Pocket knives every day, everywhere, coming out of your ears. Weirded me the hell out the first time I got in trouble for having a small, helpful little tool in my pocket. I was taught how to safely handle one when I was 8, and have always had one in my pocket since I was 14.
Like… of course I have a pocket knife. I have a spare in my backpack to give away, I have a collection at home, and I have favorite styles and designs. They’re great gifts, they’re always useful, fit in your pocket, and weigh nearly nothing. Why don’t you?
This was me as a kid. An assortment of Swiss Army knives, always available. Finally got one of the good Victorinox ones, and it was my EDC in high school. Totally normal in the redneck town where I grew up. I flew on planes at least twice with one on me, connected as a keychain. No one cared.
The week after 9/11, I was in college in a large coastal city, and a friend that worked at the campus TV station was asking people to be on their “talk show” which was just 3 random students with nothing better to do, and a theatre minor to moderate. Sure enough, 9/11 came up, and everyone was shocked, shocked I tell you, that box cutters made it in the plane.
I said I carried a pocket knife around because it’s a tool. And that I had managed to make it on a plane with one before, so it’s not that shocking. I had one on me at the time, like one does.
The looks I got - it was like I had told them I invented plane hijackings and was about to murder then all right there. Instantly they were the Us, even the moderator, I was a violent and terrifying Them. With a 3 inch folding blade I wouldn’t trust to cut more than a baby bell cheese. Fortunately, literally no one watched the show, but I just thought it was the other 3 people being weird.
Nope. City people just don’t expect to do things for themselves a lot I guess. Or something, I’m still not clear on what they’re thinking.
Anyway, my EDC these days is a Kershaw tonto blade. Love the big wide stumpiness of it. What’s yours?
I keep a Morakniv Companion in my backpack for bigger jobs like splitting wood, but the pocketknife I have in my pocket is just a little folding Gerber. My giveaway knife is a cheap Ozark. I figure it’s better than no knife at all, but for actual work I try to use good tools.
At my uni, we technically have a rule banning pocket knives on campus, but because we have engineering and animal science students on campus, it’s not a big deal when you see people carry pocket knives.
it’s for threatening slow walkers who are blocking the way from the eng students’ fifth to sixth lecture of the day across campus after getting out of a 2 hour shitty lab period
I remember my first pocket knife. My father gave it to me and I immediately checked the sharpness by running my thumb across it. The wrong way. 6 stitches later I learned not to do that. Lol
RIP 😂 I’ve done that before, but not to the tune of a hospital trip.
My dad gave me my first pocketknife too. He was so proud of that, since his dad gave him his first knife too. It’s a fatherhood thing in our family. A rite of passage. And I don’t mind it.
That sounds a lot like Albacete and Andalucía with all those navajas, especially the gifting part (Navajas de Albacete are a well-known souvenir here in Spain)
There’s an entire group of molluscs called “razor clams”, and their shells can be sharp enough to knick skin. I have lost enough faith in humanity, I would wager that at least one person has accidentally left the house with a pocket clam.
I grew up un the impenetrable forests of southern sweden, always had pocket knives (fällkniv or morakniv). They were totally banned in school so I guesd we all figured that one out.
Isn’t the euphemism for personal space translate to “knife fighting distance”? Seems like a good idea to take the knives away if you’re forcing Swedes into close proximity.
Moraknivs are my favorite knives! They’re sturdy, the grips are comfortable, and the bevels are easy to sharpen by hand with a whetstone. The steel is good, and as long as you keep it dry and oiled, they last forever.
They’re fantastic blades, Swedes have excellent taste.
Pocket knives every day, everywhere, coming out of your ears. Weirded me the hell out the first time I got in trouble for having a small, helpful little tool in my pocket. I was taught how to safely handle one when I was 8, and have always had one in my pocket since I was 14.
Like… of course I have a pocket knife. I have a spare in my backpack to give away, I have a collection at home, and I have favorite styles and designs. They’re great gifts, they’re always useful, fit in your pocket, and weigh nearly nothing. Why don’t you?
