Would you ever walk up to a total stranger and ask about the knife they are carrying?

I would absolutely approach them. I carry an XM-18 an rarely get the chance to show it off. Even most of my friends are "Yeah? It's a knife. So what?" If someone came up to me and recognized it I can pretty much guarantee we would get along and I would be all to happy to chat. I also buy and sell other knives. Forums like here are pretty good but in person would always be preferred for obvious reasons. Maybe we have items for trade or sale with each other. One thing can lead to another. The benefit potential looked at this way far outweighs the risk of asking someone and being snubbed. I do think the real foot in the door, so to speak, is demonstrating you know about your mutual interest by being able to identify what they have. If they had some cheap no name, maybe not so much. ,
 
Yeah I've asked quite a few people, anx never gotten a negative response. You know I've never gotten uneasy looks when using my knife or showing it off from anyone, maybe its because I'm a big guy ( lift weights a lot from being in the corps.) And don't want to eyeball me or people just don't care that much
 
seelow123 said:
I saw a guy at a flea market with a Benchmade 9050 clipped to his back pocket. I didn't say anything to him (He didn't look very friendly) But I thought it was very cool.
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I find that funny because I've always been told that I don't look "approachable" or that I look like an asshole. I'm a perfectly nice guy most of the time though, so sometimes you never know. Can't judge a book by its cover. :grumpy: :D
 
I would love it if someone came up to me and said, "Hey, I noticed the custom STR clip and the P7 clip in your pocket there. Whatcha carrying?"

So I assume that other knife nuts love talking about their knives with other knife nuts, too--even total strangers.
 
I have before, had a guy at school (college) carrying a benchmade mini barrage, I had a full size one on me at the time. We chatted for a while, he wasn't completely a knife nut, but he knew some and we had a good conversation

If I saw someone with a sebenza I would be asking lol (I want to get my hands on one and see if I like it)
 
I have before, had a guy at school (college) carrying a benchmade mini barrage, I had a full size one on me at the time. We chatted for a while, he wasn't completely a knife nut, but he knew some and we had a good conversation

If I saw someone with a sebenza I would be asking lol (I want to get my hands on one and see if I like it)
 
I think I would mind my own business. I have not had any run-ins with other knifeaholics but I would be interested to meet another knife nut as 95% of everyone I know are not too knife nutty.
 
I have a few times. I think I took them by surprise. Talked a few minutes handled each others knives and were on our way. I am never afraid to ask. I have had a few that were not interested in talking to me so I just said "sorry to bug ya, have a good one" and was on my way. As long as you are polite and respect them either way you should be golden. It never hurts to ask!
 
i do it a lot at work..whenever we get customers that has a knife i ask them what it is and we end up talking for like 30minutes or so....lol
 
I don't hesitate to ask. Like others have said, if they're carrying a knife, they probably like knives and will be willing to talk. In my limited experience with fellow knife nuts (not too many in my area), they open up more once you show them that you have one as well.
 
newknife said:
Why would you stop? If someone is carrying a Sebenza they are probably "into" knives and would enjoy the conversation.
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agreed. although I would talk to just about anyone about anything. I love chatting it up with strangers!

I'd just think of it like seeing someone with a shirts from some band I like. you wouldn't refrain from asking someone how you liked their concert would you? so why refrain from asking about their knife?
 
Hadji Flip Me Over said:
In my limited experience with fellow knife nuts (not too many in my area), they open up more once you show them that you have one as well.
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I too have found this To be the case many times. I was talking with a guy a whole back and I was looking at his knife and was interested in getting one. I asked him how much he paid for it (and if he minded me asking lol). He got a little evasive about it, I took out my BM 580 and showed him and he opened right up. Apparently, a lot of people had been giving him crap over how much he spent on a single knife.

All knife guys that I have met open up the same way I have found once they find out you like knives too
 
Definatley stopped and talked to people who high end knives clipped to them, espeacially service members with striders and emersons.
 
I have asked a few times - it depends on the situation.

I have had guys pull out autos to show me - and they are not even legal here.

A lot of the time if I strike of a conversation based on seeing a pocket clip I will find the person carrying an inexpensive knife they bought at O'Reilly's or the like.

Once it a while I will run into a Spyderco, Benchmade or Kershaw.

best

mqqn
 
ThirdTooth said:
agreed. although I would talk to just about anyone about anything. I love chatting it up with strangers!

I'd just think of it like seeing someone with a shirts from some band I like. you wouldn't refrain from asking someone how you liked their concert would you? so why refrain from asking about their knife?
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Because mass media sees knives as dangerous so people see them as dangerous. 2 guys pulling out knives in a public place could be taken the wrong way and easily be blown out of proportion. That said, I saw a guy with a Strider SMF in his pocket at walmart a few months back in front of me at the checkout. I had no knife on me so I stupidly didn't bother to ask.
 
turk.919 said:
Because mass media sees knives as dangerous so people see them as dangerous. 2 guys pulling out knives in a public place could be taken the wrong way and easily be blown out of proportion. That said, I saw a guy with a Strider SMF in his pocket at walmart a few months back in front of me at the checkout. I had no knife on me so I stupidly didn't bother to ask.
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I'm not saying whip em' out. but it doesn't hurt to jaw about it
 
This is true, not many people around here collect/carry seriously so I don't get the chance to ask often.
 
I ask once in a while. I don't think I have ever gotten a negative response. It seems to help that I show what I am carrying as well.
 
If I see someone using an interesting knife, I will comment on it and like it when others do then same. I was at a birthday party with my daughter and someone asked for a knife to open a package. I had my Dozier folding hunter with me, and pulled it out. one of the other parents immediately recognized it and asked to see it. He then pulled out a microtech and we talked. A week later, I went over to his house and we showed off our collections! I made a new friend just because he was not afraid to comment about my knife.
 
I am a cashier at a home improvement store and see a huge amount of pocket clips. I have mentioned it to a few people asking what knife it was. I have gotten a few who talked alittle, one who was just kind of like "thanks" and one who looked at me really meanly like "don't talk to me" then he grabbed the receipt from my hand. Iv started to not ask anymore after a guy kind of gave me the evil eye for commenting on his tactical gear hat... Iv learned if they are carrying a cold steel knife they will almost cry they are so happy you noticed... XD
 
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