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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 Wilma Slicer (Lynsie) on May 3, 2009 at 17:10

that last sentence brought something to my attention. I take pride in all the knives I buy...and I try to get some of the higher quality ones...and when I show someone...they are like, "oh! did you get that at the mall?" (there is a crappy store that sells knock offs and crap knives in our mall) And I just hang my head and sigh...

A knife is just a knife to these people...what a shame...

Every chance I get, I try to educate people on proper handling and why a good knife is good.

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Permalink Reply by Wilma Slicer (Lynsie) on May 3, 2009 at 17:13

i could not have said this any better.

although, i wish i got "knife girl" instead of "crazy cat lady"

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Scott King on May 3, 2009 at 17:16

Lynsie
I don't see how in the world a pink knife scares anyone :)

Just kidding- don't pull it on me, OK?

Do you know how long it takes and how hard it is to open an old elephant toenail knife? It is sure to break a thumbnail every time.

So, by the time I got the honker out of my pocket and got it open, you'd have made mince meat of me. LOL
SK

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Permalink Reply by Ray Wylie on May 6, 2009 at 15:28

OTF's Are way overpriced IMHO..and when you look at the mechanisms some of them really are poor quality for the money. The best I have seen is the Piranha ......I think that is a really well made OTF..however, when I compare it to a good Swiss made watch, for what goes into each..I would say it is overpriced

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Grimes on May 6, 2009 at 23:28

I manage a business on the University of Illinois campus, and we employ about 50 college age people. I find that most of the young people I deal with have never owned a knife.
I use my knife a lot and mostly get an uneasy but curious reaction. They will ask about it, and I will show them how the lock works, and how to use the thumb stud to open it one handed. I hand it to them to check out, and like someone mentioned on here they do usually handle it like it has poison on it.
Once they relax and see how useful a tool it can be, and not view it as just a weapon, many of them have asked me were they can get one for themselves.

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Permalink Reply by Ray Wylie on May 7, 2009 at 13:44

Well thank God you don't live in the UK, you have no idea how bad this politically correct stuff is over here, or how bad knives are percieved..criminals use kitchen knives, they are sharp pointy and great on meat, they are cheap, easily disposable and fairly unidentifiable.................criminals never,ever use a knife that costs more than $10 because that money could be spent on drugs or whatever ....yet who do politicians target? knife collectors..........do you know that in the UK we can't even buy knives of Ebay .........because the BBC did an article were some folks got illegal knives from of ebay.......sorry ,,bit of a rant but it does make me mad.

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Permalink Reply by Keelen Grimm on May 7, 2009 at 19:30

I get the "crazy cat guy" also. I have five little fur balls and they are part of the family. Tom, Uma, Bella, Mini, and Little one. Haha weird names for cats but they fit them perfectly. How many cats do you have?

Keelen

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Permalink Reply by Keelen Grimm on May 7, 2009 at 19:35

Beautifully written! "my $50 watch indicates the time almost as accurate as theirs" that is very true and I smiled when reading it!

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Permalink Reply by Keelen Grimm on May 7, 2009 at 19:41

I know what you mean and it definitely gets frustrating. I think people just need to be more educated about certain things like knives. It will save a lot of good people from being singled out for having the simplest and oldest tool known to man.

I have been in the same situation as you when it comes to school. Although, I didn't open my knife in class someone did see it clipped to my pocket and say something. Ever since then I don't carry my knife while in school and I feel naked without it. Be careful when carrying it on campus because it is illegal in every state to have a knife or any kind of weapon while on school property. I can turn a pen into a weapon just as fast as I can pull my knife out of my pocket but we are allowed to have pens everywhere. Just a thought.

Keelen

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Permalink Reply by Salvatore V. on May 7, 2009 at 20:53

Ray: I remember reading a bit of an English paper. They referred to a 2 inch knife as "Terrifying". No lie, no exaggeration.

Frankly that is a bit sickening.

I am quite active in other sword communities, and I actually heard some politician was attacked with a katana, this caused swords to be somewhat restricted to martial artists and Antique collectors.

...Yeah.

Hard to not let that stuff get to you, what with all your past freedoms being restricted.

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Permalink Reply by Salvatore V. on May 7, 2009 at 21:06

You know, maybe it isn't the knife that scares people, but rather the person that holds the knife. I mean, I'm not a very trusting person, if a total stranger pulls out a knife, I am going to be a bit more wary.