Sheeple knife

One more thing: It's been said before, and I can attest to this myself, that lending out a small innocuous slipjoint to someone who honestly needs it is one of that best ways to act as as kind, nonjudgemental, and respectful ambassador of this hobby/lifestyle we live as knife aficionados. When I worked in an office and carried a small SAK Tinker I lent it to a younger colleague for a day. He brought it back just before the end of the day, asked me what model it was as he wanted one just like it. The next morning he came back with one still in the box, opened it at my desk, and smiled like the kid he was at that moment. I asked him, "Didn't you have a Swiss Army Knife before now?" He said he never had knives or tools or the like in the house growing up. His "dad never taught him any of that stuff." I felt like an adopted uncle. And I made a small difference in the world by helping a young man become a bit more self-sufficient. Since then, this has happened twice more, once with an older man, believe it or not, who missed out on knives somehow. Again with a woman, whose parents had had lots of knives and tools and were themselves rural folks growing up but who herself was a city girl and just never cottoned to having a small pocketknife handy. She now has an SAK Classic clipped in her briefcase all the time. She also likes her N°8 Opinel. I know because she's now my wife.

So don't listen to the "Never lend a knife out" crowd. It's not just a favor you're doing, it's a mitzvah. I suppose in Yiddish, we'd say, "Seyt a messermench! "Be a knife-carrying gentleman!"

Zieg
 
Last edited:
SAK. It's the Saint-Bernard-With-A-Keg-Of-Rum of the knife family.

Hell, I bet even if you accidently took one into one of our "Weapons Free Zones" like a school or a courthouse, nobody'd raise an eyebrow at it.
 
I myself would purchase a nice classy looking Fallkniven folder and not loan it to anyone. I'll cut it for them.
 
I would say smaller Leatherman or SAK also. However if you really just want a smaller folder for this purpose take a look at the Boker Subcom 42. It is a great slip joint knife and extremely compact.
 
One more thing: It's been said before, and I can attest to this myself, that lending out a small innocuous slipjoint to someone who honestly needs it is one of that best ways to act as as kind, nonjudgemental, and respectful ambassador of this hobby/lifestyle we live as knife aficionados. When I worked in an office and carried a small SAK Tinker I lent it to a younger colleague for a day. He brought it back just before the end of the day, asked me what model it was as he wanted one just like it. The next morning he came back with one still in the box, opened it at my desk, and smiled like the kid he was at that moment. I asked him, "Didn't you have a Swiss Army Knife before now?" He said he never had knives or tools or the like in the house growing up. His "dad never taught him any of that stuff." I felt like an adopted uncle. And I made a small difference in the world by helping a young man become a bit more self-sufficient. Since than, this has happened twice more, once with an older man, believe it or not, who missed out on knives somehow. Again with a woman, whose parents had had lots of knives and tools and were themselves rural folks growing up but who herself was a city girl and just never cottoned to having a small pocketknife handy. She now has an SAK Classic clipped in her briefcase all the time. She also likes her N°8 Opinel. I know because she's now my wife.

So don't listen to the "Never lend a knife out" crowd. It's not just a favor you're doing, it's a mitzvah. I suppose in Yiddish, we'd say, "Seyt a messermench! "Be a knife-carrying gentleman!"

Zieg

Good story, that shows the positive side to lending a knife
 
The smaller SAK is gonna work, but you could also carry an Opinel No. 2 or 4. a lock that is extremely simple to use, the new user may even be a bit intrigued by this classy and simple knife. It is "imported from France ", so it's uniqueness to the non knife person may be an opportunity to start a discussion and give you a chance to "evangelize to the unbeliever".

In the interest of not misinforming the uninitiated, it should be understood that the smallest Opinel with a lock is the No. 6. Otherwise - good advice.
 
My vote is the SAK cadet in red alox. It's easy to carry and the tools are nice to have. If you just want a knife AG Russell makes a great little titanium pen knife.
 
My vote is the SAK cadet in red alox. It's easy to carry and the tools are nice to have. If you just want a knife AG Russell makes a great little titanium pen knife.

This. I have one and it is very nice. Big enough to use and very easy to carry. Plus you get some tools you wouldn't normally have.
 
smallest Opinel with a lock is the No. 6. Otherwise - good advice.

I would agree this is a great choice. Small, incredibly lightweight, no clip, very sheeple friendly. The Opinel lock is caveman simple, so you get a safe knife to lend out that's less likely to cut someone.
 
Lansky LKN333 World Legal. This knife was made with sheeple in mind!

Mike

Right... Because it looks soooo friendly. Any good sheeple will be scared by it. Its fat, angular, pointy. It looks quite tactical.


Sheeple friendly is easy. Must have wood. (Well, exect black wood). If its blade also has a friendly shape, even better. I have a PM2 with bocote scales. Before, people commented on why I need a weapon. Now they want to play with it.

Sheeple react to optical input based on previous conditioning.

Black, angles, pointy, weird blade shapes= evil.
Wood (Antler, bone, colored plastic), roundish shapes, "standard" tip like a drop point = not evil.

A bubinga Opinel 8. Doesn't get friendlier than that. And it is all you "really need" to edc in most environments.
 
The Spyderco Roadie also seems to fit the bill as a sheeple knife. It does have a thick blade but this might be benificial as a loaner knife, because the blade won't snap off as easy.(people do the wildest things with knives)
Roadie? $50 seems rather pricy for a loaner. I think the OP would be better off with the suggested SAK or perhaps a sheepsfoot Opinel. Both inexpensive and no big deal if lost or broken.
 
Opinel number 7 "My First Knife" with rounded tip. Has their excellent stainless blade, and "fool proof" ring lock.
Around $10.00 online.
 
Opinel number 7 "My First Knife" with rounded tip. Has their excellent stainless blade, and "fool proof" ring lock. Around $10.00 online.

The rounded tip makes it easy to get the last of the peanut butter out of the jar. I've pierced plastic PB jars trying to do that with an Opinel N°9!

Zieg
 
There's no such thing as a sheeple knife. If a person is afraid of one knife, they're afraid of all knives. Forget about them and get what you want.
 
Back
Top