair share of those non-knife people too. They don't believe me when I tell them that the last thing I would be looking for is a knife fight. I've seen pictures of that and I would rather speed down the slopes on my board at 100km/h or fly through the UBC trails at the same speeds before I get in a knife fight. I carry for the same reasons you do, ever since early high school. Sure, it might come in handy in a life or death scenario, but not likely since I watch where I go and what I do.

If I can't convince a person that the knife is mostly for utility within 2 minutes, then I just shrug and drop the whole thing. I don't have time for those people. I know I'm not a fanatic looking to prove myself. I just like being prepared. I also carry a book in my backpack in case I get bored somewhere. As well as a nail clipper, allergy pills and Advil...contact lens solution...blah blah blah. Just like to be prepared for anything. Why won't someone call me a bookworm or a geek? (Hmmm, I HAVE been called that! :))

So my advice, just let it go. Less stress on yourself and less stress on others. Help those around you if they need something cut then carry on. Makes MY life a lot easier than attempting to convert all others to be knife users. It's their loss.

Burton

PS, I also make a judgement call when to pull out my knife...if I think the person/people around me are not receptive to it, then I keep it in my pocket and hunt down another suitable tool. Saves myself a lot of grief.
 
Rumble

you may be on to something, it is there loss. I noticed you are from vancouver as well, how is the general population around here on seeing knives in public, i havent had mine long and havent had to talk to to many people about it, do most people around here flip out when they see a knife or what?
 
Most of the people that I use a knife around are my friends and family. They are used to it and they know who I am. So they don't judge me like a stranger might. Especially if I bring out anything larger than a 3 inch folder. But I watch myself at work...cuz you just don't know. I do use my BM 710 at work to cut fruit and boxes but that's all I bring out. The serrations alone are already eye catching and I don't need to preach about being a knife user if it's gonna compromise my job security/relations. And believe me, it might...I just don't think I have to prove anything. There are plenty of scissors and box cutters and letter openers at work to use too. And as a last resort, the in-house crew that can deal with this stuff, like the tech dept and the cleaning crew.

In public, I keep the knife show to a minimum...I honestly don't think most people would mind a knife being used but they might give you a funny look if you pulled it out in one motion, flick the folder, slice something open and re-holster the thing before they can blink. It's gives people the wrong impression. I'm not one to "turtle" if I need to make a point, but like I said before, I don't need to make a point all the time. Better to just be prudent.

I think Vancouver is laid back but also overly politically correct sometimes. I heard one time in a night class that some teachers/administrations in the community think that students should be called "learners" so that they don't have to feel inferior in any way to a "teacher"...you know...that two way street, you learn from me and I learn from you. I say, call a duck a duck. If you're here to take this class then you're a student. Learn something, then apply it later. You don't attend high school or like me, pay money for university, to teach the teacher. School is for education, not a forum for discussion...at least in concept. That's my rant! :)

I use knives cuz they are useful and I appreciate the various designs and artwork of many. I equate it to collecting stamps. (But that excuse doesn't seem to always work either.)

b
 
I'm forty(something), have always carried a knife, and I think maybe, MAYBE once someone said something about me having one. But I've always lived in relatively rural areas (small cities in rural states like MA, NH, CO, and OR). I'm amazed at these tales of the non thinking portion of our society, but am reminded of similar reactions about firearms.

Good luck convincing your "friend" of your sanity! :)

-- PG
 
Rifter, I know exacly what you are saying. Last week, I took a knife to ship to a fellow forumite at the local mailboxes etc, and I had a twenty minute conversation with the woman behind the counter trying to explain to her that I was not shipping a "weapon":mad: After finally listening to reason, she said she could understand my view but did not agree with it. It will be a long battle, but with rational thinking some people will see the light.

Dan Huff
 
Rifter, Sometimes your friend might agree with you ,but like most people
will NEVER admit that you might be right. Just watch what they do ...later
You never know ......your friend might quietly start carrying a knife too.

As for me, I just tell folk's I've never been without a knife why start now??
That question is one they don't want answer so the ball's in their court to answer
their own question.
 
People ask why do you carry a knife. I think to myself, because it's not worth the time of explanation, how can you possibly get through your day without one. Period!!! Nail clippers, scissors, box openers, even butter knives try to get along without them.
 
