When is it "ok" to talk about knives and when not?

[TPK]

So here's a question that I assume has no right or wrong answer but it could be an interesting discussion if you folks wish to give us your thoughts about it. When can you talk about knives and when not?

For example, when asked about your hobbies by a job interview, do you mention pocket knives? Of course if your applying for a job at Shepherd Hills then it's ok to say that your a knife nut. But what about other jobs? Let's say for example an office job or something far from a cutlery store. And what if the person asking the questions is a female? Would that make any difference in the answer?

Are there any other situations where it's good to talk about or good not to talk about knives?

I'm interested in your replies.

[btrwtr]

For a job interview it would first depend on the work environment atmosphere for the potential job. I think I would have weigh that in as well as my perception of the interviewer. In an interview I always try to give answers that I think the interviewer wants to hear rather than what I might want to say. If I did mention it I would try to paint it in a way other than "I like knives cause I can cut things with them".

Same goes for social situations. I'd have to consider the people involved. You can paint collecting knives in many ways. Historical, the aspsect of craft and workmanship, mans oldest tool etc. Some people just think it's weird.

[edge213]

I'm retired and I don't really care what most people think.
I don't plan on giving a job interview.
If ask about about my hobbies I always mention knife collecting.

[Quick Steel]

If you are going to answer a policeman's "Are you carrying any weapons?" the answer I would give is "No weapons. (A knife is a tool.) I do have my grandfather's old style pocket knife I use to open potato chips."

[herbva]

I'm retired too. I prefer to talk about knives with anyone who is interested. On the other hand, I'm not going to bring it up with someone who hasn't expressed interest. In a pinch, my two dogs are always ready to discuss the subject.

[dlr110]

Like one person has already stated, I'm retired so job interviews are a non-starter. As a Navy Air Traffic Controller and administrator and then later working for DFW Airport DPS I chose my words carefully most of the time. While I was on the clock knives, guns and a few other items were not a topic of open discussion except with another officer out of public hearing. Now however I don't care, I will talk knives at the drop of a hat. With my knife collection, my books I've written and my website I manage I feel like I've accomplished something good so why not talk about when I get a chance or the time is right. BTW if an officer asks me if I have any weapons on me, it's "yes sir a gun and a pocket knife."

[tvic]

I’m retired, too, so no concern about job interviews. However, I have always questioned the benefits of sharing my hobbies with a job interviewer. If I felt it would help me get the job, then, sure, I’d bring it up. But if it has no bearing on the job, why? I suppose I’m too much of a private person. Also, I’m not sure I want to let everyone know I have something valuable like a knife collection in the house. Keep in mind that if you tell one person, it’s likely they’ll tell another, then they‘lol tell another, etc.

[Mumbleypeg]

I’ve never hesitated to discuss knife collecting with anyone. I’m retired now also but I am a volunteer with a couple of non-profits, and on my personal profile I list “Collecting antique pocket knives” among my hobbies. If it bothers anyone, so far no one has said anything. I’d rather not work somewhere or for someone ignorant enough to be prejudiced against me for being who I am.

Most folks I know socially are aware that I collect, and carry, pocket knives. I’ve received occasional leads from friends resulting in acquiring collectable knives. I’ve given knives to friends and relatives. If something needs to be cut and I’m present I typically hear “ask Ken, he’s got a knife”. Where I live most males over the age of 14 carry a pocket knife of some sort anyway, often on a belt scabbard in full view. I like it that way!

IMHO allowing “woke” “snowflakes to intimidate you into what they define as acceptable or “politically correct” is part of the problem we face in this country (and the world). Somehow they have managed to turn things upside down - “Our speech is violence. But their violence is speech.” Think about it.

Ken

[CluelessNick]

I am also retired so no job interviews for me thank you. But I have generally found that most people I meet are really not interested in my collecting hobbies whether it is knives or old computers or whatever. I think that is why most of us end up in a place like AAPK. A place where we can share our interests with other like minded folks. It's great to be able to share your interests with people that understand your obsession with pocket knives.

[dlr110]

I did forget to say that I've been on the side of the interviewer before and it has always been my belief that your hobbies and some other interests tell me something about you as an interviewer and I was truly interested by most people's answers. In some cases it can help me determine the type of employee a person might be. Like are you just using this job as a step to something bigger very soon.
Also I agree with Ken, I have no use for the "Politically Correct" crowd that believe just because we have knives or guns we are social misfits and out to create anarchy. That's one reason I wrote my book "Politically Incorrect: And Proud Of It." Sorry got to put a plug in when I can.

