Displaying knives in public
- Thread starter Warthogiam
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Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
And cut to a pattern from Italy - Genoa in fact, the kind of trousers the fishermen wore (Byron swam the Hellespont wearing a pair of "jeans" but probably linen ones...) - to make "Jeans" a popular style...Or even Serge de Nimes, John......
He probably wore a knife as well...
For what reason should they stop and think to put their knife in their daypack? Because people like you want them to? If bushcrafters wearing knives on their belts upsets you, don't go to bushcraft shows.
In my opinion, hanging from my belt is the safest place for my knife. I know exactly where it is at all times and no one else can touch it without me knowing. That gives me peace of mind, especially if there's kids about.
I've been to the Wilderness Gathering and the Moot. To me carrying it on the belt all the time was a matter of practicality and nothing else.
I felt safer letting my kids go walkabout in those places than at the service stations on the way there. (i.e. I actually let them wander off in those places).
Most interestingly some-one else saw my eldest whittling at the WG, once the guy established he had his knife safety badge, he gave him pointers on technique.
The culture in there gatherings I've been too seemed to me to be that carrying and ready for use is normal, and that putting the knife away in a bag or in the car would be a pointless hassle that interrupts your experience of the day.
I felt safer letting my kids go walkabout in those places than at the service stations on the way there. (i.e. I actually let them wander off in those places).
Most interestingly some-one else saw my eldest whittling at the WG, once the guy established he had his knife safety badge, he gave him pointers on technique.
The culture in there gatherings I've been too seemed to me to be that carrying and ready for use is normal, and that putting the knife away in a bag or in the car would be a pointless hassle that interrupts your experience of the day.
Nailed it there I think.
I feel that it is indeed about a tribal "belonging". If every single person wearing a knife was asked if they had used it I bet, as you say, the numbers would be tiny. I also bet that the standard bushcraft uniform of khaki/olive/camo plus various hats would be everywhere as opposed to people just wearing jeans say.
Now the question asked by the OP (and I agree that calling it trolling is absurd) is to do with the perception of "outsiders" to how the clan dresses and what emblems the members display. As was pointed out, it's the same thing at country shows if people are carrying guns in slips and a non-shooter feels uncomfortable
The onus is therefore on all of us to demonstrate that you can be surrounded by people carrying weaponry (if that is what you choose to do at a show) and you would never know it.
So.... there isn't just a teeny tiny bit of Machismo when you hang the blade off your belt... just a little bit? 
okenest:
okenest:
If you'd read my post you would see I would not have worried. As someone else said, the sight of knives on people could be offputting to some who had just gone to the show for a look, could have made them feel very uncomfortable. I can understand why some folk are not at ease seeing knives in public and as a responsible person you should respect that fear and keep the knives out of site. Because you CAN do something does not mean you HAVE to do something.
Perhaps this need to wear the bushy uniform and dangle your blade feeds the re-enactment element that has become part of 'bushcraft' ?
If someone had just gone to a show for a look then it would be better for them to see knives being treated as tools. This would then help them to shed the irrational fear that makes people uncomfortable with the sight of knives.
In my opinion bushcraft IS a sort of re-enactment. We're re-enacting a simpler form of living or camping for fun rather than necessity. Owning, using and carrying a knife is part of the enjoyment. Having a knife on your belt is the most practical, convenient and safest way to carry one. Its why people do it and have done it for thousands of years. Where its legal I'll continue to carry my knife on my belt. What other people think of that is largely irrelevant.
Your 'uniform' jibe is a clumsy attempt to take this thread down a road that's been well worn out.
Should people also keep their dogs in their gardens - some people have a fear of dogs after all?
I personally find myself developing a fear of baseball caps - stupid things and often worn by urban toughs.....can I ask people to stop wearing them to put me at my ease?
Where does it end?
If what these people were doing was legal, thats it, why should they change what they are doing to accomodate irrational fears?
Red
It seems as though everybody is concerned about the possibility of somebody getting upset about something thesedays. Life's tough, get a helmet I say. That or suck it up buttercup!
interesting point right there red, not really relevant to the OP but.....SWMBO studies countryside management at broomfield college which is part of derby college though not actually situated in derby itself, it's situated a few miles outside the town centre in the middle of agricultural land. last academic year (gemma's first at the college) broomfield was still an independent institution, this year it's merged with derby college. last year gemma could wear her flat cap to college, pretty practical when working outside, it keeps off sun, rain, wind, thorns, etc. in fact, a flat cap is pretty damn good PPE IMO. this year gemma has gone through a disciplinary/complaints procedure because the wearing of hats has been banned in college (and gemma's really not the kind of person to pay attention to stupid rulings) due to........guess what......people find baseball caps to be intimidating. it's a crazy crazy world that we live
Oh for crying out loud- this is Daily Mail fodder... does hat's include burkas and Sikh turbans? If not she's being discriminated against.
to me this is all down to self perception. people get all their gear on and theyre feeling all "indiana jones takes on the world" and then they consider - "well if i look this cool, prepared and deadly, surely others must feel my manly presence. Perhaps they may be intimidated by my fine weaponry"
what they forget is that they are more than likely a middle aged man dressed like a robin hood extra, and about as intimidating as a bowl of rice krispies.
so in summary- this is all down to the power of advertising and flawed self perception
what they forget is that they are more than likely a middle aged man dressed like a robin hood extra, and about as intimidating as a bowl of rice krispies.
so in summary- this is all down to the power of advertising and flawed self perception
don't worry, a suitable stink has been kicked up over this already. i don't really want to go into it in any detail as gemma's still a student at broomfield college and i believe that the complaints procedure is still ongoing, suffice to say that it's not a point that has been taken at all lightly by any parties involved
So.... there isn't just a teeny tiny bit of Machismo when you hang the blade off your belt... just a little bit?
I think the answer is fairly obvious; for some people there is no element of machismo, for others there's a tiny bit and for some there's a great bit. BUT!! So what? Why does it matter? Is there something wrong if there is? What's the difference between wearing a $100 knife (as a wardrobe accessory) and a $2000 Rolex?
Are you sure about that John? I know work trousers were made of hemp long before Levis; both here and in Europe. But the history of "blue jeans" and Levis" come directly from the sailcloth ones that Levi Straus made in California shortly after he immigrated. Wherever he got the pattern originally, they weren't "Levis" or "blue jeans" until he made them there. For that matter not all blue jeans today or true Levis as it's a brand name; not the brand I wear for that matter as I think there are far better ones available without paying the price for the name.
Sailcloth was canvas - which shares its names origin with Cannabis - it was hemp cloth
As was tarpauline - hemp again!
Yep - the original Levis were hemp!
Check your google
Knives! At a bushcraft show! So what man, get a grip, Remember the old Boy Scouts saying before the press got you and the UK paranoid carry a knife, save a life...
