I am afraid of knives....

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sm said:
Tom Krein is a nice guy.
PM him and ask him about a Victorinox Paring Knife he and I talked about.
Get one of these to use at home.
You can always toss it in a box and put it up.
Still, I trust Tom and I betcha, this Vic Paring knife might assist in getting past some things.
Click to expand...
I can vouch for that. Tom is so helpful and so easy to deal with. His customer treatment is second-to-none. He even took time to jabber with me about general knife things--knife knut to knife knut. His re-grinding skills are amazing! Oh, and he really, really knows his stuff. No, I'm not exaggerating or sugar-coating.

So, boredelmo, if you follow Steve's (sm) advice, talk to Tom about getting the Victorinox blade re-ground. Tom gave one of my knives (Spyderco Endura in ZDP-189--my most valued folder) that treatment and let me tell ya; it made a world of difference. The blade glides through what you're cutting (assuming it's kept sharp, of course), which requires you to use less force, which in turn means better control, which means you're much less likely to get cut.
 
You could try one of these:
Buck Metro available from REI.

818896.jpg


Its actually a bottle opener with a ridiculously small blade (1.125 inches) that folds out and locks. Can be operated with one hand. I got one for my brother, he works in a grocery store meat market, he loves it.

Just remember to tell yourself you are carrying a bottle opener, not a knife.
 
I have this Parker brand pen that is all metal (stainless) and would work well for what you have described. It is all metal although plastic variants of it are around. I think I got mine at the Office Max but if you look around online I am sure you can find one there too. Wal-Mart sells this pen but they only carry the plastic ones. It’s a clicker style, not the kind you twist. Anyway I had it for a long time and it still works well.
Its model name is the Jotter. It’s not too expensive and will hold up. I think I paid around 9 bucks for mine after taxes. I think Paper mate and Sanford also have a pen just like it called the Jotter. (I think they are all made by the Parker though)

Anyway hope this helped.
Parker: Jotter

P_JOTTER_SS_BP_HI.jpg


sorry for the overly large size of the picture...
 
My favorite small tool is my letherman micra. It has about a 1'' blade that you could take off (hell I barely use the blade). It has scissors, screwdrivers, tweezers. It is my favorite tool, I prefer it to any knife I've ever had. With the scissors and small screwdrivers you can open many things.

And to SM's broccoli analogy... Maybe if I coat my K31 is gooey, melty swiss the brady campaign will like it!
 
"...hoplophobia..." That's not a real word or condition. Jeff Cooper invented the word around 1962 to describe people with an irrational fear of firearms. It has nothing to do with reality.
Being poor, stingy and poor is very sad. However, no SS writing instrument is cheap nor reliable for opening packages and writing exams. So don't be daft.
 
Lot of tools are multi purpose. But pens, plastic bics pens die fast, are cheap. Metal pens with refills last forever.

Could also get any type of yawara/ kobuton. Cheap ones are usually just an aluminum stick, great for the box purpose.
 
Try systematic desensitization

Psychological fear of knives...try systematic desensitization. That's just a fancy word for "slow exposure to fear".

Disclaimer: Here is my 2 cents worth and does not constitute expert advice. Just for educational/entertaining purposes only and not in any way to substitute for clinical counseling.

Two methods:

Method A:
Start carrying a really small knife (as previously posted)...and gradually start carrying a bigger knife. Do this gradually. Do not move on to the next size knife until you are completely comfortable with the small one.

Method B:
Start with the size knife that you want to end up carrying. But do not open it. Just carry it around and get having it. Carry it with you 24/7, when you eat, sleep, etc. Make it a part of your normal wardrobe. After about a month, gradually practice opening and closing it. (No cutting of anything yet.) On the third month, practice cutting open boxes.

Ok...you get the picture.
 
boredelmo, Check out the Blackhawk Hook Hawk model #15HH11SL. It's a good, small flat multi-tool with a seat belt/ rope cutter safety type blade w/ flat head screw driver tip, can opener etc.
They go for around $30-$40.....
 
There's bigger fish here.

I believe in (and practice) the same ideals as G. Gordon Liddy. If you fear something, go face it.

I always believed that Hunter Thompson's phrase "fear and loathing" summed up a lot of angst in your average person. You hate something, you cannot do anything about it, so you fear it.

Mr. Liddy spent the night in a dump because he feared rats. Now he doesn't.

I never liked bullies. Got my nose broken twice. Now I don't.

If I were you, I'd buy a nice knife and go make paella or mince some onions. Listen to some nice music.

Soon, you'll look forward to cooking.
 
Sunray,

Even though we all know Cooper was an eccentric gun nut :uhoh::rolleyes:...

There MAY have been, by some off chance, some merit to his assessment...:scrutiny:

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=hoplophobia&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
...
Clinical usage
In spite of the political origins and connotation of the term, it has clinical usage, and a patient may be diagnosed with this phobia. For instance, a patient that has no opinion on law or public policy per se but becomes terrified upon noticing a policeman's sidearm, or a photograph of a rifle or knife, may be a hoplophobe. Such a phobia may be present in someone who suffers from PTSD as a result of a traumatic experience involving a firearm. Hoplophobia is described as an uncommon phobia in Contemporary Diagnosis And Management of Anxiety Disorders [4].
Click to expand...

Geez, who'd have thunk some neanderthal gun lover could coin his own word. :banghead::banghead:

But let's not be daft, shall we?
 
Get a Wenger Air Traveler. It's an SAK, but without the knife.

Once you've carried it for a while, make the leap and get a Vic Classic. Put it on your keyring.

After carrying that, progress up to a larger SAK, say a Recruit.

Then, go to a traditional slipjoint.

Then to a traditional lockblade.

