How do you handle the casual 'check out my knives!' folk?

K

Knifestyle

Joined
Dec 6, 2009
Messages
67
I don't mean the instagram collectors, I don't mean forum posters, I don't mean the guy at the class or job site who wants to show off his new Military. I mean the friend of a friend who hears you collect or train, your friend's teenage son, your brother in law, etc. And they show you the best of what they've found at the local hardware store, the flea market, or that one specific Renn Faire stand that sells sharpened blades. They're proud, and they want to share.

Personally, I have made a rule to myself that I will never tell them what's wrong with their possessions or their collection. I'll say what I like about the handle when I grip or test it, ask where it came from, etc. It gets tricky when they know I train with blades and they ask how each would perform when I know the tips will snap or the handle will slide out of the hand, but I refuse to discourage some one who has a sensibly fun hobby like knife collecting. My good friends have an Uncle Bill who lives with them, every party or outing he usually has something at his desk or in his car to show me. Very passionate, loves quality in what he shops for locally, I mention what brands I carry but will never tell him he's collecting wall hangers.
 
I'll try to find something I like about it to share with them. People always ask about steel as well. In that case, I will usually find a lesser steel to compare it to, sharpen it up for them, and tell them to enjoy it :D

It really gets under my skin to see people walk around with garbage, but it's also not my place to judge their tool or it's intended use. I say that, because I feel if people are going to use a knife, use one that will get the job done without frustrating you. You don't need an expensive knife, just an effective one. When it is not effective for the task at hand, whatever that task may be, that item is not a tool anymore it's just garbage. If asked, I recommend an actual tool (not a novelty) for the job they have, in a "reasonable" (under $50) price range.
 
Knifestyle said:
I don't mean the instagram collectors, I don't mean forum posters, I don't mean the guy at the class or job site who wants to show off his new Military. I mean the friend of a friend who hears you collect or train, your friend's teenage son, your brother in law, etc. And they show you the best of what they've found at the local hardware store, the flea market, or that one specific Renn Faire stand that sells sharpened blades. They're proud, and they want to share.
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Them? I tell them "Cool, nice knife!" and we chat. 1) I mean it, and 2) it's common courtesy. Why would anybody do anything different? Why act like an ass to them?

What I need advice for is how to deal with people who say they "train" with blades. Typically I just eyeroll at that point. No doubt there is some better way.
 
I trained with blades, but they were swords not knives. The training was for concentration and discipline, not sword fighting. ;) As for knife training, I don't see the same results; it all seems to be for fighting. :confused: In all my years growing up in a not so great neighborhood and all of the combat I've seen (more than enough) I've NEVER seen a knife fight. Stabbings, yes, many times and ways :eek: but NEVER a knife fight. Again, just my .02
 
marcinek said:
What I need advice for is how to deal with people who say they "train" with blades. Typically I just eyeroll at that point. No doubt there is some better way.
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How about something like:
Oh cool! Which martial arts style do you train with? Is it training where you are the one with the knife, or is it disarming someone who attacks you with a knife? I assume you use rubber or wooden replicas?.... etc....

Going back to your comment about common courtesy, simply asking questions about someone else's interest is always courteous. He wouldn't put it out there if he didn't want to discuss it.

As for someone showing you a crappy knife he is proud of, I almost see it being the same as receiving a gift you hate. Be polite. Don't lie, but dont trash it either. Something like "wow it's got really interesting lines" or "Wow, green handles! I'd hate to be the zombie that comes after you!" would be more than sufficient.
 
I say nice knife. Except to the dude who pulled out 8 that he kept "hidden in case I need them" in which case I said you're crazy go away
 
Not everyone can justify spending a hundred dollars or more on a knife. Some non knife enthusiasts probably don't even know there are knives that cost that much. One of my buddies at work carries a S&W M&P folder, he is under the impression that the same knife is used by military police.
My wife and I were at KMart last year and I overheard an elderly gentleman telling someone that he wanted to buy a knife for a family member. He told them that he isn't talking about a cheap knife, but one that costs 20 dollars.
Unless they ask me what I think, I usually find something nice to say and hand it back.
 
In general it's best to show interest without much critique.
I used to be the guy with 100 flea market folders so I know what it's like to be the other guy.
Now it didn't take me too long till I started to learn about quality, at which point they all gained the novelty factor that justified keeping them. ( sold most of what I had left in my yardsale last weekend )

I have no problem layin' into my brother about the quality of his crap though . he pretty much knows his 8$ flea market folders aren't high quality ( however he doesn't get that they're total crap ) " I don't want to mess up a good knife " as he told me when I said he should save himself money and just buy 1 decent folder like the 20$ Buck bantam and not have to fork over 8$ every month.

