Who are you and what do you use your knife for?

[JonnyP]

I am a builder and carry a leatherman wave on my belt. Nearly every tool on it gets used regulary, but the main blade itself is THE most useful tool on it. Today I used it for opening a polythene bag of nails, sharpened my carpenters pencil a few times and cut some DPC.....

 

[Knife-man]

.

I saw a bit in the paper the other day where an ex soldier was caught at Waterloo with a 5cm blade and done for carrying a concealed weapon. Anyone know the full story.

Yes I do know the full story and its a complicated matter without all the details needed to decide whether he was dealt with fairly or unfairly. If you want a link to the story PM me because I know from experience a thread containing such content tends to degrade rather quickly .

 

[Toddy]

My *job* changes dependant on the season. I'm an archaeologist, a Living History Interpreter, a tutor of traditional handcrafts, and sometimes I'm an instructor of outdoor living skills, however, today, I'm a costume maker so my tools are scissors and the like. This morning I was working in the garden and I was using a Helle Polar for tidying up some of my prunings, cutting off old ties and the like and it was still in my pocket when I went for a walk, to gather up some some birch bark for dye, along a public footpath.
Yesterday I used a little Bruseletto to carve out a netting needle. I was using a Bark river mini-Canadian and a Helle Tommeliten to take off the visceral tissues of a deer hide the day before. I also used an Opinel for dead heading roses and tidying up raspberry bushes, and I used the polar to baton split up some old elder branches for firedrill hearths.
My knives are tools, and I use them as such.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Neanderthal]

Hi bent-stick,

I was looking for the best forum to post this in but as you asked.

See clipping below fro the METRO paper

<clip>
Tuesday, November 21,2006 - METRO

Brigader held for 5cm knife on train

A RETIRED army officer was arrested, bundled into a police van and thrown in custody after trying to carry a small blade he used to sharpen pencils on to a train.

Brig Tom Foulks was fingerprinted and had DNA samples taken after the 5cm (2in) knife, on a pocket sized multi-tool, was spotted by an X-ray machine at Waterloo station in London.

He had planned to take a Eurostar tarin to Paris for a business meeting but was questioned for three hours about the £20 implement, which also included a bottle
opener, screwdriver, tweezers, compass and a toothpick.

The 56-year-old from Fleet, Hampshire, later accepted a caution for possessing an offensive weapon.

Brig Foulkes, who spent 35 years developing weapons for the Ministry of Defence and is now director-general of the institute if Civil Engineers said: "The whole thing was a farce, I was bundled into the cage of a police van and taken to a custody centre. 'I am now on a police database - all because I was carrying this useful little tool.

Surely they could see that I wasn't a threat to anyone?'

Knives with blades longer than 7.5cm are not allowed on trains under Eurostar rules.

A spokeswoman for the British Transport Police said that Brig Foulks was arrested because the blade - although only 5cm long - could be classed as a concealed weapon.
</clip>

It's a crazy mixed up world...

Neanderthal

 

[BorderReiver]

Please remember that this is in a newspaper.

We do not know how the man reacted to,or spoke to the policemen who initially stopped him. It can make a LOT of difference.

 

[bent-stick]

Thanks for that. I'd read it over someone's shoulder and thought I'd dreamed it.

Sorry for hijacking the thread Knife-Man.

Mods: if you think it has taken the thread way off where it should be and want to get rid of my question and reply please do so.

Edit:
Very true border_riever.

 

[Bunnerz]

I am a full time college student, studying the uniform services hoping to join the fire service. In my spare time I help teach bushcraft to students of 16-18 years of age. I just have a simple swedish Mora Clipper, but does everything I need it to do from splitting fire or making feather sticks, to wood carving.

I also carry my knife with me if I go on a weekend to the Brecon Beacons or Climbing in Wales as it will always comes in handy at some point aswell as just feeling prepared for any situation.

 

[loz.]

Hi,

Im a Unix sysadmin but sometimes do a little hardware/cabling work so i have a Gerber Multi tool and a freebee sun microsystems leatherman ripoff on my desk.

For camping, my Gerber Gater, Forces Folder and Forces Machette, and a cheap 5 euros Lidl Axe

Loz

 

[addyb]

Personally, I can't for the life of me fathom the knife law issue in the UK. I suppose the only way that one could rationalize it is that there is a large amount of people living in a small area and there's a high probability of danger.