[1967redrider]

I've interviewed a lot of people but have never asked about their hobbies. I guess I'm more concerned about what they do at work as opposed to outside of work.

However, knife talk is appropriate in all settings in my opinion.

[kootenay joe]

I believe it is always best to answer honestly. I would say that i have a hobby of collecting vintage pocket knives and add that there is an online community of knife collectors that has allowed me to establish some good friendships. I might also say that i have learned some history of the last 150 years by studying why certain patterns were developed. My hope would be to show that my knife collecting is not a fascination with weapons but with tools that were used my most people in times past.
kj

[edge213]

I am a member of the 5 person Fire Merit Commission in my city.
Our responsibilities include hiring, promotions, and discipline.
In our hiring interviews the subject of what a candidate does in their downtime or hobbies is always brought up by one of us.

[zzyzzogeton]

I'm also retired, so no job interviews in the near future for me, either.

In the past, however, when I did have an interview, on occasion the topic of hobbies and past times would come up. I took these to be a round-a-bout way of the interviewer trying to determine my availability for overtime requirements.

I was never reticent about any of what I did. When asked about hobbies, I would just state - hunting, fishing, SCUBA diving, gardening, collecting various lines of old stuff, knife/tomahawk/axe throwing, running Fire/EMS calls.

At least one of those topics would garner interest from the interviewer, allowing me to build a connection with the person. Being in Texas, the hunting/fishing/gardening would be glossed over, if for no other reason than "everyone" does at least one of them.

Most of the time, he/she would latch onto SCUBA diving, the firefighting/EMS or the hawk/knife/axe throwing, mainly because they were exotic to the interviewer. Only on very rare occasions was I asked about the collecting "stuff" hobby.

AFTER I had the job, the knife collecting side would become obvious as I would have books on bayonets, bowies, military knives, knife company history books (The Knife Makers Who Went West as an example) lining my bookshelves. My computer desktop background would be pictures of sharp/pointy objects. I always had a minimum of 2 pocket knives on me at all times - a rotation of my Buck 510, Bucklite 424, 426, 422, 444, 464, 484 and a Kabar rigging knife.

Being on the companies' First Response teams meant I ALWAYS brought in my Fire Department duty belt on which I had a Kabar shorty tanto and a Buck 112 hanging, along with a County EMS radio, pocket mask, glove holder, emergency scissors, and a glucometer. I would also have a company issued AED, an O2 bag and expandables bag in my cubicle as well.

On occasion, some snowflake would bitch about the pictures and books about knives. My response was always "If you don't like seeing pictures of knives - simple solution - stay out of my cube."

When I was working at "the major computer maker in Austin, TX", the first time I received a complaint about the knives hanging on my duty belt, I was told I needed to remove the knives from the belt when on company property.

I asked the question

"Do you want me to leave the knives on the belt or do you want me to drop out of the First Response Team? Your choice."

side note - I was the ONLY on-site EMS person for 9 buildings and had already had 2 CPR saves, responses to multiple strokes, labor/delivery, diabetic episodes, seizures and multiple injury first aid calls, just in the first 8 months I was on the team.

"What?? Drop off?? Just remove them before coming in the building and put them back on when you leave."

"I will NOT pull the knives from their sheaths and leave them lying around in my truck all day. Also, it would take 1/2 hour to disassemble and remove the knives/sheaths and reassemble it and then another 1/2 hour to reverse the process. I doubt y'all will pay me an hour a day for doing that, so, NO, that's not a option. So y'all figure out if y'all want me on the FRT or not."

When I left 9 years later, the same knives were still hanging on my belt.

[Paladin]

I'm also retired, so no job interviews in the near future for me, either.

In the past, however, when I did have an interview, on occasion the topic of hobbies and past times would come up. I took these to be a round-a-bout way of the interviewer trying to determine my availability for overtime requirements.

I was never reticent about any of what I did. When asked about hobbies, I would just state - hunting, fishing, SCUBA diving, gardening, collecting various lines of old stuff, knife/tomahawk/axe throwing, running Fire/EMS calls.

At least one of those topics would garner interest from the interviewer, allowing me to build a connection with the person. Being in Texas, the hunting/fishing/gardening would be glossed over, if for no other reason than "everyone" does at least one of them.

Most of the time, he/she would latch onto SCUBA diving, the firefighting/EMS or the hawk/knife/axe throwing, mainly because they were exotic to the interviewer. Only on very rare occasions was I asked about the collecting "stuff" hobby.