And finally, a tactical lockblade.
 
I would first go with a small, friendly looking knife like a SAK or any of the small case knives. Try to get one with a sheep's foot blade which will make the knife look alot less "pointy and dangerous" and more like a tool. After a while you will most likely get over the fear and move up to bigger knives. When I was little I was terrified of knives because my dad once cut himself and bled so much that he had to go to the hospital and get 10+ stitches. Now I LOVE collecting/using knives :D I have gotten minor cuts but you live and learn from your mistakes :D I now own spyderco, benchmade, kershaw, ZT, Ka-bar etc. ranging from $20 to $200 :cool: For all you know, your greatest fear may become your greatest obsession :)

Good Luck! :D
 
Reading The Posts

I am struck by the number of posts made by people who have evidently not read more than the top two or three posts.

If you're going to "skim" the thread, at least read all the posts made by the OP (boredelmo) and get a real sense of where he's at, based on his clarification.

Seriously.
 
I think you will find that Olfa Touch Knife nearly

perfect. There is a small hole at the back corner behind the button that will allow you to attach a strap if necessary but I carry mine in my left front pocket along with my spare change. Velcro is also handy. Stick a small patch on the opposite side from the button and the Touch Knife will stay put anyplace you put an anchor patch. They weigh next to nothing and even in a vehicle on a rough road will stay stuck to the anchor. Good luck - hope this was helpful.
 
ArfinGreebly said:
get a real sense of where he's at
Click to expand...

I understand the problem. And it poses a problem for those who post, as well. We want to give good info.

However, if a member said he was going on an elephant hunt, is afraid of recoil so he needs a good pellet gun, we would address the issue in much the same fashion here.

For example, no matter what we say, recommend or do in our own personal lives, this member might cut himself.

I believe the problem here is not the knife, but the condition.

Obviously if this member was my next store neighbor I could present various knife examples, do some explaining and perhaps training. You don't get those chances in a hobbyist forum. You get a few paragraphs.

We want the best for guy, and I'm sorry if I drifted and broke some rules. I face many of the same issues in providing good quality kitchen knives to housewives doing an upgrade. They're afraid of the things.
 
Where He's At

by boredelmo

I will admit that I am afraid of knives, slightly by the memories that are brought on upon them but mainly, I am afraid of people who are afraid of knives.
Click to expand...
This line is key.

There is, of course, history here (see first post).

It's not so much "OH NOES, KNIFES IS DANGEROUS!" but more along the lines of "something bad happened relating to knives, and my biggest worry isn't the knife so much as the interaction -- with people -- about knives."

Sharp-and-pointiness isn't the problem.

Perception is the problem.

People is the problem.



Elmo, dude, are you ready for this thread to be over, or would you like it to remain open?
 
A number of workplaces and campuses have policy that do not allow "tactical" knives anymore here in the good old southern USA.

No one hand opening, no assist opening, no flipper, no locking devices, no...

If one has a job that requires and "edged tool" they will be issued an Approved by the company, such as a safety box cutter.
Oh a locking electrician's knife , even a Buck 110 is allowed, just one has to have a job description, get the in-service bit, signed off on and all.

Why?

Folks were not getting any work done, playing with knives, and using the Internet for knife stuff.
Gun related sites were denied access earlier because of similar behavior.

Oh...
Folks could not open a knife and cut.
Instead it was described to me and others as " Bruce Lee on Meth" in regard to whipping and flipping and knife use.

This does not set well with Clients coming onto campus, and it Scares other employees.
Clients do not want to spend money with a company that has folks working for them acting like this.

Employees get a bit distracted and especially a few that have terrible memories and are "scarred" because of knives used with evil intent.

A drunk uncle that beats his wife ( aunt) and then gets really drunk and starts cutting her...
Or that nice boy they had been dating in HS pulls out a hunting knife and wants this date, on that night, to be a special memory...


I know a guy, that was scared of B-Day Candles.
I mean he was flat scared of them!

He is a Sophomore in HS and totally freaked at a party with candles on a cake.
Me and some others ran out to see about him.
Now he was athletic, handsome, and self assured...why?

B-Day party, his B-Day party, and all his friends in the neighborhood.
Time to blow out 7 candles, and he took a deep breath, both hands on the table and he blew.

One candle, blew off the cake, landed on a girls dress and caught that dress on fire.
Outside, and as soon as her pretty dress caught fire, "stop-drop-roll" went into affect.

The chances of that happening are small...but it did.
Those candles were down into that cake icing...
The pretty girl had to spend time in a burn unit, and she has some scars, and is the reason she never wore a bikini, not in public, in the house only.

Therapy had not gone well.
10th grade it did.
Found someone that could reach him and parents, and the little girl, had stayed in touch and she was back in town and they both went to therapy to help him.

She was fine , really, worked through her stuff, but it was an accident.

Never make fun of someone with a fear. It is none of your business, just like your business is none of anyone's else's.

There are reasons why folks have concerns, and reasons why folks do things, such as enact policy at workplaces.


The easiest way to build up one's self is to tear another person down.
 
It's not so much "OH NOES, KNIFES IS DANGEROUS!" but more along the lines of "something bad happened relating to knives, and my biggest worry isn't the knife so much as the interaction -- with people -- about knives."
Click to expand...

Arf, thank you for making that more lucid. In that case I reccomend either a
1. Small SAK- the Classic is the most non-threatening knife device avaliable, and the Air Traveler doesn't even have a blade

OR

2. A good key, with plenty of fairly sharp teeth. Pretty good ripper/cutter

OR

3. A pair of folding sciccors.
 
I had a bad experience once with a golf cart and a body of water. That was 13 years ago. To this day, I will not drive a golf cart on the course.

Seriously.


-T.
 
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