On the other hand, here in BC the laws are pretty well, lax. I've seen people walking into grocery stores with an 8 inch fixed blade strapped to their belts to buy a gallon of milk. It's not big deal, really. I carry a little SAK at work, my boss is constantly asking to borrow it because it's sharper than his kitchen knives. Again, no big deal there.

But again, laws are laws and they are to be followed. Right?

Adam

 

[michiel]

I'm a college student in Belgium. I carry a SAK every day for the small daily jobs. When I go camping I take a SAK, a saw, a BRKT Snowy river and a cheap mora.

Michiel

 

[ArkAngel]

I am a printer repair technician, sometime computer repair man, photography teacher, (I work for Cartridge World)

I have a SAK on my keychain at all times and normally have a Victorinox multi-tool in my pocket at work.

Useful for all sorts of things, just this morning the pliers and awl were very useful for removing 5 1 euro coins from a customers laptop printer that his 4 year old had mistaken for a moneybox!

otherwise normal work usage of knife, opening boxes, unscrewing things etc etc

 

[OldJimbo]

I use a Leatherman PST that I was given many years ago. I suppose that with non locking blade of less than 3" would even be legal in UK. I use it daily for little jobs on computers, though the blade is the one part that gets the least use.
In clearing trails on my own time, I use a variety of big blades from axes to parangs.

I really can't remember back far enough to when I didn't carry some small pocket knife - and that even includes when I was young and going to school in Britain. I remember giving myself a good cut (and feeling very embarassed about it) when I was about 9, so I was using knives then. Fifty years ago, I think it would have been unusual to find a man who didn't carry a pocket knife, and probably most women had one in a purse as well. Back then a person ate an apple with a knife, to peel it and slice off chunks, because you never knew what you'd find inside. For some reason it seems that there were more small jobs that required a knife than now, or perhaps people were simply more self-reliant.

 

[chrisanson]

hello,
i am a welder/fabricator. I carry a SAK and an OPINEL (don’t know what No it is as its worn off). I carry both most of the time but have always got my SAK with me. They are used for everything from cutting open sack’s to eating my lunch, changing a fuse or pruning a bush , in general almost everything !
Chris

 

[malcolmc]

I’m a middle-aged professional who likes hill walking. When walking in the wilds I carry a knife as a tool of last resort for fire making and shelter. The type of knife is similar to that used by local fishermen and hunters; the local constabulary have no problem with this but of course can’t speak for their colleagues in other parts.

I also always carry a small folder, mostly used for removing staples at the photocopier and opening bubble packaging.

The advice I’ve had, from the local law, is if you are found to be carrying a knife of any description on public transport after there has been an incident you will be detained until you are eliminated from police enquiries. This may take some time and seriously inconvenience you. I can live with that, its done for our protection after all.

 

[OldJimbo]

Since the nature of this thread is about justifying carrying such a basic tool as a knife...
One of my favorite albums is Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds" sound stage production. Yesterday I was watching the 30th anniversary stage production.
In the section with the artilleryman digging tunnels, part of the lyrics go:
"Man is born in freedom,
but soon becomes a slave.
in cages of prevention
from the cradle to the grave..."

That's an interesting observation in lyrics written thirty years ago.
With the cynicism of age I just wish that the cages of restrictions actually did serve to prevent something, or even have a net positive effect.

 

[Dougster]

I'm a secondary school design teacher. I NEVER carry a knife to work - but the kids know I make them.

I do carry them when not at school - I use it beating, I cut thorns and brambles when walking the dog (yes it is easier than carrying secateurs) or to trim wood I'd like to carve and bring home.

I used to shoot in competitions when I was younger, managing a few international caps, and the argument is the same for knives as for we made then for guns - they are inanimate - it's the idiot behind them that causes the problem.

In this country we are having our responsibilities eroded a little more each day, and with it our sense of responsibility is slowly disappearing, blanket bans have the same effect. I actually had a girl pull a big metal lever down on her own head the other day in my lesson and blame me for not stopping her!!!!

I'm not sure wether we will come to our senses or self implode as a nation in the future.

