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How often do you carry a knife?

#EvanPoll #Poll

  • Always (13%, 82 votes)
  • Often (9%, 60 votes)
  • Rarely (22%, 138 votes)
  • Never (55%, 346 votes)
626 voters. Poll end: 1 year ago

Evan Prodromou reshared this.

never.

Maybe a multitool, but that's, like, an annual thing, and only if I'm cutting CAT-5 cable, and I never even use the itty-bitty knife on it...
I used to always carry a good pocketknife, as my Dad taught me, and got good value out of it, but was just too absent-minded to remember to take it out before going the airport, so after I lost 2 or 3 I stopped. 😞
somewhere between often and rarely, and it's barely a knife. Swiss Army 😀
I have a tiny Leatherman. I use it a lot when I work in the precinct.
do scissors count as a knife?
So my story for "always" is that I didn't, then I was getting a smog test and the technician showed me a hose that was broken a little bit. I said can't you cut it and just stick it back on. He said no.

I suddenly thought of this movie, and the line "he has no knife!"

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0079180/

So anyway, now I carry a fairly dull utility knife for opening packages and miscellaneous quick fixes.
I have a Swiss Army Knife as part of my "every day carry", aka the contents of my pockets when I leave the house. It has a couple knife blades, but they're small and the blades don't lock.

I voted "often" because I don't wear a multi-tool around the house (I could go grab a full toolbox if needed), and I sometimes go outside in my pajamas.
This depends on whether the sticker-remover tool I intermittently carry (a razor blade in a plastic holder) counts as "A Knife". And I really, really hope it does not, because if so, then carrying it is illegal!
Under Toronto law, it is legal to carry a knife if it is a tool, and illegal to carry it if it is a weapon. What is the difference between a tool and a weapon? It seems to be totally legally ambiguous and probably up to case-by-case judicial discretion if someone gets in trouble! Which makes me worry maybe someday I'll get in trouble for carrying a 3D-printed sticker remover.
(Similar oddness: It's illegal to carry pepper spray in Canada, but legal to carry bear spray, but they're the same chemical. This is probably less ambiguous inside a city tho.)
Hm ... if I count that one included in my bicycle repair toolkit, then almost always because it is in my bag that I got almost always with me. Otherwise rarely, just when doing garden works (which does not mean I'm lazy and work rarely in the garden).
I wonder how the results might vary by country and age 🤔
I voted "never" because my interpretation of the word "carry" in context of guns (or knives) usually implies a fantasy of "self defense" (or in other words, something you could use to seriously injure someone), and I don't do that.

Now in theory my key ring contains a very small widget that unfolds into a novelty utility knife bottle opener combo that is only useful for opening things. However, I rarely leave the house at all anymore, so it seems my answer would be "never" either way".
does a knife on a multi-tool count? I have at least one multi-tool handy every time I go out.

@Amon_Rudh I have a FAQ for this!

https://prodromou.pub/@evan/109943764746156028


Q: Can you clarify the question?

Q: What do you mean by X?

Q: Define X.

A: I usually will not do this.

I try to use English idioms as clearly as possible.

Sometimes the questions I ask apply in multiple scenarios or in different ways.

Over-specifying the terms would leave out some of these connotations and make it harder for people to connect with the poll.

If you need to, add your personal definition in a reply, and then use it for your poll response.

#EvanPollFAQ #EvanPollFAQDefine


Never. Though I'll admit to using old knives in the garden, as a tool from the bucket of tools, for splitting up strong clumps of plants.
Only when I go trekking in the mountains.
I carry a very small knife with a 15 mm blade, zip-tied shut and a flashlight, my train commute readyness package.

The knife is small and locked shut because of knife carrying laws.
@cisene ok but how are you going to cut that zip tie when you need to
I can break the ziptie with my keys or a pen
not since they changed the law here
technically 'always' because multitool includes one
Define "carry a knife". There's a kitchen knife in my panniers for when I need to make a salad in a place that isn't a kitchen. So either "always" or "never" depending on if you feel like the presence of this kitchen utensil somewhere at the bottom of my bags counts as "carrying a knife".

@eviloatmeal thank you for letting me practice using my FAQ!

https://prodromou.pub/@evan/109943764746156028


Q: Can you clarify the question?

Q: What do you mean by X?

Q: Define X.

A: I usually will not do this.

I try to use English idioms as clearly as possible.

Sometimes the questions I ask apply in multiple scenarios or in different ways.

Over-specifying the terms would leave out some of these connotations and make it harder for people to connect with the poll.

If you need to, add your personal definition in a reply, and then use it for your poll response.