This was me as a kid. An assortment of Swiss Army knives, always available. Finally got one of the good Victorinox ones, and it was my EDC in high school. Totally normal in the redneck town where I grew up. I flew on planes at least twice with one on me, connected as a keychain. No one cared.
The week after 9/11, I was in college in a large coastal city, and a friend that worked at the campus TV station was asking people to be on their “talk show” which was just 3 random students with nothing better to do, and a theatre minor to moderate. Sure enough, 9/11 came up, and everyone was shocked, shocked I tell you, that box cutters made it in the plane.
I said I carried a pocket knife around because it’s a tool. And that I had managed to make it on a plane with one before, so it’s not that shocking. I had one on me at the time, like one does.
The looks I got - it was like I had told them I invented plane hijackings and was about to murder then all right there. Instantly they were the Us, even the moderator, I was a violent and terrifying Them. With a 3 inch folding blade I wouldn’t trust to cut more than a baby bell cheese. Fortunately, literally no one watched the show, but I just thought it was the other 3 people being weird.
Nope. City people just don’t expect to do things for themselves a lot I guess. Or something, I’m still not clear on what they’re thinking.
Anyway, my EDC these days is a Kershaw tonto blade. Love the big wide stumpiness of it. What’s yours?
I keep a Morakniv Companion in my backpack for bigger jobs like splitting wood, but the pocketknife I have in my pocket is just a little folding Gerber. My giveaway knife is a cheap Ozark. I figure it’s better than no knife at all, but for actual work I try to use good tools.
Fair. I still get a lot of use out of a Leatherman I’ve had for 20+ years.
Pocket knives should be normalized.
At my uni, we technically have a rule banning pocket knives on campus, but because we have engineering and animal science students on campus, it’s not a big deal when you see people carry pocket knives.
I think my university had similar, however almost every engineering student had one…
Animal science I get, but why do engineering students need them?
In case they encounter any architecture students.
And need them for dancing at each other?
For stripping wires, making small modifications to 3D prints, cutting tape, etc
They just think they’re neat. :)
Ah, the Marge Simpson justification. Fair enough 😁
it’s for threatening slow walkers who are blocking the way from the eng students’ fifth to sixth lecture of the day across campus after getting out of a 2 hour shitty lab period
Engineer does need a knife… but all other tools attached to that Swiss army knife, leatherman…etc.
Probably for cutting boxes and opening bags. You never know what you might need a knife for until you do.
I remember my first pocket knife. My father gave it to me and I immediately checked the sharpness by running my thumb across it. The wrong way. 6 stitches later I learned not to do that. Lol
RIP 😂 I’ve done that before, but not to the tune of a hospital trip.
My dad gave me my first pocketknife too. He was so proud of that, since his dad gave him his first knife too. It’s a fatherhood thing in our family. A rite of passage. And I don’t mind it.
That sounds a lot like Albacete and Andalucía with all those navajas, especially the gifting part (Navajas de Albacete are a well-known souvenir here in Spain)
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve mistaken a knife for a mollusc…
There’s an entire group of molluscs called “razor clams”, and their shells can be sharp enough to knick skin. I have lost enough faith in humanity, I would wager that at least one person has accidentally left the house with a pocket clam.
You’ll never guess what they’re called in Spanish
Cuchillos?
I grew up un the impenetrable forests of southern sweden, always had pocket knives (fällkniv or morakniv). They were totally banned in school so I guesd we all figured that one out.
Isn’t the euphemism for personal space translate to “knife fighting distance”? Seems like a good idea to take the knives away if you’re forcing Swedes into close proximity.
Moraknivs are my favorite knives! They’re sturdy, the grips are comfortable, and the bevels are easy to sharpen by hand with a whetstone. The steel is good, and as long as you keep it dry and oiled, they last forever.
They’re fantastic blades, Swedes have excellent taste.
Oooooooh. Those are pretty. New quest item unlocked. <3
Europeans in shambles.