"Four Rules" for knives?

Never cut toward your body, and never use it as any tool other than a knife (it isn't a prying, hammering, climbing, tool etc.)

I dont think there are 4 universal rules when it comes to knives. Knives are so versatile it's impossible and impractical to pigeonhole what they can and cannot do.

I do agree with keeping it sharp but some situations insist you cut towards yourself. Whittling is the first that comes to my mind. Knives cannot be guided by rules but must only be guided by common sense.

Maybe the only two iron clad rules would be keep it sharp and take your time and think.

5) Loaning knives to co-workers and friends is a bad idea unless you want it abused.

Most important: NEVER point the blade at another person or hand it to another blade-first. Treat the blade like a gun's muzzle.

You would not BELIEVE how many people in restaurants do this even with their sharpest steak knives... every time I try to educate them, and nobody seems to get it. *rolls eyes*

5) Loaning knives to co-workers and friends is a bad idea unless you want it abused.

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LOL... I never loan anything I wouldn't want to give away first. Getting your stuff back trashed is a fast track to hard feelings. Years ago when I first became an LEO, a good friend, also an LEO, asked to borrow a small pocket pistol to use as a back-up until he could afford one (wanted it for about a month). When he brought it back he said the firing pin broke... yea, along with all the rust and lint from no care or lubing, not to mention all the scratches from carrying it in the same pocket with keys and other. Never offered to have it repaired or apologized.

Lesson learned.

The rules for a Cub Scout to earn his Whitlling Chip, a permit to carry


Pocketknife rules

A pocket knife is an important tool. You can do many things with its blades. The cutting blade is the one you will use most of the time. With it you can make shavings and chips and carve all kinds of things.

Take good care of your knife.
Always remember that a knife is a tool, not a toy.
Use care to protect yourself and others.
Think when you whittle or carve.

dayhiker said:

The rules for a Cub Scout to earn his Whitlling Chip, a permit to carry


Pocketknife rules

A pocket knife is an important tool. You can do many things with its blades. The cutting blade is the one you will use most of the time. With it you can make shavings and chips and carve all kinds of things.

Take good care of your knife.
Always remember that a knife is a tool, not a toy.
Use care to protect yourself and others.
Think when you whittle or carve.

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Yes. We are actually working on our whistling chip this year for my son. There are rules. Adults just say don't cut towards yourself or others. Bt to teach a 9 year old how to safely use a knife there has to be more rules. If you learn them you will be good to go for life.


Sent from my IPad so... Ease off the spelling

We are actually working on our whistling chip this year for my son.

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Yep..., whittling and whistling go hand-in-hand.

Not a rule, just a good tip: the closer the knife is to your body the more coordinated you are. The closer your elbow is to your ribcage, all the way up to aggressively clamping it down using your lats, the more control you have over the knife regardless of power you are putting behind the cuts.

In addition to the remembering fact that, as others have said, you should always cut away from your body and body-parts, these keep me pretty safe.

RULE#1 never take one to a gun fight

heron said:

"A dropped knife has no handle."

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Goodness gracious yes!!!


If you drop it, LET IT FALL!

JShirley said:

You will, however, lose some control if you pull the knife in too far, and tense your muscles. Especially when using a large blade fast, you need to not let the blade get too far from your "triangle of power". Also, keep your body behind your knife arm- you literally cannot cut yourself if the knife is always away from the rest of you.

I've been a frequent user of kukuris and other very large knives for over 15 years, and I've never suffered any cuts requiring stitches in that time. A lot of other folks have, though- start out slow, be mindful of how you pull knives out of sheaths, and "listen" to the knife.

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Thanks John!

To clear one thing up, I kind of meant both tenets separately, using coordination as one measure and control as another.

In other words for fine or precise cuts/usage of the blade you always want it close to your body (coordination). To get additional control you can tense up certain muscles (the lats and abs while clamping your elbow down) - control here being the ability to direct the knife with additional force and maintain equally safe and certain movement. As you state this is not the same as a true coordinated use of the blade, of course. If you are whittling or cutting a string off your nephew's shirt you probably won't lock down the blade for max control!

Your tip about getting your body/bodyweight behind the blade is probably the ultimate way to powerfully and safely use the blade. Someone who understands this and understands "footwork" i.e. moving in relation to your opponent, pretty much knows the 101 of defensive knife use IMO.

There are some exceptions for "chopping" but as discussions on this forum often state, "chopping" and typical knife use are different things.

#4- a knife is not a toy, so don't treat it as such.

A knife is the poorest most expensive pry bar that you can own, like others have said a knife is for cutting.

Dan

Another I had forgotten, but saw here first -- somewhere -- "A dropped knife has no handle."

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I am guilty of forgetting that one. Once or twice.

give that kid a good pocket knife and let him learn to use it properly. Too bad if his mother thinks he will cut himself. Of course he will. He still needs to learn, and there is no other way. I have scars on my 64 year old hands that prove 50+ years of sharp knives will leave some scars. Oh by the way, I learned that superglue will do in a pinch if you are too far away to get to your suture kit.

Another should be use a knife for cutting and smething else for prying or turning screws.

NEVER loan a knife to someone who is irresponsible with knives.

Since people who are responsible with knives have one of their own...

NEVER loan a knife.

Especially to someone who looks like what they really need is either a short prybar, a putty knife, or a screwdriver.