#EvanPollFAQ #EvanPollFAQDefine


Rarely, but there are knives in strategic locations around my house (mainly for package opening)
At various times I've carried a small pocket knife, but every one has eventually been handed over to TSA at an airport...
It's a tiny knife on my keyring though. One of those swiss-army type thingies with just blade, scissors, nail file, tweezers, toothpick, and purported screwdriver.
I marked always but to be fair it’s a multi tool that has a knife. The screwdriver and pliers get more regular use most days.
Every time I'm moving it from the drawer in the kitchen to the counter for cutting stuff or from the dishwasher to the drawer. 😀
"Often" rather than "always", because sometimes there are people with metal detectors and no sense of humour at the entrance to concerts and airports and such., and my reflexive "answer serious situation with humour" becomes less than optimal.
so many bros walking around the city like this

wonder what their threat model is that they think this makes them less likely to be seriously injured in a conflict
Photo of a folding knife clipped into the front pocket of a person's jeans.
Since I started working my current position I now have a produce knife and a box cutter in my coat pocket that I never remember to take out. I also often carry one of my two leathermans on me, both gifts from my dad.
To be fair it's just a little one.
Always
Carry
A
Blade
voted never as I'm assuming carrying knives around within my own kitchen doesn't count
I know lots of people with less storage-oriented fashion options might be jealous of my pockets, but I carry everything in my purse now, including a multitool knife, and I take my purse virtually everywhere.
@lprodromo I couldn't keep you waiting for long!
I carry them at times when I'm working, but not every day as I don't want any LEO to claim it as a weapon.
only when camping tbh
I have a proper, but very tiny, pocket knife that lives on my key ring. It's useful for a lot of things.

@evan
TSA is out of their minds. I have had two two inch folding knives seized.
Used to be "always" until I started commuting by plane regularly (for a mostly remote job but where I'd come in once a month); then the frustration of forgetting about it and having trouble with security got me out of the habit, and now I never have one when I need one.
i suppose carrying knife from the kitchen to cut fruit doesn’t count :blobcatlul: carrying it as a weapon is illegal here.
I’m glad that the cops (lit. public security) in my hood actually do their job so I could walk around at night never thinking of the latter scenario. Or maybe stealing motorbikes is more profitable and less risky than mugging :blobshrug:
well that’s what “carrying it as a weapon” means :blobcatupsidedown:

but anyways i don’t carry it outside my home and i guess that doesn’t count anyways
can tell you in how many places openly carrying a cleaver is illegal regardless of intention
@cnx @xarvos your confidence is unfounded, but I can guess that it is a large number
Only time ever is if I'm cutting or buttering something in the kitchen -- does that count?

Content warning: That's not a knife

The number of people here abashedly “admitting” to carrying a “small” knife speaks a lot to the socioeconomic class background of the typical Fedi user. I don’t say that with contempt; it’s legitimately fascinating to me.

I carry two knives daily: a multitool and a utility (“box cutter”) knife, and use them both regularly.
Completely illegal to carry in public any kind of sharp object without a really good reason in Finland. Thus carrying a knife or a multitool with a blade only when going hiking or fishing.
when I’m going to eat something. Why should I carry it anytime else?
only when in kitchen
Always - one in each hand just in case someone comes at me from my left or my right! 😛

But in all seriousness, I have a small Swiss Army Knife that I usually pack in my checked bag when traveling. I also usually have some string or twine in case something breaks. Most of the time, the knife is only used to open wine bottles 🤗
when I worked in theatre it was always. Now I work from home. Not super necessary these days.
It's my keychain. so always. surprisingly useful. I wish this one would hold an edge better - it's nearly always dull.

On the rare occasion where the situation feels sketchy, I will palm it so the little blade sticks through the fingers of a fist. Not going to do any major damage, but the extra surprise may give some extra time to escape.

Interesting results!

I'm "often".

I've started carrying one since I started doing more gardening and yardwork.

It's really useful and I like the way the object feels.

I have to remember to remove it from my pockets or bag when flying or going to see music. Otherwise, I keep it in my shoulder bag whenever I'm out of the house.

UPDATE: forgot alt text. Photo of my right hand holding an open Buck knife, wooden floor in the background.

This entry was edited (1 year ago)
I have a victorinox multitool in my backpack, along with bike tools, and it does have a big-ass knife.
I also chose "Often" even though from a practical standpoint it's "Always". Only time I'm not carrying is when I fly commercially three times a year.

I use it once every couple of days, which is too often to have to go track it down every time.
Make sure to check the laws where you live. Canada has some 'interesting' rules around knives.
I'm under the "always*" bracket, but there are things to watch out for.
*as long as it's allowed ;)
Exactly the same for me … One time, I forgot my best knife in my pocket, just before to take an plane in Buenos Aires… I passed the search without any problem with my knife in my pocket... I shamefully threw it in the airport's toilets! Such a beautiful knife, a Laguiolle with Rose wood…
often for me. I keep one of those little army knives on my keys and I always take those when I leave the house, but not around the house.

I also go through phases of carrying a sort of “half a leatherman” knife at work mostly because I get annoyed about not being able to find a screwdriver when I need to remove a panel.
I miss my Buck 110. Found it in a parking lot with a chipped off point, ground it back to health, but lost it a few years later. As they say, this too shall pass.
in the US I wonder if there is a place where you can carry a gun but not a locking knife.