Why carry a pocket knife?

[Mumbleypeg]

Just received an interesting article from AKTI. Here’s the link to “Why Carry a Pocket Knife?”.

https://www.akti.org/why-carry/

For me living on a ranch, a knife is an indispensable tool that I typically use several times daily. I find it sad that a common and useful tool has become thought of as offensive to some. Enjoy the article, and post your personal reasons here if you like.

Ken

[treefarmer]

I grew up in the country, almost everybody carried a pocketknife, the farmers, the ranchers, the hunters and fishermen, the male school teachers, the preachers, the list goes on and on. Back in those days, a knife was a tool. We carried pocketknives during high school, used in shop classes and Agriculture class (FFA), maybe even cutting something for a sweet English teacher. Carrying a knife is a natural thing to me.
I'm proud to say my son and my grandson's all have and use pocketknives. Sad to say the grandsons don't have the privilege to carry a pocketknife in school like their grandpa did. My son is now 46, he carried a pocketknife in his high school days.
Our thread asking, "What did you use your knife for today?", shows us some everyday uses by our members.
Treefarmer

[Reverand]

I also grew up on a farm, used a knife daily, and carried a knife in High School. One day our Principal stopped my in the hallway and asked for it. My heart sank, as I knew they were forbidden (this was in 1985 or 86).
It turned out that he needed to cut something and knew that my knife would be sharp. He used it, handed it back, and sent me on my way!
It made me feel good to know that I was trusted to have a knife without fear of me misusing it, and also trusting that I kept my knives sharp!

[eveled]

It was a last day of school tradition. Going to the principals office to get your knives back.

My friends were just too stupid to keep it in their pockets.

[bestgear]

Just received an interesting article from AKTI

thanks Ken, the PSA is very helpful. To those reading this, please consider joining AKTI. For $35/year https://www.akti.org/plans/individual-members/ you can help support the legislative fight to save your rights as knife owners and users. I selected the Individual Ambassador Lifetime Membership and made 24 monthly payments of $31.25 and I was done. They have lots of membership options so please consider this worthy cause. AKTI Memberships can also be given as a gift

[1967redrider]

I can't say if I ever took a pocket knife to school, but having a folder and a fixed blade are pretty mandatory on the farm. I have been carrying a pocket knife to work for years. Most days it only cuts Mandarin skins.

[edge213]

The one question "Is it weird to carry a pocket knife?"
Says how crazy our society has become to even ask the question.
All of us know it's weird to NOT carry a pocket knife.

[zzyzzogeton]

My first exposure to pocket knives was when I was 4. My grandfather demonstrated how to sharpen a pencil. That was my first knife lesson. The second was how to sharpen it.

The first weekend I went to visit him after I started first grade, he said

"Now that you've started school, you need to have your own pocket knife. We can't have you borrowing one when you need one."

And gave me my first knife - a single blade pen knife that I still have lying around in a drawer somewhere. The blade wobbles like a slinky and has less than half the blade left, but I still have it.

In 2nd grade, around Halloween, during cursive practice, I needed to sharpen my pencil but the classroom pencil sharpener (the big gray thing one on the wall) had exploded in a half-dozen parts when someone had tried to use it. I pulled out my knife and began to sharpen my pencil. The other 3 kids at the desk cluster asked me to sharpen theirs as well. The teacher came over to see what was going on. She went back to her desk and came back with a hand full of pencils and said --

"Could you sharpen mine as well?"

After Christmas, every boy and half the girls in the class were carrying pocket knives.

[enuf]

I didn't know it was an option

Seriously, I have carried a pocketknife about as long as I can remember, even in school. I am sure there was a time or a phase that I didn't, I just don't really recall it.

[winst]

"An't much to a man that don't carry a good sharp pocket knife" Quote from my granny to me when I was about 12 yrs old. She had ask me to go with her to the garden to get some ripe tomatoes. As it was some morning glory vines had wrapped around the tomato plants and she ask me to take my pocket knife and cut the vines away. I said "I don't have a knife" thus, the initial quote at the beginning statement of this post. In a week or so granny sent word for me to come to her house and to my surprise she ask me for a nickel. I just happen to have a nickel I had gotten from returning pop bottles to our local "jottem down" store.A nickel was worth a little more in 1953 than it is now. I ask here why she wanted a nickel and she reached into her apron and handed me a beautiful Case XX medium stockman...said it was bad luck to give someone a knife without money in exchange. Now when I ask you for a knife you better have one "MAN-UP GUYS....CARRY A GOOD SHARP KNIFE"
HA! HA!

