Why do people stare at someone wearing a multitool or a knife??

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bored2deth

Joined
Feb 27, 2011
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Hey Forum Peoples,

Ugh..that's really annoying. You'd think they had never seen a knife or a multitool before, or even a flashlight for that matter. Good lord. It's a sad thing when a man can't sit in a restaraunt, order a meal, and eat in peace! My wife caught an old fellow not glancing at, not looking at, but openly STARING at my belt, at the multitool on my belt, at the small of my back. That was rude. Extremely rude. Now, if he'd said, "What kinda tool you carrying?" I'd have turned around, smiled,
and told him what it was. That was extremely rude and made me, when I found out, extremely uncomfortable. I did not bother a soul! Made me feel like I was some sort of lepper. I know people will glance, or even look a moment....but sit there and stare?? For pity's sake, oft times I've gone around and about with a knife and multitool on my belt, and a light too; once had a cop stand behind me in line in a convience store, he had a pepsi in one hand and a bag of baked chips in the other. He glanced at my belt. We made eye contact and nodded at one another. Didn't bother me. Another cop popped into a store I was at because there had been an accident reported outside, he had come in as I was on my way out. He glanced at my belt. Man was nice as could be and even held the door open for me! I said thank you, he said have a good day, and I looked back and said, "Thank you, Officer, you too. Stay safe out there." -_- Wish more folks would be like that to us that wear a tool or two!

Most of the people I see carry a knife carry a folder with a pocket clip. My multi-tool has a clip, but it came with a nice sheath, and so I wear it as such. On my belt. I've worn a folding knife in the same way, right along next to one. To access my tools, I have to pop open the sheath, dig my fingers in there, and then give it a good pull. Even then, the thing is slippery as snot. I'm not worried about a police officer taking my things, I'm worried about my cousins and other people doing that lol.
 
Many people think that everyone thinks like they do and shun those that don't. Same could be said about open carry folks, people with turbans, Camo Caps, People who don't have kids but are old enough to.... etc, etc.
 
People can be rude or crazy. They stare at people. It happens.

Was he staring at your face or your wife? If not, then I wouldn't worry about it.

And maybe it was your belt he had the problem with. Who knows?
 
The fact is they usually stare simply because its a weapon.

I don't care if people stare at me because they see the tail of a folder sticking out of my pocket.

I see people all over who carry knives, whether big or small.

Ill stare at someone with a knife simply because I'm trying to see what there carrying lol.

But there's always gonna be people who view any kind of weapon as a negative thing.

That's their prerogative, but it sure as hell doesn't effect me.

Ill carry knives till the day I die.

:D
 
really?? when I was on the job every one asked me where could they get one. I said no problem so I started bring them to work to sell. maybe you are in thr wrong place to have them. the owner of the company wife was a very good customer.
 
bored2deth said:
Hey Forum Peoples,

Ugh..that's really annoying. You'd think they had never seen a knife or a multitool before, or even a flashlight for that matter. Good lord. It's a sad thing when a man can't sit in a restaraunt, order a meal, and eat in peace! My wife caught an old fellow not glancing at, not looking at, but openly STARING at my belt, at the multitool on my belt, at the small of my back. That was rude. Extremely rude. Now, if he'd said, "What kinda tool you carrying?" I'd have turned around, smiled,
and told him what it was. That was extremely rude and made me, when I found out, extremely uncomfortable. I did not bother a soul! Made me feel like I was some sort of lepper. I know people will glance, or even look a moment....but sit there and stare??
Click to expand...

People stare at a lot of things when they know the person involved can't see them. I see them doing it all the time. Then the person will turn and they'll advert their eyes real fast! So if you had your Wife watching and she caught this old fellow staring at your tool, well i just don't know what to say. Maybe he was impressed by your tool and was pondering how he'd look with one as impressive?
 
You should see the looks my old neighbor gets when he cuts his grass wearing his 1911. I grew up in a bad neighborhood, but nobody fk's with his house!

I don't exactly remember it, but there's an old Spartan saying that goes something like, "you don't have to like me...just fear me"
 
TacOpsEDC said:
The fact is they usually stare simply because its a weapon.

I don't care if people stare at me because they see the tail of a folder sticking out of my pocket.

I see people all over who carry knives, whether big or small.

Ill stare at someone with a knife simply because I'm trying to see what there carrying lol.

But there's always gonna be people who view any kind of weapon as a negative thing.

That's their prerogative, but it sure as hell doesn't effect me.

Ill carry knives till the day I die.

:D
Click to expand...
It's not a weapon until its been used as one, IMHO.
 
Don't let it bother you in the least. Who knows, he was probably just admiring it.
 
I don't exactly remember it, but there's an old Spartan saying that goes something like, "you don't have to like me...just fear me"
Click to expand...

Oderint dum metuant (let them hate, so long as they fear) favorite saying of Caligula, an obnoxious little creep of a Roman
Emperor. :)
 
marcinek said:
People can be rude or crazy. They stare at people. It happens.

Was he staring at your face or your wife? If not, then I wouldn't worry about it.

And maybe it was your belt he had the problem with. Who knows?
Click to expand...

This.

Another possibility is that he was just staring off into space and happened to be gazing in your direction.

It's not always all about you...
 
richard thurman said:
really?? when I was on the job every one asked me where could they get one. I said no problem so I started bring them to work to sell. maybe you are in thr wrong place to have them. the owner of the company wife was a very good customer.
Click to expand...

same thing happened at my job. i carry a wave. in the past few weeks i have been selling all my smaller multitools and lower end kershaws to the other guys at work who havent been into knives/multi tools.
 
Most people don't may me a second glance, but then again I live in TN and go to school in south west VA, its a pretty common sight. If you think that you get a reaction from carrying a knife, you should see what people do when you have a pistol on your belt....you either get no reaction (ignored or not noticed), stares, or "what you carrying". you get stares a lot though.

and if you think that is bad, you should see the stare I get when I participate in an EMPTY holster protest on campus....that one you get a lot of stares, a lot rude, some just curious.


the reason why people stare in my opinion is the same reason people stare at anything, it is different than the normal or it scares them
 
Perhaps you're being overly sensitive and defensive. I would have assumed that he was admiring it or trying to figure out what model it is.

Personally, as long as the people around me aren't acting suspiciously, I just ignore them. I ride a motorcycle and depending on what gear I'm wearing I may look a bit rough, I also openly carry a fixed-blade. It's certainly possible that people are staring at me, but I couldn't care less.

You can't control what people think, you can't control what they do, and trying to conform your life to accomodate everyone else is a losing proposition. So I say do your own thing and to hell with what others think about it.
 
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