carving in public

[robin wood]

Don't know why I have not done this before but today I had to take daughter to docs and rather than spend an hour reading crap magazines I took some part finished spoons and a couple of knives. I sat on the bench out front with a cloth to catch the shavings and spent a happy time carving, several folk stopped to chat about what I was up to as well. I have previously taken my knitting which has had a similar response, don't know why I never thought to take carving stuff. It was Adam Hart Davis that gave me the idea he carves on trains.

Maybe we need to organise some big carve in public sessions like the craftivists do with knitting in public.

 

[brancho]

Robin
I have carved while out walking the dog but avoided doing so in front of others but I shouldnt have to even when using my SAK

This is nothing to hide though and its other peoples minds that are the trouble.

 

[Wook]

The British have become extremely squeamish about anything they perceive as a weapon. I don't know when this happened, it certainly wasn't always this way.

Most Brits these days are under the mistaken impression that all knives are illegal to carry. I had someone describe my old SAK as an "offensive weapon" when they caught sight of it. There is a risk that even by producing a knife within sight of others they'll call the police on you. I was standing by a track in the forest with my 7 year old daughter showing her how to carve a tent peg with a 3 inch folding knife. A couple of dog walkers passed and I gave them a friendly nod and continued my lesson. When they caught sight of the knife they looked genuinely shocked and scared.

If you intend to do wood carving technically I suppose that would constitute "good reason" and you would not need to restrict yourself to a SAK. But most people, and even many cops, would be under the impression you were breaking the law even with just the SAK.

You'd probably win any legal battle in the end (assuming you weren't daft and admitted to anything they accused you of). But that would be little consolation if you'd had a lot of your time wasted and had to spend a night in the cells.

Given the pants wetting I am increasingly seeing from my fellow Brits when they catch sight of anything they consider scary or dangerous, I wonder if carving openly in a public place is wise. All it takes is one wimpy do-gooder who thinks they know the law and you've got a whole world of trouble.

 

[Biker]

I say good for you. Yes you run a certain element of risk of some do gooder calling in the armed response team for the good of the general to deal with the knife wielding maniac. But I still say doing it like you are is a good thing, especially if it gets people talking to you. Hopefully it'll take some of the weapon stigma away from knife use and put it back in the tool catagory where it belongs.

I suppose it makes a difference for how old you are and how you appear to the public perception. I mean, if you're in your teens and wearing a hoodie then you could be in for some grief.

Top tip: Don't consider using an axe in public.

 

[JohnC]

I carved stuff at the back of a moored boat in Norfolk and got a lot of intrest, also done this at a couple of events at St Andrews last year, while attending. I was using flexcut carving knife and a home made curved knife. Lots of interest, I think the shape of the knife(s) was the thing that "deflected" concern about a "sharp object" being used in public.

 

[sasquatch]

Good on you, I'm getting really fed up with all the paranoid 'what if' attitudes when it comes to things like knives and meths and similar. Common sense will prevail if we maintain it. It leaves a good impression on people that see you carve something beautiful surely.

 

[Stringmaker]

I think the shape of the knife(s) was the thing that "deflected" concern about a "sharp object" being used in public.

That's a good point.

It would be VERY difficult to stab anyone with a spoon knife, so seeing that being used as a tool shouldn't upset any delicate types.

 

[brancho]

Given the pants wetting I am increasingly seeing from my fellow Brits when they catch sight of anything they consider scary or dangerous, I wonder if carving openly in a public place is wise. All it takes is one wimpy do-gooder who thinks they know the law and you've got a whole world of trouble.

The point is to try and change this isnt it.

 

[robin wood]

I do carve in public as a demonstration at shows but that is different. It sort of says here is a chap doing something interesting as a performance for folk to watch. Doing it whilst sat on a bench outside the doctors or on the train simply says this is normal, like reading the paper, knitting or watching telly.

 

[Huon]

Good on you, I'm getting really fed up with all the paranoid 'what if' attitudes when it comes to things like knives and meths and similar. Common sense will prevail if we maintain it. It leaves a good impression on people that see you carve something beautiful surely.

I agree completely with this. I always have some sort of knife on me and I carry it to use it. If I need the knife to cut something or if I wanted to carve I'd get it out without a second thought. I've never noticed any concern from anyone nearby.

Sometime I think our collective worry is more down to paranoia on our part than anything real.

 

[Wook]

.

Sometime I think our collective worry is more down to paranoia on our part than anything real.

No it's definitely something real. I've known of airgunners who've had armed response units called down on them while they were shooting on their permission. Fortunately all it took in that instance was a brief explanation and they bogged off again.

It's not just the increasingly authoritarian laws that are the problem though. It's the army of little-hitlers who think they are "in the government's gang" and see it as their duty to enforce their flawed understanding of the law on the government's behalf.

 

[sasquatch]

No it's definitely something real. I've known of airgunners who've had armed response units called down on them while they were shooting on their permission. Fortunately all it took in that instance was a brief explanation and they bogged off again.

It's not just the increasingly authoritarian laws that are the problem though. It's the army of little-hitlers who think they are "in the government's gang" and see it as their duty to enforce their flawed understanding of the law on the government's behalf.