AFTER I had the job, the knife collecting side would become obvious as I would have books on bayonets, bowies, military knives, knife company history books (The Knife Makers Who Went West as an example) lining my bookshelves. My computer desktop background would be pictures of sharp/pointy objects. I always had a minimum of 2 pocket knives on me at all times - a rotation of my Buck 510, Bucklite 424, 426, 422, 444, 464, 484 and a Kabar rigging knife.

Being on the companies' First Response teams meant I ALWAYS brought in my Fire Department duty belt on which I had a Kabar shorty tanto and a Buck 112 hanging, along with a County EMS radio, pocket mask, glove holder, emergency scissors, and a glucometer. I would also have a company issued AED, an O2 bag and expandables bag in my cubicle as well.

On occasion, some snowflake would bitch about the pictures and books about knives. My response was always "If you don't like seeing pictures of knives - simple solution - stay out of my cube."

When I was working at "the major computer maker in Austin, TX", the first time I received a complaint about the knives hanging on my duty belt, I was told I needed to remove the knives from the belt when on company property.

I asked the question

"Do you want me to leave the knives on the belt or do you want me to drop out of the First Response Team? Your choice."

side note - I was the ONLY on-site EMS person for 9 buildings and had already had 2 CPR saves, responses to multiple strokes, labor/delivery, diabetic episodes, seizures and multiple injury first aid calls, just in the first 8 months I was on the team.

"What?? Drop off?? Just remove them before coming in the building and put them back on when you leave."

"I will NOT pull the knives from their sheaths and leave them lying around in my truck all day. Also, it would take 1/2 hour to disassemble and remove the knives/sheaths and reassemble it and then another 1/2 hour to reverse the process. I doubt y'all will pay me an hour a day for doing that, so, NO, that's not a option. So y'all figure out if y'all want me on the FRT or not."

When I left 9 years later, the same knives were still hanging on my belt.

Way to go, Z!!

Ray

[TPK]

Turned out to be an interesting discussion.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts & views.

[Colonel26]

Turned out to be an interesting discussion.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts & views.

I’m with Ken and Z in this, but it may depend on the area you’re in. Most folks here are packing a knife of some kind, and collecting old pocket knives is pretty common here. If the topic of my hobbies comes up I always include it. And usually the other person either does as well, or has a family member who collects them too.

At faculty dinners I and a few others will use our knives to cut our meat instead of those dinky plastic things they call knives, and my students love showing me their new knives too. So, personally, I don’t hide it.

[Colonel26]

Turned out to be an interesting discussion.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts & views.

I’m with Ken and Z on this, but it may depend on the area you’re in. Most folks here are packing a knife of some kind, and collecting old pocket knives is pretty common here. If the topic of my hobbies comes up I always include it. And usually the other person either does as well, or has a family member who collects them too.

At faculty dinners I and a few others will use our knives to cut our meat instead of those dinky plastic things they call knives, and my students love showing me their new knives too (which we refer to as folding pencil sharpeners). So, personally, I don’t hide it.

[glennbad]

I don't usually volunteer that information, but if asked, I'm all too happy to wax poetic about all things cutlery.

When we moved into our new office a few years back, we were encouraged to decorate our office as we saw fit (within reason of course). I have several pictures and tin repro signs. I also have a printer tray display on my credenza.

As to the original question, I wouldn't avoid regarding talking about collecting knives, However, I'd probably phrase it something along the lines of...I enjoy collecting antique tools and cutlery. I would group it in with something else, rather than just say "I like knives". If you said that, half the people automatically think you're a psycho that likes to wave around rambo knives.

[Quick Steel]

Zzyzz... I would be interested in knowing what were the two knives you carried all those years.

[TPK]

I don't usually volunteer that information, but if asked, I'm all too happy to wax poetic about all things cutlery.

When we moved into our new office a few years back, we were encouraged to decorate our office as we saw fit (within reason of course). I have several pictures and tin repro signs. I also have a printer tray display on my credenza.

As to the original question, I wouldn't avoid regarding talking about collecting knives, However, I'd probably phrase it something along the lines of...I enjoy collecting antique tools and cutlery. I would group it in with something else, rather than just say "I like knives". If you said that, half the people automatically think you're a psycho that likes to wave around rambo knives.

Cool office! I like that display!

[glennbad]

I don't usually volunteer that information, but if asked, I'm all too happy to wax poetic about all things cutlery.

When we moved into our new office a few years back, we were encouraged to decorate our office as we saw fit (within reason of course). I have several pictures and tin repro signs. I also have a printer tray display on my credenza.

