Orange knife handles, more "acceptable"?

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Nikkogi

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I was just reading a review on the Doug Ritter RSK MK1 knife on Woodsmonkey.com and there was talk about the orange handle. I had never really given it much thought, but an orange handle, IMO, is a lot less frightening then an black handle. What do you think?
 
I think its silly, but wow, does it work. I worked at the same location for 13 years in retail, and all my knives were considered 'weapons' by coworkers and management, including slipjoints! That is UNTIL, I got a few in orange. (or yellow) All of a sudden, they became utility. I don't understand the psychological effect, but it seems to be true in my experience.
 
I really think because blacked out stuff is "tactical" to most people.
 
I've been on an orange handle kick because I use my knives while hunting and camping a lot and have a tendency to put them down on the ground, especially when cleaning game. Then I freak out because I can't find it, especially if it's something like green or tan micarta with a black blade. The orange really helps my eyes lock in on the knife. As for what people think, they can kiss my you know what. I understand the psychology of the colored handle though.
 
Orange, at least in the States, is usually associated with things like caution and safety. Black, in most parts of the world, is associated with death as well as symbolizing menace and evil. With knives, orange is kind of a "look at me, I'm a cutting tool" color whereas black is more "weaponized." I wonder how most people would react to white-handled knives... or a black-handled orange-bladed knife.
 
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I don't know psychological theories about this, but I have the feeling that objects that have colors like orange, pink, green or light blue are associated with words like innocent, children and toys.

Maybe it is also something we learn through the years. I mean, policeman, military people and criminals in movies often wear black or camo clothing, their guns, swords and knives are black. Their watches and cars are often black too.

An orange Casio G-Shock watch is considered a sports watch, the same model in black is called tactical/military.
 
Blue. Second place tie for green and tan. These are "friendly" colors for most folks...
 
Yellow works well for open environments. I keep a Spydie Tasman Salt in the office, it has the yellow FRN scales and nobody gives it a second look. I have office ladies asking to borrow "that yellow knife" to open packages all the time.
 
I was planning on going for an orange zing for that reason, but they only had black in stock at the store, and I needed a replacement EDC fast. I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes though. People see red and think SAK, but they're still freaked out. Others see an all black knife and think tool.
 
Harayasu said:
Maybe it is also something we learn through the years. I mean, policeman, military people and criminals in movies often wear black or camo clothing, their guns, swords and knives are black. Their watches and cars are often black too.
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Well in the military, black gear often serve the purpose of being harder to see.
If the military could walk around invisible, they would.

I like bright coloured handles. I find black boring on most knife models.
 
I put Sponge Bob stickers on all of my knife handles. I can walk through a zoo, museum or library with a giant, bloody machete on my belt, and as long as those stickers are there, I'm golden.

spongebob.gif
 
Actually it works. I kept a pair of Mad Dog escrima sticks made out of G10 in my car, I put a bunch of cartoon stickers on them and nobody ever looked at them, nobody even asked me what they were.
 
I have a tan Izula...i think it gets less attention than any knife I own.
Even a SAK is likely to generate a comment, even though it's probably one of aproval, but the light colored Izula...nothing.
I don't even think most people consciously see it when I use it, it's weird.
 
I don't think the color black makes the knife more menacing. Black is neutral, so people concentrate on the function, which is a knife. That's when they freak out. If it's in pastel or neon color, people automatically assume that it's either a working tool, sport instrument, or toy. Their mind then stops processing the object and put it in the "ignore" category.

Our brain has to process a massive amount of information, especially today. As such it learns to quickly categorize everything into "process" and "ignore". You'd be surprised at your ability to completely ignore stuff to the point of invisibility when you have absolutely no interest in it.

If I use my Spyderco Endura to cut my sub for lunch and leave it out on the table, people will notice. If I use a chef knife (pointier, bigger, and longer), nobody would bat an eye. A kitchen knife in an office pantry is invisible because your brain considers it part of the landscape.
 
Sep said:
If I use my Spyderco Endura to cut my sub for lunch and leave it out on the table, people will notice. If I use a chef knife (pointier, bigger, and longer), nobody would bat an eye. A kitchen knife in an office pantry is invisible because your brain considers it part of the landscape.
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This is my experience. I had a secretary comment about my having a weapon (a blue CS land & sea rescue), I asked her what she considered the 10" chef knife in her drawer that she brought out to cut cakes, subs and anything else that needed cutting.
 
:rolleyes: I have a orange RD 6 and I love it. The main reason I like the orange handles is because they are mostly g-10 handles instead of micarta. They stay cleaner than micarta handles.:D
 
The same logic applies to camo too: if people see you in the woods in Realtree camo or better yet blaze orange appearal and they think "hunter" or "sportsman" even if you are carrying a gun!

OTOH - if you are hiking public trails all decked out in woodland camo or ACUs with a boonie cover and covered in web-tactical gear they think "creepy militia guy" (I think: "mall ninja"), even if you aren't armed!

-perception is reality-
 
hm. that may be why knife companies make multicolored handles/knives.
Next step....
well, powernoodle got it right :D
 
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