All the more reason for people like us to carry on as normal in my opinion. I've not had an armed response whilst out airgunning yet, nor have I had a problem with having or using a knife yet and I have been most of my life. I'm not doing anything wrong when I am so I won't waste my time thinking 'what if'.

 

[HillBill]

It should be normal thing for crafts to be shown to be part of everyday life for some people, and for it to be shown that knives play important roles in many of them. Familiarity breeds contempt for stupid perceptions.

 

[DaveBromley]

All the more reason for people like us to carry on as normal in my opinion. I've not had an armed response whilst out airgunning yet, nor have I had a problem with having or using a knife yet and I have been most of my life. I'm not doing anything wrong when I am so I won't waste my time thinking 'what if'.

Spot on!! if we worry enough about something to stop doing it, even when it is perfectly legal to do so aren't we the ones who should be kicking off??

I take my SAK with me almost everywhere (except airports and courts etc where they would be held and returned. Mainly because i don't trust them to be returned lol)

I have taken it out and used it openly in front of lots of different people of all shapes and sizes. Admittedly a few have given me grief but I have then taken this as an opportunity to inform them of the laws regarding Legal carry etc. From that point on those people haven't had a problem.

I think it stems to a lack of knowledge and or understanding on the most part along with the media making all people who carry a perfectly legal knife out to be murdering scum bags

not that i'm bitter at all

Dave

 

[Wook]

All the more reason for people like us to carry on as normal in my opinion. I've not had an armed response whilst out airgunning yet, nor have I had a problem with having or using a knife yet and I have been most of my life. I'm not doing anything wrong when I am so I won't waste my time thinking 'what if'.

For what it's worth, I agree with you. Those who have committed no crime should not have to be cowed because of the fear and pettiness either of the law or of their fellow citizens. However, what I'm saying is by refusing to tow the party line when it comes to how evil bladed objects are, you are putting yourself in a position where conflict of one sort or another is almost inevitable.

As to changing the public's perception of these sorts of things, I think that ship has well and truly sailed. The best we can hope for is to be allowed to continue our interests in peace for while, before the "final ban" eventually comes which bans your hobby altogether (be it knives, airguns, shotguns, firearms, archery....). I don't see how the relentless march toward a rubber-padded society can be stopped at this late stage.

 

[mrcharly]

I've sat on a bench in a village, carving with a mora 106. Nobody turned a hair.

Stop being paranoid, everyone, help to change/maintain perceptions that knives are tools, not weapons.

 

[brancho]

Frankly the real problem is press campaigns becuase far too many people actually believe the spin of the press.

Without changing the press's attitude this is going nowhere!

I agree the that press contradict themselves a lot. I think Robin's idea is good

 

[sasquatch]

For what it's worth, I agree with you. Those who have committed no crime should not have to be cowed because of the fear and pettiness either of the law or of their fellow citizens. However, what I'm saying is by refusing to tow the party line when it comes to how evil bladed objects are, you are putting yourself in a position where conflict of one sort or another is almost inevitable.

As to changing the public's perception of these sorts of things, I think that ship has well and truly sailed. The best we can hope for is to be allowed to continue our interests in peace for while, before the "final ban" eventually comes which bans your hobby altogether (be it knives, airguns, shotguns, firearms, archery....). I don't see how the relentless march toward a rubber-padded society can be stopped at this late stage.

Yip, I know exactly where you're coming from. It's a risk I take I guess but I'll worry about it when the time comes that I have to prove I was doing nothing wrong. Won't stop me doing things in the meanwhile though! No laws broken, no worries.

I do think sitting on a bench carving is a great idea. It would be great to hear of more people at it. I've done a bit of whittling in public with a legal folder in the past, it's something I'll make an effort to do more of I think!

 

[sandbender]

Don't know why I have not done this before but today I had to take daughter to docs and rather than spend an hour reading crap magazines I took some part finished spoons and a couple of knives. I sat on the bench out front with a cloth to catch the shavings and spent a happy time carving...Maybe we need to organise some big carve in public sessions like the craftivists do with knitting in public.

Good on you, I've done it myself a few times while over here, I would have some worries about doing so in the UK though.

 

[Huon]

No it's definitely something real. I've known of airgunners who've had armed response units called down on them while they were shooting on their permission. Fortunately all it took in that instance was a brief explanation and they bogged off again.

It's not just the increasingly authoritarian laws that are the problem though. It's the army of little-hitlers who think they are "in the government's gang" and see it as their duty to enforce their flawed understanding of the law on the government's behalf.

The armed response worry has been an issue for shooters for as long as I can remember. My father was the captain of the local shooting club and toyed with the idea of putting a rifle range in at home. One of his worries was that a neighbour would call in the police. This was probably around 40 years ago and in a country with more general gun use and hunting than the UK.

The best thing to do in these circumstances is to make sure you have any documentation you need to prove your case, behave responsibly and then go ahead and enjoy the hobby you are legally entitled to pursue. Personally I'd also consider letting the police know who I was and where I shot as well. It probably help head off a lot of complaints.

I'm not sure though that it makes sense to lump lots of different activities together when having this sort of discussion. The laws governing knife and gun use are different as are the circumstances in which you use them. I'd have no problem using a knife to slice bread in a park in Central London for example but I'd probably not want to have an air rifle with me