Knife culture

[Roger Hicks]

Do you carry a pocket knife? How old were you when you got your first penknife? Have you ever deliberately stabbed anyone? If so, why? In the case of certain politicians, if not, why not? Have you ever taken any pictures of knives of which you are particularly fond (whether of the pictures or the knives)? These questions were prompted by a massive tray of knives for sale at a recent vide-grenier: you couldn't really call it a display.

Cheers,

R.

 

[BLKRCAT]

I carry at least one blade every day. These days I'm carrying a benchmade griptillian. Depending on the amount of pockets I have I might also have a leatherman micra as well.

I don't carry for defense. It's more or less convenient to have a sharp knife for cutting stuff, prying stuff, etc. Stuff where fingernails arent enough.

Always make sure my knives are sharp. I frequently keep things razor sharp with touchups on various whetstones. Sharp knife is safer than a dull one. Also more enjoyable to use and I find sharpening and maintaining my knifes meditative.

You can see me using my knife in my latest video to retrieve a 120 spool from inside a pinhole camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s-GpqW5A3o

 

[Roger Hicks]

.. . I don't carry for defense. It's more or less convenient to have a sharp knife for cutting stuff, prying stuff, etc. Stuff where fingernails arent enough. . . .

Well, that was my point, really. How many people ever carry a knife as a weapon, whether offensive or defensive? Or ever did? Damn' few. compared with people like you and me (Swiss Army Champ, Leatherman Wave). The latter is illegal in the UK because the blade locks; as does the blade on the My First Opinel. The fact that this makes it safer to use is entirely lost on those who banned locking blades.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Livesteamer]

I started with a boy scout knife in the late 60's but since about 1972 I've carried a Swiss army knife as a tool, not a weapon. I have several depending on which would be more useful that day. The one with the scissors has cut many a leader for my IIIc. Joe

 

[back alley]

I carry at least one blade every day. These days I'm carrying a benchmade griptillian. Depending on the amount of pockets I have I might also have a leatherman micra as well.

I don't carry for defense. It's more or less convenient to have a sharp knife for cutting stuff, prying stuff, etc. Stuff where fingernails arent enough.

Always make sure my knives are sharp. I frequently keep things razor sharp with touchups on various whetstones. Sharp knife is safer than a dull one. Also more enjoyable to use and I find sharpening and maintaining my knifes meditative.

You can see me using my knife in my latest video to retrieve a 120 spool from inside a pinhole camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s-GpqW5A3o

i carry a benchmade torrent...lovely knife.

 

[HuubL]

swiss army knife. and a mini version on my key ring.

 

[BLKRCAT]

In the UK anything that locks is deemed illegal? That would be quite disappointing.

Everything I carry locks. In canada the knife laws arent as lax as they are in the US. We cant have any auto knives or spring assisted knives, or no gravity open.

With the griptillian I skirt very close to the law with the gravity open as the knife can be opened with gravity only in more than one way but the intended way to open is using the thumb hole with a thumb or finger.

Other than that my other knives are all flippers. In Canada switchblades or any knives that deploy with a button very quickly are illegal but flipper knives deploy just as fast and as just as intimidating but are pefectly legal.

I much prefer a knife that has one handed opening and closing. You never know when you only have one hand free and need to cut something, happens more frequently than you imagine.

 

[kuzano]

Opinel

Opinel

French Men, to be considered on respectably, use their Opinels to "cut the cheese!"

Depending on the neighborhoods I wander through at night, I carry an appropriately sized, wood handle Opinel with its unique twist lock metal system.

They come in sizes from #2 "cut the cheese, and drink wine" to, Wow, Is that Bigfoot, Lemme at him!

Best opinels are carbon steel blades which take a wicked edge.

http://www.opinel-usa.com/collections/opinel-outdoor-knives

How respected are they. Well, one night I was stopped by an Oregon State trooper who turned up and old warrant on me. He had me empty my pockets, and when I pulled out the Opinel, he grabbed it and wrapped it in duct tape so it would not open. He put the knife and wallet and other sundry pocket items in an evidence bag and "hauled my ass" in.