As to the original question, I wouldn't avoid regarding talking about collecting knives, However, I'd probably phrase it something along the lines of...I enjoy collecting antique tools and cutlery. I would group it in with something else, rather than just say "I like knives". If you said that, half the people automatically think you're a psycho that likes to wave around rambo knives.

Cool office! I like that display!

Thanks! I've had a few appreciative comments from employees/co-workers. Most don't care, LOL

[winst]

I’ve never hesitated to discuss knife collecting with anyone. I’m retired now also but I am a volunteer with a couple of non-profits, and on my personal profile I list “Collecting antique pocket knives” among my hobbies. If it bothers anyone, so far no one has said anything. I’d rather not work somewhere or for someone ignorant enough to be prejudiced against me for being who I am.

Most folks I know socially are aware that I collect, and carry, pocket knives. I’ve received occasional leads from friends resulting in acquiring collectable knives. I’ve given knives to friends and relatives. If something needs to be cut and I’m present I typically hear “ask Ken, he’s got a knife”. Where I live most males over the age of 14 carry a pocket knife of some sort anyway, often on a belt scabbard in full view. I like it that way!

IMHO allowing “woke” “snowflakes to intimidate you into what they define as acceptable or “politically correct” is part of the problem we face in this country (and the world). Somehow they have managed to turn things upside down - “Our speech is violence. But their violence is speech.” Think about it.

Ken

WOKE is a good example of an old parable I herd from my pap--"NEVER MIND THE MULE JUST LOAD THE WAGON". We sent our children to school to learn how to be self supporting by using the knowledge they gained. But while there wagons [brains]were being loaded we failed to see where the mule [college professors] were leading the wagon so we end up with college grads that don't have good horse sense.
Fred

[zzyzzogeton]

Zzyzz... I would be interested in knowing what were the two knives you carried all those years.

When I started carrying dual pocket knives in September 1965, the knives were small pen knives. No clue right now what they were specifically. I still have them in a box in a drawer somewhere.

My grandfather gave me the first one in September 1961, telling me

"Now that you've started first grade, you need your own knife. We can't have you borrowing one all the time."

That knife was worn but tight. Probably a small Colonial or Imperial, as those were the least expensive knives available back then.

The second knife, which I started carrying after my grandfather's episode with the combine chain, was a 2 blade Northrup King advertising knife. My father gave me that one when he upgraded to a new one. The blades were well worn, but again tight. That one was an Imperial for sure.

The first knife I bought for myself was a Buck 110 that I bought with birthday money in October 1972. That knife replaced the first small knife. Wore as a belt knife through the rest of high school.

When I went of to college over at Texas A&M, I was in the Corps and Band. Being in uniform all the time precluded wearing the Buck 110 on my belt, so it shifted to my pocket. Sometime over the next 4 years I managed to misplace the sheath.

Upon graduation and commissioning, I kept packing the 110, but left the NK at home.

On my first day in San Diego, while waiting to report aboard my first ship, USS DENVER (LPD-9), I went pawn shop hopping looking for swords and bayonets. Didn't find any that day, but I did pick up a Kabar rigging knife for $5. So the 110 and the rigging knife were my 2 carry knives for the entirety of my active duty career. They were also my carry knives for the next couple of years while going back to school for my CS degree until I encountered the various Buck Buck-lite models at an Academy store. Popped one out of its clampack and proceeded to kinda went koo-koo-nuts and bought one of every model they had in the store.

The rigging knife and one of the Buck-lites (added a Buck 510 around 2000) were my carry knives until the covers cracked on the rigging knife a couple of years ago. Now my carry pocket knives are the 510 or a Bucklite and a replacement rigging knife.

My daily carry pocket knives are now the rigging knife, a Pro-Tech TR4 and one of the Bucklites or the 510. My daily fixed blades are a pair of Western F48Bs for church/funerals/weddings or a pair of Kabar shorties for general farm use, although one of the shorties get replaced with larger knives as required, depending on the tasks of the day. Those are usually a Kabar 1217, Kabar 1281, Becker BK-9, Western L46-8 or Western W49, although when one has 3000+ knives to chose from, one can be wild in carry options.

[catspa]

I like knives.
“Oh, so you’re a serial killer (or a potential one, since you haven’t stabbed anybody yet).”

I like cars.
“Oh, so you’re a getaway driver for bank robberies.”

I like fountain pens.
“Oh, so you’re a forger who writes bad checks.”

I use toilet paper.
“Oh, all you hoarders are why the Walmart shelves are bare.”

Any of these responses signal me that further conversation is pointless, and that if I’m going to talk with anybody, it should be somebody else. Byee.

Parker