My great grandfather, grandfather, father, myself, and now my son :) , carried or carry a knife everyday. We actually find them quite useful. Along with this flashlight (photon), pen (cross ion), and leatherman. How can they not admit that I am one handy guy to have around. If people can't see that, then I pretty much can't spend any more time trying to convince them. I just can't imagine why you wouldn't have a knife. I guarantee you it will get used. In fact I saw some "SAK" style knives at Walmart for $.88. I think I will get a dozen and carry some to give to people I meet. Maybe show some non knife people the light.
 
You know, I'm a Corrections Officer in Southern Utah and even I can't get away from these people. I hate to say it but a couple of the people I get it from the most are CCW permit holders and one of them is a Range Master for our dept. He also thinks I'm violent because I take martial arts classes. Whatever.
 
With these people/sheeple, I think that it's an emotional thing. No matter what you say or do, no matter how you help them, no matter how well you make your point, they always seem to end with, "Well, I see your point, but I don't like them!" It's all emotional, and they will NEVER agree with us.

I have long since given up wasting my time trying to convince people, now I just tell them to shut up. I want them to realize what it feels like when someone is rude to them, for a change...

But that's just me...
 
Off to hell with 'em I say. I carry and use what I like and anyone that has anything to say about it can blow me. Hell, I've come to the conclusion that 90% of the things that I love and live for (knives, guns, recreational pharmaceuticals, alcohol use/abuse, movies, music) are either illegal, immoral or at the very least "politically incorrect." Take these away (guns are already bascially gone up here in the PRC) and I might as well just get in the box. Life is for living, so as a New Year's resolution I plan to start living it up to even higher levels of excess.

PM
 
Off to hell with 'em I say. I carry and use what I like and anyone that has anything to say about it can blow me
Click to expand...

Thats one way to look at it, If everyone continues to be such a idiot when i talk to them about knives i may do the same thing. I mean Legally i could walk around with a Katana over my shoulder so my 6" SRK really shouldnt be too bad, if anyone says anything they can blow me :) lol what a statement, i can see it now

Them: Is that thing legal!!!! what do you need it for!!!!

Me: BLOW ME!!!!!!!!!
 
what if these people are your parents and you can't buy a knife if they dont approve? :(
 
Well i live with my GF so i dont have any parents around. Are you over 18? if not there isnt much you can do, if you are i would just go out and buy one, if they dont like it to bad, as long as you are within the law they cant do anyhting about it.
 
I think in most areas, especially urban areas, most people will react negatively to any type of carry knife. I even had a woman one time warn me I was carrying a deadly weapon when she saw me cutting paper with the scissors of my miniature SAK. I remember as a teen back in the '70s a lot of boys carried some type of pocketknife at school and there were no knife fights I knew of.

I'm hesitant to pull out a knife to help someone with a cutting chore, even if they ask for it, if I don't know them or they don't know I carry. And I will not hand over one of my knives for them to use...if something needs cutting I'll do it myself. Oftentimes such people will not respect your knife if you lend it to them. They'll try to do something idiotic with it, like try to stab or whittle a support column. And THEY'RE the ones who think WE'RE a danger carrying our knives.:mad:

Jim
 
Originally posted by FENCER
what if these people are your parents and you can't buy a knife if they dont approve? :(
Click to expand...
"Mom, Dad? BLOW ME!" Just like that. Tell 'em ParaGlock sent ya. :)

How old are you? Over 12/13? Try reasoning with the 'rents. If you're still in school you might have a little problem trying to BRING it to school, so don't do that, and convince your folks you're smart enough not to do something like that in the first place. (If you're not that smart, learn. :)) I carried a knife in my school days, but I wasn't facing idiotic "zero sense" (er, "tolerence") issues.

Start small: Get a simple pocket knife or Buck 112 or something, keep it on you for a year without getting into trouble, and show the 'rents that you really are mature enough to handle the responsibility. *Then* get the knife you *really* want.

-- PG
 
I hate to be changing the discussion from the the original topic, but I feel a recently learned lesson has been forgotten.

I agree with ParaGlock and the issue of showing resposibility, but I think it would most likely be detrimental to the conditions that are set with your parents if you merely told them, "blow me" and go out and but a knife anyway. FENCER, I think you should take a look at this if you want some ideas on how to handle the parent situation:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=178132&highlight=impress+the
 
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