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Changes in the way folks view knives

It used to be every man, and many women, carried a knife. Now days, folks carry cell phones- we have different daily needs in many cases, plus it really isn't socially acceptable to wield a knife in public, if you can believe it. Don't have one around young kids that aren't you own without that Mom jerking those kids away from your "weapon."

So the question is this- have you been in a situation recently where you pulled out your knife, either to show it to someone or because something needed cut, only to see shock or angry on the faces of the people around you?

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Permalink Reply by Ray Wylie on April 23, 2009 at 15:05

Yes, but not too recently. I pulled out a small two blade S.A.C which I've had for 23 years....and a young female co-worker said "Why do you need that?" bare in mind the longest of the two blades was under 2 inches..but I live in England, and I guess I've come to accept this type of thinking....now I still carry a knife, but I'm less inclined to get it out..too many " Sheeple" about these days.

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Permalink Reply by Adlai Stein on April 23, 2009 at 16:42

Being a maker I share my knives all the time. The most anoying thing I get even from knife people is, "Wow you could really hurt someone with that." I think the perception of a knife is that its a weapon. Even though we use them every day in the kitchen and around the house. I think the next time someone show's me a new book or something I'm Gonna say: "Wow you can really hurt someone with that"

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Scott King on April 23, 2009 at 18:29

My story was just a couple of weeks ago, which is why the question is on my mind. I was at a devotional over a friend's house and it was "Show and Tell" night.

I knew immediately what my "thing" was. It was, of course, an elephant toenail (Sunfish) knife. So when it came my turn, all eyes in the room were on me as I reached in my jeans pocket and pulled out my knife. You could feel the air being sucked out of the room as everyone gasped as I lifted it up for all to see- like a proud poppa holding a newborn. Then when they heard it snap open, I heard audible sounds, though I didn't look up.

It seemed everyone in the room was in shock. I was too, honestly, at their reactions. But, I carried on with the show. And you should have heard the comments as it was passed around the circle of folks. You'd thunk I was in the UK, not the Heart of Dixie.

And in case you are wondering, I didn't take one of my "good" ones- they wouldn't have appreciated it anyway.

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Permalink Reply by Ray Wylie on April 24, 2009 at 14:14

I think that the problem a lot of the time is the media. They have no good stories so they make things up and demonize things like knives , and folks start to believe the rubbish they say. In my country they talk about " knife crime" as though the knife was the guilty party and not the thug who stabs someone, and sadly folks listen. I would never take one of my knives out and show somebody who was not a knife collector, because I know the reaction that I would get. Although I may get myself an elephant's toenail and take it out in the office ( LOL) if it has a 3 inch blade and doesn't lock then it is perfectly legal in the UK.

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Permalink Reply by Randy Huckeby on April 24, 2009 at 16:38

I recently got my Tax ID & started dealing a few knives. I could never make a living here in western Minnesota as people here just don't have the interest as people in the southern U.S. We don't have knife shows around here & not even many gun shows. I have tried to promote knife collecting & carrying by showing a lot of different knives to people around here as often as the opportunity presents itself & am considering trying to initiate a knife collecting club in the area with a lot of fliers & posters a few ads, word of mouth, etc. I have sold a few knives to people who never intended to be collectors, but all of a sudden they have a half dozen knives & find they are now collectors & then I know I lose a few to the big online dealers that I cannot compete with pricewise, but I still enjoy it & try to give good service & show my appreciation for the business that I do have.

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Permalink Reply by Keelen Grimm on April 30, 2009 at 7:54

These kind of situations happen to me all the time. People are much too scared about knives and this is due to the bad karma that is put out by media and the many laws that restrict law abiding knife lovers. I think the reaction I get from people is elevated because of my age. Im a young guy and people have a preconceived notion that a young person with a "knife" is a bad thing. I always tell people that have a problem with me carrying knife that "My knife is a tool and will remain a tool until a situation presents itself that I need to make it a weapon." Granted I never want to use my knife as a weapon.