[robpa]

I cant remember not carrying a knife. We were always tramping around outdoors and some kinda knife was indispensible. probably lost 1 a year when farming. Or broke the blade working on the baler or whatever. I use a knife multiple times each day even if only cleaning my fingernails.Every vehicle has an onboard knife, couple on the workbench, 1 stuck in the cabin by the door,one in my nightstand. I use a knife way more than I use my brain. Its a lot sharper.

[winst]

I cant remember not carrying a knife. We were always tramping around outdoors and some kinda knife was indispensible. probably lost 1 a year when farming. Or broke the blade working on the baler or whatever. I use a knife multiple times each day even if only cleaning my fingernails.Every vehicle has an onboard knife, couple on the workbench, 1 stuck in the cabin by the door,one in my nightstand. I use a knife way more than I use my brain. Its a lot sharper.

Love the statement "knife sharper than brains" Maybe our congressmen in Washington should carry a pocket knife....there is obviously no brains there.

[glennbad]

I went to a comedy show last week at a local music hall. Never had an issue there before, but as we were standing in line to get our will call tickets, I notice the guy patting everyone down.

Normally I carry my benchmade clipped on my pocket and another traditional in pocket. I purposely left the benchmade at home, but thinking I wouldn't have an issue with the Lloyd custom I was carrying. But I started to panic a bit when I saw the pat-down. I was able to shift the Lloyd to my back-pocket next to my wallet, and it blended in enough that it wasn't discovered.

I do carry pretty much everywhere I can, but have to think ahead to where I am going. For work, if I'm going to a site walkthru, I always leave my knives in the truck if it's a school or similar type of building.

At the office, everyone knows that I'm the "knife guy", and that I always have at least one knife on me at all times...

[toomanyknives]

I bought my first knife on my own in 1969 when I was 9 years old. I cut grass and rode my bike to a local pawn shop to buy a cheap little pen knife, and from then on, I was hooked. I think it cost about $1.50 or $2.00. My grandfather had a farm about 90 miles from Atlanta, and we went there most weekends. I learned to shoot fish, and skin a squirrel using my little knife.

I too carried one to school, and I feel strange if I don't have a knife in my pocket now. I use one every day for many tasks. I think I love knives so much because I can understand them. The world has gotten too complicated, knives have remained the same for the most part.

Knives to me are the epitome of "functional art".

[RedRaiderRick]

I went to a comedy show last week at a local music hall. Never had an issue there before, but as we were standing in line to get our will call tickets, I notice the guy patting everyone down.

Normally I carry my benchmade clipped on my pocket and another traditional in pocket. I purposely left the benchmade at home, but thinking I wouldn't have an issue with the Lloyd custom I was carrying. But I started to panic a bit when I saw the pat-down. I was able to shift the Lloyd to my back-pocket next to my wallet, and it blended in enough that it wasn't discovered.

I do carry pretty much everywhere I can, but have to think ahead to where I am going. For work, if I'm going to a site walkthru, I always leave my knives in the truck if it's a school or similar type of building.

At the office, everyone knows that I'm the "knife guy", and that I always have at least one knife on me at all times...

Glenn, reminds me of an outdoor concert we went to years ago. Cop was "wanding" everyone at the gate. I had my LC9 in the watch pocket of my Levi's. I didn't want to attract any attention when the cop found it. I'm retired LEO so I'm legal. Luckily I had my retired badge wallet with me. So it's my turn to get wanded, and no beeps!

[Reverand]

I bought my first knife on my own in 1969 when I was 9 years old. I cut grass and rode my bike to a local pawn shop to buy a cheap little pen knife, and from then on, I was hooked. I think it cost about $1.50 or $2.00. My grandfather had a farm about 90 miles from Atlanta, and we went there most weekends. I learned to shoot fish, and skin a squirrel using my little knife.