 

[OldJimbo]

In this country we are having our responsibilities eroded a little more each day, and with it our sense of responsibility is slowly disappearing,

I believe that you're at the heart of the matter with that statement.

For about ten years of my teaching career I had a pocket knife which I'd leave on the chalk ledge for students to shave down pencil crayons with, for shading. Just a little safety instruction, and things cruised along with not a single cut or mishap. I gave up that practice because it became clear that students were becoming less and less familiar with knife use and safety. Later at camps I did teach knife use, safety and responsibility to small groups. It took about ten hours of highly supervised practice until I felt confident that they had sufficient responsibility and knowledge of safe use. We had a great time, but it was very clear that most kids had had no exposure to knives, even in the kitchen at home.

I've given knives to my grand-kids, but there too I've also given many hours of my undivided attention, while they learned responsibility and safety.

What I'm getting to in all of this is that responsible and safe knife carry and use implies some learning. I'd figure that many people now would consider any sharp object as dangerous, because for them it is.

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

I'm writing a article for BKTA with the aim of showing people that ordinary respectable people carry knives and use them for ordinary mundane purposes outside work.

So I'm after a few people (No names necessary if you want to remain anonymous) to give a brief rundown of What they do professionally Where they carry a knife and what it gets used for on a daily basis, where you live might also be useful. Just put down anything that seems relevant such as where you never carry a knife and for what reasons, any voluntary work you do esp if you use the knife for that as well. Basically anything which would help promote your good character.

Please note that anything you write here may get quoted but I will ask each person individually for permission before the article is put up for public viewing. Your free to write as much or as little as you want. I'm will also be posting this on BB so try not to double post as it makes my life easier

Cheers

Steve

My name is Caleb, My jobs include student (of secondary school as well as wilderness survival), a hardware store clerk and Mr Fix-it. I also have many jobs that are based in the outdoors, mostly volunteer jobs for the survival and bushcraft programs, as well as paying jobs for aboriginal programs (Serpent Mounds Ontario for instance).

In all of those jobs I've found a knife invaluable;

- When on my survival programs I'll often carry a large, fixed-blade (Cold Steel SRK or Bushman),
-when doing in-depth camping or Bushcraft I add a Kukri Machete and a mora knife.
-When carving I use hook knives, an opinel and a mora


When at the aboriginal programs I try to carry old fashioned knives that are functional but also blend into the traditional setting. I used to have a bowie knife with a stag antler scale handle, as well as a plain handled Mora with a leather sheath. These were to make it possible to do work, but also let the people see an old fashioned scenery, with old fashioned tools.

Now at the hardware store I carry a Gerber Pro-Scout Multi Tool. It's more important to me there than any other tool in the shop. The hardware store I work at offers satellite installments, bicycle repairs and all-around fixing jobs. Pliers and screwdrivers in the multi-tool are great for those jobs. But we also get 70-100 large boxes weekly that need to get openned, emptied and then cut up for the recycling. A good sharp knife (with some serrations), will beat any exacto-knife or utility knife we have in the shop. One hand and I can open the Pro-Scout and while holding a large box, I can tear it apart and put away the knife.

A handy-man is nothing without a good tool. A knife is a tool. But in my aboriginal teachings, a knife is also a powerful spirit. It keeps us alive in the wilderness. But disrespect it by using it ignorantly and it WILL punish you (cuts, lacerations, missing digits). It's just like wine to the Christians and tobacco to the natives. Respect what you use, and it will respect you. Disrespect it, and it can disrespect you alot worse!

 

[Ben Trout]

Victornix Swisstool at work. I'm in an electro-mechanical repair workshop. It gets used for opening packaging, cutting insulation and stand in for any tool that I can't be bothered going back to my toolbox for. That on being a locking blade I have a Gerber Eclipse and baby Victornix in my wallet for the rest of the time.

As a Scout leader and for general outdoors stuff the Swisstool is my usual sharp. Out of the way I take Lapp Puuko and saw backed Glock.

Swisstool still going strong after some seven years of everyday abuse.

 

[hanzo]

"Now why would you be carrying a knife...?"

"Hunting."

"...what do you hunt with a knife?"

"Name it..."

Oh wait, that was some other American dude...