I subscribe to Blade Magazine and Tactical Knives Magazine and they often have articles about different court cases where people have gotten in trouble for carrying knives. Some of the cases are obviously the fault of the knife owner but others are a smack in the face to true knife lovers. A true knife person can tell within the first paragraph if the case is valid or not. I find it particularly scary when the court and arresting officer are completely ignorant about knife related issues. (Grounds for a whole different discussion!!)

With all that said, I have found that the best way to make others less scared or just aware of the practical uses for a knife is by talking about it a lot. Almost all of my friends when asked to describe me will in some way mention "knife guy" and that is fine! I make it a mission to explain why I like knives and what I use the knife for to every person that is interested. The more people are aware and are familiar with the good things that knives are used for the less they will jump to conclusions.

Keelen

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Permalink Reply by Steve wells on April 30, 2009 at 11:21

I have not run in to this problem here in S.E. Texas- most people around here carry a small pocket knife. Now i am not talking about kids carrying in shool, but when they are fishing, tending stock, hunting,camping yes they do. And you never hear on the local news that someone got stab or cut.
We have alot of shows and even Walmart sells knives. But i can see how this could become a problem
if the knife folks do not get out and vote, and that is what i am going to do today. VOTE in our local Elections, so keep that in mind WE THE PEOPLE

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Scott King on April 30, 2009 at 11:31

Good stuff here- Keelen....and yeah, I guess they are scared when you pull out those "weapons" you carry :-)

Hey, did you see the really cool tactical auto in one of the vids entered into the My Favorite Knife Vid Contest. I don't remember the brand, but the guy said it was $450. It was pretty neat.

Keelen Grimm said:

These kind of situations happen to me all the time.

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Permalink Reply by Keelen Grimm on April 30, 2009 at 14:40

Yea the auto that was entered into My Favorite Knife Contest was a Microtech auto. Microtech makes some great knives and does a excellent job on their OTF switchblades. I have a couple similar to that but nothing up to par with Microtech. I think that knives like OTF switchblades are way over priced for what you get. Unless you collect auto knives I think is is somewhat a waste of money because knives like that have a very limited in application and do not have a solid lock up most of the time. But Yes 450 for a knife like that is normal!

Scott King said:

Good stuff here- Keelen....and yeah, I guess they are scared when you pull out those "weapons" you carry :-)

Hey, did you see the really cool tactical auto in one of the vids entered into the My Favorite Knife Vid Contest. I don't remember the brand, but the guy said it was $450. It was pretty neat.

Keelen Grimm said:
These kind of situations happen to me all the time.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 2, 2009 at 17:08

Scott,
I’ve been waiting for the "whittler" article, since you mentioned it. It was well worth the wait. Whittling is indeed becomming a lost art. I miss the days of seeing the “Old Timers”, sitting in the town square, making shavings. Thanks for a great article.
JJ
For those that missed it -
http://cutlerynewsjournal.com/2009/05/02/meet-a-master-whittler/tra...

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Permalink Reply by Wilma Slicer (Lynsie) on May 3, 2009 at 17:04

i get this EVERY DAY! Even today I updated my facebook with "i'm carrying my crkt drifter today, what a slick little knife" and I got a comment saying "you scare me"

what is up with that?! why do i scare you?

And on the first day of my college advertising class we had to do a little "ice breaker" and go around the room telling a little something about yourself to the rest of the class...Of course right off the bat was to tell people about my hobby and I whipped out my delica4 and everyone gasped and even my teacher was like, "well, that can't be legal, we will have to talk after class..." PSH!

seriously, what is the deal!? To this day people are like, remember when Lynsie pulled our her knife in class?! omg.

I get it all the time too..."why do you carry a knife? that is so dumb." Or people seem sort of interested and are like, oh can I see? I'll had it over to them (closed of course) and they act like it has poison on it...like, it's nice that they take an interest, but it's as if they pity me, so they want to see the knife out of pity or something.

I don't know, I get fed up with all this BS. Not to mention it is even worse when the knife is assisted opening....god forbid.

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Permalink Reply by Wilma Slicer (Lynsie) on May 3, 2009 at 17:06

wow, i'm totally going to say that next time to be a smart ass. I get this all the time too, one of my friends said today actually " i bet you could really mess someone up" or something like that...and I was like, uuuh gee thanks.