I too carried one to school, and I feel strange if I don't have a knife in my pocket now. I use one every day for many tasks. I think I love knives so much because I can understand them. The world has gotten too complicated, knives have remained the same for the most part.

Knives to me are the epitome of "functional art".

Well said!

[wlf]

My first exposure to pocket knives was when I was 4. My grandfather demonstrated how to sharpen a pencil. That was my first knife lesson. The second was how to sharpen it.

The first weekend I went to visit him after I started first grade, he said

"Now that you've started school, you need to have your own pocket knife. We can't have you borrowing one when you need one."

And gave me my first knife - a single blade pen knife that I still have lying around in a drawer somewhere. The blade wobbles like a slinky and has less than half the blade left, but I still have it.

In 2nd grade, around Halloween, during cursive practice, I needed to sharpen my pencil but the classroom pencil sharpener (the big gray thing one on the wall) had exploded in a half-dozen parts when someone had tried to use it. I pulled out my knife and began to sharpen my pencil. The other 3 kids at the desk cluster asked me to sharpen theirs as well. The teacher came over to see what was going on. She went back to her desk and came back with a hand full of pencils and said --

"Could you sharpen mine as well?"

After Christmas, every boy and half the girls in the class were carrying pocket knives.

Great story. I got my first about the same time. Hunting and fishing ever since I was 3 or 4 required knives. It's from a time you didn't have to always say what you thought or meant , people understood.

[Jeepergeo]

The only reason to not carry a pocket knife is when traveling via an airline...no since adding to the TSA's collection of confiscated knives.

There are two types of men on this world. The first type carries a knife and knows how to use it. The second type does not carry a knife and looks to the first type to take care of things when a knife is needed.

[toomanyknives]

I bought my first knife on my own in 1969 when I was 9 years old. I cut grass and rode my bike to a local pawn shop to buy a cheap little pen knife, and from then on, I was hooked. I think it cost about $1.50 or $2.00. My grandfather had a farm about 90 miles from Atlanta, and we went there most weekends. I learned to shoot, fish, and skin a squirrel using my little knife.

I too carried one to school, and I feel strange if I don't have a knife in my pocket now. I use one every day for many tasks. I think I love knives so much because I can understand them. The world has gotten too complicated, knives have remained the same for the most part.

Knives to me are the epitome of "functional art".

Well said!

[toomanyknives]

I bought my first knife on my own in 1969 when I was 9 years old. I cut grass and rode my bike to a local pawn shop to buy a cheap little pen knife, and from then on, I was hooked. I think it cost about $1.50 or $2.00. My grandfather had a farm about 90 miles from Atlanta, and we went there most weekends. I learned to shoot, fish, and skin a squirrel using my little knife.

I too carried one to school, and I feel strange if I don't have a knife in my pocket now. I use one every day for many tasks. I think I love knives so much because I can understand them. The world has gotten too complicated, knives have remained the same for the most part.

Knives to me are the epitome of "functional art".

Well said!

Thanks Reverand.

[Paladin]

I don't ever remember going to school without a pocket knife. There was some mumbly peg to play and I recall going into the boys room to shave off some peach fuzz in my senior year. I used my Tested 47 to remove a lot of coon penis bones during my coon hunting days.

Ray

[wlf]

I don't ever remember going to school without a pocket knife. There was some mumbly peg to play and I recall going into the boys room to shave off some peach fuzz in my senior year. I used my Tested 47 to remove a lot of coon penis bones during my coon hunting days.

Ray

Toothpicks

[ken98k]

I used my Tested 47 to remove a lot of coon penis bones during my coon hunting days.
Ray

LOL What the heck?

[Mumbleypeg]

I used my Tested 47 to remove a lot of coon penis bones during my coon hunting days.
Ray

LOL What the heck?

Here ya go: https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/small ... -toothpick

I have one around here somewhere. Haven’t seen it in years though. For those not able (or not so inclined) to make your own, they can be purchased on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/266477764560?i ... R9TW6fbCYw

Ken