Then there's my cousin who's 15 and is pretty much where I was starting out, his mom keeps buying him cheapo assisted openers for Christmas which he will Cary and use.( may or may not be because his mom bought them )
I try not to say too much about the quality of those, and just try educate him on a few things when I can.
He's getting there though and I've sent a couple decent blades his way via my old Kershaw select fire and a sog flash 2 sent to me for him from the pass it along thread.
His oldest brother also tries to gift him at least decent Walmart budget blades from Kershaw...ect, not high end but as good as a 15yo could ever need.
 
katanas said:
I trained with blades, but they were swords not knives. The training was for concentration and discipline, not sword fighting. ;) As for knife training, I don't see the same results; it all seems to be for fighting. :confused: In all my years growing up in a not so great neighborhood and all of the combat I've seen (more than enough) I've NEVER seen a knife fight. Stabbings, yes, many times and ways :eek: but NEVER a knife fight. Again, just my .02
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marcinek said:
Them? I tell them "Cool, nice knife!" and we chat. 1) I mean it, and 2) it's common courtesy. Why would anybody do anything different? Why act like an ass to them?

What I need advice for is how to deal with people who say they "train" with blades. Typically I just eyeroll at that point. No doubt there is some better way.
Click to expand...

Entire martial arts are devoted to blade use, whether you're trying to be a tactical ninja, a Renaissance rapierist, or the national Filipino weapon arts. I run into this same issue, you really have to gauge where they're coming from. A lot of neckbeards who watched a Youtube video on it, meanwhile you have very presentable people with real lives and careers who dabbled in fencing or knife specific arts for a while along with other martial arts.

My first question which tells all, is what they practice with. A wooden replica? Oh, you're in a dojo. A factory made trainer of an existing knife? You're a defensive type. Plastic molding, or reinforced foam? You're into full-contact work and pressure testing. If they don't have an answer or just display their carry knife, you're dealing with some one who has either no true education outside bar talk and movie anecdotes, or they're just saying that to sound cool.

Random but interesting tangent...Recently one of our groups decided to do Bowie knives in the park during the 4th of July weekend. I ask the organizer how that's remotely a good idea. He replied that in his years of doing this, people walking by the playground had no problem seeing guys doing martial arts drills with plastic or aluminum trainers because the weapons looked more ceremonial and unusual. But when he had guys drawing folding trainers from their pockets and doing close-up clinch work, the cops get called. I found it bizarre that people could be comfortable with Bowie fencing in a Chicago park.
 
I educate them on slightly more expensive but more reliable steels and brands. Don't even feel bad about it. I wouldn't want them to lose a finger trusting cheap junk. There are some great user knives in the $30-$50 range that would last some people a lifetime.
 
I have a friend at work that carries inexpensive knives, I was showing one of my more expensive knives to another co-worker who carries cheaper but still decent knives and appreciates a good knife when he sees one, other guy becomes interested and shows his Kershaw he carries one of the cheaper ones and says he couldn't justify spending x amount of dollars on a knife and I told him you really don't have to spend a lot to get a good knife and even praised the good points of his knife and talked about some of the benefits and reasons behind why I buy more expensive knives, now we share when we get new knives and even though he's still not ready to join the club he does like them, I plan to get him something just a cut above what he's used to for Christmas.
 
Knifestyle, comparing fencing (which I've done a little of) to knife fighting practice (which I've been trained for in a military application only and thankfully did not need) seems extreme to me.:confused: However, I do feel I missed your point. If you are so inclined, please expound, I'm interested. Thank you.
 
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I’m curious: What’s with the eye rolling and derisive response to Knifestyle (or others) posting about knife training?
 
I say "cool" and go about my day. And that's the same for a guy that shows me a dollar store knife as it is for someone who pulls out a custom. Cuz...I don't care what other people own. Never have. Trophies are for losers. ;)
 
Knifestyle said:
Entire martial arts are devoted to blade use, whether you're trying to be a tactical ninja, a Renaissance rapierist, or the national Filipino weapon arts. I run into this same issue, you really have to gauge where they're coming from. A lot of neckbeards who watched a Youtube video on it, meanwhile you have very presentable people with real lives and careers who dabbled in fencing or knife specific arts for a while along with other martial arts.

My first question which tells all, is what they practice with. A wooden replica? Oh, you're in a dojo. A factory made trainer of an existing knife? You're a defensive type. Plastic molding, or reinforced foam? You're into full-contact work and pressure testing. If they don't have an answer or just display their carry knife, you're dealing with some one who has either no true education outside bar talk and movie anecdotes, or they're just saying that to sound cool.

Random but interesting tangent...Recently one of our groups decided to do Bowie knives in the park during the 4th of July weekend. I ask the organizer how that's remotely a good idea. He replied that in his years of doing this, people walking by the playground had no problem seeing guys doing martial arts drills with plastic or aluminum trainers because the weapons looked more ceremonial and unusual. But when he had guys drawing folding trainers from their pockets and doing close-up clinch work, the cops get called. I found it bizarre that people could be comfortable with Bowie fencing in a Chicago park.
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Wait here just a second...

You're in Chicago...
With a knife...
Willing to defend yourself with it?

You do realize that there are laws that apply to blade length in the city, right? You do realize that there are many people that legally roam Chicago with a firearm (including myself)? What advantage does a knife give you? Why not just apply for a CCL and carry a gun?

While you're waving your Bowie knife around at an attacker, I done shot that SOB (legally) and won't have to jump through legal hoops trying to defend my position on why I had a knife that's considered illegal in Chicago.
 
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