After I paid the old fine and was released, it took me an hour to get the duct tape off the knife. I call that respect! That and he couldn't figure out how to open it.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm pretty utilitarian about pocket knives, but I do like good quality: hence real Wenger and Leatherman, not knock-offs. A friend had a cheap knock-off of a Swiss Army knife made of such inferior metal that the corkscrew straightened out when I tried to remove a cork with it. I hadn't realized that anything other than solder could be soft enough to do that... And yet, it was just hard enough to screw into the cork. A triumph of Chinese metallurgy.

Cheers,

R.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Like every schoolboy I bought an Opinel pocket knife (as well as bangers of biblical proportions) on my first France trip, so I would have been about eleven or twelve years old. Of course the whole lot was confiscated back in Blighty, even though my school had no objection to my folding billhook.

After that I went without until my gap year, when I took a Victorinox Explorer travelling with me. That went around the world (and through one dog and a bucket of bleach); after 25 years service I've finally retired it in favour of (dun dun dun!) the new-model Explorer, which accompanies me everywhere as long as I'm wearing something with a suitable pocket. I also have a couple of Leatherman tools (Crunch and Wave) but they have to stay at home (lockable blades and all that); and a Victorinox Signature on my keyring.

Never had occasion to stab anybody, but of course there were the chicken-related injuries to add spice to the school day.

 

[ped]

The fact that this makes it safer to use is entirely lost on those who banned locking blades.

This ruined it for me. I always carry a Spyderco Ladybug Salt (it's Tiny, serrated, sharp and really useful) but because it locks, it could land me in prison! I once went up the Shard in London and they confiscated it from me there and said I was lucky not to have been in front of the police. At the time I was using it for eating an orange. So now I carry nothing, and always miss having a knife on me.

Mind you it stops me stabbing people, doesn't it.

 

[BLKRCAT]

i carry a benchmade torrent...lovely knife.

almost looks like the foray. One of these days I'll shell out for a Benchmade Foray.

 

[Roger Hicks]

In the UK anything that locks is deemed illegal? . . .

To the best of my understanding, yes. Crazy, innit?

Cheers (not the right word),

R.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Around ten or so I was allowed to have them. I used them to carve something simple from tree sticks and wood planks.
In 1995 I smuggled Swiss Army officer knife, not this red puke, but normal one with wood saw and big blade. I used it a lot as tool.
Now I have original leatherman utility knife (my daughter find it in the dust on the road) with broken blade (I broke it after last federal election) in my camera, wallet, phone everyday anywhere bag. Renaming blade stump is good for cutting of tape on parcels and it keeps me out from trouble in current Canada, which is infested by politicians and their supporters who brings us closer to soviet living style.
In the backpack for hikes, I have simple knife with fixing blade which my friend find in the creek (some poachers for salmon eggs dropped it).

Here is the Swiss knife pictures taken in 2009. They might be not visible in some browsers/devices due to google politics.

 

[charjohncarter]

Untitled by John Carter, on Flickr

from 1965

 

[Roger Hicks]

Aaaargh! Forgot the link to the picture and text...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Untitled by John Carter, on Flickr

from 1965

Dear John,

Frances had a similar two-blade knife from the same maker, which had belonged to her father. Last time she saw her brother, she gave it to him. THAT'S generous.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Fraser]

To the best of my understanding, yes. Crazy, innit?

Cheers (not the right word),

R.

Its not quite that simple, anything over 3inches and a locking then you need a reason to carry it, but the complication is everyones reasons are different!

An example is I can carry a sgian-dubh while wearing a kilt as it part of national dress.
Knives a bit like cameras can get very expensive especially with 'GAS', another forum I'm a member of is britishblades have a look.

 

[mpaniagua]

Just my regular Swiss Army Explorer Knife. Mostly as a tool for my cameras and my person (tootpick).

 

[ray*j*gun]

Swiss Army knife and a Spiderco Tashan Salt. Everyday.